Where do you go when you want to know the latest news, keep up with celebrity gossip,

find out what others think of a new book, or stay abreast of the latest scientific and
technological developments? Today, the answer is obvious, you log on to the internet,
Three centuries ago, the answer was just as easy: you went to your favourite coffee house.
1. E
What's more, rumours, news and gossip were often carried between them by their patrons
and runners would flit from one to another to report major events. Each establishment
was, therefore, an integral part of quite a complex web of contacts. But of even greater
importance was their role as centres of scientific education, literary and philosophical
speculation, commercial innovation and, sometimes, political fermentation.
2. G
This reputation accompanied its spread into Europe during the seventeenth century, at
first as a medicine, and then as a social beverage in the eastern tradition. It was reflected
in the decor of the dedicated coffee houses that began to appear in European cities,
London in particular, where they were often adorned with bookshelves, mirrors, gilt-
framed pictures and good furniture.
3. C
There was a new rationalism abroad in the spheres of both philosophy and commerce, and
this ethos struck exactly the right note, whilst coffee was the ideal accompaniment The
popularity of the beverage owed much to the growing middle class of information
workers - clerks, merchants and businessmen-who did mental work in offices rather than
performing physical labour in the open, and found that it sharpened their mental faculties.
4. B
As with modern websites, the coffee houses an individual or group frequented reflected
their interests, for each coffee house attracted a particular clientele, usually by virtue of its
location Though coffee houses were also popular in Paris, Venice and Amsterdam, this
characteristic was particularly notable in London, where eighty-two coffee houses had
been set up by 1663, and more than five hundred by 1700. For many, coffee houses had
become almost an extension of the home.
5. F
That said, most people frequented several houses for the purpose of furthering their
commercial, social or political interests. A merchant, for example, would generally
oscillate between a financial house and one specialising in shipping or trade with a
particular region. The wide-ranging interests of Robert Hooke, a scientist and polymath,
were reflected in his visits to around sixty houses during the 1670s. Not to visit one at all
was to invite social exclusion.
6. D
This is exactly the kind of threat that worries some people today about the power of
social-networking sites Interestingly, a proclamation of 1675 that sought to outlaw the
coffee houses of London was met by a public outcry, for they had become central to
commercial as well as political life When it became clear that the proclamation would be
ignored, it was toned down and then quietly dropped.
7. H
But history also provides a cautionary tale for those operators who would charge for
access. Coffee houses used to charge for coffee, but gave away access to reading
materials. Many coffee shops are now following the same model, which could undermine
the prospects for fee-based hotspots. Information, both in the seventeenth century and
today, wants to be free - and coffee- drinking customers, it seems, expect it to be.

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A. Such kinship was soon underlined by the establishment of so-called 'hotspots’. What's
more, from the outset these often provided access in establishments where coffee was also
on offer - this can't have been a coincidence.
B. Lavish entertainment at home was beyond the means of this social stratum but a few
pence a day on coffee could be afforded. What's more, coffee houses provided a forum for
education, debate and self-improvement, and were nicknamed 'penny universities’ in a
contemporary English verse.
C. According to local custom, social differences were left at the door when you entered
such a scholarly space, each of those details contributing to an ambience that fostered
sober, respectful behaviour. Indeed, anyone who started a quarrel had to atone for it by
buying a coffee for all present. In short, these were calm, well-ordered establishments that
promoted polite conversation and discussion.
D. But that was a risk some were willing to take, for coffee houses did have their
detractors. Coffee itself was held by some to be a harmful substance, although this was
never taken particularly seriously. The real opposition came from those who were alarmed
at the houses' potential for facilitating political discussion and activity.
E. The quality of the coffee wasn't the only factor governing which one this would be,
however, for these lively and often unreliable sources of Information typically specialised
in a particular topic or political viewpoint. They also doubled as outlets for a stream of
newsletters and pamphlets that reflected the interests of their particular clientele.
F. In the days before formal addresses or regular postal services were introduced, for
example, it became a common practice to use one as a mailing address. Regulars could
pop in once or twice a day, hear the latest news, and check to see if any post awaited
them.
G. Coffee, the drink that fuelled this vibrant network, originated in the highlands of
Ethiopia, where its beans were originally chewed rather than infused for their invigorating
effects. Coffee spread into the Islamic world during the fifteenth century, where it came to
be regarded as stimulating mental activity and heightening perception.
H. The parallels are certainly striking. Originally the province of scientists, the Net also
soon grew to become a nexus of commercial, journalistic and political interchange. In
discussion groups, gossip passes freely - a little too freely, according to some regulators
and governments, which have generally failed in their attempts to rein them in.