This Afternoon at four o'clock with GUBBYNS to the Leviathan Club
whereof he is a member, and do mean to propose me to be a Member too
which I very much wish, only fear I may be black-balled but hope not.
To-day he take me over the Club to see it, which delight me much, and
good Lack to see how splendid the Building and the Carvings and Gildings
of the Walls and Windows, for all the World like a Palace, wherein a
private Man every Day of his Life may live like a King, as I should like
to. All the Rooms as full as could be of all Manner of Comforts and
Conveniences, especially the great Room where the Members do sit in easy
Chairs with well-stuffed soft Backs and Cushions lined with lovely
smooth shining Morocco Leather, or loll along on Sofas and Ottomans the
same, and read the Reviews and Papers and are served by Footmen in
Livery with Glasses of Sherry and Tumblers of Brandy and Soda Water, all
at their Ease, and enjoy such Accommodation as I think I never could
have imagined unless I had seen. Curious to observe the different
Readers and the Paper each reading; a Parliament or City Man the Times,
a Member, I take it, of the Protestant Association at Exeter-Hall the
Morning Herald, another the Standard, newspapers the wits call Mrs. GAMP
and Mrs. HARRIS, which is great Roguery. Some in Groups stand a
gossiping, some looking out of Windows down on the People in the Street
as they go by, mighty agreeable to such as are well off, and would give
me very much Pleasure. Others with their Backs to the Fire, and one
methought a Country Squire striding in front of the Grate, with his
Hands behind him under his Coat Tails warming himself and looking abroad
over his Neckcloth, as though upon his Parish, and as if he were Monarch
of all he surveyed; mighty dignified and droll. Likewise a Youth of some
Condition, but somewhat too like a Shopboy, in a pretty ridiculous
Posture, eyeing himself in a Pier Glass, did, with his walking Cane
sticking athwart his Arm, divert me. The Magazines, Guide Books, Post
Directories, and so on lying about on the Tables mighty handy, and I did
note also a Pack of Cards and hear some of the Club Men do play. After
going all over the Club-house, and the Lavatories and all, GUBBYNS take
me to dine with him in the Strangers' Room, and a mighty good Dinner
with excellent Claret, cost him how much I did not like to ask, but no
doubt much more cheap and better than it would have come to in the
cheapest tolerable Inn. Thence, after dinner, to the Smoking Room to
smoke a Cigar, and drink Seltzer Water and Brandy, and, after Talk of
the News, and all the Rumour about Town, and a good deal of Scandal, and
some Roguish Conversation, Home, and so to Bed.
[Illustration: _THE CIRCUS AT ASTLEY'S._