dymion, wrote
upon it, like a minister of state, "Approved," with his initial.

Joe's, more technically known as "The Blue Posts," was a celebrated
chop-house in Naseby Street, a large, low-ceilinged, wainscoted room,
with the floor strewn with sawdust, and a hissing kitchen in the centre,
and fitted up with what were called boxes, these being of various sizes,
and suitable to the number of the guests requiring them. About this time
the fashionable coffee-houses, George's and the Piazza, and even the
coffee-rooms of Stevens' or Long's, had begun to feel the injurious
competition of the new clubs that of late years had been established;
but these, after all, were limited, and, comparatively speaking,
exclusive societies. Their influence had not touched the chop-houses,
and it required another quarter of a century before their cheerful and
hospitable roofs and the old taverns of London, so full, it ever
seemed, of merriment and wisdom, yielded to the gradually increasing but
irresistible influence of those innumerable associations, which, under
classic names, or affecting to be the junior branches of celebrated
confederacies, have since secured to the million, at cost price, all
the delicacies of the season, and substituted for the zealous energy
of immortal JOES the inexorable but frigid discipline of managing
committees.

"You are our guest to-day," said Mr. Trenchard to Endymion. "Do not be
embarrassed. It is a custom with us, but not a ruinous one. We dine off
the joint, but the meat is first-rate, and you may have as much as you
like, and our tipple is half-and-half. Perhaps you do not know it. Let
me drink to your health."

They ate most heartily; but when their well-earned meal was despatched,
their conversation, assisted by a moderate portion of some celebrated
toddy, became animated, various, and interesting. Endymion was highly
amused; but being a stranger, and the youngest present, his silence was
not unbecoming, and his manner indicated that it was not occasioned by
want of sympathy. The talk was very political. They were all what are
called Liberals, having all of them received their appointments since
the catastrophe of 1830; but the shades in the colour of their opinions
were various and strong. Jawett was uncompromising; ruthlessly logical,
his principles being clear, he was for what he called "carrying them
out" to their just conclusions. Trenchard, on the contrary, thought
everything ought to be a com