Anstey, Christopher

(1724-1805)

   Educated at Eton College, Anstey took his bachelor's degree at King's College, Cambridge, in 1746. In 1766 he began publishing the famous series of letters in rhyme entitled The New Bath Guide (later illustrated by George Cruikshank in 1830), a series of poetical episodes humorously depicting contemporary life and the amusements, customs and activities of those who resorted to Bath for the purposes of health, fashion or society. The New Bath Guide shows how the amiable but socially challenged Blunderhead family managed to survive the season in Bath. This work was widely read in its time. Its success was instantaneous, and although he wrote many more poems, he never repeated the success of The New Bath Guide. "Here is Bath in 18th century color, crowded with fops, gamblers, charlatans, quacks and social climbers" (Anstey, Christopher, The New Bath Guide, Broadcast Books, Bristol, ISBN 1 874092. www.broadcastbooks.co.uk). Letter VI, page 63, describes the scene where Mr. B finds his daughter, Tabitha, in bed with two lusty lovers.

   Sources: Dictionary of National Biography. Electronic Edition 1.1. Oxford University Press, 1997. Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite DVD, 2006. English Poetry: Author Search. Chadwyck-Healey Ltd., 1995 (http://www.lib.utexas.edu:8080/search/epoetry/author. html). The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry. 11th ed. The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry. Columbia University Press, 2005 (http://www.columbiagrangers.org). The National Portrait Gallery (www.npg.org.uk). The Oxford Companion to English Literature. 6th edition. Margaret Drabble, ed. Oxford University Press, 2000. Westminster Abbey Official Guide (no date).