with several other things not yet exposed." Heatly is supposed to have had no better scenery than the pasteboard properties of our early theatres:

"The chaos, too, he had descried

And seen quite through, or else he lied;
Not that of pasteboard which men shew

For groats at Fair of Barthol'mew."-Hudibras, canto i.

Henry Fielding had his booth here, Dr. Rimbault tells us, after his admission into the Middle Temple. That Fielding should have turned "strolling actor," and have the audacity to appear at Bartholomew at the very moment when the whole town was ringing with Pope's savage ridicule of the "Smithfield Muses," would of course be an unpardonable offence. Fielding's last appearance at Bartholomew Fair was in 1736, as usual, in the George Inn Yard, at "Fielding and Hippisley's Booth." Don Carlos and the Cheats of Scapin, adapted from Molière, were the two plays; and Mrs. Pritchard played the part of Loveit, in which she had made her first hit at Bartholomew. Other celebrities, who kept up the character of the Fair for another quarter of a century, were Yates, Lee, Woodward, and Shuter, the two last well known for their connexion with Goldsmith's comedies. Shuter played Croaker in the Goodnatured Man, and Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer. Woodward played Lofty in the former piece. With Shuter, "the history of the English stage" (says Mr. Morley) "parted entirely from the story of the Fair." Garrick's name is connected only with the Fair by stories which regard him as a visitor: although Edmund Kean is stated to have played here when a boy.

Among the notorieties of the Fair was Lady Holland's Mob (Lord Rich having been ancestor of the Earl of Warwick and Holland),—hundreds of loose fellows, principally journeyman tailors, who used to assemble at the Hand and Shears, in Cloth Fair. They were accustomed to sally forth knocking at the doors and ringing the bells of the peaceable inhabitants, and assaulting and ill-treating passengers. These ruffians frequently united in such strength as to defy the civil power. As late as 1822, a number of them exceeding 5000 rioted in Skinner-street, and were for hours too powerful for the police.

The Fair was annually proclaimed by the Lord Mayor, on the 2nd of September, his lordship proceeding thither in his gilt coach, "with City Officers and trumpets;" and the proclamation for the purpose read before the entrance to Cloth Fair. It was the custom for the Lord Mayor, on this occasion, to call upon the keeper of Newgate, and partake, on his way to Smithfield, of "a cool tankard of wine, nutmeg, and sugar.' This custom, which ceased in the second mayoralty of Sir Matthew Wood in 1818, was the cause of the death of Sir John Shorter, Lord Mayor in 1688. In holding the tankard, he let the lid slip down with so much force, that his horse started, and he was thrown to the ground with great violence. He died the next day.

The Fair dwindled year by year: the writer remembers it at midnight, before gas had become common viewed from Richardson's, the shows, booths, and stalls, with their flaring oil-lamps and torches, shed a strange glare over the vast sea of heads which filled the area of Smithfield and the adjacent streets. As lately as 1830, upwards of 200 booths for toys and gingerbread crowded the pavement around the Fair, and overflowed into the adjacent streets. Richardson, Saunders, and Wombwell were late in the ascendant as showmen. Among the latest "larks was that of young men of caste disguising themselves in working clothes, to enjoy the loose delights of " Bartlemy" Fair, in September.

For 300 years the Lord Mayor and Aldermen had in vain attempted to suppress the Fair; when, in 1840, upon the recommendation of the City Solicitor, Mr. Charles Pearson, having purchased Lord Kensington's interest, they refused to let the ground for the shows and booths but upon exorbitant prices, and limited the Fair to one day; and the State proclamation of the Lord Mayor was given up. In 1849, the Fair was reduced to one or two stalls for gingerbread, gambling-tables for nuts, a few fruitbarrows and toy-stalls, and one puppet-show. In 1852, the number was still less.

"The Mayors had withdrawn the formality as much as possible from public observation, until in t year 1850, and in the mayoralty of Alderman Musgrove, his lordship having walked quietly appointed gateway, with the necessary attendants, found that there was not any Fair left we Mayor's proclaiming. After that year, therefore, no Mayor accompanied the gentleman whose

was to read a certain form of words out of a certain parchment scroll, under a quiet gateway. After five years this form also was dispensed with, and Bartholomew Fair was proclaimed for the last time in the year 1855. The sole existing vestige of it is the old fee of three and sixpence still paid by the City to the Rector of St. Bartholomew the Great, for a proclamation in his parish."-Morley.

It was held that the proclamation was part of the charter for holding the market, on which account it continued to be read, until the Act of Parliament for removing the market to Copenhagen-fields at length relieved the Corporation of going through the useless ceremony.

Hone, in his Every-day Book, describes the Bartholomew Fair of 1825, with the minuteness of Dutch painting: Hone visited the several sights and shows, accompanied by Samuel Williams, by whom the wood-cut illustrations were cleverly drawn and engraved. Mr. Morley's History of the Fair, which has been referred to, is a laborious work, with some original views.

IN

BARTHOLOMEW'S (ST.) HOSPITAL,

West Smithfield, is one of the five Royal Hospitals of the City, and the first institution of the kind established in the metropolis. It was originally a portion of the Priory of St. Bartholomew, founded by Rahere, in 1102, who obtained from Henry 1. a piece of waste ground, upon which he built an hospital for a master, brethren and sisters, sick persons, and pregnant women. Both the Priory and the Hospital were surrendered to Henry VIII., who, at the petition of Sir Richard Gresham, Lord Mayor, and father of Sir Thomas Gresham, re-founded the latter, and endowed it with an annual revenue of 500 marks, the City agreeing to pay an equal sum; since which time the Hospital has received princely benefactions from charitable persons. It was first placed under the superintendence of Thomas Vicary, sergeant-surgeon to Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth; Harvey was physician to the Hospital for thirty-four years; and here, in 1619, he first lectured on the discovery of the Circulation of the Blood.

The Hospital buildings escaped the Great Fire in 1666; but becoming ruinous, were taken down in 1730, and the great quadrangle rebuilt by Gibbs; over the entrance next Smithfield is a statue of Henry VIII., and under it, "St. Bartholomew's Hospital, founded by Rahere, A.D. 1102, re-founded by Henry VIII., 1546;" on the pediment are two reclining figures of Lameness and Sickness. The cost of these buildings was defrayed by public subscription, to which the munificent Dr. Radcliffe contributed largely; besides leaving 500l. a year for the improvement of the diet, and 1007. a year to buy linen. The principal entrance, next Smithfield, was erected in 1702; it is of poor architectural character.

The Museums, Theatres, and Library of the Hospital are very extensive; as is also the New Surgery, built in 1842. The Lectures of the present day were established by Mr. Abernethy, elected Assistant-Surgeon in 1787. Prizes and honorary distinctions for proficiency in medical science were first established in 1834; and their annual distribution in May is an interesting scene. In 1813 was founded a Collegiate Establishment for the pupils' residence within the Hospital walls. A spacious Casualty Room has since been added.

The interior of the Hospital, besides its cleanly and well-regulated wards, has a grand staircase; the latter painted by Hogarth, for which he was made a life-governor. The subjects are-the Good Samaritan; the Pool of Bethesda; Rahere, the founder, laying the first stone; and a sick man carried on a bier, attended by monks. In the Court Room is a picture of St. Bartholomew holding a knife, as the symbol of his martyrdom; a portrait of Henry VIII. in Holbein's manner; of Dr. Radcliffe, by Kneller; Perceval Pott, by Reynolds; and of Abernethy, by Lawrence.

In January, 1846, the election of Prince Albert to a Governorship of the Hospital was commemorated by the president and treasurer presenting to the foundation three costly silver-gilt dishes, each nearly twenty-four inches in diameter, and richly chased with a bold relief of-1. The Election of the Prince; 2. The Good Samaritan; 3. The Plague of London.

The Charity is ably managed by the Corporation: the president must have served as Lord Mayor; the qualification of a Governor is a donation of 100 guineas.

"From a search made in the official records of the City, it appears that for more than three hundred years, namely, since 15-19, an alderman of London had always been elected president of St. Bartholomew's Hospital; until 1854, whenever a vacancy occurred in the presidency of the Royal Hospitals (St. Bartholomew's, Bethlehem, Bridewell, St. Thomas's, or Christ's Hospitals), it was customary to elect the Lord Mayor for the time being, or an alderman who had passed the chair. This rule was first broken when the Duke of Cambridge was chosen President of Christ's Hospital over the head of Alderman Sidney, the then Lord Mayor; and again when Mr. Cubitt, then no longer an alderman, was elected President of St. Bartholomew's in preference to the then Lord Mayor. This question is, however, contested by the foundation-governors or the Corporation, and the donation-governors."

It has been shown that King Henry VIII. in 1546 vested the Hospital of St. Bartholomew in the mayor, commonalty, and citizens of London, and their successors, for ever, in consideration of a payment by them of 500 marks a year towards its maintenance, and with it the nomination and appointment of all the officers. In September, 1557, at a general court of the Governors of all the Hospitals, it was ordered that St. Bartholomew's should henceforth be united to the rest of the Hospitals, and be made one body with them, and on the following day ordinances were made by the Corporation for the general government of all the Hospitals. The 500 marks a year have been paid by the Corporation since 1546, besides the profit of many valuable leases.

This charity has an existence of nearly seven centuries and a half. The Hospital receives, upon petition, cases of all kinds free of fees; and accidents, or cases of urgent disease, without letter, at the Surgery, at any hour of the day or night. There is also a "Samaritan Fund," for relieving distressed patients. The present buildings contain 25 wards, consisting of 650 beds, 400 being for surgical cases, and 250 for medical cases and the diseases of women. Each ward is presided over by a "sister" and nurses, to the number of nearly 180 persons. In addition to a very extensive medical staff, there are four resident surgeons and two resident apothecaries, who are always on duty, day and night, throughout the year, to attend to whatever may be brought in at any hour of the twenty-four. It further possesses a College within itself, a priceless museum ; and a first-class Medical School, conducted by thirtysix professors and assistants. The "View-day," for this and the other Royal Hospitals of the City, is a day specially set apart by the authorities to examine, in their official collective capacity, every portion of the establishment; when the public are admitted.

THE

BATHS, OLDEN.

HE most ancient Bath in the metropolis is "the old Roman Spring Bath" in Strand-lane; but evidently unknown to Stow, though he mentions the locality as a lane or way down to the landing-place on the banks of the Thames." This Bath is in a vaulted chamber, and is formed of thin tile-like brick, layers of cement and rubble-stones, all corresponding with the materials of the Roman wall of London; the water is beautifully clear and extremely cold. The property can be traced to the Danvers, or D'Anvers, family, of Swithland Hall, Leicestershire, whose mansion stood upon the spot.

St. Agnes-le-Clair Baths, Tabernacle-square, Finsbury, are supposed originally to have been of the above age, from finding the Roman tiles through which the water was once conveyed. Stow mentions them as "Dame Anne's the clear." The date assigned to these Baths is 1502. This famous spring was dedicated to St. Agnes; and, from the transparency and salubrity of its waters, denominated St. Agnes-leClair. It has claims to antiquity, for it appears that in the reign of Henry VIII. it was thus named :-" Fons voc' Dame Agnes a Clere." It is described as belonging to Charles Stuart, late king of England. This spring was said to be of great efficacy in all rheumatic and nervous cases, headache, &c.

Peerless Pool, Baldwin-street, City-road, is referred to by Stow as near St. Agnes-leClair, and "one other clear water, called Perilous Pond, because divers youths, by swimming therein, have been drowned;" but this ominous name was change to Peerless Pool; in 1743, it was enclosed, and converted into a bathing-place.

The Cold Bath, Clerkenwell, was originally the property of one Walter Baynes, who purchased a moiety of the estate, in 1696; when it comprised Windmill-hill, or Sir John Oldcastle's Field, extending westward from Sir John Oldcastle's to the River

Fleet, or, as it was then called, Turnmill-brook; and southward, by Coppice-row, to the same brook, near the Clerks' Wells: while Gardiner's Farm was the plot on which stands the Middlesex House of Correction. Baynes's attention was first directed to the Cold Spring, which, in 1697, he converted into a Bath, spoken of, eleven years afterwards, in Hatton's New View, as "the most noted and first about London," which assertion, written so near the time at which it states the origin of our Cold Bath, disproves the story of its having been the bath of Nell Gwynn, whom a nude figure, on porcelain, preserved by the proprietor, is said to represent. In Mr. Baynes's time, the charge for bathing was 2s. : or, in the case of patients who, from weakness, required the "chair," 2s. 6d. The chair was suspended from the ceiling, in such a manner that a person placed in it could be thereby lowered into the water, and drawn up again in the same way. The spring was at the acmé of its reputation in 1700. Of its utility, in cases of weakness more especially, there can be no question. Besides which, its efficacy is stated in the cure of scorbutic complaints, nervous affections, rheumatism, chronic disorders, &c. It is a chalybeate, and deposits a saline incrustation. The spring is said to supply 20,000 gallons daily. The height to which it rises in the marble receptacles prepared for it, is four feet seven inches. Until the sale of the estate in 1811, the Bath House, with the garden in which it stood, comprised an area of 103 feet by 60, enclosed by a brick wall, with a summerhouse (resembling a little tower) at each angle: the house had several gables. The garden was let on building-leases, and the whole is now covered with houses, the Bath remaining in the midst. In 1815, the exterior of the Bath House was nearly all taken down, leaving only a small portion of its frontage, which it still retains.

The

The Duke's Bath, or Bagnio, is minutely described by Samuel Haworth, in 1683, as "erected near the west end of Long Acre, in that spot of ground called Salisbury Stables." Here dwelt Sir William Jennings, who obtained the royal patent for making all public bagnios or baths, either for sweating, bathing, or washing. "In one of the ante-rooms hangs a pair of scales, to weigh such as out of curiosity would know how much they lose in weight while they are in the bagnio. The bagnio itself is a stately oval edifice, with a cupola roof, in which are round glasses to let in light. cupola is supported by eight columns, between which and the sides is a sumptuous walk,' arched over with brick. The bagnio is paved with marble, and has a marble table; the sides are covered with white gully-tiles, and within the wall were ten seats, such as are in the baths at Bath. There are also fourteen niches in the walls, in which are placed so many fonts or basins, with cocks over them of hot or cold water. On one side of the bagnio hangs a very handsome pendulum-clock, which is kept to give an exact account how time passeth away. Adjoining to the bagnio there are four little round rooms, about eight feet over, which are made for degrees of heat, some being hotter, others colder, as persons can best bear and are pleased to use. These rooms are also covered with cupolas, and their walls with gully-tiles." We refer the reader to Haworth's account for the details of "the entertainment," as the bath is termed. On the east side of the Bagnio fronting the street, is "The Duke's Bagnio Coffeehouse." A great gate opens into a courtyard, for coaches. In this courtyard is visible the front of the Bagnio, having this inscription upon it in golden letters, upon a carved stone:-"The Duke's Bagnio." On the left of the yard is a building for the accommodation required for the bath, on the outside of which is inscribed in like manner"The Duke's Bath." The building is about 42 feet broad, 21 feet deep, and three stories high. There is on the lower story a room for a laboratory, in which are chemic furnaces, glasses, and other instruments necessary for making the bath waters. the accession of the Duke of York to the throne, the Baths were improved, and reopened, under the name of the "King's Bagnio," in 1686, by Leonard Cunditt, who, in his advertisement, says-" There is no other Bagnio in or about London besides this and the Royal Bagnio in the City." This, Malcolm supposes, was in allusion to the Bagnio we shall next describe, which seems to have been the first we had in the capital.

On

The Bagnio, in Bagnio-court (altered to Bath-street in 1843), Newgate-street, was built by Turkish merchants, and first opened in December, 1679, for sweating, hot bathing, and cupping. It has a cupola roof, marble steps, and Dutch tile walls, and was latterly used as a cold Bath.

Queen Anne's Bath was at the back of the house No. 3, Endell-street, Long-acre, on the west side of the street. It has been converted into a wareroom by an ironmonger whose shop is in the front of the premises. The part occupied by the water has been boarded over, leaving some of the Dutch tiles which line the sides of the Bath visible. The water, which flows from a copious spring, is a powerful tonic, and contains a considerable trace of iron. Thirty years ago it was much used in the neighbourhood, when it was considered good for rheumatism and other disorders. The house in which the Bath is situate was formerly No. 3, Old Belton-street: it was newly-fronted in 1845; the exterior had originally red brick pilasters, and a cornice, in the style of Inigo Jones. It does not seem clear how this place obtained the name of Queen Anne's Bath. It might be supposed that this had been a portion of the King's Bagnio. Old maps of London, however, show this could scarcely be correct, for the Duke's, afterwards the King's Bagnio was on the south side of Long-acre, and the above Bath is about a hundred yards to the north of that thoroughfare. "Queen Anne's Bath" is engraved from a recent sketch in the Builder, Oct. 12, 1861; whence the preceding details of the three Baths are abridged.

The Hummums, in Covent-garden, now an hotel, with baths, was formerly "a Bagnio, or Place for Sweating;" in Arabic " Hammam." Malcolm says: "The Arabic root hama,, signifies calescere, to grow warm: hence by the usual process of deriving nouns from verbs in that language, hummum, a warm bath. They are known by that name all over the East." The Bagnio at the hot Baths at Sophia, in Turkey, is thus described by Lady Mary Wortley Montague, in her Letters, vol. i., and probably her description suggested the name of the Old and New Hummums :"

"It is built of stone, in the shape of a dome, with no window but in the roof, which gives light enough. There are five of these domes joined together; the outermost being less than the rest, and serving as a hall, where the portress stood at the door. Ladies of quality generally gave this woman a crown or ten shillings. The next room was a large one, paved with marble, and all round it are two raised sofas of marble, one above the other. There were four fountains of cold water in this room, falling first into marble basins, and then running on the floor in little channels cut for that purpose, which carried the streams into the next room, which is something less, and fitted with the same sort of marble sofas; but from the streams of sulphur proceeding from the bath adjoining to it, it is impossible to stay with one's clothes on. Through the other two doors were the hot baths; one of which had cocks of cold water turned into it-tempering it to what degree of warmth the bather please to have."

Queen Elizabeth's Bath formerly stood among a cluster of old buildings adjoining the King's Mews, at Charing Cross, and was removed in 1831. Of this Bath a plan and view were presented to the Society of Antiquaries, Feb. 9, 1832, and are engraved in the Archæologia, XXV. 588-90. The building was nearly square on the plan, and was constructed of fine red brick. Its chief merit consisted in its groined roof, which was of very neat workmanship, and formed by angular ribs springing from corbels. form of the arch denoted the date of this building to be the fifteenth century. The Floating Baths (of which there were two in our day) upon the Thames, in plan remind one of the Folly described by Tom Brown as a "musical summer-house," usually anchored opposite Somerset House Gardens. The Queen of William III. and

The

her court once visited it; but it became a scene of low debauchery, and the bath building was left to decay, and be taken away for firewood.

The Turkish Bath, which closely resembles the Bath of the old Romans, was introduced into Ireland and England in 1856: and in London handsome baths were erected in Victoria-street, Westminster; these were taken down in 1855-6. The most extensive establishment of this class in London is the Hammam, cr hot-air Bath, opened in 1862, No. 76, Jermyn-street, St. James's, and formed under the superintendence of Mr. David Urquhart; its cost is stated at 6000l.; the architecture is from Eastern sources.

BATHS AND WASH-HOUSES, for the working classes, originated in 1844, with an "Association for Promoting Cleanliness among the Poor," who fitted up a Bath-house and a Laundry in Glass-house Yard, East Smithfield; where, in the year ending June 1847, the bathers, washers, and ironers amounted to 84,584; the bathers and washers costing about one penny each, and the ironers about one farthing. The Association also gave whitewash, and lent pails and brushes, to those willing to cleanse their own wretched dwellings. And so strong was the love of cleanliness thus encouraged, that