The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-29
London ClubA.

Everybody has his favorite resort, to
which when he can he goes TO play or to
work. Public houses have been apparent
~ as easily accessible to English authors
VINO soJourned In London as any resort
less questionable to the more squeamish
OF us American people. We do not go
10 the ale-house to make essays and
drink ale. The public house has lost
whatever OF respectability 1t ever had
among ourselves. Yet OF Addison II was
said that IL was easier TO trace him TO
his clubs and taverns than TO his own
freside, for though married he was not
the most domestic Of men, says the Wav-
erley Magazine.
Sometimes" he writes to the Specta-
tors. Il am seen thrusting my head into
round OF politicians at WINS, and lis
tening with great attention to the MARIA
| tives that are made in those little cir
cular audiences. Sometimes l smoke a
pipe at Child's and while / seem
attentive to nothing but the 'Postman.
overhear the conversation OF every table
In the room. My face is very well
known in the Grecian, the Cocoa Tree
| and in the theatres"
Tradition says that Beaumont and
| Fletcher were frequenters of the Mer-
| maid tavern at Cheapside, where johnson
| and Shakespeare were their companions.
! DR. Sapuel Johnson was a man Of many
| clubs, and emphaticaly himself. as he
| describes Boswell, "a clubable man"
| The most important and long lived OF
| Johnsons clubs was founded by him and
| Sir Joshua Reynolds in 1854. II had no
| name but The Club" for some years,
and first met at the Turks Head tavern.
Among the original members, besides
| Reynolds and Johnson, were Burke and
| Goldsmith.
| Goldsmith was a member OF many clubs;
Byron was a member OF the Cocoa-Iree
Club.
On the 9Th of April, 1914, Byron wrote
to Moore: II have also been drinking, and
on ore occasion. with three other friends
of the Cocao Tree, from fve till four
| yea, five in tho matin."
Chatterton writing 10 his mother, says:
Il am quite familiar at the Chapter
| coffee house. and know all the geniuses
| there"
The pious DR.. Isaac Watts became a
| guest In a nOblemans house about M
| teen miles from London in lbs or lIli.
| There he resided and there he died, after
| a somewhat protracted visit OF thirty
| five years. The Swan inn was the re-
| sort OF Isaak Walton, the Angler. There
| he used 10 tarry, IL is said, before he
| went to the River Lea to fish. and again
| on his return. Thomson, the author OF
| THE Seasons" is believed TO have writ
| ten his Winter" In a room In house
| overlooking the Thames, when that river
was covered with ice and the neighboring
country with snow. Thackeray was a
| member of several clubs
| Jonathan Swift lodged in various parts
| of London. He frequently walked 70
town when he was lodging in Chelsea.
Sterne saw but little of London. Steele
| had numerous country houses which he
occupied for a shorter or longer period
| during the summer months. He is said
| to have been well acquainted with the
| coffee houses and taYerns OF his day
| The Essay on Man is said to have beer
written at Bollingbrooke house, where
| Pope was a frequent visitor tie was a
membeh Of clubs OF more or less renown
| A tradition is recorded OF him that II
| was at WINS coffee house that Eope
saw Dryden, whose works he greatly
admired. lie could have been little more
than child when the interview TOOK
| place,