In the Fog (1901)

The Grill is the club most difficult of access in the world. To be

placed on its rolls distinguishes the new member as greatly as though

he had received a vacant Garter or had been caricatured in "Vanity

Fair."

Men who belong to the Grill Club never mention that fact. If you were

to ask one of them which clubs he frequents, he will name all save

that particular one. He is afraid if he told you he belonged to the

Grill, that it would sound like boasting.

The Grill Club dates back to the days when Shakespeare's Theatre stood

on the present site of the "Times" office. It has a golden Grill which

Charles the Second presented to the Club, and the original manuscript

of "Tom and Jerry in London," which was bequeathed to it by Pierce

Egan himself. The members, when they write letters at the Club, still

use sand to blot the ink.

The Grill enjoys the distinction of having blackballed, without

political prejudice, a Prime Minister of each party. At the same

sitting at which one of these fell, it elected, on account of his

brogue and his bulls, Quiller, Q. C., who was then a penniless

barrister.

When Paul Preval, the French artist who came to London by royal

command to paint a portrait of the Prince of Wales, was made an

honorary member--only foreigners may be honorary members--he said,

as he signed his first wine card, "I would rather see my name on that,

than on a picture in the Louvre."