The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-05 00:00:00

Cl. CBS.

The UNITED Szevict Club; the Taavar.a.ra's Club,
the UNlvEnsta Y Club, and various other splendid estab-
lishments of the Saint class, have sprung up within these
few years, and are conducted on a system combining pru-
dent economy with vecial enjoyment, of which no Metro-
polis licit our own afl4rils any example. The English are
naturally attached to those anodes of preserving good fel-
lowship.. Those institutions formed a lending feature in
the manners of our forefathers. Lt s curious and interest-
ing work entitled " A JOCP.NLY .I.IIItOLGH ENGL•ND,
17514," we have the following amusing information on this
subjec: _ _

'7 lhere are an infinity of CLUBS, or societies, for the
improvement of learning and keeping up good humour and
mirth : of the first rank was the KIT-CATT, commonly so
called because their original meeting was at the house of
one CHRISTOPHER CATT, of which the late great Earl of
Dosser was one of the first founders.

" This club could have but thirty-tine members, who
are all men of the first rank for quality or learning ; and
most of them have been employed in the greatest offices of
State and in the army; and none but gentlemen of the
greatest distinction in some way or other. All their pic-
tures are drawn by that great master, Sir Gooraxv Kitst-
blia, and kept in nunmemoration of that august assembly,
by their ingenious secretary, Air. Jacob Tonson, senior,
with whom you was so charmed in Holland.
" The HANOVLR CLUB, also composed of Noblemen of
the first quality, and officers of the anny, affectionate and
' zealous for the succession of the crown to that illustrious
family, had their meetings as the fohner ; they were, as
all other innunierable clubs, kept within this great city,
prescribed by rules, and had their president, secretary, &c.
" In the time of the sitting of the Parliament, there are
also dulls coinpt;sed of the different members of the Houtz
OP COMMONS, id sere most njairs are digested before they
are brought into Me House.
" The Oc mats CLUB made a great noise all over En-
rope, and we 'olive seen in Holland books printed for and
against the society. In the city of London, almost every
parish hang its sera, ate club, where the citizens, after the
fatigue of the day is over in their shops, and on the
Exchange, unbend their thoughts before they go to bed.
" But the most diverting or amusing of all were the
11111G-1101;SE CLUBS in Long-acre, Cheapaide, &c. where
gentlemen, lawyers, and tradesmen, used to meet in a great
room, seldom under a hundred.

" They had a PIESIDLNT, who sate in an armed chair,
some steps higher than the rest of the company, to keep
the whole room in order. A harp played all the time at
the lower end of the room; and every now and then one
or other of the company rose and entertained the rest with
a song, and (by the by) some were good masters. Here
was nothing drank hot ale, and every gentleman had his
eclat-rate nag, which he chalked en the table where he sate
as it spas brought in ; and every one retired when he
pleased, as from a coTee-bouse.
The rooms were always so diverted with songs, and
drinking front one table to another to one another's
healths, that there was no room for any thing that could
sour con vet sat i .

" ate was obliged to be there by seven to get room,
and alter ten the company were fur the most part gone.
•' This was a winter's amusement, agreeable enough to
a stranger for once or twice, and he was well diverted with
the different humours when the mugs overflow.
" On King G...orge's accession to the throne, the Tories
had so much the better of the friends to the Protestant
succession, that they gained the mobs on aU public days to
their side. This induced this set of gentlemen to establish
mu{-hoaxes in all corners of this great city, for well-af-
fected tradesmen to meet and keep up the spirit of loyalty
to the Protestant succession, and to be ready upon all tu-
mults to join their forces for the suppression of the Tory
mobs. Many an encounter they had, and many were the
riots, till at last the Parliament was obliged by a kW to put
an end to this city-strife; which had this good effect, that
upon the pulling down of the mug-house in Salisbury-
court, for which some boys were hanged on this Act, the
city has not been troubled with them since."