The National—Oxford and 237–256 Cambridge—United University—New University—New Oxford and Cambridge—United Service—Army and Navy—Naval and Military—Guards’—Royal Naval Club—Caledonian—Junior Athenæum CHAPTER X The Dilettanti—The 257–284 Club—Cosmopolitan—Kit-Kat—Royal Societies’—Burlington Fine Arts—Athenæum—Alfred CHAPTER XI The Garrick—Jockey Club at 285–310 Newmarket—Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes—Conclusion INDEX 311–316 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS TO FACE PAGE The St. James’ Club _Frontispiece_ Badges and Ring of the Sublime 38 Society of Beefsteaks Badge of the Ad Libitum Club 38 White’s Club previous to 1811 78 Promised Horrors of the French 100 Invasion, by Gillray Old Mansions in Piccadilly, 220 now Clubs Crockford’s in 1828 228 Interior of the Reform Club 232 The Army and Navy Club 244 A Dinner of the Dilettanti 260 Society at the Thatched House ------------------------------------------------------------------------ LONDON CLUBS CHAPTER I THE ORIGIN OF CLUBS IN COFFEE-HOUSES AND TAVERNS The modern club, with its luxuries and comforts, has its origin in the tavern and coffee-house of a long-past age. The resorts in question have long since entirely changed their character, although they were once important features of London life, and were used by all classes for purposes of conviviality and conversation. The appellation “club” seems to have come into use at the time when coffee-houses began to be popular in London. The first notable London club, of course, was the Mermaid, in Broad Street, which was supposed to have been founded by Raleigh, and which was the reputed scene of many witty combats between Shakespeare and Ben Jonson. The latter himself originated another club—the Apollo—which had its meetings at the Devil Tavern, near Temple Bar.