may be owing to too large a quantity of 

 Iron contained in it ; for it appears by it's 

 applying so very strongly as it does to 

 the magnet, to contain a great proportion 

 of that metal. 



With best respects to yourself and due 

 comp s to all friends when you see them, 

 particularly those of the " Crown and 

 Anchor" and "Cat and Bagpipes" clubs 1 , 

 I am, Dear Sir 



Your obed' humble servant 2 



J. MICHELL 



THORNHILL, 14 Aug 1788 



1 The Crown and Anchor Tavern, Strand, as 

 already mentioned, was the meeting place of the 

 Royal Society Club at this time and continued to 

 be so for sixty-eight years, from 1780 to 1848. 

 Reference has been made (p. 20) to MichelPs frequent 

 appearance at the Club, where he constantly met 

 Cavendish. The "Cat and Bagpipes" was "a 

 public house of considerable notoriety, with this 

 sign. It existed at the corner of Downing Street, next 

 to King's Street. It was also used as a chop-house, 

 and frequented by many of those connected with the 

 public offices in the neighbourhood " (Notes and 

 Queries, Nov. 9, 1850, p. 397). But nothing seems 

 to be known of the Club to which Michell refers 

 as meeting there. 



* This deferential expression, so characteristic 



58 



