Produced by Al Haines. LONDON SOUVENIRS BY CHARLES WILLIAM HECKETHORN AUTHOR OF ’THE SECRET SOCIETIES OP ALL AGES,’ ’LINCOLN’S INN FIELDS,’ ETC. LONDON CHATTO & WINDUS 1899 *CONTENTS* I. GAMBLING-CLUBS AND HIGH PLAY II. WITTY WOMEN AND PRETTY WOMEN III. OLD LONDON COFFEE-HOUSES IV. OLD M.P.S AND SOME OF THEIR SAYINGS V. FAMOUS OLD ACTORS VI. OLD JUDGES AND SOME OF THEIR SAYINGS VII. SOME FAMOUS LONDON ACTRESSES VIII. QUEER CLUBS OF FORMER DAYS IX. CURIOUS STORIES OF THE STOCK EXCHANGE X. WITS AND BEAUX OF OLD LONDON SOCIETY XI. LONDON SEEN THROUGH FOREIGN SPECTACLES XII. OLD LONDON TAVERNS AND TEA-GARDENS I. THE GALLERIED TAVERNS OF OLD LONDON II. OLD LONDON TEA-GARDENS XIII. WILLIAM PATERSON AND THE BANK OF ENGLAND XIV. THE OLD DOCTORS XV. THE LOST RIVERS OF LONDON XVI. ROGUES ASSORTED XVII. BARS AND BARRISTERS XVIII. THE SUBLIME BEEFSTEAKERS AND THE KIT-KAT AND ROTA CLUBS XIX. HAMPTON COURT PALACE AND ITS MASTERS *LONDON SOUVENIRS* *I.* *GAMBLING-CLUBS AND HIGH PLAY.* Philosophers may argue, and moralists preach, the former against the folly, and the latter against the wickedness of gambling, but, as may be expected, their remonstrances pass but as a gentle breeze over the outwardly placid ocean of play, causing the fishes—the familiars of the gambling world—languidly to raise their heads, and mildly to inquire: ’What’s all that row about?’ Gambling is one of the strongest passions in the human breast, and no warning, no exhibition of fatal examples, will ever stop the indulgence in the excitement it procures. It assumes many phases; in all men have undergone disastrous experiences, and yet they repeat the dangerous and usually calamitous experiments. In no undertaking has so much money been lost as in mining; prizes have occasionally been drawn, but at such rare intervals as to be cautions rather than encouragements; and yet, even at the present day, with all the experience of past failures, sanguine speculators fill empty shafts with their gold, which is quickly fished up by the greedy promoters. Some of the now most respectable West End clubs originally were only gambling-hells. They are not so now; but the improvement this would seem to imply is apparent only. Our manners have improved, but not our morals; the table-legs wear frilled trousers now, but the legs are there all the same, even the blacklegs. But it is the past more than the present we wish to speak of.