Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-03
the FIRST KING OF BATH.

"Bcau Nash" was the son of ccnslc-
man Of Swanses. South Wales, in which
town Richard was born, on the 1Ssh of
October. 1674. He uss sent to school
It Csrnaarthea~ A>sA- sslssk sssssss eounsy
town be was removed 10 Jesus College.
Oxford. There be vas distinguished for
idleness and dissipation. for love of fne
clothes, and premature capacity for in-
trigue. Hearing that the boy had en-
gagged himself to be married before be was
seventeen. the father removed Dicks name
from the College books aud carried him
back to Wales. The next pa,ernal effort
for the provision Of the young gentleman
was in the language Of the day, 1.-THE pur-
chase Of pair Of colors." But the young
ensign could nos tolerate restraint.
He had no appetite for drill, no respsc.
for duty: He wished to dress as he liked
to do as he liked. 10 all respects. to be his
own master. So young Nash soon made
bis last appearance on parade. and betook
himself TO new profession. The Inns Of
Court had mosc attractions for him than
the barracks. lie became student Of the
Temple, and lived upon his wits. The
old advice. to ''dress above your income.
aud live below it" was scrupulously OBJ.
served by Nash. While dining from
plate Of cold meat from a cook-shop, he
wore the finest clothes lie was bort, With
fe* personal attractions. lie had nei,h-
or good face nor good figure. But he
had elegant manners and an insinuatiug
address; and he ccntrited to make many
so-called friends. among whom. perhaps.
were some dupes. Little by little his rep
utation rs a man Of cultivated taste and
fine discernmenss in ceremonial usaccs
spread among his brother Templars. Aud
when it was resolved by the Middle Ten
pie. of which he was member. TO give
an entertainment to William Ill on his
accession. young Nash was appointed mas
ter of the ceremonies.
He did his work so we'll that the Kirc
desired to knight him. But with saga
cious hint to his Majesty that II he were
to be knight at all he would wish to be
n poor knight at Windsor, as the prefer
ment would carry some pay with it, Nash
respectfully declined the honor.
But the affair gave him some notorie,y,
and by increasing the numbers of his ac-
quaintancc increased the numbers of his
dupes. As long as he could get money.
he did not care how he got il. He was
a gambler by profession. with cross of
the nFountcbank. On one occasion he
made fifty ponds by doing pcnance in a
blanket at the great door of York Minister.
while pe0p'c were cc:ri:g oil, Of church;
and he pocketed still larger amount by
riding naked on COW through country
village. Exceptional exploits. however,
Of this discredi'able kind could not mair-
tain his expenditure. 1t was the under
current Of successful gambling that pre-
served the fountain from running dry.
He knew whom to play with, and be
played warily and we'll. London was at
that time. it is said. the only fitting
arena for such performances.
The English baths were frcIuented
mainl y By Veterinarians. who went thith-
or to get rid Of what worthy Or. Chcync
described as ''thc English malady-,hc
vapors." But, on fortunate day at the
beginning Of the eighteenth century.
Queen Anne. havirg the meacrims, made
a journey to Bath for tie benefit of her
health. So the long g-neg lected city,, with
all its beautiful environments. rose sudden
ly into fashion. People of distinction"
made their way to place which majesty
had consented to honor; and the seekers
Of pleasure soon out-numbered the seekers
Of health.
No long time passed before Mr. Richard
Nash Of the Middle Temple scented the
opportunity and went to B,th. Whether
he had found that dupcs were scarccr in
London than they had bcen-that he
was becoming little too we'll known. and
that therefore il would te wise to change
his hunting. grounds. history does not re-
cord
But it is certain he was shrcwcd enough
to perceive that. where idle and wealthy
people were congregated there were sure
TO be . sufiiciency Of gaming. and, there
fore. sufficiency oflegi,ima,c prey. So
he .cok his wits with him TO Bath, aud
With his 6ue clothes and plausible man.
ners soon made an impression on the Wis
itors, which af,erward extended itself to
the more permanent Inhabitants. and be
became master Of the ceremonies in sue
cession, it would appear, to a Capt. Web
, s,er. who vas one of the noted gamblers
Of the day.
Nash was now in his element. His
genius had full scope fSr development.
Ic sys,ema,ized and organized the amuse-
ments Of the place. He evolved order
out Of chaos, and was soon recognized ss
necessity. lie saw clearly ,ba, 10 ac-
complish the results at which he aimed,
i, was necessary tha. be should assume
paramount authority. lie had the ina.
jcrity, iuclading all the bcs, people with
hin. and ere long they called hlm King
of R.,h