The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-08
THE SPORTING cLUBs or LONDON

fell no more on his favori,e aide for saunterng
down Pafl Mall of a sunny afternoon. men for
long time. from old custom. used to stand at
the windows of the Athsngum. Travellers, Re-
form. Carlton and Guards Clubs, which look
over from the other side and seemed almost to
watch with melancholy air for the good white
head. which was one OF the institutions OF Lon
don, as IL 10th to believe in its being lost to
them.
As you turn the corner Of Pail Mall into st.
Jamess street you como into another aud
wholly different region, sacred to men OF fash
ion and tho turf. and from the windows OF
Whites whose bow window was his favOrite
lounging place. OF Boobies and OF Ar
thurs. tho figure OF George Payne. who
died last Monday. will DO IA much missed
as was that Of Thackcray from Pail Mall.
Thlther toward every midday he walked over
from his pleasant house just on Curzon street.
in Mavfair, the back windows Of which looked
upon tho delightful gardens created by the taste
OF tho celebrated Lord Chesterfield His ar
rival ut Whites was always welcomed with
pleasant smile on every side. for he wac emf
nenty popular. aud his opinion sought on all
questions OF the day, not alone ON matters OF the
turf or the card table but on matters OF states
mnnship o. literature. and OF art There he
passed the afternoon In mild gossip, for he was
not given TO scandal.
Any day between 40 and 49, he was 10 be
found ut Whites. surrounded, probably. bv
Count DOrsay. Lord Cantilupc. Lord Adophus
Fitzcarcncc. better known as Dolly" an H.
legitimate son OF william ~. Lord Alvanlcy
Lord Allen. md other Of tho host known and
most brilliant men Of fashion OF that time. until
about o'clock. when. in company with Charles
Grevlle Of memoir celebrity. who usually turned
in for him ut that hour. he made for Tattersall's
to look after his book and note the condition
Of tho odds. From thence to u light dinner at
the Coventry, a club founded by Count DOrsay.
which has since passed away. md thence to the
Turf Club in Arlington street. for the night.
There he. Gen. Arson. Mr. Clay VI. T. for Hull.
and Charles Greyillc. reputed tho four best
whist players In England. sat down 10 their
series Of rubhers at a table. surrounded by Sir
Robert Peel. Ouseloy Higgins. the present Sir
William Gregory. George Vaughan. and
number OF young peers and guardemen who
exchanged heavy bcttngs Oh the game. About
supper was served and as tho champagne
circulated there circulated with 1t a refined fas-
| tidious, fashionable anccdotic. Gossipping kind
| Of pleasantly, MS eXhlarating as tho sparkle of
the wine and as volatile as its froth. After sup
per the game again. often until tho first gray
streak Of morning stole across tho cards.
chronicle those particulars because they give
nm idea Of tho life Of a race OF men Of whom he
was representative aud we believe almost the
last man.
George Payne entered the world with tho ad-
vantage Of good connection and very largo
| fortune. His mother enjoyed high reputation
for wit and social humor. As his father was
commonplace sort Of country squire it il fair
| TO presume that he inherited his talent from
her thus adding another 70 the many instances
| OF gifted mon who drew from their mothers the
best and highest Of their qualities. Schiller
Goethe Victor Hugo. Byron. Canning. Lord
| Brougham rise up on the instant, and Curran
said: The only inheritance | could boast Of
| from my poor father was the very scanty ono
Of an unattractive face and person like his own (;
and il the world has ever attributed to me any
thing more valuable than face or person. or
than earthly wealth, II was that another and A
dearer parent gave her children fortune from
the treasure ~ her mind George Payne was
born in Sully. in Northamptonshire. at the very
commencement Of this century. WINS educated
| ut Eton, and on leaving II was entered at Christ
| Church College. Oxford. from which he was
elected. as was George Sclwyn-whom. allow
ing for the changes which a century makes
in men and things. he resembled in
many respects for giving 10 horses hours
which belonged to Horace. and 10 love
! those which belonged to Locke. What pro-
fession do you intend 10 follow" asked Dr.
| 1bhhi u itloW OF lIlHllJ AAlltef. DuUllu. 10 n
young freshman he was examining. | intend
10 90 into holy orders sir" the youth answered
If pass my eXaminination. II not. | am go-
| ing on the turf Then will give the turf the
advantage You cannot pass said DR.. Todd
| Being checked in his university career young
| Payne took ~ the turf. where Ae was received
| with open arms by mon too eager 10 divide with
him n fortune they deemed was intended not
| for one. but for all turf kind. Payne might
easily have been returned 10 Parliament for
! Northamptonshrc had he so wished. but he
was not ambitious Of senatorial honors. He,
however. filed the Office Of High sheriff OF the
shire with great credit. his year being romem-
bered as q memorable one for the splendor Of
his retinue and the costlncss OF his entertain
ments. To the turf and the gaming table he
surrendered himself completely. He came in
Just as another period and another race. that Of
Fox. Wapoe. and Sewyn. was going out There
was and Is even still q certain halo floating
round that period. and dazzling associations
clustering around those names but the habits
| which were the conditions OF its existence begot
monotony. Distance always lends enchant-
ment TO the view, and 1t would take much to
convince us that the mind the fancy. or mag
nation lose any portion Of their power or play
| fulness when they quit the encrvating atmos-
phere of dissipation and play for the healthier
air Of literature and art.
1t is told in some pleasant memoirs Of that
time that party Of gay. witty. lettered profit
gates wero becamed ON board tho Duke Of
York's ship, and got so tired Of one another
that the first care each took ON landing was to
find out where the rest were going in order to
get away from them. All the great men of the
timo before his gAmbled, both at the table and
on the turf 1t is almost painful to think how
much mankind may have lost BY Fox's reckless
ness OF play. and no saying what might have
been effected by such man had he followed the
example OF his rival. Pit. Pitt himself. how
ever, was given, when young TO play. and was
near being gamester. We played good
deal at Goosetree's" Ia celebrated gaming club
says Wherefore. and well remember the in
tense earnestness which Pitt displayed when
Joining in these games Of chance. He per-
ceived their increasing fascination. and In a
shot time. abandoned it forever" II ia
no wonder. with such examples before
him, that young Payne took to gambling. His
narliaat aM,,Ja ,r.ra NOT al H.