Public Buildings, the Rooms, Crescents, Theatre,
Concerts, Baths, its Literature, &c.

INCLUDING

WALCOT AND WIDCOMBE,

AND THE

Surrounding Vicinity;

With Sketches of

PRIOR-PARK-HOUSE, THE ROCKS OF WICK, CORSHAM-HOUSE, AND
ITS FINE COLLECTION OF PAINTINGS:

ALSO AN EXCURSION TO

CLIFTON AND BRISTOL HOT-WELLS,

With a Visit to Lord de Clifford's House, and some Remarks upon its Pictures:

The whole forming

A complete Guide

TO THE

VISITORS OF THE ABOVE CITY.

By P. EGAN.

Bath:

PRINTED FOR MEYLER AND SON,

at the Bath Herald Office;

BARRY AND SON, BRISTOL; J. VINCENT, OXFORD; AND
SHERWOOD, NEELY, AND JONES, LONDON.

1819.

DA690 83E4

PREFACE.

BATH has been so long known, so much frequented, and so often written upon by various authors, both in the serious and comic + style of description, that it might be presumed little matter is now left to furnish any thing like contents for a NEW VOLUME, without monotonously treading over and over again the same hackneyed, beaten ground: and however industriously the literary sportsman may beat up the field, he is not likely to put up any fresh birds, much more bring them down:

SCRIBBLERS are sportsmen; and, as sportsmen are,
Some hit, some miss, some poach, and some beat fair;
This wounds a straggling bird; that often tries
But never kills; he shoots and shuts both eyes.
Some will whole covies take, nineteen in twenty;
And then you smack your lips-for game is plenty;
In short, by you their merits must be tried;

And woe to them who are not qualified !

Whatever has been written relative to the ANTIQUITIES of BATH, (whether fabulous or real,) it must be admitted the subject has been fully explored; its fine OLD ABBEY portrayed; the beauty and elegance of its CRES

*WARNER.

† ANSTEY.

899452

CENTS not omitted; its AMUSEMENTS blazoned forth; its CHARITIES not forgotten; its COMFORTS recognized; its extreme CLEANLINESS developed; the virtues of its BATHS promulgated; and the efficacy of its WATERS enlarged upon, in all the various "Old" and " New Guides" still extant: the thing is not meant to be denied; nor is it the intention of the Author to assert, that any of the above fixed pictures are not faithful PORTRAITS. But notwithstanding this disparagement and great drawback to

surmount

True hope ne'er tires, but mounts with eagle's wings, and a new moving PICTURE OF BATH is at length produced. How far the artist has hit off an accurate and animated likeness-with what fidelity he has preserved the features—whether the light and shade have been properly introducedthe tints glowing-and the colouring so well diffused as to harmonize the whole, must be left to the decision of his judges. The attempt is nouvelle; and, he trusts, the "WALKS THROUGH BATH" will not only prove interesting and useful, but that it will ultimately give pleasure to all his readers.

Although the visitor may "read as he runs" in his perambulations through the streets of Bath, yet nothing of importance has been omitted; and the numerous engravings, executed