“A Diarist,” writing August 23rd, 1779, says, “There is a sort of rivalry between the two Librarians on the Steyne, as to their subscription books; which shall most justly deserve the title of the book of Numbers.—There is a constant struggle between them, which shall be most courteous; and the effects are those usually consequent upon an opposition. Sir Christopher Caustic, this morning was turning over the leaves, at Bowen’s, which contains the names of the subscribers. Mr. Bowen bowed a la Novarre or Gallini, and with offered pen and ink, craved the honour of—an additional name: this being his first season, and having been purposely misinformed by some would be witty wag; ‘Sir,’ said Mr. Bowen, displaying, all the time, two irregular rows of remarkably white teeth, ‘yours will stand immediately after that of the Honourable Charles James Fox, Esq., and before that of Mrs. Franco, the rich Jew’s lady. Esquire W—d’s was to have been on the medium line, but, poor gentleman, he is unfortunately detained near London, on emergent business.’ To what a degree was the dealer in stationery let down, when he was afterwards regularly rectified; when by explanatory notes, and critical commentations, he came to be fully informed that the individual Mr. Fox in question was not the celebrated senator of that name, but an Irish Jontleman, who condescends in winter to keep a chop house at the corner of the playhouse passage, in Bow Street, Covent Garden; and every autumnal season, has frequent opportunities of storming and swearing at the ladies who may have the good fortune to belong to the Brighthelmstone company of Comedians, he being sole manager thereof. And such management!—Scarrons Rancour, who filled all the characters in a play by himself, was a fool to him. That Mrs. Franco was, to be sure, the temporary wife of young Mr. Franco, last season, but seems at leisure this to be the temporary wife of even Mr. Bowen, if he pleases; and that poor Billy, who was the Beau, is confined, custodia marcellis, Banco Regis, on suspicion of debt, where he blacks shoes, cleans knives, and turns spits, for the privilege of dipping sops in the dripping-pans of poor prisoners.”
“Mr. Thomas, the other librarian, must be noticed in turn. He hath been years enough practising small talk with the ladies and gentlemen upon the Steyne, and hath arrived at a surprising degree of precision in pronouncing French-English. He is now reading the newspaper to some of his subscribers, with an audible voice, and repeatedly calls a detached body of troops a corpse; a tour he improves into a tower; and delivers his words in a promiscas manner. It is near seven in the evening, and the widow Fussic has just waddled into his shop, with a parasol in her right, and a spying-glass in her left hand. Thomas offers her a General Advertiser. ‘Lord bless me!’ says she, ‘Mr. Thomas, how damp this paper is tho’ it it has come so far, and must have been printed so long since! What reason can you give for it?’—Mr. Thomas observes, considers and explains, in a most explicit manner, the cause and the effect, to the inquisitive lady, naturally speaking, as a body may say; proving to a demonstration, according to Candide, that there can be no effect without a cause; and that of course, damp papers, closely compressed, will continue damp a considerable time. In the interim, Miss Fanny Fussic stares and whispers to her brother Bobby, while he is subscribing to a raffle, that Mr. Thomas must be a most prodigious man, monstrously intelligent, and withal, that he is amazingly communicative: ‘He knows but every-thing,’ says she, ‘and tells but every-thing he knows.’”
Another Library was also established on the Steine, on the premises which had been known as Raggett’s Subscription House, at the opposite corner of St. James’s Street. “In this house,” writes Mr. H. R. Attree, in his Topography of Brighton, “the dice are often rattled to some tune, and bank-notes transferred from one hand to another, with as little ceremony as bills of the play, or quack doctor’s draughts to their patients.” This library was established by Mr. Donaldson, jun., who disposed of it to Mr. Osborne, from whom it passed to Mr. Nathaniel Turner.
Originally, beneath the balconies in front of the two first-mentioned libraries, were seats, with and without reclining backs, upon which, in genial weather, subscribers were accustomed to lounge and peruse the newspaper or the last new novel of the day. Cigars then were unknown, and short pipes had not come into vogue, so that these retreats were not disfigured with the notice “No smoking allowed,” as the “weed” was not indulged in, except behind a long “churchwarden” at the tavern, where gossips nightly met to chat over the scandals of the day. Besides these retreats beneath the balconies, there were open high-backed seats, called Settles, much after the structure of rustic chairs in parks and pleasure grounds, upon various parts of the promenade around the Steine. At the bottom of the Steine, also, facing the sea, was the Alcove, a summer-house kind of building, capable of seating something like half-a-dozen persons. Bew, [200] in his diary, date, Thursday, August 26th, 1779, says, “This morning I edged away towards the Alcove, at the east end of the bottom of the Steyne, wherein were seated two Elders, and perhaps, a chaste Susanna; at any rate, she was not naked. On my approach they departed hastily, and I joined the deserted lady—in discourse, by observing that the town was thin, and that I heard trade in general was very bad. ‘Very bad, indeed, Sir,’ said she; ‘I suppose you are a fellow sufferer. You belong to the players, Sir, don’t you?’ ‘My dear,’ replied I, ‘why should you think so?’ ‘Because you are seldom without a book in your hand.’ ‘Do few read besides players, then?’—‘Yes, Sir, I beg pardon; I had another reason; but you’ll excuse me.’ ‘Indeed I will not my dear.’—‘Why then, Sir, as you advanced towards us, one of those elderly gentlemen—by their discourse I believe they are parsons,—said to the other, ‘Come, Sir, let us be gone, or we shall be taken off; Mr. Diarist is coming this way.’ ‘Now, Sir, if that is your name, tho’ I have never seen it yet in the play bills, was it wonderful that I should imagine you to be one of the gentlemen players.’—I assured her, nevertheless, that I was not entitled to that honour; and here you may imagine our conference ended.”
Another retreat for a lounge or promenade was the Colonnade under the balcony of the library on the Marine Parade, established in 1798, by Messrs. Donaldson and Wilkes, and afterwards carried on by Mr. Pollard, and then by Messrs. Tuppen and Walker. This library, and the original two on the Steine, were not merely the resort of visitors for the purpose of literary pursuits, as their name legitimately implies, but after eight o’clock in the evening, during the Summer season, that portion of the business in connexion with books ceased, and holland blinds being drawn down to cover over the whole of the books and book-shelves, a saloon was formed that nightly attracted hundreds of tonish idlers to the vocal and instrumental music that was discoursed, and to join in the raffles, similar to those that were going on at Raggett’s subscription room.
Bew, in his Diary, date, Saturday, September 4th, 1799, writes,—“Every article of convenience, every trinket of luxury, is transferred by this uncertain, quick mode of conveyance. Not a shop without its rattle-trap,—rattle, rattle, rattle, morning and evening. Here may be seen,—walk in and see,—an abridgment of the wisdom of this world;—the pomps and vanities are at large, varying like yonder evanescent clouds. Observe the fond parent initiating her forward offspring in the use of the dice-box, and herself setting the example; yet may she wonder, at some future day, and think her throw in life’s raffle extremely severe, that a propensity to that and similar habits should continue and increase.” Fisher, in August, 1805, established a new Auction Mart in St. James’s Street, that was open morning and night. The following extracts from a private diary will in some degree explain the rage which was on at those periods for this and similar virulent pastimes:—
August 2nd, 1792.—But little company stirred out to-day, on account of the intense heat of the weather. Sporting men of fashion, dashers, and blacklegs certainly assembled on the Steine, to make their bets for to-morrow’s Lewes Races, where much excellent sport is expected. The other part of the day was spent mostly in Raggett’s Subscription House, at Billiards, Dice, &c. On dit.—Lady Lade is returning from Brighton in much dudgeon,—because, forsooth, Lady Jersey, she says, made wulgar mouths at her yesterday on the race-ground!
July 23rd, 1805.—A very select and elegant assemblage of nobility last night paraded the Steine until a late hour. Donaldson’s library, also, was very fashionably filled; and Wilks’s Pic-nic Auction exhibited a blaze of rank and beauty.
August 23rd.—Wilks’s bargains were in fashionable request last night, and the knock-down blows of Fisher were directed with his usual ability and effect. Fisher’s New Auction Lounge was again well filled with rank and beauty this morning. A monster of the finny tribe has been exhibited in a marquee, pitched purposely for the occasion, on the Steine to-day. It is called a Star Fish, and is so worthy the attention of the curious that it has divided the attention of the public with Fisher.
August 27th.—Wilks’s Auction Lounge, last night, was immensely crowded until a late hour: nor has the magnetical hammer of Fisher, at his new room, been less attractive this morning.
September 21st, 1807.—Donaldson’s and Pollard’s libraries have had crowded assemblages, and the game of Loo has had more than its usual number of votaries. This evening Mr Cartwright will perform at Fisher’s Lounge, on the musical glasses, under the patronage of Mrs Orby Hunter.
October 8th.—Pam still possesses his original attraction, and the Belles are nightly looed in his presence.—Rather a bad pun that, eh?
May 9th, 1810.—Donaldson’s and Walker’s spacious and airy Steine and Marine Lounges have not been so interestingly decorated with rank and beauty as they have to-day appeared for many preceding months, though the amusements of one card loo, &c., are not yet there introduced. The diversion of raffling has not been permitted at either for some years past, nor will it again be allowed, so long as the Little-go Bill remains unrepealed; we may therefore conclude that the rattle of the dice will never be heard at either again.
Trinket Auctions were established when an Act of Parliament, called Mr. Vansittart’s Little-go Bill, was passed, that did away with raffling at all places of public resort, as the profits to the librarians at the watering places generally, arose from these diversions, rather than from the high literary character of the books upon their shelves, or the erudite position of the persons whose names were in their subscription books because fashion ruled it so. The novelty of Trinket Auctions soon wore off, and then another pastime, under the name of Loo, was introduced. The game was very diverting in its progress, and afforded an occasion for many agreeable sallies of wit, according to the talent of the conductor of it and the disposition to replications of those about him. The Loo Sweepstakes, as they were termed, were limited to eight subscribers, and the individual stake, one shilling. The full number being obtained, a certain quantity of cards, amongst which was a Knave of Clubs, or Pam, were shuffled, cut, and separately dealt and turned: the numbers were called in rotation during the process, and that against which Pam appeared was pronounced the winner.
In September, 1810, an attempt was made to constitute the game of Loo an illegal act. For that purpose informations were lodged against Messrs. Donaldson and Walker, the proprietors of the Steine and Marine Libraries, and the case was heard at Lewes, before a full Bench of Magistrates. Mr. Courthorpe was counsel for the prosecution, and Mr. Adolphus appeared for the defendants. The only case that was argued was that of an information against Mr. Walker, founded on the 12th of Geo. II., c. 28, and which was dwelt on with much force,—such indeed as a confidence of success only could inspire—by Mr. Courthorpe. To prove that defendant had offended within the meaning of the Act, and consequently was liable to the penalty therein expressed, i.e., two hundred pounds, Mrs. White, the wife of one of the informers, was called and examined. This witness hesitated considerably in her evidence, particularly when interrogated by Mr. Adolphus, as to her motive in becoming a subscriber to the Loo amusement at Walker’s and whether or not she had so acted with the solo aim and purpose of lodging an information against Mr. Walker, which she at last admitted. The substance of her evidence was “That she attended at Walker’s library on the 30th of August; that she stood next to Mr. Walker on that occasion; that she heard him say, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, three shillings are only wanting to complete the sweepstake for this elegant Lady’s Morocco work box;’ that she gave him a shilling for a chance, when he asked her in what name she would have it, and she said Mrs. Goodlove; that a lady at length shuffled and cut the cards; that Mr. Walker dealt them; that the first dealt was called Mr. Bangup; that she won Pam, and got the prize; that Mr. Walker told her she had won it, and that she was to receive seven shillings in goods, or subscribe an extra sixpence, and have two chances for another box of much superior value; that she took the prize she had won, and lost two shillings in other ventures, &c.” When questioned by the Earl of Chichester, one of the magistrates, as to the real value of the prize that had been nominated at 7s., her husband whispered to her what to say; which being overheard by the Noble Earl, Mr. White was compelled instantly to quit the room, and to wait without, that he might be at hand in case he should be wanted. Mr. Adolphus (the witness being dismissed) addressed the Bench in a most able speech, concluding by producing an Act of Parliament passed in 1806, by which he clearly evinced that the present informations could not be sustained, as the said Act dispossessed magistrates of all jurisdiction and control in matters of that sort then before them. Mr. Courthorpe laboured hard, notwithstanding, to gain his point; but as his oratory had not the power to supersede an Act of Parliament, his labour was in vain. As authorities in support of the Act he produced, Mr. Adolphus was upheld by the opinion of the Attorney-General, and a decision in the Court of King’s Bench. The Magistrates, from what had been brought forward by Mr. Adolphus, saw their incompetency in so strong a light, that they dismissed the business, even without hearing the reply which Mr. Adolphus was about to make to his learned friend. There were three other informations, all of which of course were withdrawn. The librarians returned home in high spirits, and the Loo parties, subsequently, and exulting in the success of the day, were more numerous than usual.
Pam, the good genius of Loo, continued to hold sway at the libraries till 1817, when the magistrates took an antipathy towards him, owing to the unbounded patronage which he received from the ladies in general. They considered him an unwelcome resident; so, by their mandate, supported by an obsolete Act of Henry VIII., he was excommunicated from all the libraries, as, at this time he had taken up his abode at Mr. T. H. Wright’s Library, then just established at the south-west corner of Pavilion Street. Gradually, however, he resumed his position at the establishments of Lucombe and Tuppen; but notwithstanding the presiding influence of those two patterers and wits, assisted by Mr. Stacy, the present librarian at the Royal Albion Rooms, and Mr. Wheeler, the box book-keeper at the Brighton Theatre, the destruction of the fashionable promenade, by curtailing the Steine of its fair proportions, so distorted the throng and habit of fashion, that Pam fell into desuetude and the libraries, unsupported by him, became failures.