SOCIETY AT ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS - Online Book

People, Society & Culture of Tunbridge Wells in the 18th Century & later.

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Beau Nash at Tunbridge Wells
TO MR. DERRICK
UPON HIS RECALLING HIS ORDER AGAINST DANCING MINUETS IN SOCKS
" Lycurgus of Bath,
Be not given to wrath, Thy rigours the fair should not feel,
Still fix them your debtors,
Make laws like your betters, And as fast as you make them—repeal."
These things in themselves were trifles; but presently Derrick made a sad blunder in the discharge of his official duties—it is said that he omitted to invite some distinguished visitor to a festivity at Bath : thereupon a vigorous campaign was organised against him by some of the visitors and inhabitants, including James Quin, who, it was generally thought, had tried to depose Nash in the hope of replacing him, and, failing in that, was supposed to have been willing, after the Beau's death, to have succeeded him. Quin was regarded as a master of etiquette, and was consulted as to the course that should be taken with Derrick. " My Lord," he told his interlocutor, " if you have a mind to put Derrick out, do it at once, and clap an ex­tinguisher on it." Derrick, hearing of the l                                                                 161
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