The sun., 1908-08-09


who have had ths good fortune TO be pres
sccistiea. The author OF this essay con-
oedes. indeed. that In one sense those gath
erinRs oafi never quite replace the dinners
for whioh Holland flouss was famous.
In social sensU men and " ,men are never
quite at thSie test when the two sexes are
not brought togethsr. But notwithstand-
ing the dofect that only MEN are present,
the great dining socisties Of London collect
periodically at their tables many OF the
most agreeable takers Of the day. and In
Sir spenoer's opinion no one can cuite
appreeiate what conversation in LONDON
still 10 who has not had tho privilege NJ at
tending one or rnGrs OF these gatherings.
The truth 10 that the dining societies OF
London are 30 numerous that 1t would be
impossible to deal with all OF them In sin
gle article. Many people know that the Fox
Club still commentaries the name OF q
great man. and that the Eighty Club still
perpetuates great victory. The members
Of the Royal Society Club. which was
founded In the middle Of the eighteenth oen-
tury. still periodically dine together. and
tho Smeatonians. consisting chiefly Of civil
engineers. have since 177t similarly met.
The Economists venerate the memory OF
Malthus by dinners at which some abstract
question in political economy 10 discussed.
All these associations. however. differ In ono
respect from the societies to which Sir
Spencer Walpole has devoted an essay. for
they all tolerate and even welcome the
habitual presence Of strangers. The moro
exclusive gatherings with which Sir Spencer
deals are the Dlletsanh sooiety. The Club.
Nobody's Club. the Literary Society and
Grilliona Club Il seems that the oonsti-
tuition Of these Ave bodies 10 not uniform.
The Literary Society and Nobody's Club
have permanent presidents. who sit regu-
larly at tho head Of their respective tables.
In Tho Club. on tho other hand. each NOM
ber takes his turn In presiding. while the
Dilettanh aud 0riilion's Club select at each
of their meetings one of thsir members.
whom they place In the chair. The affairs
OF each socisty are regulated largely by q
secretary, who 10 responsible for its finances,
and who In the case Of The Club II oalled
the treasurer. IL 10 noteworthy that the
same men who may be members OF one OF
more Of these societies may be found fro
Quently at the tables Of the others. Sir
Mountstuart Grant Duff. for instance. was
In isos member of four Of them; Sir Alfred
Lyall. Sir George Trcvelyan and Mr.. Leoasy
Of three each. Sir Spencer Walpols fells
US. however. that though the same men
MAJ he found at the tables OF all these
societies tho conversation at each of .hsm
has . character Of ita own. Nobodys Club.
for example. ID the most serious. Grillion's
has always nadea . point OF collecting At its
tables the leading members of eaoh OF the
great political parties and consequently
politics are touched upon only In q spirit
VI banter. Tho atmosphere Of The Club.
affected apparently by traditions OF John
son and Sibbon, induces grsver talk than
the lighter ripple which enlivens the tables
Of the Literary Socisty. Tho members OF
the nilettanti society indulge In moro
oDen fun.
OF the Ave associations Nobody's Club b
the only ono which has any political ten
dency. From It's foundation in 1907 to the
present day II has upheld tho old prinoi-
ple Of Church and State; its ordinary MEM
bers consist Of an equal number OF olsrgy-
mon and laymen: and although Wings and
Liberals arc elected to II, Sir Spencer thinks
himself safe In saying that Its tables have
newer been profansd BY the presence Of
strong Liberal who was not lalso . strong
Nobody's Club. OF Nobody's
Frisnds- 70 me its proper title-was started
In 1900 by ono william Stevens, q partner
In . largo hosiery business in London. who
was known among his contemporaries as
one Of the most charitable Of men and ono
OF the most profound theologians Of his
ago. He was the author Of numerous
Al.ka xwh ~. N<, Ax,tSm
quently collected into ono volume. under
the Greek caption Of Ondsnos ergo Nobody's
worlks). This title gave the name to the
club. II Stevens were willing to assume
the modest pen name of Nobody. its MEM
bers were delighted to call themselves No
body's Friends After Stevenss death.
which occurred In 1907. the associates for
, while met only three times year. but ulti-
nately increased the frequency Of It's meet
ngs and added TO the number Of Its MEM
Ders. For eighty years this dining society
has had a. Its successive presidents men
Who had made their name at the bar. and
Who with one exception, had risen to the
ocnch.
GriIlions Club was formed some years
later than Nobody'a by few college friends
who had lived together In the most cordial
at Christ Church College. OK
ford. The most prominent names among
The earlier founders Of this dining assooia-
ion are those Of Lord strattord de Red
,linfe. Sir Thomas Dyke Ackland and. Sir
Robert Inglis. There is tradition that For
many years q. majority OF each successive
Cabinet has had seats at Its table. The
influence which politicians
,ave always e1erted In 0rillion's has never,
We learn. been peroeptible either In The
club or In the Literary Society. Since
I7so The Club has comprised thirty five
and the rules Of the Literary
aociety declare that It shall consist Of but
,hirty-six ordinary members. The Club
contains perhaps the men Of greater emil
nence, but the Literary Society comprises
more regular diners. The former 10 the
moro venerable; the latter the more lively.
The Club. a. the elder institution. showed
throughout the nineteenth century dis
position TO eleot the men who bad previ-
,usly displayed their social qualifications
1t the table cf ths Htersry Society. Since
lsSO FIVE Lord Chsncellors and Ave other
Judges hsvs besn elected tn The Club.
While during the ssms period the judicial
oench contributed fifteen Judges 10 the
Literary Society. We may also mention
hat since 1880 ono Archbishop. two Bishops