THEY gathered to eat a "collation of oven trumpery" at the invitation of Jacob Tonson, a publisher and bookseller, pictured above. The kitchen produced mutton pies, cheesecakes, golden custards, puff-pastry apple tarts and rosewater codling tarts. Between mouthfuls the conversation flickered between politics, poetry, architecture and the regrettable lack of culture among the English. It was all rounded off with a toast to a beautiful woman singled out by a member of the club. Cutlery was coming into use at the time, but using fingers and fingerbowls was fine too. Above all, they drank a lot.

The Kit-Cat Club, named after Christopher Cat, the owner of the inn where they ...