London Clubs: Their History & Treasures

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Chatto & Windus, 1911 - 316 pages

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Page 27 - than I can say ; I never remember any weather that was not too hot, or too cold ; too wet, or too dry ; but, however God Almighty contrives it, at the end of the year 'tis all very well.
Page 22 - Tea in England hath been sold in the leaf for six pounds, and sometimes for ten pounds the pound weight, and in respect of its former scarceness and dearness it hath been only used as a regalia in high treatments and entertainments, and presents mnde thereof to princes and grandees, till the year 1657.
Page 76 - Cibber live with this society ? Why, he feasted most sumptuously, as I have heard his friend Victor say, with an air of triumphant exultation, with Mr. Arthur and his wife, and gave a trifle for his dinner. After he had dined, when the club-room door was opened, and the Laureate was introduced, he was saluted with loud and joyous acclamation of ' O King Coll! Come in. King Coll!' and ' Welcome, welcome, King Colley!
Page 5 - No, Sir ; there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn.
Page 95 - One night, at White's, observing the PostmasterGeneral, Sir Everard Fawkener, losing a large sum of money at piquet, Selwyn, pointing to the successful player, remarked—" See, how he is robbing the mail! " On another occasion, in 1756, observing Mr. Ponsonby, the Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, tossing about bank-bills at a hazard-table at Newmarket—" Look how easily the Speaker passes the money-bills...
Page 94 - I don't care to have his idea, and am almost single in not having been to see him. Lord Mountford, at the head of half White's, went the first day: his aunt was crying over him: as soon as they were withdrawn, she said to him, knowing they were of White's, " My dear, what did the lords say to you ? Have you ever been concerned with any of them?
Page 280 - There's first the Athenaeum club, so wise, there's not a man of it That has not sense enough for six (in fact, that is the plan of it): The very waiters answer you with eloquence Socratical, And always place the knives and forks in order mathematical.
Page 126 - Finding himself in cash, after a lucky run at Faro, he sent a complimentary card to the knight, desiring to discharge the claim. Sir John no sooner saw the money than he called for pen and ink, and began to figure. ' What now ? ' cried Fox. ' Only calculating the interest,
Page 89 - He sent for the book, and being convinced that he had lost, gave me this guinea. I told him I could take the money without any blush on my side, but believed it was the only money he ever gave in the...
Page 129 - Stavordale, not one-and-twenty, lost eleven thousand there, last Tuesday, but recovered it by one great hand at hazard : he swore a great oath—' Now, if I had been playing deep, I might have won millions.

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