Club-houses are by no means a new invention; and yet the improvements
upon the old plan, which was itself an improvement upon the former
coffee-house, is sufficiently interesting, and sufficiently unknown to
the people in general, to render some account of their advantages not
superfluous. The modern club is a tavern and newsroom, where the members
are both guests and landlord. The capital is derived from a sum paid by
each member on entrance, and the general annual expenses, such as
house-rent, servants, &c. are defrayed by an annual subscription. The
society elects a committee for its execution and government, and meets
at stated intervals for legislative measures. The committee appoint a
steward to manage its affairs, and a secretary to keep the accounts, to
take minutes of the proceedings of meetings, and transact the business
of correspondence. The domestic servants are placed under the immediate
direction of the steward; but above all in the choice of a cook, the
discretion of the committee is most especially exerted. A house being
thus established where the society is at home, the rooms are thrown open
for their various accommodation. In the apartments destined for eating,
members may breakfast, lunch, dine, and sup, as they list; a bill of
fare of great variety is prepared; and the gourmand has nothing more to
do than to study its contents, and write the names of the dishes he
desires on a bill prepared for the purpose; to mention whether he orders
dinner for himself alone, or in company with others; and at what time he
chooses to dine, whether immediately, or at some subsequent hour. At the
close of his dinner this bill or demand is presented to him with the
prices annexed, and prompt payment is the law.
Wine is bottled in quarts, pints, and even half-pints, and may be had at
some institutions even in glasses: it is not needless to observe,
moreover, that there is no necessity either of fashion or regulation to
drink it at all. At an inn, a bottle of wine must be ordered for the
"good of the house," that the waiter may not despise you and be surly:
that, in short, the guest may be tolerably accommodated in other
matters; although, perhaps, the wine itself (wretched stuff generally at
inns) is his abhorrence--though he may never drink any thing but water,
and may send the decanter away untouched--the tax must be paid. Besides
this entertainment for the grosser senses, the more refined appetites
are considered. In some clubs, the "Travellers" for instance, a library
is provided; and at most of them, even the most unintellectual, a
library of reference is supplied. Here all the periodicals of the day
are laid upon the tables--both those of Great Britain and of the
continent, together with the newspapers, metropolitan and provincial,
and in some instances the political journals of Paris. This part of the
house may be considered the general resort of the gossippers and
quidnuncs; and here, or in other more commodious places, materials for
writing, paper, pens, lights, &c. are found. Drawing-rooms, one or more,
are next to be mentioned--here the members take their tea or their ease;
and where cards are played, this is the scene of operation. A
billiard-room is an agreeable addition to the accommodation of the
society's house, and several of the inferior apartments are always
devoted to serve as dressing-rooms. It is clear, that a bachelor wants
nothing beyond this but a bed; if he chooses to live in this sort of
public privacy he may; and should he be only a sojourner in town, the
convenience of a resort of this kind wherein he may make his
appointments, receive and write his letters, see society, take his
dinner, spend his evening, if not otherwise engaged, over the books, the
newspapers, or a rubber of whist, and do all but sleep--a bed in the
neighbourhood may supply the article of repose.--Thus all physical
wants, and many social ones, are abundantly, and even luxuriously
supplied.--_London Magazine_.
[While upon "clubs," we may as well advert to the prospectus of "_The
Literary Club_," which has reached us since our last. It professes to be
"associated for the _assistance_ of men of letters, the development of
talent, and the furtherance of the interests of literature." It not only
aims at _charitable_ provision for the weaknesses and infirmities of
nature, but anticipates "harmony and friendship" among literary men, and
"as little as possible on any system of exclusion." This is as it should
be; but we fear the workings and conflicts of passion and interest are
still too strong to admit of such harmony among the sons of genius.
Authorship is becoming, if not already become, too much of a trade or
craft to admit of such a pacificatory scheme: but the object of the
association is one of the highest importance to literature, and we
heartily wish it success.--ED. MIRROR.]
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