The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-07
CLUB LIFE.
" = Nv" n 4 OLUD LIIL'
ANECDOTES AID GOSSIP ABOUT ENGLISH CLUBS.

ANECDOTES AID GOSSIP ABOUT ENGLISH CLUBS.
writer in london Society says:-
Almacks Assembly Rooms were opened in
1766--in King street, st. James. Here, ''ln
three very elegant new-built rooms,n as Gilly
Williams records in letter to George Selwyn,
there was opened ten.guinea subscription,
for which you have a ball and supper once
week for ten weeks. You may imagine by the
sum the company is chosen; though refined
as 1t is, it Will be scarce able TO put old Soho
I.l (Mrs. CoIneby'S out of countenance. The
mems tickets ate not transferable, so If the
ladies' do Hot like us, they have no opportunity
OF changing rs hut must see the same persons
forever" Eariy in the present century, AL
mack's was, on lie testimony of Captain Gro
now, "the seventh heaven of the fashionable
world" "Many diplomatic arts, much inesse,
and host of i1trgues were set in motion
10 get an invitation to Amacks. Very
often persons whose rank and fortune entitled
them to the eftree anywhere, were excluded by
the cliqueism of the lady patroness; for the
female government of Almack's was pure
despot1sm, and subjected to all the caprices OF
despotic rule. lt is needless TO add that like
every other despotsm, it was not innocent of
abuses. The lair ladies who ruled supreme
over this little dancing and gossiping world
issued solemn proclamation that no gentle.
man should appear at the assemblies without
being dressed in knee breeches, white cravat
and otdpedU bras, On one occasion the Duke
OF Wellington was about to ascend the stair
case of the ball room dressed In black trow.
sers, when the vigilant Mrs. Willis, the guardian
OF the establishment, stepped forward and
SAID; Your Grace cannot be admitted IN trOW-
sers; whereupon the Duke, who had great re.
spect Tor orders and REGULATIONS, quietly walked
away.n
The rooms, called now almost exclusively
Willis Rooms, have been accustomed TO be let
for balls, concerts public meetings, and for
miscellaneous purposes. The QGarterh Reuielo
has seen in the decline of Almack,s the dpIng
out ef that feeling of exclusiveness which for
merly reigned in London society. "In 1881
was published 'Amack's,' a novel; in which The
leaders of fashion were sketched with much
freedom, and identified in u Key to Almackis
by Benjamin Disraeli." But the illusions to
Almack's in polite fiction are, as all our readers
may know, well nigh innumerable.
Brookes' Club was originally gaming club
formed at first by Almack," then taken by
Brookes, a wine merchant and money-ende r
described by Tekell as:-
Liberal Brookes, whese speculative skill
Is hasty credit and distant bill;
Who, nursed in CLUBS, disdains avulgar trade
Exults to trust, and bushes to be paid"
The maneuVre by which Sheridan, in collusioI
with the Prince of Wales, was, after being black
balled by George Selwyn aud Lord Bessborough
at length admitted to Brookes', is little his
tory, OF which one version or other-for details
vary and are hard to hX-is known to most peo
pie. Equally familiar, and equally varying II
details, Is the story of the admission of eight
ing Fltzgerald;n but this story has lately beer
carSeliy a6ey Questioned by the skeptlcs Of the
''Adniral Keith Stewart proposed Fitzgerald
u as q member OF Brookes' Club, because hC
knew such a candidate would not be elected
All the balls in the ballotbox proved to b,
black; but Admiral Stewart is Represented
as STOPPING TO talsehood through fear Of th,
gleat bully aod duelist, and sending him mes
sage that, as there was one black ball agains
him. he was not elected. Fitzgerald Affected /,
suppose that an error had occurred and refused
TO believe otherwise when successive message
reached HIM that two, and nAaily, a totally o
blackbalis had rejected ms candidateship
Enzgerad prince Of rutfans, rushed INTO th
club room, asked each gentleman there
he had voted against him, and we (Amene"n