Originally, beneath the balconies in front of the two first-mentioned libraries, were seats, with and without reclining backs, upon which, in genial weather, subscribers were accustomed to lounge and peruse the newspaper or the last new novel of the day. Cigars then were unknown, and short pipes had not come into vogue, so that these retreats were not disfigured with the notice “No smoking allowed,” as the “weed” was not indulged in, except behind a long “churchwarden” at the tavern, where gossips nightly met to chat over the scandals of the day. Besides these retreats beneath the balconies, there were open high-backed seats, called Settles, much after the structure of rustic chairs in parks and pleasure grounds, upon various parts of the promenade around the Steine. At the bottom of the Steine, also, facing the sea, was the Alcove, a summer-house kind of building, capable of seating something like half-a-dozen persons. Bew, {200} in his diary, date, Thursday, August 26th, 1779, says, “This morning I edged away towards the Alcove, at the east end of the bottom of the Steyne, wherein were seated _two_ Elders, and perhaps, a _chaste Susanna_; at any rate, she was not naked. On my approach they departed hastily, and I joined the deserted lady—in discourse, by observing that the town was thin, and that I heard trade in general was very bad. ‘Very bad, indeed, Sir,’ said she; ‘I suppose you are a fellow sufferer. You belong to the players, Sir, don’t you?’ ‘My dear,’ replied I, ‘why should you think so?’ ‘Because you are seldom without a book in your hand.’ ‘Do few read besides players, then?’—‘Yes, Sir, I beg pardon; I had another reason; but you’ll excuse me.’ ‘Indeed I will not my dear.’—‘Why then, Sir, as you advanced towards us, one of those _elderly_ gentlemen—by their discourse I believe they are parsons,—said to the other, ‘Come, Sir, let us be gone, or we shall be taken off; _Mr. Diarist_ is coming this way.’ ‘Now, Sir, if that is your name, tho’ I have never seen it yet in the play bills, was it wonderful that I should imagine you to be one of the gentlemen players.’—I assured her, nevertheless, that I was not entitled to that honour; and here you may imagine our conference ended.”