Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-10-26
OLD LONDON COFFEE HOUSES.
Places WHORE the Politicians, Poets, Paint
cts and Wits slipped and Talked.

"Coilec-that makes the politicians
wise"
The oldest and the longest lived OF
the London coffee houses was opened
by a Gruciam named Constantine.
about tlle year 1850. II was called
the "Grccjan" and was located in
Ihuadnccdle street, 1t was "A fayorite
resort for the literary men of the day,
and philosophers and a~ntjnuariaus sat
around the tables, and while they sip.
ped their coliee, diycd into The depths
Of Plato and Aristotle, or Aouudcrcd
in the waves of mythology, From
ThrpaduCtdie street its quarters were
aiterward removed from DCyCrcauX
court, Strand, whcrr il ended It's cl-
reer in 1875, being converted, during
that year, into n lodging Tor hachcl
orS, under tie name OF the 'Gucian
Chambers"
Another populous coffee house was
opened, shortly after the Grccian, by
William Irwin. This WAS in Covent
garden, aud wills" us it was called,
Don became a daily resort for the
wits, poets aud actors.
Wills" continued TO thrive for a
time, and tLen u new rival started TO
interfere with its prosperity. This
was Buttons so called from the
name of its owner Ii was not far
from Wills" and soou the literary
lights left the latter in darkness, aud
spread their Illuminating presence
around the tables of "Button's.' 1t
was there that Addison, Steele, Pope
and others Of fame were used TO
gather and remain until the hands Of
the, clock wandered among the small
hours
Toms" was another celebrated
coffee house. There were several
Toms but The Toms" whose host
was Thomas West, was lo6tcd on
Great Russell street, directly opposite
TO Buttons. lis proximity caused
some uncasincSS in the mind of the
Buttons proprietor, and not a little
jealousy. but both places continued TO
flourish, and even up TO tine time of
George Ill Tom continued TO be Il re-
sort for nobility and gentry. as well
as poets. Wits and painters.
Another famous place was the St.
James coffee house. Ii was a resort
for politicians. although wits aud men
OF genius did mol disluin to sip their
coffee there. IT was Wing house,
and tho>r of Tory proclivitIcs found
little cDuganUlily within its walls;
nor did li3ey seek il. for they had
houses al their own persuasion, where
they could enjoy their coffee free
from tie flavor of "N hi@grry, In a
political ssusa. MacaUlry considered
the London coffee LuG-cuu institution
of too much importance Ia bc passed
over with II running mention. lie
says: III might. indeed. at l,IUt time,
have bceu not iuprpp"rly called a
most IMPORTANT Political institution.
The coffee houses were the chief or.
gans through which the public OpIn.
ION of the metropolis vented itself.
Every man of the upper or middle
class went daily to his coffee house TO
learn the news and discuss il. Every
coffee house had one or more orators.
to whose cloquence the crowd listened
with admiration. and who soon be.
came what the journalists OF our own
time have been called-a fourth estate
Of the realm"
The Bedford. in Covcnt garden,
was noted for the number of thcatri.
cal celebrities that was IN the habit of
visiting il. GarTick was one of these,
and, after the close Of his nights per.
Torrance, Richard. being no longer
himself, would hurry around 10 the
Bedford, and there, in the company of
GUM and FOotr, and perhaps half a
dozen others. would devote what ne.
manned If the highland often a
little or the front end of the morning
TO tie discussion Of a good supper
and such topics a, were no. tcongcuial
to tue bent of all. Quin, by the way.
was a rank cpiCurean, though he
never allowed his eating Ia interfere
with the brilliant quality Of his con.
veTsltlOnal powers and he had
enough of them TO fascinate Carries,
dItlIpuEh Ibb llpNEl W pltNtllI lllt
latter sometimes ridiculing the rather
e~Xtravagant quality Of his cpicurean.
ism.
But if poets, wits, politicians and
actors had their coffee houses, there
vas yet another profession that could
not resist the delights of the steam.
ing cup" Childs' coffee house, St.
Paul's church yard and the "Smyr-
na,' in Pail Mall, were the resorts Of
the clergy, the younger members Of
the profession being usually in the
majority.
There We're also many other coffee
houses in London, each having for its
habitues the members of some peculiar
craft. Tho lawyer, the banker, the
broker and the merchant each had his
chosen coffee house, and all, as a rule,
confined their visits TO that within
whose walls they were SURF TO find
congenial spirits. Table Talk.