[52] Pontack's was a French eating-house in Abchurch Lane, where the Royal Society held its annual dinners until 1746. Pontack was son of the President of the Parliament of Bordeaux, and gave the name to a famous French claret. Evelyn refers to him in his diary, 13 July, 1683, and 30 Nov., 1694, and Swift, in his Journal, 16 Aug., 1711: "Pontack told us, although his wine was so good, he sold it cheaper than others; he took but seven shillings a flask. Are not these pretty rates?" See, too, the prologue to Love's Contrivances, 1703, by Mrs. Centlivre:—
"At Locket's, Brown's, and at Pontack's enquire,
What modish kickshaws the nice beaus desire,
What famed ragouts, what new-invented salad,
Has best pretensions to regale the palate.
If we present you with a medley here,
A hodge-podge dish served up in china-ware,
We hope 'twill please, 'cause like your bills of fare."
Pontack put up a picture of his father's head as a sign (Burn's Descriptive Catalogue of the London Traders' Tavern, and Coffee-House Tokens, 1855, p. 13). From a tract called The Metamorphoses of the Town, dated 1730, we learn that Pontack's was then the resort of extravagant epicures; in the bill of fare of a "guinea ordinary" are "a ragout of fatted snails," and "chickens not two hours from the shell."
Geronte. Il vint hier de Poitiers, mais il sent peu l'école;
Et, si l'on pouvait croire un père à sa parole,
Quelque écolier qu'il soit, je dirais qu'aujourd'hui
Peu de nos gens de cour sont mieux taillés que lui.
(Le Menteur, II. ii.)
[54] Presents to servants.
Clarice. Ah! bon Dieu! si Dorante avait autant d'appas,
Que d'Alcippe aisément il obtiendrait la place!
(Le Menteur, II. ii.)
Alcippe. Ah, Clarice! ah, Clarice! inconstante, volage!
(Le Menteur, II. iii.)