| Show Ual emais Uapderii Ss ODD INCIDENTS OV KOl l ICiN TRAVEL AND 1 ODS1SKVATION LONDON June n 1893 Beaumont and Fletcher Johnson Shakspeare Goldsmith Dr Johnson nnd Iloiwell I Sir Joshua Reynolds Addison Ilurke Steele Walpole and scores more famous men of letters and art In their time resorted to little dingy old 1 public I houses for coffee ale earning and exchange ex-change of sort of Intellectual Agery the friction of which undoubtedly pro vldcd a virile and needful InspirAtion and the history of these ancient coffee houses the forerunners of the great London clubs of today comprises almost al-most the social history of English art and literature While there are at the present time and more than one hundred wealthy noted London clubs there ore really no resorts answering the same purpose as Tom Wills I and Hut tons of the Augustan literary period of Ante The joyous neighborhood I r1dH T borhood ol Covent Garden ns Thack eray remembered It and Inimitably des crltcd It Is only a joyous neighborhood of mellow memones and the old time genlal clubland about it Jimess palace is transformed Into a sombre neighborhood i J hood which like I the I newer clublands of Piccadilly and Tall Mall oppressive I In Its splendor and staulincss Of the very old clubs of tandon still existing like Arthur llrooks White and the Cocoatrec nil looted In St James street hllels by far the most noteworthy and aristocratic Ills older than the lank rt England 1 11 was really the first of the great Lngllsh clubs as they are known today lint It was never Ihe resort ol literary men and will It Is purely a social club and Its members were chlelly noblemen nnd those leaders ot aristocratic government Including all of I ngland s prime minis ten from Walpole to Peel and their powerful colleagues who striped na lionsl measures and controlled natural aciiulsltlon btcclc clearly defined Us earliest status as well as that of the noted WIIIs and Grecian when he wrote In the Taller that all accounts of gallantry I I pleasure and entcrtilnment shall f be under the article I of Whites Chocolate House while Wills was to furnish the poetry and the Grecian the learning Whites Is I still undoubtedly the most exclusive and aristocratic club In the world I Its windows look out upon the Corinthian facade of the almost as aristocratic aris-tocratic and architecturally more stately Conservative Club opposite on bt f bJln nm James street lu dinners are the most ceremonious known All of tire old time English formality Is hero sacredly preserved And undoubtedly more lilue blooded Englishmen have ogled fair ladle trust lu famous bow window than from any other single place In llrllain Perhaps ll has not been Iho scene of the most dangerous gaming In Lnxland but there Is no other purely social resort In all the world where betting bett-ing has been so constant universal and provoked on so slight pretext Its > ettlngbool which could be sold for thousands pound for Its noble and famous signatures I lias been reserved nJ1 Is lfj In use Thousands of these registered bets arc of the mOil whimsical whimsi-cal character comprising every con crivable difference of Judgment on affairs of love marriage Inlrlgus I and politics Here are a few literal transcriptions trans-criptions with their dates Ld Lincoln lieu Ld Wlmhlbm one hundred guineas I to fifty guineas that 11 g rli r t r the Duchest Dowager of Mailborough doe not survive the Duchms Dowager l Cleveland Octr > es 1743 olE I d Monlfoit lc bets I S fr U hanquier flfiy guineas that Iady 1 Juxon has a ll rd I UJ rUl h child born alive before Lady lluileigh June 8 119 Sir 11111 lour bets Lord Coy ghnm ten guinea to live tint lluonaparm Is alive sU months after the commencement commence-ment of hostilities between England and France 1 May 14 I tot I Mr Tallest tats Mr Charles Come wall ten guineas that we are at war with America this day six months August i inn AWJ Falmouth bets the Duke of Klchmoml Ly that an Elul Is I < uall lied to kill game Krh lo salt lord Glasgow bet Lord Henllnck Lloo that Sir Robert Peel continues first nmisierof the crown until three years hence Jan 17 11146 Lord Stanley bets Ixird 1 lath Jo to LISlh1 Mr D I Israeli dues not continue tu be Chancellor of the Ilche < uer from this day Until March 15 t8z Lord Huh bell l Lord 1 de Lisle is that a Jew Peer tikes his scat In sue House of Lords within file years from this date June 18 J8M The political division I of Iondon I clubs Is I most notable with and between the Carlton and the Reform Clutn the palatial I head Barters and homes of the two great political parties of ngland They Are Ixilh located in IM Mall the windows of the one almost looking Into those of the other and enllrt aside from the l irreconcilable disparity ul their political r teachings and 1d 1 clluru I they are equillvas famous III their rivalry ns ton to-n might be turned the extravagance of modern I clublile The Duke ol Wellington was founder of the Carlton a little over fifty cars ago It gradually became the read quarter ol the landed aristocracy Quarters great corixirate i limitations uf llrllain ininufactuiln > nml monetary whose Interests were llentlcal will those ol the hereditary ansliKracy came lo have representation In It It h a notorious fact that more money has always been Instantly available through the Carlton club for political nwnosw Ifl Ir r than through I any oilier single patty In Europe Whether In or oat of Ironer It Is thu actual fighting headquarters of the entire Conservative or Tory party of llrltain The dignity and crindi ur of the Carlton are splendid The exterior of the building most Imposing Mas slvcnesi strength simplicity aim plen dor speak l from the granite walls and lathing columns The Interior 1 Brand grave stately and Impressive Hock rooted the structure appointments regime and the very rairdnvs and laii t iiaie I the hub cuest r nt bminn vey llut the splendid eilaBliahment Is sombre and dull and only during general elections or In times of great political excitement then flash end zo of a stirring chancier about the fine firm place Then an onlooker I is made 10 know ilrcnglll that has tremtnrious outreachlngs t e power which mighty I 11 nostril sent and to feel almost a thrill of admiration for the very adamantine adaman-tine character those men and measures meas-ures In Kngland that have by simply clutching holding and warding Rallied so much and e < < long The Reform Club I about sixty yean olrle q old Its origin I was through the Inqu tnco ol Cobden and llrlght and was a direct national response log I pressing need for A Reform headquarters during the intense interest awakened liy the famous bill of iSjj > Its members comprise mare I indon and provincial dUnn and polltml writers II an per haps belcmg to all other club III lon I dun Hut it ho irrmrmlom wealth and many title In In membership Into blanche wax given fur the construction I < if Us building whIch Is I At one wide 01 the entrance luCirllon House I Terrace the Carlton standing im the opposite corner and for lu Interior decoration and appointment No other London 1 club possesses so diversified a membership member-ship I In station vocation and views but 1 ns It represents the concentration of all opposition lo Toryism though It comprise com-prise at limes almost countless factional elements I ta wealth strength and per wincncy have been remarkable The build ng Is in the pure Italian style massive rich end simple The central hall open from floor to dome and surrounded by massively colonnaded colonnad-ed galleries ta one of the richest and most stately Interiors in Fnxland A splendid staircase leads tu the upper gallery which opens to the principal aurtments nf the club The coffee room occupies the beaiiliful I garden front on Carlton House Terrace and the drawing loom which runs the entire length ol the building Is I just above One of the galleries of the central haUl h filled with full length portra a of the heroes ol reform and the oilier possesses poss-esses magnificent frescoes Illustrating the fine arts while the statuary the richest and most frequent In any London Lon-don club houses ImmortalUes the great leaders like Cnbden lliljht Patmerston Russell and dla Ulone There It only one just appellative to us when speaking of every feature ol this great club hat It magnificent Ikitli the Cancun and the Resumes are limous fur their I I cuisines ami hell nod the Reform Is l said to have the most famous public wine cellar Europe I With the extraordinary prestige wealth and Influence of both these clubs and a limited membership instance the Carina la limited to I 600 member and the Reform to 1400 oveilluvv club were a natural se quencc With the Carlton which cos tlnI tales the bluest blood In England I death vacancies are the only means of securing entrance Men wait from twenty to thirty > ears for admission aria In cases when some great leader of 1 the Tone dies when Ills heir in I uually elected lo I fill I the vnijancy The Junior 1I Carlton was consequently eat ah uheJ ass cliam1 of ease for the Larllim I nod the Nationll 1 ibtral with thr Mime relation to the Reform The former has a mcmbtrihlp nf 1100 and the alter Will Its splendid iWittsMnent overlooking over-looking the Thames has nccommoda limos fur oootnunbets There arc also null Conservative or Twr nthlblioni f I the Conservative City Caillon National City Conservative s th n In 1 I co infiid and the C i on 0 I white nmonB Ihbse Liking Hi km lomi i < their leader I and model and p I ungvatiuus phase of Liberal inpathies are brookss National lmbmral 1 Cobden City iberal I 1 and the 1evonhue I lire AthenacuniClubtsthe cblel literary lit-erary club If not the rer London IU huge timeworn wall and ately lmmticu have n ombre look I in I the spies IIrII did Pall Mall I region where IIIslands at Iho Park entrance ill VIrloo i Place lust opposite the iaesmm r erd looking nft tUleoPJ home of the I United inertce Club It occupies inrt of tin ioiirt > ard of old Caillon House The irrhileitureUol I the Grecian order and I of severe Grecian order nt lint The limit ra i copied from Ihe Parthenon Onri tie I Doric porncu Is I n colossal figure of Minerva line only cheerful things in lime whole place are two huge fire clan in the main lull or exching I b m r ihcae are the Diana RoEfpff n and Viniu iclrix In marble lltio room lmO < I > hero ol the place suggest u i r b I mud Ice It Ito a resort It-o Yen ra In I I rolessor phil I uwpheri NisMitUto it uiri ns and authors out of wh n Ilie l life cheer Is I I already well fllttrc I Tin club has the hunt library of ant m hh < m urn metro trolls and n Story mmhth Mutton tells illuitrate lit value to I habltuci A number desiring M renca to the ethers on Hnnc hudupcal I > hoist inquired in-quired of n dub < llKlal If Justin I Mirt > r was In the liunry I dont think he is a mtmtKi sir the latter IMihtely replied but I will at once reler to the list sir There Is I a large lIumher of tlwroughly enlojnWe club in I ondon I some uf them really Unioun Inch have brought socially together intly professional people or mm of mm HM who are liberal patrons uf the art In the main their frequenter arc persons who have really nccumpllsh l something men who ns authors jouuullsti otters I artists sing dj II trs and even In Ji law ami physic arc progrevslvu ambit uu < Independent In fact the genuinely cultivated gentlemen I of Ixradon these tlulis do not always possess rMlatlil estuulnnmeiits entrance lee ana annual sjisciiptions are not cijuil to ordiimv n < mes nnd their cxclustveneM does not compiUe questions ques-tions of blood tide political opinion or wealth In thtK I believe exist In a greater degree thrum true and laudAble principles which are the life and preser iUlon ul genuine club association than In all other great clubs uf London tom blond I refer to iuili clubs ns the Garrlck Green Room Savage Arundel Lyric and Ileefslealc The latter unique little club which has Its home over looles flieatrc sprang out ol the Honorable Society n Dei Isteaks In the 30 llecf steak room of the 1 jceuin Theatre which still exisls and is used by Irving forhis exquisite privite dinner parties The llrefsteak over Tonics is distinctive in being n one room club and admitting I admit-ting no guests whatever the Arundel ha lye rio 400 members 1 It was once exclusively literary and artistic Ambitious solicitors nnd antntcurs of all sorts are non admitted and while Its promlscuousncM Is a bart i bar-t especial Influence It serve us a sort I of nerlry training school to higher club honors while I affording rainy a deserving fellows fjotliold nod bsgin ping lit professional recognition which would be iincull In conservative London Lon-don to otherwise secure The Lyric his a magnificent dub house In Piccadilly i and F with its ensue appointments Including n large theatre and concert hall is anion tha finest I ll1 buildings for this 1j purpose tit the world It also Ions an annex called the Lyric Club at Ilarncs on Thimes front which boat rating and other river fell can br wllncsse l The I yrlc Is I n dramatic And musical club with neatly Jooo members mem-bers Perhaps rnfJes cent of these are actors Lord Londetborough Fred 1 Cow en and Sir Arthur Sullivan are member The well known Savage Club lltenry nl hi 1 fr and artistic whirl I Inlerchinues pilvf leges with the Ioto 1 Club of New York has about 700 members about yon of whom are leading London odors who an also members nf the Green Room Club It had its origin twenty four scare ago inn public house 1 near Dairy tllne fi lane i heatre Since then It has wan tiered to I Ihtell Hotel thence to the Savoy and finally to the Adelphl Tee rice overlooking the Thames The Garrick In Garrlck Street Covent I Garden venerable rich stalely mellow and grand has no membership limitations lions as lo profession crimps no more lhan twenty five odor are nt present among Its members although nil London Lon-don minagers uf any prominence arc upon Its rolls It undoubtedly 1 I e the must vilmble collection ol souvenir ami pilnlings 1 relitlng the stage and inmost famous representative uf any association or Institution in the world Indeed the Garrlck Is n 1 perfect mil nuns uf art treasures on can rend upon Its walls the entire history of the LnglUhMage Hirlow Hnynnn I ZoIT ney Ue W nde Cotes and Dance are nil represented In priceless I I examples I These are several Hogarthl riiougli not the hrcest it is i the mOil exquisitely Iwautlful club house In london nnd Its club life genial dignified almost dreamful I dream-ful Is I MHitlvely ideal Ihe Green Rum Club In lledford street which hind 1 its uriglnabout tour teen eats ago from disagreements In the Junior rrckll ja il r e Arundel l Club Is the real I nctorsclub uf ondoii I Klrob mrth 1it It is already one of the wealthiest of Its mull club and owes Us I iieut I success to die adinlnlstrilion I of Us honorary secretary George Uenacticr n ccnlla man uf ample menu n genuine art lover with boundless sympathies for actors and their profession Pervuns In nil the liberal arts ore idmllted to membership but no active man iger can become a member unless he WAS formerly for-merly an actor of good stindlng Ineru I IIn1 I Lord Carton drimatlsts 1arjeon the author and Charles Dickens editor and author and son of the great novelist novel-ist arc among Its members Saturday Nights and Saturday House Dinners the latter splendidly served at but tinier shillings and sixpence six-pence are the kindliest brightest mellowest and most Rental occasions of our lime among men 01 heart and brilns Gathered here will be found such men in Pinero Sam Mitthews Irving Joui Hare Royce Carlelon Kendall 1 Paul Merrill Wyndliim Charles Hartbur llincrofl Fernandez Ileeiboh Tree Tel Gardiner and Henry I Howe I the oldest actor on the I Tnglisli I Have Besides these are hosts more clubs upon tacit ul I which mi cnlcrllining article could be rittcn Amerlcms ore principally Die Travelers I found near nt tic the Reform St George tells Its purpose In Its name Diplomats toast their heels at thobl James Military follk the b l foil are housed at the benl ir United Service the Junior United Service tint Army and ivy the Guard Club and the ihrlnary and Navy while time Last Indm umie < l Soreiee Chub Is the home of the nabobs of the Fast India service and is fitted up In Oriental luxury odc LonLun clubs are substantial I and spWndld In the halo Miller llun iiniait > r anJ hauling Tnlv their dtstmgulsh I I r J1lorCI ng feature u comfort I think their hospitality to well accredit d persons from other lands is I Ies rllmlve than hal common In Amcriiin clubs but once extended IllS gtnunc and worth something to the reelpient lhc Enc Hsli I I club Is more the home of IH member He Is more particular whom he enter tilra But all else aside ondon I club man or stranger never finds more true enjoyment And snug genial nll envelop IIIIt comfort than within the almost cathedral quid and the home like wamllh of lie average London dub JUOVR 1 WAKIMAN |
