Welsh Journals

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June 18th was the great day, for the first official meeting of the Society opened the week's festivities that had been planned. For this the members were in their full glory, clad in impressive cloaks clasped at the neck by a pair of pinchbeck dolphins, and all displaying their glittering seven-pointed silver badges, engraved in the centre with, again, the emblem of the dolphin. On high days and holidays such as this the men would peacock about in great elegance, for any observer in the know, who had seen the collected portraits of the Society's members, could take a chance and confidently predict the styles worn. George Symmons, for example, quite probably wore his brown coat with the gold buttonholes, his blue velvet waistcoat, and his brown wig. His M.P. brother John, if he dressed as in his portrait, sported blue velvet. David Parry of Noyadd set a splendid example of good taste in his ash coloured velvet, contrasted by the blue em- broidered waistcoat and a laced frill. He preferred a long wig. As the gentlemen met this day in mid June to go through the Society's rituals, the table in the room carried their special wine glasses en- graved with the badge of their order, and one or two of the members passed their horn and pinchbeck snuff boxes around, some surrep- titiously showing the concealed portraits of Prince Charles Edward. One could assume that the members of such a fine Society were gentlemen of fortune, for the week of gaiety meant mounting bills to pay at the end of it, for not only had they themselves and their families to pay for, but any maids, grooms, and nurses in attendance, and the stabling and provisions for the horses. It was always a costly week, and so one member no doubt thought, for he was careful to keep a diary of the events and a note of all expenses. Let us imagine he was a little less affluent than his friends and somewhat alarmed by the way the pound in his pocket melted away. This was possibly why he had chosen to lodge with the Reverend David Davies rather than at the Black Lion, where there would be the extra hazard of spending money in the bar he could ill afford, but for the first day at least he would dine and sup there with his friends. And so this enjoyably festive week began with the first full meeting, followed on the Sunday by a sermon preached to the Society by Dr. Phillips. The fine June weather held and on the Monday the members were able to ride over to Blaenpant, the home of the Brigstockes, there to breakfast with Dr. Phillips. During the day there was the happy choice and election of Miss Anne Louisa Lloyd of Bronwydd as Lady Patroness. Tuesday was also fine much to the taste of those of a sporting nature, for all rode towards Cardigan bar to see the salmon fishing. Some of them possibly rode across the bridge and over to St. Dogmaels, there to meet the fishermen coming back to