262 BALCH— THE FIRST "ASSEMBLY ACCOUNT." [April 18, 



The Managers of the first Assemblies had to pay a tax, both to 

 the city and to the county, as may be seen by turning to Mr. Swift's 

 Account Book ; but as the book is there somewhat torn, it is impos- 

 sible to know how much. 



From the time the Assemblies were first organized to the present, 

 they have continued with pretty general regularity except when 

 interrupted by war or other serious drawbacks. They have been 

 held in various places, and the names on the list of subscribers 

 have changed very much. Many of the Quaker families — such as 



the Kawles, the Norrises, the Logans, the Whartons, etc that 



owing to their faith kept aloof at first from such gay and frivolous 

 pastimes, later joined in with the Shippens, the Willings, the Swifts, 

 the McCalls, the Hopkinsons, the Lardners, the Francises, the 

 Bonds, the Lawrences, and others who were among the first list of 

 subscribers. And some of the old names a/ds have died out. 



It is not inappropriate on this occasion to recall to mind a few of 

 the ladies who took part in those entertainments in the latter half 

 of the eighteenth century. Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Shippen, a 

 graduate of Princeton, who was elected a member of this Society, 

 January 19, 1768, and who served under Forbes in the capture of 

 Fort Duquesne, and was a generous patron and benefactor of Benja- 

 min West, has portrayed for us a charming picture of some of the 

 belles that reigned supreme at the Assemblies in his day. In the 

 *' Lines written in an Assembly Room," which he wrote at least as 

 early as 1774, and very probably in the sixties, he says : 



" With just such elegance and ease, 

 Fair charming Swift appears ; 

 Thus Willing, whilst she awes, can please ; 

 Thus Polly Franks endears. 



" With either Chew such beauties dwell, 

 Such charms by each are shared, 

 No critic's judging eye can tell 

 Which merits most regard. 



" 'Tis far beyond the painter's skill 

 To set their charms to view ; 

 As far beyond the poet's quill 

 To give the praise that's due." 



The invitation card to the Assemblies for 1790 for Colonel Ship- 



