Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-11

sroup. IL was under their auspices that
Fanny Brough delivered her first address
In public.
Most rood speakers IN literary London
sooner or later find their way 10 the conf
tor,aple room situated above Cows res
taurant I'm the Strand, where the weekly
meetings of the Play-Goers' Club are hell.
The club seems a peculiarly Ensllsh
institution. Whenever one Is started on
whatever grounds. II Is secure OF foi-
lowing.
THE ADVANCED FABIAN.
To the Fabian Society belong many or
the more advanced literary thinkers, mead.
ed by George Bernard Shaw, the critic ana
playwright. Somewhat more pohticai 'ha''
social in it's tendencies the FABIAN society
has little by little made consideraoie
place for itself In the London or to-day
The members meet to talk and separate
To write. ConvUiality In a vulgar ana
material form is. one would be asked TO
beleve. unknown among these earnest
and convinced souls.
SUNDAYS AT MAX o'RELl'S.
MAX O'Rell' and his charming. gifted
wife. Madame Blouet, but lately returned
to London from their tour round the
world have moved their household goods
from the Regents Park to a quaint
COSY little villa, standing In its own
grounds. in one of the prettlest roads Oh
St. Johns Wood
welcomed home by their large and cos
mopofitan circle of friends, Madame
Blouet and her young daughter are az
home the first and third sundays OF
each month These gatherings are eN-
| ceptional inasmuch as most foreigners OF
| distinction come TO London with intro
| ductions 10 the author OF John Buil and
His Island" and impart a pleasant cosmo-
politan favor TO the company. french
and English Is spoken indifterently, ana u
feature of Madame Blouet's receptions Is
the excellent music provided. During the
season Sir Augustus Harris's operate stars
make II pleasure 10 so aud help Max
J O'Rell entertain his guests.
! Literary London Is, truth To tell, re-
markabry cliquy. Fortunate. indeed, Is
the mortal who obtains an entrance to its
various circles As rule those belonging
TO different sets have little to say TO one
another Indeed. they never meet save
on a first night at the Haymarket or
Lyceum or at the Academy private Views.
RUDYARD KIPLING'S LITERARY
GODMOTHER.
! Mrs w X clifford, widow OF the Well
| known professor of that name, and hersell
the authoress OF many brilliant novels, Is
one OF the London literary women
whose personality. though almost unknown
TO her readers (for she absolutely refuses
to admit the interviewer within her gate)
Is yet full of power and individuality. To
her house come most OF the distinguished
scientific and literary men OF the day
especially the staffs Of Saturday Review
the Times and the Pail Mall Gazette.
Her Sunday afternoons helD In hei
simple. study-like drnwingsroom are also
much frequented by distinguished French
and American literateurs. Among the lat
ter. Henry James. Oliver Wendell Holmes
and Mrs. Chandler Moulton. when IN
London, are there constantly one meets
also such men as Huxley and Herbert
Spencer men who. as a rule, scrupu
lously avoid the world and all it's wNks
Mrs. clifford may also be said to have
been Rudyard kipling's literary god
mother. IL was she who introduced hin
10 the best London society. Her BLACK
cat. "Scuttles," remains as a living proof
of the famous story-teller's regard foi
the author OF Mrs. kelths Crime.
OLIVE sHREINER's RECEPTIONS.
When Olive Shreiner is in London sh'
gives very curious little receptions. The
guests are electric. both Ia religious be
lief and literary taste. Tall, long-hairet