Est quaesitorum terra pelagoque ciborum
Ambitiosa fames, et lautae gloria mensae.
LUCAN, Pharsalia.
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CLUBS AND SOCIAL MEETINGS.
Desire of Country Gentlemen for Town Associations - Book Clubs - Too much of literary Character expected from them - Literary Conversation prevented; by Feasting, by Cards - Good, notwithstanding, results - Card Club with Eagerness resorted to - Players - Umpires at the Whist Table - Petulances of Temper there discovered - Free and Easy Club; not perfectly easy or free - Freedom, how interrupted - The superior Member - Termination of the Evening - Drinking and Smoking Clubs - The Midnight Conversation of the delaying Members - Society of the poorer Inhabitants; its Use; gives Pride and Consequence to the humble Character - Pleasant Habitations of the frugal Poor - Sailor returning to his Family - Freemasons’ Club - The Mystery - What its Origin - Its professed Advantages - Griggs and Gregorians - A kind of Masons - Reflections on these various Societies.
YOU say you envy in your calm retreat
Our social Meetings; - ’tis with joy we meet.
In these our parties you are pleased to find
Good sense and wit, with intercourse of mind;