The New York herald., 1922-05-21
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Two British Institutions Totter.

In the Times of London advertise
ments recently appeared Of the offer
for sale of two unusual properties,
the Assembly Rooms at Bath and the
Families at Tunbridge Wells. The old
Families pavement, with it's rows of
ancient shops, and the Assembly, with
its great dancing hall and its card
and recreation rooms, are closely as
Isociated with the history of Englands
two oldest and most famous pleasure
resorts. They have furnished the
historian and novelist with wealth
of literary material, for British kings.
queens and princes, statesmen, adven-
turers, bellies and beaus trod the Pan
tiles and drank the waters of Tun-
bridge Wells, and society at Bath has
danced and fiirted in the Assembly
and its predecessor for centuries.
Lord MACAULAY went as a boy to
Tunbridge Wells and years afterward
wrote his impressions of the visit.
THAcKERAY wrote much Of both the
Wells and Bath, and ne left US some
of the most graphic and humorous
descriptions OF the places and their
visitors. He delighted especially in
Tunbridge Wells, where "a hundred
years since so much good company
came to take its pleasure" He sent
there two of his characters in THE
virginians." Colonel Wolfe and Harry
Warrington. They met that delight
full old adventurer Monsieur Poellnitz
who saluted Pope with his great hat
of lace and feathers" they saw the
novelist SAMUEL RICHARDSON. author
of "Clarissa"; DR.. JOHNSON, "a big,
awkward, snuff colored man." and
Lord CHESTERFIELD, lin pearl col
ored suit with his blue ribbon and
star"
HENRIETTA MARIA, wife of CHARLES
l., retired to >Tunbridge Wells after
the birth of her son CHARLES III. and
CATHERINE OF Braganza spent much
time there and Princess ANNE made
it her residence until she came to
the throne. Queen CHARLOTTE, no
doubt with her red cloak and pat
tens" frequently attended the as
semblies at Bath. Sir JOSHUA REYN-
oIDs, the painter. and DAVID GAR
RICK, the actor, went often for rest
and baths to this resort. JANE
AUSTEN had a cottage there and
FANNY BuRSEY was buried in the
city cemetery.
Baths old industry Is mentioned
in CHAucEH's wife of Baths Taie"
FIELDING found the original of Squire
Allworthy in RALPH ALLEN, whose
country seat is still standing near
Bath. Quiz. the actor, long visitor
at Bath, was buried in the Abbey
church. his gravestone bearing an
inscription by GARRIcK. In this
church too is a monument to WILL
IAN BINGHAM, an early United States
Senator from Pennsylvania and one
of the richest Americans Of American
Revolutionary times, who, died at
Bath in 1904
CHARLES DICKENS sent Mr.. Pick
wick to Bath and II was in one OF
the card rooms in the Assembly
that Pickwick had that memorable
rubber Of whist with the Dowager
Lady Snuphanuph. Mrs. Colonel
wugsby and Miss Bolo, which ended
so disastrously through Mr.. Pick
wick's poor playing that Miss Bolo
rose from the table considerably agi-
tated and went straight home in q
food Of tears and a sedan chair"
Beau NASH was the greatest OF all
masters Of ceremonies and he ruled
at both Tunbridge Wells and Bath
with rod Of iron. He wore a large
cream colored beaver hat as kind
Of symbol of his office. His equipage
was described as "a post chariot
drawn by six gray horses with out
ridara footman Tranch horna and