2. The Queen's Bath, (which is likewife much improved) having no fpring of its own, is fupplied with water from the King's Bath, by the communication of an arched open paffage. The water of this bath is more temperate than the first, and near the fame degree of heat as the Cross bath. The dimenfions are 25 feet 4 inches by 24 feet 2 inches, and it contains 81 tons 3 hogfheads and 11 gallons of water.The time these two baths generally take in filling (being filled as well as discharged together) is about ten hours.

3. The Crofs Bath, which rises about 100 yards fouthwelt of the King's, was fo called from a crofs in the centre of it, erected by the Earl of Melfort, (Secretary of State to King James II.) as a memorial of the Queen's bathing in it in the year 1687. This crofs is now removed, the bath fecured, the bathing rendered more convenient, by flips for the bathers, and a fmall neat pump-room built, agreeable to the plans of Mr. BALDWIN, the city architect.

4. The Hot Bath, which is fituated about 120 feet fouthwelt of the former, and is fo called from its being found (or once deemed) the hottest of all; though from many expe riments it has been lately declared to be near the fame degree of heat as the King's Bath.-A neat Pump-Rom is lately made for the company who drink this water; near which is rebuilt, by the Chamber of the city, a commodious open bath, private baths, dry pump-rooms, and fudatories continually kept warm by the fires of the adjoining dreffingrooms, to which they communicate; the fudatories may likewise be made use of for vapour-bathing. The whole of the building is 56 feet fquare.-[For a full explanation of the above, we must refer the reader to a defcription, toge ther with the plans, elevation, and fection of the fame, published by the late JOHN WOOD, efq; the architect.]

The heat of the feveral baths (as before defcribed) has been taken by Farenheit's mercurial thermometer, and is as follows:

The water of the King's Bath, (where it is of the greatest warmth) raises the mercury to 103 degrees, and finks it from thence in its cooleft part to 100.

The thermometer ftands in the Hot Bath at 100 or 101. The different degrees of heat in the Crofs Bath are 93 and 94.

The heat of the Queen's Bath is from 99 to 98.

1

The water which is pumped up from the ciferns of the feveral baths for drinking, and which is conveyed through pipes immediately from its fource, was found to be ofva rious degrees of heat at different times of trial.

Thus the water which flows from the pump of the Cros Bath has defcended from 110 degrees through all the intermediate ones to 105. That of the Hot Bath* from 116 to 112; and the water of the King's Bath pump from 116

to 114.

It is ufually thought, that the Bath water retains its heat longer than common water heated to the fame degree; but it did not appear to do so by the most accurate experiments that could be made.

The above account of the heat of the feveral baths, is likewife taken from Dr. CHARLETON's Tract, entitled "A Chymical Analyfis of the Bath Waters."

The following are the rules and orders (as established by the Corporation) for regulating bathing, in the King's Bath, Queen's Bath, and Grofs Bath; and alto the fees and conduct of the Serjeant, Bath Guides, Cloth Women, and Chairmen.

A Serjeant fhall not demand more than three-pence for each time of bathing:-A Guide fhall not demand more than one fhilling for each time of bathing:-A Cloth-woman shall not demand more than three-penee for each time of bathing.

The above fees are to be underfood, fo as not to affect people in low circumftances, or fervants, fuch being allowed to bathe for fix-pence only to the Guide, for linen and attendance.

That no Serjeant, Bath-guide, Cloth-woman, or Chairman, fhall demand any thing of a bather for his or her entrance on bathing or pumping, which has ufually been demanded by the name of footing-money.

That fufficient fires (at the expence of the Chamber of the City) be made in the flips; the fame to be lighted at fix o'clock in the morning in the winter feafon, viz. from Michaelmas to Lady-day; and at five o'clock in the morn

*Since the fpring of the Hot Bath has been fecured the heat of this water is much increased.

ing

ing in the summer season, viz. from Lady-Day to Michaelmas, and to be continued the ufual hours of bathing.

Bathing to be allowed on all holidays, except Chrifimasday and Good-Friday.

Any gentleman or lady, having caufe of complaint against any of the above attendants belonging to the baths, are desired to make such complaints known to the Magistrates at the Town-hall, any Monday morning at 11 o'clock.

The following are the expences of bathing, &c. in the Hot Bath, as regulated by the Corporation :

Each perfon bathing in the open bath, to pay one shilling and fix-pence for each time of bathing.

In the private bath, vapour bath, or fweating-room, three fhillings.

Bathing in the private bath, and afterwards using the fweating-room, or vapour-bath, four fhillings.

For the use of a bed, two fhillings and fix-pence.

Pumping in the bath, three-pence for one hundred ftrokes; and at the dry pump, fix-pence.

If any person chooses to be electrified, the price is three fhillings.

Dreffes, towels, &c. included in the above fees.

It is requested, that each perfon ufing the bath will pay for it at the time.

N. B. On complaint of any of the Guides neglecting their duty, or making any demand on the bathers for attendance, they will be immediately difcharged.

In removing the rubbish to get at the head of the spring of the Hot Bath, and to make a new refervoir, a great number of Roman copper and brafs coins of the Emperors Nero, Adrian, Trajan, Antonine, &c. were found, many of them in fine preservation: Alfo an antique pillar, of which the following is a true reprefentation, with the infcription on it, and it may also be feen in the grand stair-cafe of the Guildhall leading to the Banqueting Room.

The characters appear to have been filled up with a red material like ochre to render them more legible and distinct.

It seems probable that this was a votive altar to Minerva, who represented the Moon in fome places of the Heathen: mythology, and was one of the patrons of the fprings; as Apollo, who reprefented the Sun, was the other. Perhaps this was erected for fome cure by the waters.

The following conjectures are given towards explaining the infcription:

DEÆ SUBLIMI* MINERVA SULINUS MATVRI FILIUS VOTUM SOLVIT LIBENS MERITO.

* As u is often used for o, SVLI may perhaps ftand for SOLI, or be an abreviation of SUBLIMI.

Sulinus

Sulinus, fon of Maturus, gladly pays his grateful vows to the high Goddess Minerva.

DEE SUSCEPTO VOTO LOCUM instituere MiNERVÆ, SULINUS MATURI FILIUS VOTUM SOLVIT LIBENS MERITO.

Sulinus, fon of Maturus, having made a vow to dedicate a place to Minerva, has willingly and gratefully ratified his

vow.

The time people generally bathe is between the hours of fix and nine in the morning, when there is a fresh supply of water; that which rises one day being discharged the next by drains into the river Avon made for that purpose; by which the baths are always kept sweet and wholesome.

PUBLIC

BUILDINGS.

it was

The first public ftructure we shall defcribe is the PUMPROOM, fituated at the north fide of the King's Bath; erected in the year 1704, but much enlarged in the year 1751, and is now a neat piece of building. To this building in the year 1786, was added a handfome portico for the reception of chairs, that the company in the Pump-Room might not be incommoded by the chairmen. The Nobility and Gentry affemble in it every morning, between the hours of feven and ten, to drink the water; and a good band of mufic attend during the season, from eight till ten, for the entertainment of the company, which are generally numerous, and make a very brilliant appearance. At the `ealt end of this room is a fine marble ftatue of the late and evermemorable Richard Nash, efq; executed by the late Mr. Prince Hoare, Statuary, at the expence of the Corporation, to perpetuate the memory of this great man, under whofe government the city of Bath rofe to its prefent degree of fplendor. There is little elfe in this room worthy obfervation, except a very good clock given by the late Mr. Tompion, watch-maker; and the following piece of humour, which is preserved there as being the production of Mr. Nash :

RULES, by general confent determined.

:

I. That a vifit of ceremony at coming to Bath, and another at going away, is all that is expected or defired by ladies of quality and fashion,-except impertinents.