Universal use of coffee-houses -- Their convenience -- Company -- First coffee-house -- Number of them -- Anecdote of Bishop Trelawney -- Description of interior -- The news -- Advance in price -- Chocolate-houses -- Famous coffee-houses -- Button's Lion -- Lloyd's -- Sales by candle -- Jenny Man -- Don Saltero's collection -- Taverns -- Noblemen frequenting them -- Drinking own wine -- Purl houses -- List of old taverns. [Illustration: A Coffee House.] The coffee-house was not a new institution in Anne's reign, but then it reached the zenith of its popularity. It was the centre of news, the lounge of the idler, the rendezvous for appointments, the mart for business men. Men might have their letters left there, as did Swift;[287] 'Yet Presto[288] ben't angry, faith, not a bit, only he will begin to be in pain next Irish Post, except he sees M.D.'s little handwriting in the glass frame at the bar of St. James's Coffee House, where Presto would never go but for that purpose.' They were alike the haunt of the wit and the man of fashion--a neutral meeting-ground for all men, although they naturally assorted themselves, like to like, by degrees. There The gentle _Beau_ too, Joyns in wise Debate, _Adjusts_ his Cravat, and _Reforms_ the State[289] --and he might even rub shoulders with a highwayman, as Farquhar suggests, when he makes Aimwell say to Gibbet,[290] who is a highwayman, 'Pray Sir, ha'nt I seen your face at Will's Coffee House?' and he replies, 'Yes Sir, and at White's too.' But the excellent rules in force, and the good common sense of the frequenters, prevented any ill effects from this admixture of classes. All were equal, and took the first seat which came to hand. If a man swore, he was fined 1_s._, and if he began a quarrel he was fined 'dishes' round. Discussion on religion was prohibited, no card-playing or dicing allowed, and no wager might be made exceeding 5_s._ These were the simple rules generally used, and, if they were only complied with, all must have felt the benefit of such a mild despotism. [Footnote 287: _Journal to Stella_, letter 14.] [Footnote 288: A nickname of Swift's--a play on his name.] [Footnote 289: _The Tripe Club._] [Footnote 290: _The Beaux' Stratagem_, act. iii. sc. 2.]