BATH, (Somerset) 9 m. from Frome, 12 from Bristol, 89 cm. and 108 mm. from London, was famous in the Romans time for its
medicinal waters. In the Kg's. bath is the figure of K. Bladud, whom Mr. Cambden calls the southsayer, with an inscription
under it, which says that he found out the use of these baths 300 years before Christ. 'Tis so frequented by the sound for
pleasure, as well as the sick for health, that in some seasons, especially when the place has been honoured with any of
the royal family, here have been no less than 8000 strangers. The springs were, doubtless, fenced in by the Romans with a
wall to separate them from the common springs; and the tradition is very probable, that they made subterranean canals to
carry off the other waters, lest they should mix with these; for the town and neighbourhood abound with cold springs,
which in some places rise very near the hot ones. As this city lies in a valley surrounded with an amphitheatrical circle
of hills, the heat of its waters, and their milky detergent quality, are ascribed to a mixture of two different waters
distilling from two of those hills, viz. Clarton-Down and Lansdown; the former of which has springs that are sulphureous,
or bituminous, mixed with nitre, and the latter such as are tinctured with iron ore: besides the adjacent country abounds
with mines of coal, which are agreed to be sulphureous and bituminous. Here is a bridge and a ferry also over the Avon,
which washes it on the S. and W. and was, in pursuance of an act of Pt. lately made navigable to Bristol, by means of six
locks; and a project is on foot for making it navigable also to Bradford, Melksham, Lacock, and Chippenham. The walls of
the T. which, though slight, are almost entire, are thought to have been the work of the Romans. It has four gates besides
a postern. The late D. of Chandos made great additions to its buildings. Without the walls is a stately square, called
Queen's; and in the center of it is an obelisk, 70 foot high, which the inscription imports was erected by Richard Nash,
Esq; (the master of the ceremonies at this place) in grateful remembrance of the honour and benefits conferred on this
city, by the Pr. and Pss. of Wales in 1736, when they were pleased to lodge in this square. In that near the abbey-church,
called Orange-square in compliment to the Pr. of Orange, there is also a monumental stone, erected by the same Mr. Nash in
1735, with an inscription shewing that the health of this Pr. was restored by drinking the waters. The stone of which the
houses in Queen's square are built, was dug out of the quarries upon Clarton-down, (where the horse-races are kept) and
brought from thence down a steep hill by a curious machine, the contrivance of Mr. Allen, the post-master (who farms the
cross-posts) and late mayor of this city; by which means the stone came so cheap to the builders, that the fronts of the
houses on the N. side of the square cost no more than 500 l. though it is above 200 foot in extent, and enriched with co-
Jumus and pilasters of the Corinthian order. The Town-hall over the Mt. stands on 21 stone pillars. At the upper end of it
were lately set up the pictures of the Pr. and Pss. of Wales, being their present to the corp. to which they had before
given a silver cup and waiter gilt. And round the said hall hang the pictures of all the members of the corp. drawn at the
expence of the late gen. Wade, one of their representatives in Pt. whose picture is also put up over the entrance. Here
are also the effigies of the British K. Coel, who is said to have given the Km. its first charter; and of Edgar, a Saxon
K. who was crowned here. A general infirmary is just finished here, a noble building capable of receiving 150 patients.
There is a grand parade on the S. side of the city by the Avon, finely paved, 200 yards in length, where the gentry walk;
and a magnificent square is laid out on the W. side of it, which looks like but one house, though it is divided into
several, and is 520 foot in front, and 260 in depth. Each front, when finished, is to have 63 windows, and each end 31.
Two of the other sides are to serve as wings to the principal side, each of which is to contain 24 houses upon a perfect
square of 210 foot; and the front of these wings is to have each 25 windows; so that when the whose building is surveyed
in front, it will shew 113 windows, extend 1040 foot, and from the neighbouring hills look like one grand palace. The 3
piles of building will be adorned with above 300 columns and pilasters of the Corinthian order: upon the corner of every
pile there will be a tower, and in every front, will be a centre-house and a pediment. In this square is also to be a
noble ball-room, and an assemblyroom, a garden for the ladies, and a bowling-green for the gentlemen. There is to be a
terrace also of 500 yards in circumference, a portico of the same dimensions, and divers other walks in common for all
people, and so disposed, that the gentry may walk there at any season, or hour, A bridge with an arch of 120 foot opening
will also be built over the Avon, to lead from the square to the Downs. Great quantities of the stone dug out of the
abovementioned quarries are sent by the Avon to Bristol, and from thence to London, &c. Of this Bath-stone Mr. Allen has
also built himself a very magnificent house, with a fine chapel, which upon the whose may be reckoned one of the most
beautiful seats in England. St. Peter's cathedral here, which was the abbey, is supposed to be on the spot, where stood
the temple of Minerva, the patroness of baths. On the principal front are the figures of angels ascending and descending,
in memory of a dream by which Dr. Oliver King, Bp. of this see, was induced to build this Ch. Anno 1137; but it was not
finished 'till 1612. Here are 3 other Chs. 2 ch. s. St. John's hos. founded by Fitz Joceline, Bp. of this see, for the
poor sick people; and there is a chapel bel. to it, built all of white freestone. Dr. Guidon mentions also Bellots and
Brimburys hosps. the latter built by 7 sisters. There is an alm. called Ruscot's charity, for 12 men, and 12 women. The
other alms-people of Bath are chiefly maintained by the chamber, and have each 3 s. and 4 d. a week. Those admitted at the
lepers hos. are recommended by the justices of the peace, and the minister of the p. and are taken in every May and Sept.
The chamber has several ancient charters, but acts by Q. Eliz's. The corp. consists of a mayor, 8 ald. and 24 C.C. It gave
the title of E. formerly to the family of Granville, as it does now to the Rt. Hon. William Pulteney, Esq; so created by
his present Majesty in 1742. The Fairs here are Feb. 2, and 24, May 7, June 29, and Aug. 1. Mt. W. and S.