Among that strange, whimsical brotherhood--consisting of Dr. Tobias
Watkins, editor of the "Portico"; General Winder (William H.), who had
been "captivated" by the British, along with General Chandler, at the
first invasion of Canada; William Gwin, editor of the "Federal Gazette";
Paul Allen, editor of the "Federal Republican," and of Lewis and
Clarke's "Tour," and author of "Noah"; Dr. Readel, "a fellow of infinite
jest"; Brackenridge, author of "Views in Louisiana," and "History of the
War"; Dennison, an Englishman, who wrote clever doggerel; and, at
different times, two or three more, not worth mentioning, even if I
remembered their names--we passed every Saturday evening, after the club
was established, until it was broken up by President Watkins's going to
Washington, Vice-President Pierpont to the Divinity School at Cambridge,
and Jehu O'Cataract abroad. All the members bore "clubicular" names, by
which they were always to be addressed or spoken to, under another
penalty; and most of them held "clubicular" offices and
professorships,--Dr. Readel being Professor of Crambography, and
somebody else--Gwin perhaps--Professor of Impromptology. The name given
to Mr. Pierpont was Hiero Heptaglott, under an idea that he was a
prodigious linguist,--another Sir William Jones, at least, if not
another Learned Blacksmith; and the President himself went so far as to
say so in the "Portico," where he pretended to give an account of the
Delphians.
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