File:Twice round the clock; or, The hours of the day and night in London (1859) (14592480967).jpg

Identifier: twiceroundclocko00sala (find matches)
Title: Twice round the clock; or, The hours of the day and night in London
Year: 1859 (1850s)
Authors: Sala, George Augustus, 1828-1895 McConnell, William, 1833-1867
Subjects:
Publisher: London, Houlston and Wright
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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suf-ficiently impressed with the commanding merits of the Royal Asylumfor Fatuous Monomaniacs. I wonder what special business bringsthese gentlemen hither. At some distance from this table, towards thedoor, but still in a line with the chairman, you see a pianoforte, and acouple of music-stands ; partially concealed behind a crimson baizescreen, beneath the gallery at the end, sit some stalwart individuals, ofmartial appearance, and superbly attired in scarlet and gold lace, whomyou might easily, at first, mistake for staff officers, but whom theirbrass trombones and ophicleides speedily proclaim to be members of theband of one of the regiments of Guards. And high above all, sup-ported on the sham scagliola Corinthian columns, with the gilt capitals,is a trellised balcony, full of ladies in full evening dress. What onearth those dear creatures want at such gatherings,—what pleasurethey can derive from the spectacle of their husbands and friends over- SIX P.M.—A CHARITY DINNER. 229
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230 TWICE ROUND THE CLOCK. eating and sometimes over-drinking themselves, or from the auditionof stupid speeches, passes my comprehension. There they are, how-ever, giggling, fluttering, waving tiny pocket-handkerchiefs, and striv-ing to mitigate the meaty miasma of the place by nasal applicationsto their bouquets or their essence bottles ; and there they will be, Ipresume, till public dinners go out of fashion altogether.* I do not think I am called upon to give the bill of fare of a publicdinner. I have no desire to edit the next republication of Ude, orDoctor Kitchener, Soyer, or Francatelli; besides, I could only makeyour and my mouth water by expatiating on the rich viands and wineswhich mine host (he is always mine host) of the Albion, theLondon Tavern, or the Freemasons, provides for a guinea a-head.You remember what I told you the friend with the face like an over-ripe fig said of public dinners—that they were the sublimation ofsuperfluities ; and, indeed, if such a repast b

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