1832.] Affairs in General. 347 



THE GARRICK CLUB. To the excitement which the establishment of 

 this new social society has produced, may fairly be attributed the in- 

 difference which marks the public mind on the subject of cholera. 

 People cannot be affected by such important matters as the cholera and 

 a club at the same time. The College of Physicians hides its diminished 

 chimneys before the temple of the drama in King Street. Yet little of 

 this was promised by the style of its commencement. The names of the 

 first-appointed committee are now before us ; we take a few of them 

 alphabetically 



BEDFORD, DUKE OF HERTFORD, MARQUIS OF 



BARRYMORE, WM. HARTLAND, NICHOLAS 



CROKER, JOHN WILSON MAHON, VISCOUNT 



COVENEY, ZACHARIAH MARTIN, MONS. 



DEVONSHIRE, DUKE OF PORCHESTER, LORD 



DUCROW, MONS. PARSLOE, MATTHEW MUGGERIDGE 



ELLAR, T. PEEL, SIR ROBERT 



ELLENBOROUGH, LORD PAULO, SIGNOR 



GYNGEL, E. B. F. SIBTHORPE, COL. 



GOWER, LORD F. L. SLOMAN, ABRAHAM 



GOUFFE, MONS. &c. &c. 



These are names that undoubtedly shed lustre on one another ; and yet 

 we could not anticipate the brilliant results (in the shape of a dinner) 

 that have attended their labours. A club of rank and talent in King 

 Street was looked upon as a piece of affectation by one party ; while 

 another found some satisfaction in the reflection that the aristocracy were 

 obliged to come eastward for their associations and amusements. How- 

 ever the opening has been celebrated by a dinner, to which, although 

 the room was only large enough for forty, two hundred practical diners- 

 out sat delightedly down in the presence of the Duke of Sussex. 



Of course nothing very particular was said or done upon the occasion, 

 but something rather particular was omitted ; and this was, of all other 

 things in the world, in a club established for the promotion of the drama 

 " the memory of Shakspeare/' No, it was never once thought of. 



" Oh ! no they never mentioned him, 

 His name was never heard ! " 



They went through the whole theatrical alphabet of names ; they drank 

 success to the next new pantomimes, and the healths of Messrs. Farley 

 and Barrymore and forgot Shakspeare ; they proposed the memory, 

 or the long life, of every goose they could think of, and left out the 

 sweet swan. And this at the Garrick Dinner to forget him, who has had 

 the honour of being called Garrick's " twin-star," in one of the most 

 impudent lines ever placed upon a monument in Westminster Abbey 



" Garrick and Shakspeare like twin-stars shall shine." 



But perhaps they were fearful of offending Mr. Planche, and the other 

 dramatists, by mentioning a man who, in his day, was almost as dis- 

 tinguished as themselves ; or perhaps they saw that he has nothing to 

 do with the drama, as it is at present conducted ; or, what is as near 

 the truth, that they should best pay him honour by omitting all mention 

 of his name in such an assembly. 



It may not be generally known that a Cf Grimaldi Club" is to be im- 

 mediately formed in opposition to the " Garrick Club," of which the 

 Duke of Newcastle is to be chairman. 



2A2 



