THE SOCIETY. OF DILETTANTI
By Sir C. liareourt-Sni-ith' and Dr. G. A, Macmillan Two hundred years ago a number of gentlemen interested in art and antiquity formed a dining club in London. SOme of the early members, like Dashwood, became notorious in connexion with the Medraenham Brotherhood, but the club of 1732 with its motto " Seria ludo " avoided extremes and rendered good service to, art by encouraging the foundation in 1768 of the Royal Academy, with which it is still allied, and by financing archaeological work - in Ionia. The club, whose headquarters are now at the St. James's Club,- still flourishes and has celebrated its bieentenruy by producing an elegant volume, The Society of Dilettanti, its Regalia and Pictures (Macmillan, 15s.). In this book Sir. Cecil Harcourt-Smith describes with an expert hand the Society's official properties —ballot boxes, a -casket known as the "Tomb of Bacchus," some dainty copies of a Greek amphora which serve as cigar- cutters, and so on—and its fine series of portraits, including two groups by Reynolds. -Mr. George Macmillan, the senior secretary, adds a chapter on the post-War history of the Society. The Dilettanti „were pioneers in the field now occupied by the great museums and the Hellenic and other societies. But a glance at the list of members shows that in their quiet way they are still doing a good deal for the humanities and for the amenities.
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