Baden, the well-known and much-frequented watering-place, has been long
celebrated. The following account of it in the fifteenth century is
interesting. Those warriors who would wile away the interval between one
campaign and another agreeably, betook themselves to Baden in Aargau. Here
in a narrow valley, where the Limmat flows through its rocky bed, are hot
springs of highly medicinal properties. Hither, to the numerous houses of
public entertainment, resorted prelates, abbots, monks, nuns, soldiers,
statesmen, and all sorts of artificers. As in our fashionable
watering-places, most of the visitors merely sought to dissipate ennui,
enjoy life, and pursue pleasure. The baths were most crowded at an early
hour in the morning, and those who did not bathe resorted thither to see
acquaintances, with whom they could hold conversation from the galleries
round the bath-rooms, while the bathers played at various games, or ate
from floating tables. Lovely females did not disdain to sue for alms from
the gallery-loungers, who threw down coins of small amount, to enjoy the
ensuing scramble. Flowers were strewn on the surface of the water, and the
vaulted roof rang with music, vocal, and instrumental. Towards noon the
company sallied forth to the meadows in the neighbourhood, acquaintances
were easily made, and strangers soon became familiar. The pleasures of the
table were followed by jovial pledges in swift succession, till fife and
drum summoned to the dance. Now fell the last barriers of reserve and
decorum; and it is time to drop a veil over the scene. _Ibid._
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