Scriblerus Club

The Scriblerus Club appears in the account of London’s clubs as a successor to the Rota Club and as part of Lord David Dirry-Moir’s extensive club affiliations. Its brief mention links fashionable sociability to the changing political culture of clubs after the Restoration.

Identity and Place in Club Life

The club is named as the Martinus Scribblerus, an alternative form associated with the Scriblerus Club. The account places it among the circles in which Lord David Dirry-Moir participated, alongside clubs including the Beefsteak Club, the Sealed Knot, and the Ugly Club. No meeting place, membership rules, or activities specific to the Scriblerus Club are described.

Founding and Relation to the Rota Club

The account says the Scriblerus Club was founded by Swift to take the place of the Rota Club, which it identifies as founded by Milton. This succession is the sole stated connection between the two organizations; the passage does not explain how the replacement operated or what it meant for the clubs’ members.

Narrative Significance

The club’s brief appearance contributes to a wider contrast between political clubs and the later monarchical clubs described in the surrounding passage. Its connection to the Rota Club preserves a trace of the earlier club culture, while its inclusion in Lord David Dirry-Moir’s list presents club membership as one element of his prominence in fashionable society.