Various domiciles have been given to the club, but Sir R. Blackmore says it was held at the Fountain in the Strand, a site now occupied by the Cigar Divan, as is denoted by the name of Fountain Court.

On the fair Strand by which with graceful Pride,
Unrival'd Thamis rolls his alternate Tyde,
Between the Courts which most the People awe,
(In one the Monarch reigns, in one the Law.)
A Stately Building rear'd its lofty Head,
Which both the Thames and Town around survey'd.
Here crown'd with Clusters Bacchus kept his Court,
Where mighty Vats his chearful Throne support;
High o'er the Gate he hung his waving Sign,
A Fountain Red with ever-flowing Wine.
........
One Night, in Seven, at this convenient Seat,
Indulgent BOCAJ[330] did the Muses treat,
Their Drink was generous Wine, and Kit Cat's Pyes their Meat.
Here he assembled his Poetic Tribe,
Past Labours to Reward, and new ones to prescribe;
Hence did th' Assembly's Title first arise,
And Kit-Cat Wits sprung first from Kit-Cat's Pyes.
BOCAJ the mighty Founder of the State
Led by his Wisdom, or his happy Fate,
Chose proper Pillars to support its Weight
All the first Members for their Place were fit
Tho' not of Title, Men of Sense and Wit.

They showed they had sense at all events, for in the summer they went into the fresh air, and held their meetings at the Flask at Hampstead.

Or when Apollo like, thou'rt pleas'd to lead
Thy Sons to feast on Hampstead's airy Head;
Hampstead that now in name Parnassus shall exceed.

Another proof, if it were needed, that Tonson was the founder of the club, is that forty-two of its members presented him with their portraits, painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller, to adorn his house at Barn Elms. As the room was not lofty enough to admit of their being the regulation size, special canvases were had (36 × 28 in.), and this is still called Kit Cat size. These portraits are still in existence, and were all shown at the Art Treasures Exhibition at Manchester, and some at the International Exhibition of 1862. This club was famous for the toasts engraved on its drinking glasses, many of which have survived to this day; and this gave rise to Dr. Arbuthnot's epigram—

Whence deathless Kit-Cat took his name,
Few Critics can unriddle:
Some say from pastry cook it came
And some from Cat and Fiddle.
From no trim beaus its name it boasts,
Grey statesmen or green wits,
But from this pell mell pack of toasts
Of old Cats and young Kits.

There were numerous social clubs, the Beefsteak, and the Saturday Club, of which Swift makes frequent mention in his letters to Stella. Take one instance[331]: 'I dined with lord-treasurer, and shall again to-morrow, which is his day, when all the ministers dine with him. He calls it whipping day. It is always on Saturday, and we do indeed usually rally him about his faults on that day. I was of the original club, when only poor Lord Rivers, lord keeper, and Lord Bolinbroke came; but now Ormond, Anglesey, lord Steward, Dartmouth, and other rabble intrude, and I scold at it; but now they pretend as good a title as I; and, indeed, many Saturdays I am not there.[331] He also belonged to a club or society for social converse and the encouragement of literature, which was founded in the latter part of the year 1712. Its meetings were on Thursday, and it was the custom of the members to entertain their brethren in turns. He gave one dinner at the Thatched House[332]: 'it will cost me five or six pounds; yet the secretary says he will give me wine.' But they soon got extravagant, for their very next dinner is noted[333] as 'The Duke of Ormond's treat last week cost £20 though it was only four dishes, and four without a dessert; and I bespoke it in order to be cheap;' and this did not include wine. In this society, when money was raised for a benevolent purpose, the members were assessed according to their several estates: thus, the Duke of Ormond paid ten guineas, Swift half a guinea.

Steele, in Tatler No. 9, gives an amusing and graphic account of a club, held at a tavern called the Trumpet, in Shire Lane; and, to show how prevalent the establishment of clubs was in this reign, the following are some suggested ones (of course only in fun) to be found in the Spectator: The Amorous, Chit Chat, Everlasting, Fox hunters, Fringe glove, Hebdomadal, Henpecked, Lazy, Lawyers, Mohock, Moving, Rattling, The Romp, Sighing, Spectator's, Street, Twopenny, Ugly, Widows; and the Guardian supplies a list of supposed clubs of little men, and the Short, Silent, Tall, and Terrible Clubs.

CHAPTER XX.
SIGHT-SEEING AND FAIRS

Royal visits to the City — Lord Mayor's show — The lions at the Tower — The Armoury — Tombs at Westminster — Bartholomew Fair — Description — Shows — Tight-rope dancing — Natural curiosities — Theatrical performances, etc. — Abolition — May Fair — Lady Mary — Pinkethman — Shows — Visit to — Abolition — Southwark Fair — Its shows.