The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-29
ANCIENT BATH.
The Old story Of Its Founding by
King Iadud

Harold Hamel Smith, in Literary Thoughts.
From the year b. c. SEQ 10 the year A. ID.
1901 is a long stretch, yet both years have
an event in common-an event, too. that
deals with elaborate and well~-thought-out
experiments Of a science that the 21o0 years
have not succeeded in bringing to perfec-
tion-that Of aerial navigation.
King Bladud. by tradition at least, Is said
TO have been the d~iscoverer and founder OF
the ancient city Of Bath. Like NJ. Santos
DumOnt, he strOve 20 solve the difficulty OF
aerial flight. 1t was only by a miracle that
the plucky Brazilian engineer in his last
trial at Paris did not share the same fate
as Bladud, who, we are told, met his death
through trying 10 fly by means OF wings,
and in one OF which attempts he fell and
broke his neck.
This Bladud was the son of Lud Hudi-
bras. King OF Britain-by whom ne was
banished from court, owing 10 his having
contracted leprosy. The Queen. his mother.
on his departure gave him a ring. SO that
when he was cured, which the poor woman
believed TO be impOssible-he could return
and make himself known and be- reinstatcd
in that rank and dignity that was his right
by birth. Bladud. therefore. set forth. not
knowing where 10 90. Meeting with "a
swineherd on the opposite bank OF the Avon
10 where Bath now stands, he offered his
services as an assistant. which. being ac-
cepted. he took "A portion OF the herd under
his care. Noticing after "A time that the
pigs. like himself. had become c0ntamir-
ated with the dreaded disease. and fearful
lest the swineherd should notice fl. ne drove
them over 20 the opposite bank. under the
pretext that the acOrns were finer on that
side. but in reality TO give himself time 10
consider what he should do. While thus DE
pondered the pigs wallowed ia the mud,
warmed by the then unknown hot mineral
springs that abOunded about that spot. and
Bladud noticed that after repeating The
performance for two or three DAYS the af-
fected pigs (and especially one old sow got
cured of their leprOsy. The idea al once
seized him 10 try 10 cure himself. So. strip
ping himself. ne like the pigs. rolled in the
healing mud, until, 10 his delight, he. too.
discovered himself quit OF his enemy. on
finding this out he drove back his hero.
and, leaving his employer without more
ado, presented himself at King Lud's court.
and by means OF the ring his mother gave
him was recognized and reinstated as the
son and heir 10 the kingdom. After this
his father sent him on a journey TO Athens
10 study the sciences. and IL was there that
he first conceived the idea that nan lv
means OF wings could ny through the air
the same as the birds. on the death Of Mss
OF MS nrst acts was TO erect. In the year b.
{. 800, a palace near the spot where ne and
MS herd OF swine had been cured. so that
others affected with leprosy could come and
bathe In the healing liquid.
This Idea Of the founding OF Bath pre-
vailed until the eighteenth century. In 1879
a statue TO Bladud was erected in the
Kings bathroom. where IL stiI remains.
Modern reasearch. however. Is inclined 10
disbelieve this account and 20 date the
foundation OF Bath 20 the reign OF the Ro-
maj Emperor Claudius In the first century,
when the city OF AQuae Soils i"Naters Of
the SUM- was built. After the Romans
Bath remained In the possession OF tho
Britons for over a century. during which
fully repulsed attacks OF Aella and Cerdlc.
the Saxon Kings. In so. however. after the
death Of Arthur. the SaNons proved vic
torious, and, gaining an entry into the city,
destroyed not only the fine buildings erect
ed by the Romans. but also the massive
walls as well.