I77 1 Variable attendance; increase of vegetable dishes 1 1 1 



Burrow presiding. Among those present were Sir John 

 Pringle, Henry Cavendish, Joseph Banks, Nevil Maskelyne, 

 Samuel Dyer, and Dr. William Watson. The Treasurer 

 announced that the expenses (including 5 8s. 6d. for 

 deficiencies in attendance) amounted to 6 IDS. nd., 

 leaving a balance of 8 155. 2d. in his hands. Two vacancies 

 were reported, caused by the death of George Eckersall 

 and John Hyde. The vacant places were filled up by 

 the election of Sir Joseph Ayloffe, Bart., and John Darker. 

 Sir Joseph Ayloffe, as already mentioned (p. 7), was elected 

 into the Club as far back as 1744, but lost his membership 

 in 1749 for non-attendance. John Darker had been elected 

 into the Royal Society in 1768. 



The attendance at the dinners this year continued to be 

 as variable as ever and to give the Treasurer no little trouble 

 to make his provision and avoid too serious a demand on 

 the Fund. The numbers during the last three months of 

 the previous year having been good, he availed himself 

 of the liberty allowed to him and raised the provision of 

 commons from eight to twelve. Anticipating, however, a 

 falling-off in the attendance during the autumn months he 

 appears to have arranged with the vintner that the provision 

 should then be again for eight. But, for some reason that 

 is not obvious, the attendance during August and September 

 continued to be generally much above the provision and never 

 fell below it. And this improvement was maintained to 

 the end of the year, hardly any of the dinners necessitating 

 a demand on the Fund. 



In regard to the bill of fare a noticeable feature is the 

 increasing recognition of the importance of vegetables in 

 addition to the solid joints of roast or boiled. In winter 

 and spring " greens " generally appear on the table, with 

 the addition of carrots, turnips or potatoes. As the summer 

 months come on French beans, peas, artichokes, asparagus 

 and radishes oftener find a place, followed by currant-tart 

 and " gooseberry pyes/' while at the same time made-dishes 

 are occasionally intercalated among the joints. 



A few names may be selected from the list of guests 



