James Clifton Ward

“ It only remains that we should say a few words about the merely social clubs of pagan times, those clubs which had no other bond of union, either commercial, political, or religious, but which aimed only at the amusement or private advantage of their members. ”

“ So again in Greece we have the testimony of Aristotle that members of the same tribe or borough used to club together, men follow ing the same occupations, as soldiers or sailors, and others again for mere social amusement ; yet he immediately adds " these meet together for the sake of one another s company, and to offer sacrifices ; when they meet they both pay certain honours to the gods, and at the same time take pleasurable relaxation among themselves. ”

“ The furniture and arrangements of the different apartments correspond to the exteriors, every convenience and luxury being placed at the disposal of the members.
The mode of election of members varies. In some clubs the committee alone have the power of choosing new members. In others the election is by ballot of the whole club, one black ball in ten ordinarily excluding. ”

“ Of university clubs the United University is the oldest, the others being the Oxford and Cambridge, the New University, and others, the qualification for mem bership of winch would be that of connection with the chief universities. The naval and military clubs include the United Service, the Junior United Service, the Army and Navy, with numerous others intended for military and naval officers, and in some instances for officers of militia. ”

“ Modern Clubs.—The word club, denoting the promotion of intercommunity and good fellowship, is not very old, and only became common in the time of the T-.itler and Spec tator ; it claims a descent, however, from the Anglo-Saxon, being derived from cleofan, to divide, because the expenses are divided into shares. ”

“ Brooks s club, similar to White s in the character of its members, and nearly coeval in date, has continued to maintain a political aspect, and is considered to be identified with Whig principles. Boodle s, of later date, has always been deemed the resort of country gentle men, and especially of masters of fox-hounds. Arthur s, in some respects an offshoot of White s, was established fully a century ago, and continues to this day a club of gentle men associated for no special purpose, but united cnly by congeniality of tastes and ideas. ”

“ Of the literary and scientific, the Athenveum was " insti tuted for the association of individuals known for their scientific or literary attainments, artists of eminence in any class of the fine arts, and noblemen and gentlemen distinguished as liberal patrons of science, literature, or the arts," and has long enjoyed a high reputation, rendering admission to its ranks both tedious as regards the length of time a candidate has to wait before being put up for ballot, and difficult when he is subjected to that crucial test. ”

“ But over and above those fellowships which spring from the inalienable right of self- preservation, and which are founded either in the ties of kindred or community of material interests^ there are commonly found, even in matured and well-organized states, s number of secondary or accidental societies, established for the promotion of some common object ; and a wise and strong Government usually protects and encourages them as a most important condition of human progress. ”

“ We need not say anything of the religious sodalities which were appointed in a regular way both in Greece and Home for the worship of the gods recognized by the state. It is the history of secret confraternities for the exercise of foreign religious rites unknown to the stat3 and strictly forbidden that is more curious and attractive. In Athens the penalty of death stood enacted in the statute book against those who should introduce the worship of strange gods ”

“ These concerned the gravest questions of etiquette, such as what dress ladies should wear according to their social rank ; who was to take precedence one of another on public occasions of state, in processions, or other ceiemonies ; who might ride in a carriage drawn by horses ; who must be content to sit behind mules ”

“ The expenditure is, however, most commonly of nearly equal amount, and of few of the clubs can it be said that they are entirely free from debt. The number of members included in a London club varies from 2200 in the Army and Navy to 475 in the St James s club.
Numerous provincial clubs aro established throughout the country. In both Edinburgh and Dublin are clubs fully coming up to the metropolitan societies. Nor is this great public convenience lacking in the cities and towns of Europe, the United States, and the British colonies. ”

“ Thus, tho corporations in Rome whose foundation was attributed to Numa would seem at first sight to have been merely for convenience of traclj. But we are told that they had also a social or poli tical purpose, viz., to break down the barriers which sepa rated Romans from Sabines in the infant state. Moreover, Plutarch introduces a religious element into them also, saying that Numa " fixed certain times of meeting for these companies, and certain honours to the gods, assigning to each what was suitable for them." ”

“ They deliberated on the rewards to be given to this or that magistrate, and voted funds for monuments and statues in honour of those who had earned their approbation. The names of women are not unfre- quently set down as patronesses of certain craft-gilds, of which they can hardly have been ordinary members ”