The original Bath guide : containing an essay on the Bath waters, with a description of the city, and ... useful information.

Date:
[1841]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The original Bath guide : containing an essay on the Bath waters, with a description of the city, and ... useful information. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    without any visible means of supporting it, attracted the attention of some of his companions. Various conjectures were made, and it was determined that the highway alone could support such extravagance. One of their body was therefore desired to wait on Nash, to acquaint him with their suspicions, and to state that if no satisfactory explanation could be given, he would no longer be admitted to their society. Nash heard his visitor with indignation, and, after a moment’s pause, threw him a billet doux he had that moment received inclosing a large sum of money. Disgusted, however, at the doubts thus raised about him, he retired to Bath, and found it one of the poorest cities in England ; the buildings were extremely mean, and the inhabitants rude and unpolite; but he had the pleasure (the greatest he could enjoy) of living to see the city of Bath flourish in so rapid a manner under his administration, as to be able to vie with any city in Europe, in the polite- ness of its amusements, and elegance of its accom- modations. Under his administration, no rank could protect the offender, nor dignity of station influence him to connive at a breach of his laws; he desired the Duchess of Queensberry, who appeared at a dress ball in an apron of point lace, worth 500 guineas, to take it off, Avhich she did, at the same time desiring his acceptance of it; and when the Princess Amelia requested to have one dance more after 11 o’clock, he replied that the laws of Bath, like those of Lycur- gus, were unalterable. The disputes which arose in the ardour of play, frequently occasioned an instantaneous resort to the sword, then generally worn as an appendage to every well-dressed man. The consequences were very often fatal through the heat of the moment; when, had there been time for reflection, a few w'ords of apology from either side might have prevented the mischief.