National Republican., 1886-07-07


cent waters Of Bath were brought to light,
in dark antiquity, truille-like, by roofing
pigs who, luxurlouslY wallowing in the
tepid mire, emerged therefrom no longer
attenuated razorbacks, but as the corpuleut
porker Of to-day. Their fame spread far
and wide. Their bacon commanded pre-.
MUM so enormous that only the wealthy
could enjoy II. Their keeper--it is perhaps
needless to explain that he was n banlshed
prince-with prescence Of pepsine in
coming centuries, reasoned that men and
pigs being SO much alike, what was good
Tor one must be good for the other. He
took a header into the emollient mud and
came forth reiuvenated and cured Of a hor-
rid leprosy. Thus Bath began, for, restored
to health and power, Prince Bladud, ninth
king Of Britain, In gratitude, built town
around the springs. Whenever, oppressed
by the cares OF state, his m ajesty sought re-
lief by taking a run down to Bath, his cour-
tiers were wont to whisper, "lIis hghHess
has gone to the springs.n Thus eight hun
dred years before the Christian era do we
find in use the same poetic figure that
is to-day employed TO indicate the cashiers
retreat. Bladud was Of classic attainments.
He had been TO Greece, and had learned to
worship Apollo. The handsome god, in
gratitude, pitched his summer tent at Bath;
and here, with dark and mystic ritual, the
Druid priests made reverent homage to his
name. But now, whether jealous Of the
regal beauty of the water-polished king,
or whether he thought, what Is still
sometimes thought, that the summer prices
at Bath were too high, Apollo became viru-
lently incensed against his former favOrite,
and one morning as Bladud pursued his
favorlte exercise on flying machine OF his
own invention (alasl is there nothing new2)
tha Iaftv la i'm int 1ittla "a
against his own temple in Trinovantum.
Thus ended miserably he, who, gifted with
some power of observation and some eknOwl-
edge Of pigs, was thereby enabled to dis
cover what has been nearly thirty centuries
boon to mankind, no less appreciated to-
day than in forgotten ages.
For nearly 500 years did the Britons hold
in their possession these encouragements to
cleanliness. Then came the Romans, who
soon established themselves permanently
at Bath, attracted there by their love OF
warm bathing. Their residence, which
covered the first five centuries of our era,
is attested not only by history, but by the
numerous aud interesting memorials they
left behind them. Numerous OF their coius
have been unearthed; Roman affairs, sculp-
lures, inscriptions still exist; the gorgon
shield of Minerals Temple is still Intact;
and complete and intricate series of
Roman baths have lately been uncovered.
After the Romans came the Saxons, who
for 500 years held sway, and then In turn
gave place TO the Normans. And now as
years rolled on and civilization grew Bath
became more and more appreciated as a
watering place. Nestled down In the
midst OF verdant Somersetshire hills,
the delightful mildness OF its climate,
and its charming picturesqueness,
added much to It's attractiveness Its
brilliant time, the period when 1t ceased to
la nulv n rafilUn for tDttnrinO vnlatudi-
nnrians, and became as well the resort Of
fashion, beauty, and wit, dates from the
visit OF the merry monarch and his scape-
grace court in about $50. "The baths,n
at this time, says chronicler, "were like so
many beer gardens, and modesty was en-
tirely shut out Of them. Dogs and cats
We're thrown over the rails into the water
whilst the people were bathing." But the
only immodesty was that the sexes bathed
together, which Is to-day so dreadful an
ofense in England that II au Englishman
wants a morning dip with his wife they
cross the channel to Dieppe or Trouville.
John Bull, may say en- pdrenthesc, will do
dream OF doing within the limits OF his
very formal and very conventional little is
land. These old-time bathers, to recur To
our subject, were most scrupulously exact.
ing about their bathing toilet, II being
nothing more nor less than full dress. Had
waterproofs and rubber boots existed they
probably would have been assumed. "The
fair sex, fully toiletted and Jien coi6ees,
waded In up to their chins, escorted by gal
lants with powdered hair and bog wigs, in
dulging in the luxury of bath at 1852"
"oh, twas glorious sight to behold the fair
All wading with gentlemen, up to their necksl'
And how energetic they were about It,
for Pepys, who came to Bath In 16S9 bathed
at in the morning, "designing to
have done before company come" but
he was not successful; .much com:
pany come; very hne ladies, and
thinks 1t cannot be clean to go so many
bodies together in the same water" About
Pepys' time the waters gained much addi.
tional celebrity from the visit OF Mary
Beatrice, wife Of James ii. She, "being
in hopes, came to take the waters" Upon
hopes" full account Of the matter was
duly emblazoned on q costly tablet, which
was affixed by her order to the bath, and
which remained for many years source OF
much encouragement to aspiring mothers.
Bath was In the early part of the last
century he watering place of England.
1t was the summer rendezvous OF noble
turning from India with bloated purses,
met here and competed In prodigal extraya-
gance; the sharpers from all Europe gath
cred to pluck their victims, and gaming
the popular vice, was fast and furious.
But the molly rout needed head. II
could not stop in Its mad search for dis
traction long enough to arrange its pleas
time Of change. The dance on the bowling
green was disappearing before the assem-
blage In the candle-lit saloons. Public
amusements were scarce, rude, and
indelicate. The assembly rooms and
the pump room, or kur-saal, were
crowded with smoking men In top boots.
The streets were Ill made and unsafe after
nightfall. The city was peopled by idlers,
whose serious business 1t was to amuse
themselves. They must not only be amused
but controlled; combined requirements
necessltating peculiar characteristics In him
who would essay the task. But the houi
brought forth the man.
Richard Nash, failure at Oxford, at the
bar, ana In the army, now became master OF
ceremonies. His exceptional and extraor
dinary talents had here a wide field, and
he was soon by acclamation hailed as king
OF Bath. Under his auspices roads
were repaired, public charities insti
tuted, amusements supplied, order and
proprlety enforced. Nor was this latter
rule was firm as iron, 1t appeared as velvet
His grace OF manner and quickness al
repartee, his magnificent mode OF life (sup
ported by his skill as a gambler), his esprit
all combined to strengthen his authority
and enabled him to do what other meu
could not. He told the Princess Amelia al
subscription ball, when she begged fol-
one more dance, that ''hs rules were as un
alterable as the laws OF Lycurgus." He
issued bull against aprons at balls. The
Duchess OF Queensborough appeared at on(
wearing priceless apron OF Spanish point
lace. He ordered her TO remove II, when hi
threw 1t under the benches, observing
that only abgails wore aprons. A
duel within the city limits wa
the occasion Of his order prohibiting