“The Pic-nic Club”—Its supporters—Its entertainment—Its short
life—Automata and wool pictures—Almack’s—Pidcock’s Menagerie—“The
Invisible Girl”—Vauxhall—Sir Roger de Coverley—Price of admission,
&c.—Ranelagh Gardens.
THE THEATRE, although the main source of amusement, was not the only
one. There were masquerades at the Pantheon, and a private theatrical
club, called the “Pic-nic Club,” of which a Captain Caulfield was the
manager. Lady Buckinghamshire—foremost in this, as in gaming—was one
of its chief supporters; and it took its name from every one drawing
lots, as to what should be his, or her, share of the entertainment.
This club consisted of the leaders of fashion—the Prince of Wales,
Lords Cholmondeley, Valletort, Carlisle, Spooner, Kirkcudbright, and
Derby; and, of course, “old Q,” the Duke of Queensberry. Sir Lumley
Skeffington, also, was an ornament to the society; whilst the lady
members besides Lady Albina Buckinghamshire, numbered in their ranks,
Lady Salisbury, Lady Jersey, and Mrs. Fitzherbert. It was _crême de la
crême_, and I find them chronicled in the _Morning Herald_ of March
16, 1802, thus: “The _Pic-nic_ Club met last night for the first time,
in the Tottenham Street Rooms.[63] The Entertainment commenced with a
Prologue by Colonel Greville, which was followed by a French Proverb.
An Act of the _Bedlamites_, a piece translated from the French, for
the occasion, was then performed. A French Proverb, and an Epilogue,
succeeded; and the whole succeeded with a _Pic-nic_ Supper, provided
from a tavern.[64] The company was not numerous, though 300 cards
of invitation were issued. Madame Parisot,[65] disapproving of the
_dilettanti_ project, refused to take any part in the performance. It
being apprehended that the public peace might be disturbed by this
irregular assemblage, the Bow Street officers held themselves in
readiness to act, during the whole of the evening, but happily there
was no occasion for their services.”
The society afterwards moved to the Argyle Rooms, then most highly
proper, and fashionable. There were several caricatures of this society
from Gillray’s pencil, one of which (the next illustration) I reproduce.
Here Gillray has given, as a contrast, Lord Valletort “the neatest of
little beaux,” and the smallest man in the Club, and Lord Cholmondeley,
who was very tall and stout. Lady Buckinghamshire, whose _embonpoint_
Gillray never spared, plays the piano, and Lady Salisbury, who from
her love of hunting, was frequently satirized under the name of Diana,
performs on a hunting horn. The fashionable papers of the day were,
during the season, seldom without a paragraph of this society, but it
did not last long, and its death is recorded in the _Times_, February
28, 1803: “The Pic-nic Society is at an end. Many of its members, at
a late meeting, wished to continue the Theatrical amusements, but no
person would undertake the management of them.”
[Illustration: THE PIC-NIC ORCHESTRA.]
In 1801, there were to be seen in Spring Gardens, Maillardet’s
Automata, where a wooden lady performed on the piano; also Miss
Linwood’s Exhibition of Needlework, first at the Hanover Square
Rooms, and afterwards at Saville House, Leicester Square, where
were exhibited marvels of crewel work. There are one or two of her
pictures in the South Kensington Museum; but her “Salvator Mundi,”
after Carlo Dolci, for which she refused 3,000 guineas, she bequeathed
to the Queen. She had a rival, whose name, however, has not been so
well perpetuated—_vide_ the _Morning Post_, June 4, 1800: “The wool
pictures, so much talked of among the connoisseurs, are certainly
executed with very great taste. Miss Thompson has brought her art to
very great perfection,” &c. These were shown in Old Bond Street.
Then, for the extremely select, during the season, was Almack’s[66]
which, then, was not quite so exclusive as afterwards. _Morning
Herald_, April 27, 1802: “Almack’s, King Street, St. James’ Square.
James and William Willis most respectfully inform the Nobility and
Gentry, the first SUBSCRIPTION BALL will be on Thursday, the 29th
instant, under the patronage of her Grace the Duchess of Devonshire,
the Marchioness of Townshend, and the Countess of Westmoreland. Tickets
One Guinea each.” The same newspaper has also an advertisement of a
new Panorama of Paris. This was by a M. de Maria; and there was also
another, “Barker’s Panorama,” in Leicester Square.
Those who liked such exhibitions could see the Phantasmagoria, at
the Lyceum Theatre, where the Magic Lantern was exhibited with novel
effects, such as moving eyes and limbs, but they had not yet attained
the height of “dissolving views.” Pidcock’s Menagerie[67] was the only
substitute they then had for our “Zoo,” and was situate in Exeter
‘Change. It is thus described in a guide to London, 1802: “A collection
of divers beasts and birds, only exceeded in rarity by those of the
Royal Menagerie, in the Tower.”
The “Invisible Girl” was exhibited in Leicester Square, and was “a
globe of glass suspended by a ribbon, under which four tubes are
adapted, but they do not communicate therewith, and are likewise
insulated; by these, conversation is carried on with an invisible lady,
who answers every question, breathes on you, and tells every visitor
whatever they hold in their hands, in an instant. This exhibition is
open from ten o’clock until six. Price of admittance, _two shillings
and sixpence_.”
There were two famous out-door places of amusement, now no more,
namely, Vauxhall, and Ranelagh. Vauxhall, was formerly called Foxhall,
or Spring Garden, and is thus described in No. 383 of the _Spectator_:
“We were now arrived at Spring Garden, which is excellently pleasant
at this time of the year. When I considered the fragrancy of the walks
and bowers, with the choir of birds that sung upon the trees, and the
loose tribe of people that walked under their shades, I could not but
look upon the place as a kind of Mahometan paradise. Sir Roger told me
it put him in mind of a little coppice by his house in the country,
which his chaplain used to call an aviary of nightingales. ‘You must
understand,’ says the knight, ‘that there is nothing in the world that
pleases a man in love, so much as your nightingale. Ah, Mr. Spectator,
the many moonlight nights that I have walked by myself, and thought
on the widow by the music of the nightingale!’ He, here, fetched a
deep sigh, and was falling into a fit of musing, when a mask, who came
behind him, gave him a gentle tap upon the shoulder, and asked him if
he would drink a bottle of mead with her? But the knight being startled
at so unexpected a familiarity, and displeased to be interrupted in
his thoughts of the widow, told her, ‘she was a wanton baggage;’ and
bid her go about her business.”
[Illustration: VAUXHALL GARDENS—1808-9.]
These gardens opened about the middle of May, and closed about the end
of August; they were only open three days a week—Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday; and the price of admission was 3s. 6d., the concert
commencing at eight, the attendance averaging from 5,000 to 15,000.
At the end of the first part of the concert, about 10 p.m., a curtain
was drawn up, and disclosed “a view of a bridge, a water mill, and
a cascade; while coaches, waggons, soldiers, and other figures were
exhibited as crossing that bridge.” The orchestra, which I reproduce,
was a blaze of light, and, altogether, in the gardens, at that time,
were 37,000 lamps. Occasionally, a display of fireworks took place;
whilst, to add to the attractions of the gardens, there were recesses,
and alcoves, provided, where suppers, and refreshment, could be
procured.
Ranelagh Gardens were in Chelsea, about where the Barracks now stand.
The amusements provided were almost identical with Vauxhall, but,
although considered a place of summer resort, its season commenced in
February, and closed at the end of May, or the middle of June. The
general price of admission was half a crown; but, on a masquerade
night, it rose to 10s. 6d. or £1 1s., but that included supper and
wine. There were particular fête nights, notably of the Pic-nic
Society, when the price of admission varied from 5s. to 7s. 6d.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]