More About Ronald Firbank                         5

of Durham and eventually making a considerable fortune by
building railways. Joseph's son Thomas lost part of it, but he left
enough to keep his son Ronald in leisure. He spent some of that
leisure in late 1913 and early 1914, after a day of work on his novel
 

Watercolor painting by William Rol)crts of the \'orticists at the F.iffcl
To"wer Restaurant in the spring of 1915. Seated, from left to right, are
Cuthbert Hamilton, Ezra Pound, William Roberts, Wyndham Lewis
(wearing a scarf), Frederick Etchells and Edward W^adsworth. In the
doorway stand Jessica Dismorr and Helen Saunders.
(Photo courtesy of Anthony d'Otfav)

Vainglory, at The Eiffel Tower, where he went now and then to
struggle "manfully with his asparagus and a bottle of wine." As a
rule he sat apart from the habitues of the restaurant. He did not
belong to the "Corrupt Coterie," a jealously guarded privilege,
and he knew few of the restaurant's other patrons, but he sat
quietly observing them.