,,luxurious ,,bathing3 7,fourth ,edition7 ,,eight ,a ,,sketch ,,etchings ,,by ,illustration3 ,,by ,,andrew ,w4 ,,tuer3 ,shadows in the pond4 ,,tristram ,,ellis4 ------------ ------------ #ahhj4 #e ,london3 ,new ,york3 ,field ,tuer1 ,ye ,leadenhalle ,scribner ,welford1 #gdc #gde1 ,presse1 ,e4,c4 ,broadway4 ,,luxurious ,,bathing4 7,the ,first ,edition was published in folio form with ,etchings by ,mr4 ,sutton ,sharpe1 at ,three ,guineas3 ,proofs ,seven ,guineas47 8,remarque0 ,proofs 7signed7 six only printed1 ,three ,guineas4 ,proofs before ,letters1 ,japanese paper 7signed7 #bj copies only printed1 ,one ,guinea4 ,proofs1 white hand-made paper1 #ajj copies only printed1 ,half-a-,guinea4 ,,note4--,the copper-plates having been steel-faced suffer little or no deterioration in printing4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,its ,,practice4 ,treatises and disquisitions sufficient to form a library of no inconsiderable dimensions have been written during the last three centuries on the subject of baths3 boiling1 freezing1 variously medicated--including tar-water1 steam1 and spray2 milk1 whey1 broth1 mud1 sand1 and even earth-baths--in which the patient for hours together was buried up to his neck in a fallow field--have all had their exponents and upholders2 then there is the vapour-bath of the ,russian1 the dry1 hot air or ,turkish-bath1 besides the cold air-bath recommended by ,franklin1 and those who like it may follow the example of the elder ,pliny who used to indulge in a bath of sunshine4 ,now-a-days it is a common practice1 on the shores of the ,mediterranean1 for many of the inhabitants1 during the hot months1 to pass a considerable portion of their time sitting on chairs placed a few feet from the shore1 the calm water1 without even the nuance of a ripple1 reaching to the neck1 while the head is protected from the scorching sun by an immense grass hat4 ,the inference may be too hastily drawn that what is advocated in this ,sketch is unnecessary1 being simply what everyone now-a-days practises in one form or another--cleanliness2 on consideration1 however1 this will be found to be hardly the fact4 ,we are a cleanly nation1 or at any rate more cleanly than we were1 but bathing with hot or cold water as ordinarily practised is not so enjoyable and luxurious as it might be1 and moreover1 to the weakly1 is often harmful in its action4 ,perhaps the very acme of luxurious bathing is reached in the ,soap-bath1 an application of hot water and soap to the whole body1 followed immediately by a cold plunge1 or a sponge-bath4 ,a bath is at once a necessity and a luxury1 and in order to obtain the greatest number of benefits1 including increased health1 appetite1 vigour1 and good spirits1 the ,soap-bath is the most effectual1 and moreover the pleasantest and least trying to the weakly or over sensitive constitution4 ,it is a simple and invigorating luxury as compared with the self-inflicted half-painful ordeal the cold bath is to many1 which latter is too often taken1 not for its own sake1 but for the good supposed to follow its use4 ,after a ,soap-bath1 however1 one is ready for the duties or pleasures of the day3 duty in fact becomes a pleasure1 and pleasure itself is intensified4 ,illustration3 ,a hot ,afternoon4 ,the ,soap-bath obtains a rapidly increasing number of adherents1 and when once the habit of taking it is formed1 it will not readily be abandoned1 as it forms one of the pleasures1 if not the pleasure of the day1 and moreover1 can be indulged in all the year round4 ,the fair sex will find the ,soap-bath vastly superior to any cosmetic3 it renders the skin as soft as an infant's1 and1 with increased health1 the complexion will appear more delicate and clear1 tinged with a healthy colour beyond the power of art to produce4 ,it appears from the evidence obtained by modern scientific research1 that hot water destroys the germinating power of malignant contagious diseases1 and that soap chemically poisons it4 ,these germs or spores are carried about by every wind that blows3 and when it is borne in mind that1 roughly speaking1 a million of such germs will lie on a threepenny-piece2 the value1 as a preventive of contagion1 of a thorough daily ablution with soap1 may be estimated4 ,the ,romans1 according to ,pliny1 raised the temperature of their air baths to almost boiling point1 and they were apparently well acquainted with the grateful and invigorating after-application of cold water4 ,it is no slight recommendation of the ,soap-bath1 that while being an absolute luxury both for the feeble and robust1 it cannot be resorted to as a mere indolent indulgence3 the lungs and muscles are called into full action1 a moderate though pleasant shock is encountered1 and the bather has the satisfaction of knowing that all the pleasure and advantages gained are actually earned4 ,the application of the ,soap-bath is very simple3 the bather is armed with a large lump of good ordinary yellow soap1 and a loose washing glove 7the white and very soft 8,turkish0 is the pleasantest1 or if a hard glove be preferred1 the 8,baden0 may be used7 big enough to come over the wrist1 and standing dcouvert in front of the washing basin containing hot water1 quickly and vigorously covers the body from head to foot with a thick and abundant lather4 ,by using hot water1 chills are avoided1 and the body is kept sufficiently warm to avoid the unpleasantness1 and often harm1 following repeated applications of mere handfuls of cold liquid4 ,the soap application may take about three or four minutes at most2 the very robust may use tepid water1 but most persons will find warm or hot more agreeable2 and more delicate persons whose finger-tips have the unpleasant habit of turning numb and white upon the application of cold water1 will find in the ,soap-bath an agreeable means of bathing otherwise perhaps unattainable4 ,cold bathing promotes vigour in the young and healthy1 and the ,soap-bath has the same effect in an intensified degree1 with the further inestimable advantage--except where there are positive indications of lung or heart disease--of being alike suitable to the robust and weakly4 ,with the body thoroughly warm comes the plunge into cold water1 which must be got over quickly--once1 twice1 or thrice1 overhead--but a couple of rapid dips are sufficient to remove every particle of soap4 ,a ,plunge-bath sunk below the surface of the bath-room1 lined with white glazed tiles1 and nearly full of clear water1 into which one can take a header1 and clamber out by the aid of a rope and gently sloping ladder1 is perhaps the best and most luxurious form2 it is to be regretted that there are few such baths in modern houses4 ,there are persons who habitually bathe in tepid water1 and remain splashing about for a considerable time1 but much greater benefit is to be derived1 and the body becomes infinitely more refreshed and invigorated by a shorter immersion in water of a lower temperature4 ,the head must remain uncovered and receive the full benefit of the cold water4 ,this may be a serious consideration for ladies1 but there is no choice3 the penalty for keeping the head dry will usually be a violent headache with the probable complaint that 8baths don't suit me10 but whether1 in the absence of wetting the head1 headache follows or not1 the health must suffer4 ,the momentary shock of the cold dip is succeeded by a delightful feeling of vital internal warmth--a delicious triumphant glow4 ,it is highly unadvisable to be leisurely over this part of the bath1 however one may dawdle in dressing3 the coldness of the water would gain upon the warmth of the body1 but without waiting for this1 the bather at once quits the cold bath1 and proceeds to make ample use of dry towels4 ,illustration3 ,a ,water-gate of ,bruges4 ,some bathers with tough cuticles affect the use of towels bearing to the touch a strong resemblance to rasps or wire brushes1 and affirm that everyone ought to use the very roughest that can be procured3 there are others1 on the contrary1 possessing an outer epidermis so delicately soft and velvet-like1 that very rough towels would1 if used1 cause insufferable agony1 and almost flay them alive2 what would be thought a rough towel by one1 producing after use a full glow1 would have no effect upon another4 ,the use of the flesh-brush1 after a thorough rub down with towels1 is to be commended for producing a more vigorous reaction2 there are many persons1 however1 whose skins are too delicate to allow of the application of the flesh-brush1 but this is of little moment1 as a moderately rough towel will with them produce as strong a reaction1 or as great a glow1 as the flesh-brush would with those possessing less sensitive skins4 ,illustration ,,after ,,the ,,bath4 ,a ,bath-,room1 if possible should certainly receive the benefit of the sun1 and in warm and genial weather the enjoyment of the bath will be heightened if the window be opened wide at the top4 ,when1 however1 the thermometer is in the neighbourhood of freezing point1 the atmosphere of the bath-room is to many intolerably cold1 and one may perhaps be sometimes tempted to raise the temperature of the cold water in the bath too high to produce the necessary shock with its pleasant and health-promoting reaction4 ,it is better1 by some means1 in cold weather1 to warm the bath-room and to keep the temperature of the cold water sufficiently low to produce the desired reaction4 ,drying and dressing may be comfortably gone through in front of a fire1 the use of which for this purpose is a positive advantage1 and will by no means1 as might perhaps be imagined1 tend to enervate or enfeeble1 or in any way lessen the pleasure and benefits to be derived from the bath2 a good fire on the contrary1 will act as a help in laying in an agreeable and valuable supply of warmth1 the advantage of which will be felt during the whole day4 ,only a very weakly person should take the bath in the bed-room1 as the air of the sleeping chamber must necessarily be more or less vitiated4 ,still1 better there than not at all1 and very likely1 after a few trials1 sufficient courage and energy will be found to enable the bather to get into fresher air4 ,the surface of the human body is protected by an oily film deposited by innumerable vessels1 so that after a dip into water the skin is not thoroughly wetted1 most of the water running from the body as from a duck's back4 ,after a ,soap-bath1 the bather will find himself thoroughly wet all over1 the skin being apparently saturated as if it were blotting paper2 both natural secretions and foreign matter will have yielded to the warm and cleansing bath of yellow soap and the after-application of cold water4 ,in conjunction with the ,soap-bath1 daily exercise after breakfast is not only desirable but necessary3 half-an-hour's ride1 a brisk walk1 or an open air game helps to circulate the blood and raise the spirits for the day4 ,if the accumulated effects of three hundred and sixty-five morning walks could be seen and judged1 perhaps business men would not be in quite so great a hurry1 after bolting their breakfast1 to rush into the omnibus or train4 ,half-an-hour apparently thus wasted is gained twice over during the day in better work more easily done4 ,a celebrated physician was once heard to say that he did not much care what atmosphere his patients lived in during the day so long as they breathed pure air at night2 but whether one resides in town or country1 it is impossible to breathe fresh air if the bed-room window be kept closed4 ,many people appear to be afraid of taking cold if they sleep with the bed-room window open3 never was a greater mistake4 ,the most delicately constituted maiden may1 with ordinary precaution1 and without the slightest fear of injury1 sleep with the bed-room window open almost all the year round1 and with the certainty of health and vigour being materially improved4 ,even this uncertain climate is seldom bad enough to compel complete closing up of the windows3 the bed must of course not be placed in a direct draught3 i4e4 between the open window and the fireplace4 ,,sponge ,,shower ,,baths4 ,many persons have to content themselves with a ,sponge-bath1 and although its invigorating effects are great1 and cold water daily applied externally--no matter how--hardens the body1 and keeps the system up to that high condition which makes the mere sense of living enjoyable1 the application of cold water--sometimes nearly freezing--by fits and starts as it were1 is not the most comfortable method of taking a bath1 and the preference will generally be given to that which enables one to dip overhead at once4 ,however1 after a long continued course of the ,plunge1 the ,sponge-bath will sometimes be found a positive relief1 and1 like a change of food1 will act as a whet to the appetite4 ,in taking such a bath it is desirable that the sponge be of large size1 and it should be placed in the bath1 charged with water1 ready for immediate use4 ,to obtain the fullest benefit in the most agreeable manner1 the charged sponge1 as the bather steps into the bath1 should be lifted and carried quickly to the back of the head1 which should be slightly inclined forward1 so that the bulk of the water will run down the spine and back2 the next spongeful should be almost instantaneously applied1 leaning forward1 to the top of the head1 and the third1 standing quite upright1 to the chest2 the arms and legs may then be separately treated3 and if desire be felt for more1 the application may be repeated to the back of the head and chest4 ,the species of cold bath following the hot is really of little moment1 it is simply a matter of taste and convenience2 and whether a plunge1 shower1 hip1 sitz1 or sponge-bath be used1 the pleasurable and beneficial results will be very much the same4 ,there are bathers who prefer a ,shower-bath1 and1 to those able to stand it1 nothing can be more agreeable and refreshing1 but it may be safely questioned whether a ,shower-bath taken on a cold wintry morning1 with the water all but freezing1 can possibly prove salutary even to the most robust4 ,nearly freezing water from a shower-bath produces a feeling something akin to what might be imagined to result from a shower of red-hot lead2 the shock is tremendous1 and the shower1 if continued for any length of time1 would assuredly cause asphyxia4 ,professor ,jamin shews conclusively that although ice is always at an uniform temperature of #cb1 water may remain liquid at a very much lower temperature if guarded from external disturbance4 ,the nerves must be thoroughly braced up to take such a bath3 the writer has a lively recollection of stepping into a shower-bath one intensely cold morning1 when1 the string being pulled1 not a drop of water descended2 the connections were all frozen1 and the bath was empty2 the shock resulting on that occasion from the absence of the water1 though of a negative and totally different description1 was really greater than would have been produced by the cold shower itself4 ,the ,shower-bath should be taken warmer than the ordinary cold bath2 the water may be advantageously placed in the bath on the previous evening1 and1 if necessary1 a little warm water added in the morning4 ,if headache follow1 or reaction be slow1 accompanied by shivering1 the shower must be discontinued1 and a milder bath resorted to4 ,,sea-,,bathing ,,swimming4 ,sea-bathing--at least in these islands--is generally believed in and largely practised1 and some persons1 by means of salts sold for that purpose1 produce a close imitation of sea-water for their daily tubbing4 ,a ,salt-bath thus prepared1 when its use conduces to the enjoyment and health of the bather1 is by no means to be discouraged1 and may advantageously follow the soap application in place of fresh water4 ,most of us must have noticed how renovating to enfeebled constitutions is the effect of even a short course of sea-bathing1 but it is equally patent that the good effects quickly wear off1 the physique returning shortly to its perhaps normal condition of relaxation and lassitude4 ,the daily use of the ,soap-bath keeps the constitution permanently braced up to that delightful condition experienced by so few1 that makes mere existence an absolute pleasure4 ,a preliminary course of ,sea-bathing is by no means necessary to bring about this pleasant condition of things4 ,salt-water is more energetic in its action on the skin than fresh1 and1 after a dip in the sea1 there is not the same liability to take cold from insufficient drying as after a fresh-water bath4 ,some bathers go so far as to habitually only half-dry themselves1 the saline particles left on the skin further exciting its action1 and producing a healthy and more vigorous glow4 ,children at the sea-side may safely be allowed1 without the slightest fear of taking cold1 to dabble and patter about in the little pools left by the receding tide3 their constitutions will be positively invigorated and improved4 ,a love of cold-water bathing can perhaps be carried to excess1 as in the case of those self-devoted ,spartan swimmers1 who1 every morning1 even in winter1 assemble on the banks of the ,serpentine1 and audaciously defying their own instinct1 plunge into the freezing water1 even though they have first to break through the icy covering under which it is concealed by nature3 the strongest constitution must suffer sooner or later from this treatment4 ,illustration3 ,taking the ,plunge4 ,boys and girls ought to be taught swimming at school as they are taught gymnastics and calisthenics--as a matter of course4 ,we ought1 as islanders1 to be swimmers1 and it is to be regretted that we are not3 swimmers are of necessity bathers1 but bathers are not always1 as they should be1 swimmers4 ,the percentage of swimmers in this country is perhaps considerably less than might be expected by those who have not given any thought to the subject1 and yet the art itself is a necessary one1 easy to acquire1 healthy1 and sometimes of the greatest possible service4 ,when once learned the action of swimming comes as naturally as walking1 and doubtless man in a state of nature1 would1 like a dog1 swim at once if thrown into the water4 ,swimming is an art which seems to incorporate itself into the physique1 and become part of one's being--at any rate1 it can never be forgotten1 and a person finding himself unexpectedly in deep water1 after a twenty years' rest from swimming1 will strike out as naturally and surely1 and with little more effort1 than if the practice had never been given up4 ,rowing-men are usually swimmers1 or they ought to be4 ,to appreciate river life one must go to bed early and get up early2 ten o'clock should be the latest hour at which to turn in1 but after an extra hard day's pull the sheets will be welcome by nine4 ,to enjoy thorough fatigue one must do a hard day's work in the open air4 ,up in the morning betimes1 garments hastily donned1 a sharp pull to the nearest bathing place1 where one can dive in and have a few minutes delicious swim1 and back to breakfast--and such a breakfast6 ,or possibly the way lies through the fields where the grass is knee-deep and saturated with refreshing dew3 then off come shoes and socks1 the trousers are well tucked-up1 and one gets what a hydropath would possibly term a leg-bath--in reality a delicious1 fragrant dew-bath1 which1 though more than cool1 is mightily enjoyable and never seems to give cold4 ,illustration3 ,the dew-bath4 ,small-boned and fleshy persons naturally make the best swimmers1 but it must not be supposed that thin people cannot learn to swim1 and swim well4 ,the writer well remembers seeing one morning at ,brill's swimming baths1 ,brighton1 a young fellow who had just stepped from his dressing-box ready for a plunge4 ,he was standing where the water is deepest1 and judging by his appearance he literally could not have had an ounce of flesh to spare4 ,it was absurd to suppose that so thin a man could swim1 and his movements were curiously watched4 ,after hesitating an instant1 apparently measuring the size of the bath1 he shot into the water head first as if propelled from a catapult1 and shortly reappeared half-way across the bath1 having swum the distance under water2 he proved himself a thorough master of the element4 ,it appeared that although passionately fond of the water he could only keep himself afloat by constant muscular exertion of both arms and legs2 he was too thin to float naturally1 and could not venture to swim out a greater distance than he felt sure of covering on his return4 ,tuition in swimming has been for some time past1 and is now1 given gratuitously in town by the ,london ,swimming ,club1 from the persevering and enthusiastic ,honorary ,secretary of which--,mr4 ,j4 ,garrett ,elliott1 #ad1 ,finsbury ,square--particulars may be obtained4 ,illustration ,,notes4 ,bathing after hard exercise must be indulged in judiciously3 a bath after a day's shooting or cricketing1 or an afternoon at lawn-tennis--to an enthusiast1 who really plays1 by far the hardest and most tiring form of amusement of the three--is pleasant and invigorating1 and better understood than when it was an article of faith that to plunge into cold water1 when heated1 was almost equivalent to committing suicide4 ,our grandmothers who adopted this view1 were not like some of the present generation of girls educated at ,girton and ,zurich1 or they might have called to mind ,homer's graphic description of the nocturnal expedition of ,ulysses and ,diomede to the ,trojan camp1 and their refreshing plunge into the sea when they returned reeking with heat and moisture from their successful raid2 certainly none need fear to follow the example of such an old soldier as the cautious ,ithacan4 ,illustration3 ,a ,midsummer ,night's dip4 ,a plunge into cold water when one is warm from exercise is intensely grateful1 and may be indulged in with impunity even when much heated1 provided the plunge be taken the moment the clothes are removed2 the danger is in standing about on the brink1 during which time the body rapidly cools1 and cold may be taken4 ,although perfectly safe to plunge into cold water1 no matter how much the body may be heated1 care must be taken to avoid it if there are feelings of lassitude and exhaustion2 these are sure signs of over fatigue1 and a cold bath under such circumstances is not only weakening1 but might prove absolutely dangerous4 ,a complete change of clothing must be ready1 both for comfort1 and to prevent any chance of taking cold through putting on clothes rendered damp by previous exercise4 ,the morning-bath forms a tolerably sure index as to the manner in which the previous evening has been spent4 ,morning exhaustion1 and antipathy to cold water1 may follow after an evening's dancing with its attendant late hours1 and nature will probably protest against too great a shock3 it will be advisable to take the cold bath from five to ten degrees warmer than usual1 or it may be deferred two or three hours4 ,the much vexed question as to the advisability of continuing the bath through a severe and prolonged1 or even an ordinary winter1 must be left open1 as it is not only unadvisable but absolutely impossible to lay down fixed rules4 ,each bather must be guided entirely by his own state of health and sense of vitality4 ,even among the well-to-do1 the bath is by no means so universal or so well appreciated as might be desired1 the daily thorough ablution being looked upon by too many as a necessarily unpleasant process to be shunned or superficially hurried through1 with no enjoyment and little advantage3 thorough ablution in the form of the ,soap-bath is an absolute luxury1 and moreover is followed by an immediate increase of health1 strength and mental vigour4 ,the primary object of taking a bath is cleanliness1 and it is now better understood that the mere application of cold water to the skin does not cleanse1 but merely closes the pores1 the after vigorous use of towels doing so still further by rubbing in the impurities and natural secretions of the skin4 ,cleanliness in connection with the bath should be strictly enforced3 it should be cleaned and dried daily and occasionally scrubbed1 and the washing glove well rinsed after use4 ,the delicately-soft skin of ,egyptian women is said to be produced by the habitual use of the loofah1 a fibrous flesh-glove woven by ,dame ,nature1 the use of which is to be commended for finally cleansing the skin after the soap application with the ordinary washing glove4 ,the loofah not only readily removes every particle of soap1 but acts as a mildly invigorating flesh-glove1 increases the suppleness of the skin in a marked degree1 and moreover possesses the happy faculty of completely rinsing itself the moment it is dipped into water4 ,some persons discard the washing glove altogether1 and use a loofah for applying the soap to the body3 loofahs are of different degrees of texture1 and when thus used1 a fine close quality should be selected4 ,the sponge after use should be dipped in clean water and pressed out--not wrung1 which tends to tear it--as nearly dry as possible3 if habitually left charged with water1 or--as sometimes done with a vague idea of sweetening--put out wet in the sun to dry1 it will not only rot quickly but probably smell offensively1 and even become unpleasant to the touch4 ,to restore its sweetness1 the sponge should be placed for a day or so in a basin of water in which a large piece of washing soda has been dissolved3 the water should be changed once or twice1 or oftener if necessary1 and the sponge well squeezed out each time4 ,a word about the soap3--the best1 perhaps1 is that known as 8,john ,knight's ,primrose10 an ordinary yellow soap1 sweet and sound1 and apparently containing none of the foreign matter sometimes found in soaps of a commoner and cheaper description4 ,scented soap must be avoided1 especially for using habitually and liberally over the whole body4 ,decidedly unpleasant feelings1 in some cases amounting to a positive loathing1 occasionally follow the preliminary wetting of the feet on stepping into cold water3 it may be taken for granted that such antipathy is by no means imaginary1 but simply nature's protest4 ,the use is recommended1 in conjunction with the ,sponge-bath1 of a broad stool 7heavily weighted at the bottom1 to prevent risk of upsetting7 covered loosely with carpet1 and high enough to reach above the level of the water when placed in the middle of the bath3 the piece of carpet may be dried each day after use2 or a ,sponge-bath may be readily constructed with a fixed raised centre of metal forming a portion of the bath1 the bather standing as it were on an island3 the feet may thus at first be kept dry1 and the preliminary shock received on the head and shoulders2 persons who in despair had almost given up the ,soap-bath1 are by this means enabled to enjoy it without discomfort4 ,the temperature of the warm water with the soap application may vary from #ge to #ie1 or even #ajj2 it ought to be hot enough for the bather to feel it thoroughly grateful and comforting4 ,the cold may vary from #cj to #gj1 and it may be borne in mind that as great a shock will be produced with the higher temperature on an enfeebled or weakly constitution1 as with the lower on a strong and robust3 the bather must be guided by his own feelings4 ,as a rough guide for those in moderate health1 #ij for the warm and #fj for the cold may be taken as convenient4 ,illustration3 ,cyprus--ware sharks4 ,the necessity of getting quickly over the second or cold application must be strongly urged3 in and out again must be the rule and not the exception4 ,any one may observe what takes place when the body is immersed in cold water3 first comes the sharp1 half-pleasing1 half-painful sensation of cold1 almost immediately followed by a consciousness of internal warmth1 the duration of which will be in proportion to the power of the organization to keep up this counteraction4 ,the cold water slowly but surely absorbs and extracts the vital heat2 if the bath be unduly prolonged1 chilliness1 shivering1 numbness1 and exhaustion follow1 and although the unpleasant symptoms will probably shortly disappear1 the bather will have lost rather than gained in point of health4 ,no notion of 8getting used to it10 or of cultivating hardiness and endurance1 should induce one to venture near the stage commencing with chilliness2 by so doing the stock of health is wasted instead of increased3 the mere patient endurance of cold cannot possibly do good1 although it may unquestionably do a great deal of harm4 ,many persons suffer severely in winter from cold feet1 with the attendant penalties of chilblains1 colds1 sore throat1 and personal discomfort4 ,it is well known to medical men that1 when the feet are cold1 the system is far more readily accessible to the attacks of disease1 and to keep them warm1 more especially during the early hours of the morning and after the bath1 is1 with some persons1 almost an impossibility4 ,singers--both amateur and professional--suffer1 certainly in this climate1 more or less severely from affections--difficult to guard against--of the throat1 induced in the majority of cases by cold1 which first attacks the extremities4 ,in lately consulting ,dr4 ,llewelyn ,thomas1 he suggested as a future safeguard the wearing of shoes or slippers 7made by ,whiteley1 of ,westbourne ,grove7 of a description calculated not only to retain the natural heat of the body but to absolutely exclude cold and draughts4 ,the material is a dark felt1 lined with thick white fur2 the shoes are open down the sides1 but the openings are heavily covered with a dark fur1 effectually excluding draughts4 ,there are no laces or fastenings of any kind1 and the shoes are slipped on or off in a moment4 ,it need not be imagined that because the daily application of cold water in the luxurious form of the ,soap-bath be strongly urged1 it is desirable to inure the body in the manner advocated at the early part of this century1 when bare-kneed little children--robust or weakly--were exposed insufficiently clothed to the inclemency of the weather under the mistaken idea of hardening them--hardening some1 no doubt1 but killing a great many more4 ,the power to resist cold means the power to resist disease1 and to be proof against intense cold1 one must not only be well fed1 and warmly clad1 but thoroughly warm before exposure to the cold atmosphere out of doors4 ,protected by sufficient clothing1 the body acts as a sort of store-house of heat1 and a sufficiently large stock of warmth absorbed in the morning will last all day1 and fresh supplies will be drawn from the heat-producing food consumed4 ,a shivering child sent out of doors for violent exercise may certainly get warm1 but it does so at the expense of its own vital energy4 ,the essential that must not only be looked for1 but positively and rapidly attained1 is the reaction from the shock produced by the cold water3 the heart is actively excited1 and the blood propelled with unusual force through the system2 the temperature of the body rapidly rises1 and a general glow supervenes1 accompanied with mixed feelings of increased vitality1 buoyancy and exhilaration1 difficult to describe4 ,with the non-robust the stay in the cold water can hardly be made too short3 the principal shock is produced from the first application1 and the endeavour ought rather to be to get out as quickly as possible1 than to stay in under the mistaken notion of deriving increased benefit4 ,should the stay be even a trifle too prolonged1 the reaction will be proportionately slow1 and by no means so pleasant2 or proper reaction may be made almost impossible1 with the result of coldness1 shivering1 violent headache1 slow pulse and probable sickness4 ,it must1 however1 never be lost sight of that these unpleasantnesses are absolutely under the control of the bather1 and never arise except with the very ignorant or very foolish3 speedy reaction must be attained and can invariably be secured1 even by the most feeble1 provided the unpardonable and suicidal sin of too long a stay in the cold water be avoided4 ,should the reaction after a ,sponge-bath be very slow1 it may be hastened by the previous addition to the water of a small wine-glassful of eau-de-cologne1 spirits of wine1 or spirits of any description1 whiskey being perhaps best4 ,the ,soap-bath may be commenced at any period of the year1 and if children are induced to take it as a treat1 rather than from any other point of view1 they will soon become as partial to its use as their elders4 ,in slight colds the bath may be continued1 but in the rare case of an extremely violent one1 or affection of the throat1 the bather1 however much against his will1 must perforce give it up for a time4 ,illustration3 ,taking the waters4 ,those who habituate themselves to the indulgence of the ,soap-bath become1 as it were1 case-hardened1 and can seldom be persuaded to forego their daily pleasure1 much less to abandon the habit3 by its use the body arrives and remains at its highest state of physical vigour2 the power of resisting sudden changes of temperature is greatly increased1 and liability to colds correspondingly lessened1 while there is an almost absolute freedom from danger of infection and epidemic attacks4 ,the ,soap-bath is a source of immense and constant physical gratification2 food is keenly enjoyed1 the muscles get hard and firm1 and the skin soft as satin1 while vigorous health and feelings of mental and animal enjoyment are produced attainable perhaps by no other means4 ,existence becomes what it was intended1 and what it certainly ought to be--a positive pleasure3 the numerous unpleasantnesses and dyspeptic ailments incidental to a low state of bodily health glide into the past1 and their very recollection almost disappears4 ,illustration ,,addenda4 ,since going to press the author's attention has been drawn--not over-courteously perhaps--by certain manufacturers to the sweeping denunciation in this ,sketch of the habitual use of scented soaps2 but after a careful examination and trial of various kinds1 one alone--known as ,pears' transparent soap--may in his opinion be safely indicated as a pure detergent in every way suitable for ,luxurious ,bathing4 ,field ,tuer1 ,ye ,leadenhalle ,presse1 ,london1 ,e4,c4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- 8,hundreds of clever young men1 who are now living at home and doing nothing1 might be earning very tolerable incomes by their pens if they only knew how40--,the ,nineteenth ,century4 ,journals and ,journalism3 ,with a ,guide for ,literary ,beginners1 ,,by ,,john ,,oldcastle4 ,contents3 ,literary ,amateurs4 ,introductions to ,editors4 ,returned with thanks4 ,how to begin4 ,pounds1 ,shillings and ,pence4 ,the ,literary ,career3 ,i4 ,the ,fair ,side4 ,,ii4 ,the ,seamy ,side4 ,in an ,editor's ,chair4 ,a ,miscellaneous ,chapter4 ,literary ,copyright4 ,ten ,journalistic ,commandments4 ,how to ,correct ,proofs4 8,this volume10 says the ,athenum1 8will be studded with the autographs of literati1 and is written by a practical journalist40 ,,price ,,three ,,shillings ,,and ,,sixpence4 ,,london3 ,field ,tuer1 ye ,leadenhalle ,presse1 #ej1 ,leadenhalle ,street1 ,e4,c4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,transcriber',s ,,notes #a4 ,silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling4 #b4 ,archaic1 non-standard1 and uncertain spellings retained as printed4 #c4 ,enclosed italics font in underscores4 #d4 ,superscripts are denoted by a caret before a single superscript character1 e4g4 ,mr4