Evening star., 1909-05-23
ABOUT THE LAMBS
A Little History of the Famous
Actors Club.
FIRST FORMED IN LONDON
Result Of Meetings at the Home Of
Charles and Mary Lamb.
SOME GREAT MEN MEMBERS
idea of the Organization Brought to
America by English Actors-A
Power in Theatricals.
FIRST FORMED IN LONDO
SOME GREAT MEN MEMBERS

During the years between 1890 and 1884
there lived in quaint chambers on Inner
Temple Lane, London. Charles Lamb and
his talented sister Mary. Both of these
writer's are best known today by their
Tales from Shakespeare of which the
tragic ones were written by Charles and
the comic ones by Mary Lamb. but in the
years mentioned these two were reputed
for their hospitality and for the notable
character of the social gatherings which
occurred in their chambers. Some en-
| thusiastc biographers have compared
these historic meetings with the cele-
brated evenings of the Holland House for
brilliancy and profundity. Among the
friends who made the supper parties with
Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb memo
rable> were Colerdge, Lloyd Southey
Wordsworth, Hazlett, Leigh Hunt Tai
fourd. George Dyer and Tom Hood. and
with these, when the coffee houses were
closed, Ii was favorite expression, Let 3
go around to the Lambs
Years after most of these notable per-
sonages had joined the majority the
parties at the Lambs were discussed in
genial reminiScence in the clubs and coffee
houses of London. 1t was the tenderness
In which these recollections were held
that caused number of young actors
and writer's, forming club in London to
call themselves The Lambs" Members
of this London organization, migra ting
to America and lonesome for the atmos-
phere of the London club. organized a
| similar organization in New York. which
subsequently became the successor and
the heir of the London club. The earlier
Shepherds of the New York Lambs were
English actors-Montague, Wallack and
Beckett. Following these were Billy
Florence and the line of American play
ers and writers that have since that time
presided over the well known American
iorganizati ton. 1t is therefore seen that
the Lambs have Iineal and logical title
not only to their name, but to the spirit
that controls them. If there exists any
where in America any suggestion of the
| fraternal, conviyial and literary flavor
that made the various coteries of London
coffee houses famous, il is to be found in
the Lambs.
Where the Lambs Club Differs.
"Why have you joined that club?" the
wife of a prominent attorney recently
asked her husband. You are member
of the Metropolitan, the University, the
Athletic. the Lawyers. and several other
clubs. and 1 should think those were
enough
Il joined the Lambs. my dear the
husband replied, because when l leave
| w all street. dIlu 80 10 any Vi lIe cluUS
| you have named | find there number
of men weary as myself who have also
left Wall street some other business
section and retain only sufficient vitality
to weariy order cocktail When l go
into the Lambs Club at the same hour
any afternoon l meet fifty or sixty wide
awake men who have just finished break
| fast
| 1t is undoubtedly this in Spiritng atmos-
phere that makes in the club of an
afternoon that hum which is attractive
| to it's lay members The real flavor of
the club however. is found in the small
hours of the morning: that time of gen.
tie relaxation when the players work rs
over and when he abandons himself to
the gregarious appreciation of his fellow
| artists.
| Much has been written os the nights
lat the Cheshire Cheese with Johnson.
IGarrick. Goldsmith Edmund Bun Ike and
Reynolds in the company. but it is much
/ to be doubted If thu brilliancy of those
nights in any way excelled other nights
lin the earlier days OF the present Lambs
Club, when the unclothed supper table had
/, at its benches Maurice Barrymore. Steele
| Mackaye. Sydney Rosenfeld Nat Good
win. Stuart Robson. Wilton Lackaye
Billy Florence and Beckett. The ponder
Gus dominance of Johnson WAS unques-
tionably absent. but the flow and sparkle
and nimbleness of wit was in no wise In