56 Presidentship of the Earl of Macclesfield 17 '55 



provided his approved pickled salmon. The Earl of Shaftes- 

 bury, Lord Royston, Dr. Heberden and Sir Matthew 

 Featherstonehaugh presented venison, and their healths 

 were duly honoured in the customary bumpers of claret, 

 " paid for by the company." On one occasion half of the 

 venison appeared on the table, and the claret was duly 

 quaffed in recognition of the gift, while the other half was 

 reserved for the following week when the worthy donor's 

 health was again drunk, but whether in claret does not appear. 

 The painstaking Treasurer, after having with a flourish 

 written at the end of his record of a dinner " No Demand " 

 from his Fund, adds with a feebler hand, "but for a china 

 plate broke at Dinner, i/n." On another occasion, after a 

 record of the thanks of the Company to a donor of venison 

 and the health-drinking in claret, there is a penitent-looking 

 addition of " a water-glass broke, gd." 



The attendance this year during August and September, 

 while on the whole good, somewhat fluctuated, though it 

 seldom fell below the number provided for, so as to involve 

 a demand on the Fund. But it must be confessed that 

 the prospect of a turtle-dinner had a marked effect in 

 attracting a large company. Mr. James West presented a 

 turtle on 7th August and another on i8th September. On 

 the first occasion there came twenty-three members and 

 seven guests. The turtle was served in four dishes and the 

 donor was admitted an Honorary Member of the Club. At 

 the later dinner, when the numbers were eighteen members 

 and four guests, the Register records that the President 

 (Earl of Macclesfield), "having been absent for more than 

 two months paid the fine of 5/." Both these dinners were 

 attended by Dr. Heberden, Dr. Knight, Dr. Pringle and 

 Dr. Akenside a medical phalanx which is a further indica- 

 tion that no large exodus of the civilian population had 

 taken place in London during the autumnal months. 



Not many foreign guests are recorded in the dinner lists 

 for this year. The two most notable are the Comte 

 d'Estaing and M. de Bougainville, who were both present 

 at the dinner on I2th June. The family of Estaing was 



