SOURCE: Ward, Edward. “Of the Kit-Cat Club.” In The Secret History of Clubs, pp. 363-77. London: n.p., 1709.

In the following essay, Ward provides a satirical history of the Kit-Cat Club.

This Ingenious Society of Apollo's Sons, who, for many Years, have been the Grand Monopolizers of those scandalous Commodities in this Fighting Age, viz. Wit and Poetry, had first the honour to be founded by an Amphibeous Mortal, Chief Merchant to the Muses; and in these Times of Piracy both Bookseller and Printer, who having, many Years since, conceived a wonderful Kindness for one of the greasie Fraternity, then Living at the end of Bell-Court in Grays-Inn-Lane, where, finding out the Knack of humouring his Neighbour Bocai's Pallat, had, by his Culinary Qualifications, so highly advanc'd himself in the Favour of his Good Friend, that, thro' his Advice and Assistance, he Remov'd out of Grays-Inn-Lane...