y were dried by the
waiter, were called the Wet Paper Club, and another set intercepted the
wet evening papers. Dr. Buchan, author of that murderous book, "Domestic
Medicine," which teaches a man how to kill himself and family cheaply,
generally acted as moderator. He was a handsome, white-haired man, a
Tory, a good-humoured companion, and a _bon vivant_. If any one began to
complain, or appear hypochondriacal, he used to say--

"Now let me prescribe for you, without a fee. Here, John, bring a glass
of punch for Mr. ----, unless he likes brandy and water better. Now,
take that, sir, and I'll warrant you'll soon be well. You're a peg too
low; you want stimulus; and if one glass won't do, call for a second."

Dr. Gower, the urbane and able physician of the Middlesex Hospital, was
another frequent visitor, as also that great eater and worker, Dr.
Fordyce, whose balance no potations could disturb. Fordyce had
fashionable practice, and brought rare news and much sound information
on general subjects. He came to the "Chapter" from his wine, stayed
about an hour, and sipped a glass of brandy and water. He then took
another glass at the "London Coffee House," and a third at the "Oxford,"
then wound home to his house in Essex Street, Strand. The three doctors
seldom agreed on medical subjects, and laughed loudly at each other's
theories. They all, however, agreed in regarding the "Chapter" punch as
an infallible and safe remedy for all ills.

The standing men in the box were Hammond and Murray. Hammond, a Coventry
manufacturer, had scarcely missed an evening at the "Chapter" for
forty-five years. His strictures on the events of the day were thought
severe but able, and as a friend of liberty he had argued all through
the times of Wilkes and the French and American wars. His Socratic
arguments were very amusing. Mr. Murray, the great referee of the
Wittinagemot, was a Scotch minister, who generally sat at the "Chapter"
reading papers from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. He was known to have read straight
through every morning and evening paper published in London for thirty
years. His memory was so good that he was always appealed to for dates
and matters of fact, but his mind was not remarkable for general
lucidity. Other friends of Stevens's were Dr. Birdmore, the Master of
the Charterhouse, who abounded in anecdote; Walker, the rhetorician and
dictionary-maker, a most intelligent man, with a fine enunciation, and
Dr. Towers, a political wr