The Sun.
London, England, 1801-09-25 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

sttt,
THE following Paper has so great a claim to at-
tention from all lovers of decorum, that I make no
arolggy for requesting your insertion of it in your
Col&nns, dedicated a, they are to the service of
Religion and good Order. A CLeRGYAIAN.

Ramsgate, Sept. s.

HINTS RESPECTFULLY OFFERED TO THE

DERATION OF THE SEA-BATHERS AT -RAMSGATE.
I. ON MACHINE BATHING.
The method of bathing which the Ladies have
adopted is perfectly correa. Though meant to be
concealed at all times, by the awnings of the Ma-
chines, yet bathing dresses are worn, to guard
against a casual exposure of their persons, from the
violence of the winds and waves. They consider
bathing in its proper point of view, as the instru-
ment of health ; their stay in the water is conse-
quently short ; they have female guides to attend
them; and, as far as respdis their own bathing,
nothing is wanted to render the scheme.of decency
and order complete.
A very different mode of bathing, howver, seems
too generally to prevail of late among The Gentle-
fneu ; many of whom expose their persons in the
water, in a manner highly offensive to decency,
and repugnant to the salutary purposes:Of bathing.
They who bathe for health only, should be inform-
ed, that the end is bestoattained by two, .or at most
three gentle immersions ; and decency -requires that
these should be taken under the awnings. To quit
a machine, and swim about in all the studied formS
of exhibition, or to wanton with the waves, close
to the awnings of other machines, and even to the
shore and waiting-places when covered with females,
is a gross 'violation of decorum ; and until this prac-
tice shall be wholly abolished, no reformation can
be expeCied in the conduft of servants, nor indeed
can any, with justice, be demanded of them.—
There are- seasons, and situations, in which the
pleasure of swimming, or of toying with the surf,
may be innocently indulged in"; but every pleasure
that is enjoyed at the expence of public decency
becomes criminal, and should be abstained from.
The indiscriminate mixing of the Machines in
the water is frequently a source of much indelicacy.
Unseemly sights are intruded upon the" Ladies;
mistakes, real or alfeded, are committed by the
Gentlemen, and real ones by the guides : a great
part of which irregularities might be avoided, were
the Machines, when occupied by Gentlemen, to be
separated as far as possible from those of the Ladies.
The Owners o: the Machines should take care also
to examine the condition of each, Machine daily ;
all rents and apertures should be immediately re-
paired ; and the dri'Vers should more strenuously
exert themselves to prevent idle boys from bathing
or swimming near the Machines, especially those in
which are Ladies.

11. ON OPEN BATHING.

Servants and others who praCtice open bathing on
the sands, should be careful to keep at a proper
distance from the Bathing-Machines ; and to bathe
within certain limited hours. Their right to bathe
on the sea-shore has never been disputed ; and, no
doubt, the practice of bathing is as salutary, and as
pleasing to them, as to their masters. All that is
expetted from their discretion is, that, in the exer-
cise of this right, they pay a due regard to the
rights and feelings of others, and to common de-
cency. In order to enforce obedience to this great
moral duty, every master and mistress should_make
a point of discharging a servant who persists in
violating it; and the true cause of his discharge
should be assigned on giving a chgrager. In cases
where this mode of proceeding may not be thought
advisable, or may prove inefficacious, some Gentle-
man on the spot (of whom there must be always
many). who feels the importance of public decency,
and will not think his time mispent that is empioy-
ed in preserving it, should make application in form
to a Magistrate. Upon proof of the offence, he
will," bind over the party to his good behaviour ;"
which should be immediately published in hand-
bills and advertisements, with the name and de-
,. scription of the offender.

COUNTRY NErrs.

utzrAx, sEr/.17:

Thomas Frubisher, of Wakefield, who has been
for some time emploYeti by the 'Proprietors of the
Halifax Journal, in bringing Newspapers by'express
from Ferrybridge to Halifax ever Friday evening,
was, on Friday night, the z ith inst. about twelve
o'clock, attaciced by four men, upon Hartshead
Moor, one of whom was armed- with a pole or rail,
and without speaking, aimed a blow at him,
which missing, struck the head of the mare 'on
which he rode, and she fell with him to the ground ;
upon which the villains beat and wounded him
severely with bludgeons. He was asked, whether
he had any money ; and answered, he never car.
tied any in the night. They demanded, and were
informed of his business, that of carrying the Ex_
press for the Halifax journal ; on which one of
them sl—d him, saying, " that Paper was against
their meetings, and that they could not live with
such like fellows as hits." Having thus beat him,
one of them said, " D—n him, he's dead enough,
let's leave him." Three of them then went away,
taking with them his mare ; and one remaining near
while he was on the ground, he struck him with
his whip, and believes he wounded him on the
head, as blood was found on the whip. The ap-
proach of some carts induced the fellow to run off.
The mare was found the following morning about
two miles from the spot where this happehed, but
so maimed as to be totally unserviceable.
It is evident that these ruffians are a part of the
gang whose nothanal meetings have lately been held
on Hartshead Moor. This, on a small scale, is
the result of their principles, which lead to the
plunder of the, industrious, and the overthrow of
the Government.

Two of the men appeared to be middle-aged,
dressed in greasy cloaths, like those worn in the
Faetories in the neighbourhood; the others, were
young men in similar apparel.
The Proprietors of the Halifax Journal have of-
fered a reward of soh which, it is hoped, will pro-
duce the desired effed of bringing these miscreants
to justice.