A highly illustrated and original contribution to the cultural history of sociability in the eighteenth century.

List of illustrations; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction; 2. The Circle of Soho: Teresa Cornelys and Carlisle House; 3. Harmonic routs and midnight revels: the politics of masquerade; 4. 'Dissipation's hydra reign': Almack's and the Coterie; 5. 'Welcome to the Pleasure Dome': the London Pantheon; 6. Lady Bab and Mrs Ab: the woman of fashion and the theatre; 7. 'Alias, alias, alias': the trials of the Duchess of Kingston; 8. 'Lady Teazle's occupation's o'er'; 9. Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Index.