Star.
London, England, 1824-10-15 00:00:00

CRY IMPROVEMENTS.

We understand that the 'loyal National Bath Com-
' pang' have taken. the whole of the ground intended for
one quarter of the Circus, in Moorhelds, for the pur-
pose of erecting the Baths for the City. The design is
of the most splendid description, and the elevation for
'the whole front of the Circus, which will comprise up-
'wards of 200 feet, will form one of the most distin-
guished ornaments in the metropolis. It is expected
that the foundation-stone will be laid by his Royal
Highness the Duke of Yonit, before the winter sets. in.;
History informs us that baths derived their origin
from the remotest period. At Pompeii, which existed
as a large city and sea-port long before the birth of
CHRIST, we still see remains of baths in great numbers.
These baths were formed of white and beautiful marble,
and the dressing-rooms were paved with mosaic, so
artfully arranged as to display many living animals,
devices, and figures, which afforded appropriate asso-
clitifts; to the subject of bathing. Before Pompeii was
.otertfhelmed with lava from Vesuvius, palaces and
'private dwellings had baths attached to them as necen.
sary appurtenances. Remains of them are still to be
seen, and shew that they must have been equal perhaps
to any of the present day. The ancients of both Greece
and Rome entertained ideas not less favourable of the
benefits of bathing than the moderns, and it seems
highly probable that they found cleanliness and bathing
the chief preventives of the plague in those days.
The Romans, who conquered the Greeks, borrowed
the idea of baths from them, according to Homer. In
Rome we now find the spots, with the remains of many
baths of the ancient Chieftains, as of Julius, Augustus,
Tiberius, Cesar, Agrippa, Apish's. Claudius, Titus,
,Nero, Itc. The warriors of old used baths after battle,
and the Roman Senators annually repaired to the sea
toast to derive the benefits of bathing. Dioclesian em-
ployed 40,000 of his men in building baths, which he
intended to be so superb as to eclipse all others ; and Ma-
liontet, thefalse prophet, blended the necessity of baths
with the institutes of his religion. The wisest men of
ancient times, enforced by their habits and tramples,
their belief in the advantages of bathing; for Cicero's
villas were generally near to the sea, to which he re-
.paired dining his vacations from scholastic labour, to
,refresh and renovate his constitution. And Horace,
too, who in general followed in his living what was
,agreeable and' beneficial, annually quitted his residence
,at Rome, to gain recreation from bathing ; for in his
:route to the Brindes, we first read of his inquiries about
the bathing, and secondly about the wines and hares
of the country. It does not appear from the same au-
thor that baths were then considered less a source of
remedy than of luxury.
Horace, in his Ode ad Valenti:me Nanranunr, speaks
infOe great fame which Aatonius Musa, brother
Inphorbus, acquired by curing Augustus of a conis
.plaint which had baffled all other Physicians, by die
cold bath alone.

Pliny the younger, who speaks of the mode of ex-
citing sweat, previous to the time of Asclepiades, re-
marks, that the baths which he established were in-
.finitely luxurious, and received with the greatest avidity
when they had become known: Bat/seas avidissima
Itoutinum cupiditate instituit."—Mirror of Literature.

Arundel is again beginning to be agitated by elec-
tioneering squabbles. Lord Burr has signified his in
tention of resigning his seat at the approaching General
Election ; and EDWARD LAMB, Esq. has publicly de.
dared his intention of becoming a candidate, on the
resignation of Lord Butte, and under the sanction: of
his Lordship's interest.
Tuesday, William Skinner,a shipwright at Plymouth,.
apprehending injury from a vessel that was corning in,
if be remained in the boat where he then was, eadea.
vowed to climb the Quay, when the stern of the vessel
be was endeavouring to avoid crushed his head against
the stone-woi k, and killed him almost instantly. Those
whn were in the boat escaped.
The Coroner's Jury sat on the body of Hawkins,,yes.
lerslay, who was killed in a pugilistic combat, at New—
ington, nn the preceding morning, with a bricklayer)
named Rattray.—Verdict, Manslaughter."
FA L6ON RT.—The King's Falcons were anciently kept
where the stables now are at Charing Cross; and it was
from, that cireurnuance that it derived its na ine of Mews
—a term used in falconry, which has since been gene.
rally applied to all collections of stabling; the place
was appropriated to stables in the time of Edwardn