BEEFSTEAK' CLUBS. A number of well known social clubs, formed for the most part in London in the Eighteenth Century. The earliest of these was founded in 1709, with Richard Est court, the actor and friend of Steele, as provi dore, and having as members many of the wits, authors, and men of affairs of the day. The most famous of the clubs, however, was the "Sublime Society of Stooks," founded in 1735 by John Rich, then manager of Covent Garden Theatre. The story is told of the formation of this club that Lord Peterborough supped accidentally with Rich on steak and beer, and found these so much to his taste that the meetings became regular. They were held in a room in the theatre, and as in all true Beefsteak clubs, the refreshments were limited to steaks with beer or wine. Hogarth, Thornhill, Wilkes, Garrick, Dod ington, Aaron Hill, Leonidas Glover, Beard, the tenor, and other famous men belonged to this club. In 1785 the Prince of Wales joined
the "Steaks," and afterwards the Dukes of Clar ence and Sussex and the Duke of Norfolk be came members. Other devotees were the poet Morris and John Kemble. After the burning of Covent Garden, the 'Sublime Society,' as it was ealled, had rooms first in the English Opera House, then in the Bedford Coffee House, and finally in the Lyceum (1838), where it remained until it disbanded in 1867. Sheridan founded a Beefsteak club in 1749, with Peg Woffington as president, and with rooms in the Royal Theatre, Dublin. The present Beefsteak Club of London was established in 1876 with rooms in Toole's Theatre. In the United States the well-known newspaper correspondents' organization of Wash ington, D. C., the 'Gridiron,' is in a general way similar to the English clubs. Consult Arnold, Life and Death of the Sublime Society of Steaks (1871).