92 Presidentship of the Earl of Morton 1765 



There is now perceptible in the dinner-registers a more 

 marked falling-off in the attendance of members during the 

 months of August, September and October. Thus in the 

 first of these months this year deficiencies are recorded in 

 four out of five dinners. In September all the dinners had 

 less than the twelve for whom commons were ordered. 

 October began well, but the next four dinners fell short of 

 the full company provided for. There was still, however, 

 no diminution in the generous contributions to the cuisine 

 of the Club. The Earl of Shaftesbury, the Hon. Philip 

 Yorke (now Earl of Hardwicke), and Dr. Heberden con- 

 tinued their presents of venison, and Dr. Heberden and Dr. 

 Watson contributed each a turtle, the Earl of Marchmont 

 sent his salmon, and the President from his hot-houses 

 supplied to successive dinners a dessert of pine-apples, 

 grapes and pears. Nevertheless the general character of 

 the menu remains, under the Treasurer's supervision, funda- 

 mentally of the same solid kind as at the beginning. There 

 is perhaps a perceptibly increased appearance of vegetables, 

 but the two courses of fish, the roast or boiled joints of beef, 

 pork and lamb, still flourish, together with fowls and 

 geese, sweetbreads, calves'-head and hashes of various kinds, 

 and the seldom-failing " plumb-pudding/' On one occasion 

 a new sweet makes its appearance which the deipnoso- 

 phistical Treasurer calls a " crocant of pears," and he ex- 

 plains, in a footnote to his record of the dinner, that " crocant 

 is a tart or fruit pye with an open lid." [Croquante in 

 French cookery.] 



1766. The Annual General Meeting this year took place 

 on July 3ist, when there were present thirteen members, 

 the Earl of Morton in the Chair. 



The Treasurer stated that the expenses for the past year 

 had been 6 6s. 6d., of which 5 55. was required to pay 

 for the deficiencies in attendance, leaving in his hands a 

 balance of 2 145. He intimated the death of the Rev. 

 Dr. Birch (one of the small group of original members) 

 and the Rev. Dr. Chandler. The two vacancies thus 

 caused were filled by the election of Robert Burrow and Dr. 



