"THE GOOD DAYS GONE."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1527, 24 August 1912, Page 11

"THE GOOD DAYS GONE."

A quaint account of life at the fashionable resort Tunbridgo Wells at the beginning of the eighteenth century is given by a lady named Celia Fiennes, who is q'noted in Mr. Lewis Melville's book on society at that watering place. A coach arrived overy day from London, costing Rs for the journey. A market was held daily close to the Wells, "which the G?ntrv takes as a diversion while drinking the waters to.go and buy their dinners. , Tn the afternoon "the Gentlemen bowle. ttin Ladies donee or walko in ye gToen. Wlwn it rained we arc told they danced "in ve houses, there being Musick maintained by the Company to play in ye morning Vo long a' they drink the water?, and in ye afternoon for dancing." Later on Tunbridgc Wells became less of a pleasure resort. Invalids formed tho majority of tho visitor?, and. full nf envy of Bath, and fearing to degenerate into a gigantic convalescent home, the civil authorities persuaded Beau Nn<oi to come in order that he might organise revels and attract the rank and fashion of London. Tho great man was successful. 'Ho inr.de arrangements wlwbv ai! visitors were, welcomed on their arrival with tho pealing of bells and then by the band, which played under their window?." Wo suppc-e ho knew his public (comments the ''Spectator")—but (he eighteenth ccntiirv idea of a holidav was strangely unlike that of the twentieth.'