may surely be allowed to take a glass of wine by his _own
fireside_."

* * * * *

Sheridan and John Kemble often dined together at the Piazza, to be
handy to the theatre. During Kemble's management, Sheridan had
occasion to make a complaint, which brought a "nervous" letter from
Kemble, to which Sheridan's reply is amusing enough. Thus, he
writes: "that the management of a theatre is a situation capable of
becoming _troublesome_, is information which I do not want, and a
discovery which I thought you made long ago." Sheridan then treats
Kemble's letter as "a nervous flight," not to be noticed seriously,
adding his anxiety for the interest of the theatre, and alluding to
Kemble's touchiness and reserve; and thus concludes:

"If there is anything amiss in your mind not arising from the
_troublesomeness_ of your situation, it is childish and unmanly not
to disclose it. The frankness with which I have dealt towards you
entitles me to expect that you should have done so.

"But I have no reason to believe this to be the case; and
attributing your letter to a disorder which I know ought not to be
indulged, I prescribe that thou shalt keep thine appointment at the
Piazza Coffee-house, tomorrow at five, and, taking four bottles of
claret instead of three, to which in sound health you might stint
yourself, forget that you ever wrote the letter, as I shall that I
ever received it."

"R.B. Sheridan."

The Piazza facade, and interior, were of Gothic design. When the
house was demolished, in its place was built the Floral Hall, after
the Crystal Palace model.

* * * * *

The Chapter Coffee-house was a literary place of resort in
Paternoster Row, more especially in connection with the
Wittinagemot of the last century. A very interesting account of the
Chapter, at a later period (1848) is given by Mrs. Gaskell.

Goldsmith frequented the Chapter, and always occupied one place,
which for many years after was the seat of literary honor there.
There are leather tokens of the Chapter Coffee-house in existence.

* * * * *

Child's Coffee-house, in St. Paul's Churchyard, was one of the
_Spectator's_ houses. "Sometimes," he says, "I smoke a pipe at
Chi