The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-11-08
OLD LONDON COFFEE HOUSES.

Places Where the Politicians, Poets, Paint
ers and Wits slipped and Talked.
"Coffee--that makes the politicians
wise"
The oldest and the longest lived OF
the London coffee houses was opened
by Grecian named Constantine,
about the year 1850. 1t was called
the "Grecian" and was located in
Threadneedle street. 1t was favorite
resort for the literary men of the day,
and philosophers and antiquarians sat
around the tables, and while they sip
ped their coffee, dived into the depths
of Plato and Aristotle, or houndered
in the waves of mythology. From
| Threadneedle street its quarters were
afterward removed from Devereaux
court, Strand, where it ended its ca
reer in 1843, being converted, during
that year, into a lodging for bachel-
ors, under the name of the "Grecian
| Chambers"
Another populous coffee house was
opened, shortly after the Grecian, by
| William Irwin. This was in Covent
garden, and wills, as it was called,
soon became a daily resort for the
wits, poets and actors.
wills" continued to thrive for a
time, and then new rival started to
interfere with its prosperity. This
was "Button's," so called from the
name of its owner. 1t was not far
from "Wills," and soon the literary
lights left the latter in darkness, and
spread their Illuminating presence
around the tables of Buttons" 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"
'Tom's" was another celebrated
coffee house. There were several
Toms" but "The TOMS" whose host
was Thomas West, was located on
Great Russell street, directly opposite
to Buttons. Its proximity caused
some uneasiness in the mind of the
Buttons proprietor, and not little
jealousy, but both places continued to
flourish, and even up to the time of
George III Toms continued to be a re-
sort for nobility and gentry, as well
as poets, wits and painters.
Another famous place was the st.
James coffee house. 1t was resort
for politicians, although wits and men
of genius did not disdain to sip their
coffee there. 1t was 'Whig" house,
and those of Tory proclivities found
little congeniality within its walls;
nor did they seek it, for they had
houses of their own persuasion, where
they could enjoy their coffee free
from the flavor of "Whiggery." In a
political sense, Macauley considered
the London coffee house an institution
of too much importance to be passed
over with running mention. He
says: ut might, indeed, at that time,
have been not improperly 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 10
learn the news and discuss it. Every
coffee house had one or more orators,
to whose eloquence 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 Covent garden,
was noted for the number of theatre
cal celebrities that was in the habit of
visiting it. Garrick was one of these,
and, after the close of his nights per-
Torrance, Richard, being no longer
himself, would hurry around to the
Bedford, and there, in the company of
Quin and Foote, and perhaps half a
dozen others, would devote what re-
manned of the highland often a
little off the front end of the morning
to the discussion of good supper
and such topics as were most congenial
to the bent of ALL Quin, by the way,
was a rank epicurean, though he
never allowed his eating to interfere
with the brilliant quality of his con-
versational powers and he had
enough of them to fascinate Garrick,
although not enough to prevent the
latter sometimes ridiculing the rather
extravagant quality of his epicurean-
ism.
But if poets, wits, politicians and
actors had their coffee houses, there
was 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 were also many other coffee
houses in London, each having for its
habitues the members of some peculiar
craft. The lawyer, the banker, the
broker and the merchant each had his
chosen coffee house, and all, as rule
confined their visits to that within
whose walls they were sure to FIND
congenial spirits. Table Talk.