1863 Cups and their customs

24

CUPS AND THEIH CUSTOMS.

This last line has reference to the custom pursued in the clubs of the eighteenth century^ of writing verses on the brims of their cups; they also inscribed on them the names of the favourite ladies whom they toasted : and Dr. Arbuthnot ascribes the name of the celebrated Kit-Cat Club^ of which Dr. Johnson was a member^ to the toasts drunk there^ rather than to the renowned pastry-cook, Christopher Kat ; for he says

" From no trim beaux its

name it boasts^

Grey statesmen or green wits But from its pell-mell pack of toasts, -Of old Cat and young Kits."

Among the latter may be mentioned Lady Mary Mon- tagu^ who was toasted at the age of eight years while among the former denomination we must class Lady Molyneux, who is said to have died with a pipe In the 17th century the custom of drinking health was conducted with great ceremony each person rising up in turn, with a full cup, named some individual to whom he drank ; he then drank the whole contents of the cup and turned it upside down upon the table, giving it, at the same time, a fillip to make it ring, or, as our ancient authority has it, ^^ make it cry ^twango.^^^ Each person followed in his turn; and, in order to prove that he had fairly emptied his cup, he was to pour all that remained in it on his thumb-nail; and if there was too much left to remain on the nail, he was compelled to drink his cup full If the person was present whose health was drank, he was expected to remain perfectly still during in her mouth. again.