The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-18
Observation-Disclosures
CoVENr GARDEN AND ITS "JOY-
Gus NEIGRBORHOOD."

Famous inns Oh O4u6n ElmeS anu
Noted Resorts of To-day-Rich and
MeIow Memories Charmingly Re-
csued-The Market IN Early Morn
ing Hours Interesting Types and
Scenes.
(Copvrightj
LONDON, Sept 5.-Of all the good old
London taverns of bygone days, those look.
ing in upon Covent garden, or Immediately
around about it, best retain that flavor
which has given English fictional literature
for the past 200 years one Of its most vim
some and lasting charms.
used to haunt the apartment houses OF
London, up Bloomsbury way, and skirmish
with their sad-eyed, funereel-voiced ;,
widowed, nimble-hngered keepers in dis
may and desperation, or waste my ener-
eiss upon the austerities of the great
hotels along the Strand. But one day of
grace sucoor came, and good old Saint
Mathews, the London actor, said: "My
dear boy, don't be cad any longer and
waste your gold among the hotel Bedouins
of London. Live like a gentlemen of the
old school on half the money, and take your
ease at your inn In the very heart of that
precinct where all of our literature worth
reading was made. Go TO any of the quiet
old inns about Co vent garden aud be
always at rest, even IN restless London
have never been so grateful for advice
in all my life Here are half a score Of inns,
genuine old taverns, most of them built
long before the century came in, and every
one of modern make constructed and con-
Quoted on the old-fashioned plan. They are
taverns at which the fireplsces are huge,
cavernous and get-at-Rble; the bedrooms
warm and cozy; the hall low-ceiIinged, but
broad and full of real olden settles and
sofas; the smoking rooms snug and warm
and with plenty Of papers and books; the
pictures yellow and olda dim and hung in
great broad, odd frames, which show they
were there long before you were born; the
dining rooms ample and quiet and 'richly
Drowned" the ports, clarets and sherries
with the cobwebs OF the POS and the '30s
upon them; the food wholesome, fine and
good; the porters friendly and "talkyn
when you wish to get down from your own
PEDESTAL for little humanizing patter; and
even the misses in the office and bar and
rosy-faced chambermaids are not averse on
occasion to bit Of innocent banter, which
after all anybody but prude, a hermit or
ahypocrite at times truly enjoys.
And SO from coming and going often
these old Covent garden inns have become
sort Of home to me. Their associations,
rich and mellow as the very wines they
serve, have taken their place one by one in
my heart, while the market into which the
windows of nearly all OF them look, like
Silas Wegg's "Our House" in Mutual
Friend, !" has become my market Scores of
its folk are my intimate friends; for you
must know that most of them have easy
all night ways with them, and you require
no Introduction whatever to get upon eat
ing and drinking terms and into VOWS of
lifelong intimacy with the yokel coster,
porter, and was almost about to say the
Prince Of Wales himself.
That really human and clever man of the
world often comes to "Rnle's, but stones
throw from the market, where he makes q
night Of it peaceably aud like a gentleman
with the wits of the town, ending his little
forgvable dive soon by a rousing jostling
among tbs early porters, costers and green
grocers, and taking the badinage given all
who come with royal philosophy and CHEEKY
good will. This large human leveling in
nuence has always been peculiar to the Co
vent garden district. 1t is still here as one
OF the best legacies of the mellow olden
time. And here is the only place in Lon
don or in all England where you can find it
changeless to enjoy.
What a host of rich associations crowd
within this little Covent garden district!
Ihaekeray called it the Joyous neighbour
hood of Covent garden" though 1t was
scarcely known at the beginning of the
seventeenth century. From the middle of
the seventeenth century to the middle Of the
nineteenth century it was the best known
rendezvous of authors, actors, painters,
good fellows generally, and substantial
country squires and gentlemen visiting the
town in London. In Russell street, now
Cole1y given over to green grocers and
truiterers, was the then social exchange of
the English capital, the mart OF its news
politics, scandal and wit.
IN this one short thoroughfare stood the
most noted coffee houses of the reigns Of
William III and Queen Anue familiar to
Oil conversant with the best English liter
AZURE. willis" "Button'sn and 'tTom'sn
were sacred to polite letters.n All the
English Sir Rogers de Coverly also made
these places their London address. Pepys
and Evelyn, the historians visited and
I9uged here. The entire neighborhood. in
Guiding the shady thoroughfares of Wych
street, Great and Little Queen streets, Lin
COINS Inn Fields, Portugal street, and on
me south, Bedford, York, Tavistock, Hen
nnetts, King and the present Garrick and
SaIherine streets were occupied by the
houses OF the gentry.
- Wits" which stood at the west side Of
BOW street and the north side of Russell
street., was the most ancient and noted
VI THESE resorts. Drydens patronage and
Iequent appearance there made the repu-
eaVon OF the house. After the play the
cream OF those who knew London and
"nom London knew gathered here for cof-
lee pipe and their nightly gossip. Ma-
cauay says: Under no roof was greater
variety Of figures to be seen; earls stars
a.lg garters, clergymen in cassocks
auu bands, pert templers, sheepish lads
aron the universities, translators and index
MAKERS in ragged coats of frieze. The
A sea5 push was to get near the chair where
Il Sonn Dryden sat" London is vastly
n ssseater now, and the fine London clubs
4 pS.Ien separate oongenial men and interests;
ous another Macauley could describe quite
Il n interesting groupings and scenes in the
Il Event garden inns, public houses and cob
"eo9eo old resorts Of to-day.
n II ADDISON and Steele were the most bril-
S Saut or the company to which the hospita-
t eie doors of Buttons" opened. "But-
s srns was on the north side of Russell
u iHeet Addison's wife, the countess, was q
5 s Jioy OF VlneRary tastes and temper, and he
seAuly withdrew much from her company
VT NJ soiace where the wit smelled more Of
r; ne. Buttons" is gone. but the picture
IN IN always remain as Steele painted IT.
lear Dear Addison drunk, deliberate, moral,
v;lutimental, fosming over with truth aud
ooTI1ne, with tenderness and friendship, and
suy worse in one ruffie for the wine" Gay
N"u FrlOr and POna wera other famoug fra