124 Presidentship of Sir John Pr ingle 1774 



probably regarded with little favour. Having, however, 

 to write down the names of the new dishes he contented 

 himself with spelling them after his own phonetic usage. 

 That the general character of the food which he provided 

 remained at the end of his reign essentially what it had 

 been from the beginning will be readily seen by comparing 

 the last menu which he prepared with the first, which has 

 already been quoted (p. 26). On July 2ist 1774 he gives 

 the following bill of fare in his own handwriting : 



Dinner. 



Haddock Skate and soles 



Stoved eels Boiled Beef 



2 Plumb puddings Greens and Collyflower 



Beans and bacon Venison Pasty 



Knuckle of Veal fore quarter of Lamb 



2 Ducks 2 dishes pease 



2 Cherry tarts Lambstones &c. 

 Butter and Cheese. 



Dr. Solander, now become Treasurer, was this year active 

 in his introduction of foreigners to the Club. On June loth 

 he brought the famous Corsican general and patriot, Pascal 

 Paoli. At another dinner his guests were Count Fersen and 

 Mr. Boleman. The former belonged to an ancient Livonian 

 family and had played a conspicuous part in Swedish politics. 

 Again, Solander introduced M. Damashneff from St. Peters- 

 burg and Herr von Biilow from Mecklenberg. He several 

 times entertained the Count de Visconti, probably the 

 eminent Italian antiquary to whom the study of Greek 

 art owed so much. Pringle showed attention to two members 

 of the Dutch nobility, Messrs. Meerman and Erb, whom he 

 invited to the Club in summer and again in the winter 

 months. Banks had a trump-card to play in the way of 

 sensation when on 25th August he brought to the Club 

 dinner Omai, a real live young chief from Otaheite, who had 

 been brought back in one of Captain Cook's vessels. This 

 youth was so good-looking, had such gracious manners, 

 and showed so much intelligence that he rapidly became 

 a great favourite in London Society. Boswell has recorded 



