The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-03
NAKEMANS WANDERINCS
THE ANCIENT CITY OF BATH.


Healing watcrs--Its Roman Baths of
tho Third Century in Use Today--The
Ways and FOLK ef Beau Masks Time
Charnsfngiy Recalled.
lCopyright, 1852. by Edgar L. wakeman.l
BATH, England, Aug. 22.-Nowhere In
England have so many great men and
women come and for a time lived and left
behind them such clear and charming
chronicles Of their tarrying as in the in
teresting old Somersetshire city OF Bath.
Bath has known antiquity Of nearly
1000 years, one that you can see any
day Of the year with your own eyes, and
claimed antiquity Of nearly a thousand
years beyond that. II is in the baths
of Bath, modern and ancient, that chief
interest centers. From the standpoint Of
modern elegance and convenience no city
in the world possesses more splendid pro
vision; while there is certainly wonder
full fascination and interest in the feeling
that here in q west OF England city, while
enjoying hot baths under conditions OF
luxury unsurpassed in Europe. your sur
roundings are those of the Roman emperors
and generals of 400 and l,SO0 years ago.
for the same thermal waters possibly
banished the ills Of st. David. King Arthur
and vast line of old British princes and
potentates for half a thousand years be
yond
Whatever may be the actual antiquity
of this ancient city and its more ancient
baths. the legend of their discovery is most
curious and interesting Hudibras, king
OF Britain, who hourished Il. G. S92, had
son named Bladud, who being leper. was
expelled from the royal court at Winches-
ter, and wandered in poverty throughout
the land. After a time he became swine
herd along the banks of the Somersetshire
Avon, but soon discovered in dismay that
all the animals in his charge had become
as leprous as himself.
Fearful of discovery by his master, he
drove his pigs across the river at point
still known as SwfnefOrd, and took up
position on the hillside, where shelter and
acorns were in abundance. 1t happened
that one Of the finest sows was addicted TO
rowing. She strayed from the rest, and
Bladud. on searching for her, discovered
her contentedly wallowing in a pool %
muddy warm water But Bladud found,
much more to his satisfaction, the ami
NAL had been cleansed of her leprosy, and
following her example he not only drove
the whole herd TO the warm pool morning
and night, but himself wallowed within it
among the swine.
Finally the prince returned to his fa~
theirs court clean and whole There was
great rejoicing, and Bladud resumed his
place as heir apparent, but for a long time
could not be prevailed upon to make the
place or circumstances of his cure known.
He was sent to and educated in Greece
pnser the name Of Abaris, and returned
"capable governor of the nation" lie
now bethought himself to make his secret
known for the benefit Of others. There
upon he built the city OF Bath tabout 2, zoo
years agoD, when he applied himself so dill
gently and exclusively to ingenious studies
that he succeeded in inventing and making
for himself wings with which to fly, but in
one of his flights he fell down upon
church steeple, which caused the breaking
OF his neck, from which he died.
However all this may be, certain it is
that at about the beginning of the last
century Bath suddenly rose from the con-
dition of neglected provincial town to
second capital Of English fashion. Its
baths attracted all the rich and great.
Then it was that the unknown Richard
Nash who, when a law student at cham
bers in the temple, London, had been
raised to royal favor by his conduct as
master of the pageant on the visit of the
king, came to Bath, and, by common con.
sent as master Of all city ceremonials and
the most trifiing questions of etiquette
concerning the social relations of visitors,
held undisputed sway for over fifty years.
New York has now a mimic Of this famous
king coxcomb, a sort Of social male tape
measure and steelyards Of ceremonial
tnanities, but the Beau Nash, of Bath, was
intellectually, and in the matter Of actual
power, a king indeed in comparison with
all the buffoon imitators who have fol-
lowed him.
1t is lovely, leafy, roomy, rare old city,
this Bath, without any of its curious old
associations. Its baths are finer than can
be found elsewhere in Europe. Perhaps
200, 600 visitors seek their healing quail
ties annually Wealth, age, refinement
and wonderful beauty of surroundings
render tarrying here luxurious and charm
ing. And then what treat it is to have
added to this modern day luxury the con-
slant experience Of sweltering in these hot
waters precisely where the swine, Bladud
and all the old Romans have wallowedl
The old Roman bath is here today almost
precisely as il was built and the generals of
the empire left it. Something like 100 feet
IA length and 10 feet in breadth are its
dimensions The ancient vaulted roof,
fifty feet high, supported by six massive
piers, IL only lacking. But here are still
the clustered pilasters on either side, and
broken columns, wonderfully carved en-
tablatures, and all the curious stonework
of l,400 years ago 1t is all worth long
Journey to see, for in Rome itself is no
more curious relic of Roman time and
Roman luxury.
To many the literary and artistic asso-
Citations OF Bath will have the deepest in
terest. In no other English city, except
London, can there be found such wealth
OF memories OF this character. Every
where you turn is some reminder OF a
pleasant or pathetic sort of the doiDgs and
personality of ths great scientists, writer's,
poets, painters and actors, or their friends
of the last, or the early part of the present
century. Bath was then in its glory. In
those days every coach from London, win
Ter or summer, landed some famous per-
eonage at the doors OF the White Horse
inn or the Pelican inn which is still stand
ing and is known as the Three Cups"
At 81 Pulteney street lived Sir William
Watson tho patnral DhilDsGDher who in.