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.-Free-Masons' Club. The Mystery.-What its Origin.-Its professed Advantages. Griggs and Gregorians.-A kind of Masons.-Reflec tions on these various Societies. LETTER X. CLUBS AND SOCIAL MEETINGS. You say you envy in your calm Retreat Our social Meetings;-'tis with joy we meet: If thus your Envy gives your Ease its Gloom, Give Wings to Fancy and among us come, We're now assembled; you may soon attend→→ I'll introduce you- Gentlemen, my Friend." "Now are you happy? you haye past a night "In gay Discourse, and rational Delight." C Alas, not so: for how can Mortals think, Or thoughts exchange, if thus they eat and drink? No! I confess, when we had fairly din'd, That was no time for intercourse of Mind; 'There was each Dish prepar'd with Skill t'invite And to detain the struggling Appetite; 'On such occasions Minds with one consent "Are to the Comforts of the Body lent; There was no pause-the Wine went quickly round, Till struggling Fancy was by Bacchus bound; 'Wine is to Wit as Water thrown on Fire, 6 By duly sprinkling both are rais'd the higher; Thus largely dealt, the vivid Blaze they choke, 'But when no more your Boards these Loads contain, "When Wine no more o'erwhelms the labouring Brain, But serves, a gentle stimulus; we know, 'How Wit must sparkle, and how Fancy flow.' It might be so, but no such Club-Days come, But our Attractions are a stronger sort, The earliest Dainties and the oldest Port; All enter then with glee in every look, And not a Member thinks about a Book. Still let me own, there are some vacant Hours, But gives to Wit its vigour and its zest; We from that time are neither grave nor gay, Our public Cares, the long, the warm Debate, Thus it appears these envied Clubs possess No certain means of social Happiness: Yet there's a good that flows from Scenes like these, We to our Neighbours and our Equals come, To claim Attention and to talk alone; But here he meets with neither Son nor Spouse, To his rais'd Voice his Neighbour's Voices rise, And claim, in turn, the Favour they bestow. C No pleasure gives the Speech, when all would speak, And all in vain a civil Hearer seek. To Chance alone we owe the free Discourse, "Tis when the favourite Themes unbidden spring, Men to their Clubs repair, themselves to please, |