DOI issue:
No.127 (October, 1903)
DOI article:Veer, Lenore van der: The London sketch club and its members
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19880#0060
The London Sketch Club
"THE WITCH" BY CECIL ALDIN
and all is feasting, and song, and smoke, and at the the porter insisted on being rewarded with a tip,
bi-annual Conversazione that the true Bohemian which the noble president refused to give, and the
spirit, always dear to the man of temperament, is clock was relentlessly wrested from his proud
given full possession of the artist body, astral and embrace and borne away in the direction of the
material, and if any member dare to make an hotel coffee room, from whence it had been filched a
attempt at anything stereotyped, such as an few moments before. This gives one an idea of
after-dinner speech or the proposal of a toast the magnificent childishness of their fun—as a
he finds himself in immediate danger of oblivion, matter of fact, they are all boys, these artists mak-
Nor are shirt-fronts and white ties ever per- ing merry, and it is this very spirit of youthful
mitted, for your true Bohemian has thoughts sportiveness which keeps the hard lines from about
above such things as these, which are not to be their mouths, and the grey hairs from around their
tolerated at their functions. You may sing a temples, for they can never grow old in reality—so
rollicking lay between the soup and fish courses, long as they keep their hearts young,
or you may smoke before the advent of the joint, It is at the conversaziones, which are held twice
and you may even shy bread pellets at your a year, that the histrionic talents of the society are
neighbour, but you must not under any conditions called forth in " spoof" performances of various
be serious—this is the one great offence punishable kinds, most extraordinary entertainments being
by death at the hands of your friends. It is never patched together within a few days of presentation,
easy to get at the inner workings of select Bohemia, scenery, costumes, and lines complete. Walter
especially if one happens to be so unfortunate as to Churcher and Starr Wood are generally co-con-
belong to the tabooed sex, but I am told of all spirators as to what form the muse shall take, while
kinds of jokes played on the "noble president" at Dudley Hardy is looked upon as the "heavy lead"
these suppers. Only quite recently the close of one in every cast. The first of these entertainments
of these mild revels was marked by a presentation during the initial year of the club, took the form
ceremony of a costly marble clock to Hardy by of a pompous reception, when the officers and
Tom Browne, the clock being borne by Keble Bell, council wore the most gorgeous robes, and received
resplendent in the coat and cap of the hotel porter, their guests with court ceremony. Mr. Haite, as
At the close of a most eulogistic incantation by president, wore impressive robes of state, and
the irrepressible Tom, Hardy went forward to was ably supported by Dudley Hardy, resplen-
receive the clock, pride written on every line of his dent in the trailing garments of a Lord Mayor,
jovial countenance, but in relinquishing the treasure mace and all, while Jack Hassall filled the rather
43
"THE WITCH" BY CECIL ALDIN
and all is feasting, and song, and smoke, and at the the porter insisted on being rewarded with a tip,
bi-annual Conversazione that the true Bohemian which the noble president refused to give, and the
spirit, always dear to the man of temperament, is clock was relentlessly wrested from his proud
given full possession of the artist body, astral and embrace and borne away in the direction of the
material, and if any member dare to make an hotel coffee room, from whence it had been filched a
attempt at anything stereotyped, such as an few moments before. This gives one an idea of
after-dinner speech or the proposal of a toast the magnificent childishness of their fun—as a
he finds himself in immediate danger of oblivion, matter of fact, they are all boys, these artists mak-
Nor are shirt-fronts and white ties ever per- ing merry, and it is this very spirit of youthful
mitted, for your true Bohemian has thoughts sportiveness which keeps the hard lines from about
above such things as these, which are not to be their mouths, and the grey hairs from around their
tolerated at their functions. You may sing a temples, for they can never grow old in reality—so
rollicking lay between the soup and fish courses, long as they keep their hearts young,
or you may smoke before the advent of the joint, It is at the conversaziones, which are held twice
and you may even shy bread pellets at your a year, that the histrionic talents of the society are
neighbour, but you must not under any conditions called forth in " spoof" performances of various
be serious—this is the one great offence punishable kinds, most extraordinary entertainments being
by death at the hands of your friends. It is never patched together within a few days of presentation,
easy to get at the inner workings of select Bohemia, scenery, costumes, and lines complete. Walter
especially if one happens to be so unfortunate as to Churcher and Starr Wood are generally co-con-
belong to the tabooed sex, but I am told of all spirators as to what form the muse shall take, while
kinds of jokes played on the "noble president" at Dudley Hardy is looked upon as the "heavy lead"
these suppers. Only quite recently the close of one in every cast. The first of these entertainments
of these mild revels was marked by a presentation during the initial year of the club, took the form
ceremony of a costly marble clock to Hardy by of a pompous reception, when the officers and
Tom Browne, the clock being borne by Keble Bell, council wore the most gorgeous robes, and received
resplendent in the coat and cap of the hotel porter, their guests with court ceremony. Mr. Haite, as
At the close of a most eulogistic incantation by president, wore impressive robes of state, and
the irrepressible Tom, Hardy went forward to was ably supported by Dudley Hardy, resplen-
receive the clock, pride written on every line of his dent in the trailing garments of a Lord Mayor,
jovial countenance, but in relinquishing the treasure mace and all, while Jack Hassall filled the rather
43