ng in the British Museum]

[Illustration: THE BRITISH COFFEE HOUSE

IN COCKSPUR STREET

From a print published in 1770]

BAKER'S, 58 'Change Alley, for nearly half a century noted for its chops
and steaks broiled in the coffee room and eaten hot from the gridiron;
the BALTIC, in Threadneedle Street, the rendezvous of brokers and
merchants connected with the Russian trade; the BEDFORD, "under the
Piazza, in Covent Garden," crowded every night with men of parts and
"signalized for many years as the emporium of wit, the seat of criticism
and the standard of taste"; the CHAPTER, in Paternoster Row, frequented
by Chatterton and Goldsmith; CHILD'S, in St. Paul's Churchyard, one of
the _Spectator's_ houses, and much frequented by the clergy and fellows
of the Royal Society; DICK'S, in Fleet Street, frequented by Cowper, and
the scene of Rousseau's comedietta, entitled _The Coffee House_; ST.
JAMES'S, in St. James's Street, frequented by Swift, Goldsmith, and
Garrick; JERUSALEM, in Cowper's Court, Cornhill, frequented by merchants
and captains connected with the commerce of China, India, and Australia;
JONATHAN'S, in 'Change Alley, described by the _Tatler_ as "the general
mart of stock jobbers"; the LONDON, in Ludgate Hill, noted for its
publishers' sales of stock and copyrights; MAN'S, in Scotland Yard,
which took its name from the proprietor, Alexander Man, and was
sometimes known as OLD MAN'S, or the ROYAL, to distinguish it from YOUNG
MAN'S, LITTLE MAN'S, NEW MAN'S, etc., minor establishments in the
neighborhood;[85] NANDO'S, in Fleet Street, the favorite haunt of Lord
Thurlow and many professional loungers, attracted by the fame of the
punch and the charms of the landlady; NEW ENGLAND AND NORTH AND SOUTH
AMERICAN, in Threadneedle Street, having on its subscription list
representatives of Barings, Rothschilds, and other wealthy
establishments; PEELE'S, in Fleet Street, having a portrait of Dr.
Johnson said to have been painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds; the PERCY, in
Oxford Street, the inspiration for the _Percy Anecdotes_; the PIAZZA, in
Covent Garden, where Macklin fitted up a large coffee room, or theater,
for oratory, and Fielding and Foote poked fun at him; the RAINBOW, in
Fleet Street, the second coffee house opened in London, having its token
money; the SMYRNA, in Pall Mall, a "place to talk politics," and
frequented by Prior and Swift; TOM KING'S, one of the old night houses
of Covent Garden Market, "well known to