1760 The Author of" Tristram Shandy " 75 



candidate for admission into the Club, was asked by Caven- 

 dish as one whose friendship he valued and with whose 

 scientific studies he had the warmest sympathy. But as 

 time passed, his zeal for hospitality to outsiders dwindled 

 until for five or six years in succession he ceased to invite any 

 visitor. In the years 1800 to 1802 there was a slight revival. 

 He appears to have taken a special interest in the election 

 of Charles Hatchett, whom he asked to dine at the Club no 

 fewer than six times in those three years, and he had the ulti- 

 mate satisfaction of welcoming that Candidate as a member. 



The details of Cavendish's life have been most imperfectly 

 preserved. It is fitting, therefore, that any fresh particu- 

 lars regarding him which can be recovered should be put 

 on record. One cannot but look back with profound in- 

 terest on the pathetic figure of the great philosopher who 

 sought in the meetings of this Club a relaxation from his 

 studies and a relief from the solitude in which most of his 

 days were spent. Shrinking from contact with general 

 society, seemingly so indifferent to the plaudits of his con- 

 temporaries, and so careless about his own fame in the 

 future, he found in these meetings some at least of that 

 human interest and sympathy of which he stood so much 

 in need. All members of the Royal Society Club are proud 

 of his connection with their fraternity, and they may well 

 remember with gratitude the unremitting attention which 

 for half a century Henry Cavendish gave to its affairs and 

 prosperity. 



After this long digression let us return to the record of 

 the Club during the year 1760. The list of guests includes 

 a few well-known names. On 3rd April the entry occurs 

 " Mr. Sterne, author of Tristram Shandy." The registers 

 up to and beyond this date do not state by whose invitation 

 each visitor was present. From the position of the names 

 of Dr. Watson and Dr. Squire opposite to that of Sterne 

 in the dinner-register it may be conjectured that one or 

 other of these gentlemen had the pleasure of introducing 

 the illustrious creator of " My Uncle Toby " to the table 

 of the Royal Philosophers. 



