SIR,

The Bath lies very low, is but a small city, but very compact, and one

can hardly imagine it could accommodate near the company that frequents

it at least three parts of the year. I have been told of 8,000 families

there at a time--some for the benefit of drinking its hot waters, others

for bathing, and others for diversion and pleasure (of which, I must say,

it affords more than any public place of that kind in Europe).

I told you in my former letters that Epsom and Tunbridge do not allow

visiting (the companies there meet only on the walks); but here visits

are received and returned, assemblies and balls are given, and parties at

play in most houses every night, to which one Mr. Nash hath for many

years contributed very much. This gentleman is by custom a sort of

master of ceremonies of the place; he is not of any birth nor estate, but

by a good address and assurance ingratiates himself into the good graces

of the ladies and the best company in the place, and is director of all

their parties of pleasure. He wears good clothes, is always affluent of

money, plays very much, and whatever he may get in private, yet in public

he always seems to lose. The town have been for many years so sensible

of the service he does them that they ring the bells generally at his

arrival in town, and, it is thought, pay him a yearly contribution for

his support.

In the morning early the company of both sexes meet at the Pump (in a

great hall enrailed), to drink the waters and saunter about till prayer-

time, or divert themselves by looking on those that are bathing in the

bath. Most of the company go to church in the morning in dishabille, and

then go home to dress for the walks before dinner. The walks are behind

the church, spacious and well shaded, planted round with shops filled

with everything that contributes to pleasure, and at the end a noble room

for gaming, from whence there are hanging-stairs to a pretty garden for

everybody that pays for the time they stay, to walk in.

I have often wondered that the physicians of these places prescribe

gaming to their patients, in order to keep their minds free from business

and thought, that their waters on an undisturbed mind may have the

greater effect, when indeed one cross-throw at play must sour a man's

blood more than ten glasses of water will sweeten, especially for such

great sums as they throw for every day at Bath.

The King and Queen's Baths, which have a communication with one another,

are the baths which people of common rank go into promiscuously; and

indeed everybody, except the first quality. The way of going into them

is very comical: a chair with a couple of chairmen come to your bedside

(lie in what storey you will), and there strip you, and give you their

dress without your shift, and wrapping you up in blankets carry you to

the bath.

When you enter the bath, the water seems very warm; and the heat much

increases as you go into the Queen's Bath, where the great spring rises.

On a column erected over the spring is an inscription of the first finder-

out of these springs, in the following words: that "Bladud, the son of

Lud, found them three hundred years before Christ." The smoke and slime

of the waters, the promiscuous multitude of the people in the bath, with

nothing but their heads and hands above water, with the height of the

walls that environ the bath, gave me a lively idea of several pictures I

had seen, of Angelo's in Italy of Purgatory, with heads and hands

uplifted in the midst of smoke, just as they are here. After bathing,

you are carried home in your chair, in the same manner you came.

The Cross Bath, which is used by the people of the first quality, was

beautified and inclosed for the convenience of the late King James's

queen, who after the priests and physicians had been at work to procure a

male successor to the throne of Great Britain, the Sacrament exposed in

all the Roman Catholic countries, and for that end a sanctified smock

sent from the Virgin Mary at Loretto, the queen was ordered to go to Bath

and prepare herself, and the king to make a progress through the western

counties and join her there. On his arrival at Bath, the next day after

his conjunction with the queen, the Earl of Melfort (then Secretary of

State for Scotland) erected a fine prophetic monument in the middle of

the Bath, as an everlasting monument of that conjunction. I call it

"prophetic," because nine months after a Prince of Wales was born. This

monument is still entire and handsome, only some of the inscriptions on

the pillar were erased in King William's time. The angels attending the

Holy Ghost as He descends, the Eucharist, the Pillar, and all the

ornaments are of fine marble, and must have cost that earl a great deal

of money. He was second son to Drummond, Earl of Perth, in North

Britain; and was Deputy Governor of the Castle of Edinburgh when the Duke

and Duchess of York came to Scotland, in King Charles the Second's time.

He was a handsome gentleman, with a good address, and went into all the

measures of that court, and at all their balls generally danced with the

duchess; who, on their accession to the throne, sent for him up to

London, made him Secretary of State for Scotland, created him Earl of

Melfort, and Knight of the Order of St. Andrew. His elder brother was

also made Chancellor and Governor of Scotland. And on King James's

abdication, as the two brothers followed the king's fortunes, the Earl of

Perth was made governor to the young prince; and Melfort was created a

duke, had the Garter, and was a great man in France to his dying day.

There is another bath for lepers.

The cathedral church is small but well lighted. There are abundance of

little monuments in it of people who come there for their health, but

meet with their death.

These waters have a wonderful influence on barren ladies, who often prove

with child even in their husbands' absence; who must not come near them

till their bodies are prepared.

Everything looks gay and serene here; it is plentiful and cheap. Only

the taverns do not much improve, for it is a place of universal sobriety.

To be drunk at Bath is as scandalous as mad. Common women are not to be

met with here so much as at Tunbridge and Epsom. Whether it is the

distance from London, or that the gentlemen fly at the highest game, I

cannot tell; besides, everything that passes here is known on the walks,

and the characters of persons.

In three hours one arrives from Bath at Bristol, a large, opulent, and

fine city; but, notwithstanding its nearness, by the different manners of

the people seems to be another country. Instead of that politeness and

gaiety which you see at Bath, here is nothing but hurry--carts driving

along with merchandises, and people running about with cloudy looks and

busy faces. When I came to the Exchange I was surprised to see it

planted round with stone pillars, with broad boss-plates on them like sun-

dials, and coats-of-arms with inscriptions on every plate.

They told me that these pillars were erected by eminent merchants for the

benefit of writing and despatching their affairs on them, as on tables;

and at 'Change time the merchants take each their stands by their

pillars, that masters of ships and owners may know where to find them.

Coffee-houses and taverns lie round the 'Change, just as at London; and

the Bristol milk, which is Spanish sherry (nowhere so good as here), is

plentifully drunk.

The city of Bristol is situated much like Verona, in Italy. A river runs

through almost the middle of it, on which there is a fine stone bridge.

The quay may be made the finest, largest, and longest in the world by

pulling down an old house or two. Behind the quay is a very noble

square, as large as that of Soho in London, in which is kept the Custom

House; and most of the eminent merchants who keep their coaches reside

here. The cathedral is on the other side of the river, on the top of the

hill, and is the meanest I have seen in England. But the square or green

adjoining to it has several fine houses, and makes by its situation, in

my opinion, much the pleasantest part of the town. There are some

churches in the city finer than the cathedral, and your merchants have

their little country-seats in the adjacent eminences; of which that of

Mr. Southwell hath a very commanding prospect, both of the city, the

River Severn, and the shipping that lies below.

There are hot springs near Bristol that are also very much frequented,

and are reckoned to be better than the Bath for some distempers.

A traveller when he comes to the Bath must never fail of seeing

Badminton, belonging to the Dukes of Beaufort; nor Longleat, belonging to

my Lord Weymouth. They are both within a few miles of the Bath. King

William, when he took Badminton in his way from Ireland, told the duke

that he was not surprised at his not coming to court, having so sumptuous

a palace to keep a court of his own in. And indeed the apartments are

inferior to few royal palaces. The parks are large, and enclosed with a

stone wall; and that duke, whom I described to you in my letter from

Windsor, lived up to the grandeur of a sovereign prince. His grandson,

who was also Knight of the Garter, made a great figure in the reign of

Queen Anne. The family, which is a natural branch of the house of

Lancaster, have always distinguished themselves of the Tory side. The

present duke is under age.

Longleat, though an old seat, is very beautiful and large; and the

gardens and avenue, being full-grown, are very beautiful and well kept.

It cost the late Lord Weymouth a good revenue in hospitality to such

strangers as came from Bath to see it.

The biggest and most regular house in England was built near Bristol by

the late Lord Stawell; but it being judged by his heirs to be too big for

the estate, they are pulling it down and selling the materials.

As the weather grows good, I shall proceed through South Wales to

Chester, from whence you shall soon hear from me, who am without reserve,

sir, your most humble, &c.