Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-09-27
WAKEMANS WANDERINGS
THE ANCIENT CITY OF BATH.

Healing Mattrs-lte Roman Baths OF
tho Third Century In Uso To-day Tho
Ways aud Folk of Benu Nash's Time
charmingly Recalled.
copyright, iaoc, by Edgar L. wakoman.l
BATH, England, Aug. 92.--Nowhoro In
England have 40 many great men and
womon come and for time lived aud LEFT
behind them such clear and charming
chronicles Of their tarrying ~ in the In.
tcrcsting old somcrscthirc city Of Bath.
Bath has a known antiquity of nearly
1900 years, one that you can sec any
day Of the year with your own eyes. and
q claimed antiquity Of nearly thousand
years beyond that. 1t j. 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 IL certainly wonder.
full fascination and Interest In the feeling
that here Ia west of England city, while
enjoying hot baths under conditions of
luxury unsurpassed IN Europe. your sur
roundings nrc hose Of the Roman omperuH
and generals Of 400 aud 800 years ago,
for the same thermal waters possibly
banishcd the Ills uf 81. David. King Arthur
aud vast line Of old British princes aud
potcntatcs for half thousand years DO
yond.
Whatever may be the actual antiquity
OF this ancient city and it, more ancient
bnths the legend OF their discovery Is most
curious and interesting. lludihrns, king
OF Britain, who nourishcd II. g. 19, hnd "A
son named Dlndud, who. being lepcr, was
expelled from the royal court nj Winohcs-
ter, and wandered IN poverty throughout
the land. After u time he became a swine
herd along the banks Of the Somcrsctshro
Avon. but soon discovered In disnny thnt
all the animals In his charge had become
a. leprous as himself.
Fearful Of discovery by his master. he
drove his pigs across the river at q point
still known a. Swinciortl, and took up u
position ON the hillside, where shelter and
acorns were In abundance. II happened
that one Of tho finest SONS was addicted TO
rowing. She straycd from tho rest, aud
Dladud, on searching for her, discovered
her contentediy wallowing In u pool ~
muddy warm water. But Bladud found.
much more 10 his satisfaction, the mi.
NAL had been cleansed Of her leprosy. and
following her example he not only drove
the whole herd TO the warm pool morning
mud night, but himself wallowod within IL
among the Hwinc.
Finally the prince returned TO his IA
Tiers court clean and whole. There was
great rejoicing, and Bladud resumed hia
place ~ heir apparent, but for n long time
could not be prevailed upon 10 mako tho
place or circumstances OF his cure known
4 l.. IL. Il L..
under tho name Of AbarH. and returned u
capable governor Of the nation" lie
now bethought himself TO make his secret
known for the benefit OF otherA There.
upon he built the city Of Bath (about ., 200
years agoD, when he applied himself 10 dili-
gently and exclusively to ingenious studies
that he succeeded ia lnycnting aud making
for himself wings with which to n.y. but In
enc OF his flights he fell down upon a
church stecpls, which caused the breaking
OF his neck, from which he died.
However all this may be, certain Il Is
that gt about the beginning OF the last
century Bath suddenly rolc from the con.
dillon OF u neglected provincial town to a
locund capital Of English fashion. it,
baths attracted all the rich aud great.
Then II was that the unknown Richard
Nash who, when u law student nt cham.
bers Ia the temple, London, had been
raised TO royal favor by his conduct az
master Of the pageant ON the visit OF tho
king, came TO Bath, and, by common con
sent ~ muster Of all city ceremoninls and
the most trlling questions OF etiquette
concerning tho social relations Of visitors
held undisputcd sway for over fifty yea
New York has now "a mimic OF this famot
king coxcomb, u sort VI social male tap,
measure and steClyarls Of ceremonial
innnltios, bat the Beau Nash, Of Bath, wa
intellectually, aud In the matter of actun
power, king indeed IN comparison with
all the buiIoon imitators who have fol
lowed him.
IL Ia u lovely, leafy, roomy, rare old city
this Bath, without any OF It's curious old
associations. It's baths are finer than car
be found elsewhere In Europe. perhnp,
10000 visitors seek their healing quail
ties annually Wealth, age, refinement
and wonderful beauty Of surrounding
render turrying hero luxurious and charm
Ing. And then what treat u Is TO hav,
added 20 this modern day luxury the con
slant experience oi swcltcrlng in these no
waters precisely where the swine, Hlnlu,
and all the old Romans have walluwud
The old Roman bath Is here today nlmus
precisely ~ itwas built and the generals q
the empire left IL. Something like 100 fec
10 length and 20 feet IA breadth aro Il
dimensions, The ancient yaultcd rool
NIFTY feet high, supported by six NASTY
piers, Is only lacking. But here are sti
the clustered pllasters on either side, an
broken columns, wonderfully carved ct
tablaturcs, and all the curious stoncwor
Of 400 years ago. IL Is all worth Ion
journey 10 sec, for In Rome itself Is u
more curious rnlic Of Roman time an
Roman luxury.
10 many tue literary aud artistic ass,
Citations OF Bath will have the deepest n
terost, In no other English city, excgf
London, can there bo found such wcGlt
OF memories OF this character. Ever,
whore you turn Is some reminder OF
pleasant or pathetic sort Of the doings an
personality OF the great scientists. writer
poets, painters and actors, or their frient
OF the last, or the curly part OF the presei
century. Bath was then In is glory.
those days every coach from London, vii
ter or summer landed some famous pc
sonnge nj the doors OF the White Hon
inn or the Pelican ian which Is still stan,
INK and Is known as the Three Cupsh
At2l Pultoncy street lived Sir Willini
Watson, the natural philosopher, who Il
tioduced Sir W. llorschel TO the King az
the scientific world. In i1G0 the latter r
moved from Yorkshire TO Bath, where /
lived At New King street, lie was Tor
long time organist at the OotagOn chap
and leader Of the orchestra at the publ
assembly rooms. At length a simple tel
scope, only two feet in length, fell Into d
hands. lie was atbnce filed with inten
enthusiasm for astronomical research. b.