Bath—The City Of Mineral Springs.

THE GRAND PUMP 310031 HOTEL , HATH .

ceremony whicli was attended by members of the Grand Lodge of England , and by twenty-nine Provincial Grand Lodges from the counties of Somerset , Devon , Gloucester , Dorset , Hants , and Warwick . It was this visit which suggested the title of what is now the strongest of the local lodges—the Royal Sussex , No . 53 . To the present hall ,

however , the greatest interest attaches , for it was this same building in Orchard Street that was the old Bath Theatre , at a period when the drama in Bath was at the zenith of its glory . Its manager and proprietor was none other than John Palmer , the originator of the mail coach system , and it was long regarded as the dramatic nursery for the London

stage . Here , Mrs . Siddons , the great queen of tragedy , played for three pounds a week , and laid the foundations of her unrivalled career ; it was here that Robert William Elliston made his first bow to the public ; here , Sheridan , whose lodgings were hard by , himself conducted rehearsals for the " School for Scandal" portions of whichsays

, , Mr . B . S . Penley , in his " History of the Bath Stage , " undoubtedly had their origin in the gossip in which the scandalmongers that frequented the pump room indulged ; while it was on the same stage a month after its first production at Covent Garden that "The Rivals" was performed ,

that famous comedy woven by Sheridan round the story of his own romantic wooing of the beautiful Miss Linley at Bath . The history of the building as a play-house closed upon the erection of the present theatre in 1805 , and after serving for a long period as a church for the Catholic community , it was procured by the Freemasons ' , and subsequently transformed

into one of the most handsome and best arranged Masonic lodges in the provinces . About ten years ago it underwent complete re-decoration and many other improvements were effected at a cost of about ^ 1000 , so that even apart from its historic past , it remains to-day a building in which the Freemasons of the city manifest a natural sense of pride . At

the back of the Worshipful Afaster's chair is a reredos of singular grace and beauty , believed to be the work of Wood , the famous architect , to whose genius Bath owes so much of its architectural dignity . The organ in use at the hall has likewise an interesting history , it being the instrument upon which Herschelthe great astronomerplayed at

, , the time that he was organist of the Octagon Proprietory Chapel at Bath . Besides affording accommodation for the lodges already mentioned , it is the meeting-place of two other Craft lodges , the Lodge of Honour , No . 379 , and the Royal Albert Edward , No . 906 , while it is the home also of the Royal Cumberland and Royal Sussex Mark

Lodges , the Royal Cumberland and Royal Sussex Arch Chapters , the Antiquity Preceptory , and the Bladud Preceptory of the Knights Templar . The hall is a very commodious one , with an ante-room adjoining , over which is the supper room , capable of seating about sixty , and a small Past Afasters' room . 'The present Masters of the Craft lodges are :

W . Bro . W . F . Cooling , Royal Cumberland No . 41 ; W . Bro . Egbert Lewis , Royal " Sussex , No . 53 ; W . Bro . A'Deane Gent-Wood , Lodge of Honour , No . 379 ; and W . Bro . G . H . Tucker , Royal Albert Edward , No . 906 . ! But while peculiar interest attaches to Bath ' s Afasonic associationsno article on any phase of the city ' s history

, could be considered complete without due reference to the great gift of nature which , after all , constitutes the city ' s chief attraction and best right to fame . Wbile it cannot be suggested that the healing springs of Bath are a panacea for all the ills that flesh is heir to , their record of many centuries undoubtedly stands unrivalled by any other health resort at

home or abroad . There seems latterly , too , an indication that English people are beginning to realise the folly of fatiguing journeys to Continental Spas for the mere sake of mineral water and medical treatment , while such unique opportunities as Bath affords are so easily within their reach .

Certainly nothing more luxurious or on a greater scale of medical completeness could be desired than is to be obtained to-da \ - in the magnificent suites of modern bathing establishments at Bath , and with a system embracing all the latest scientific methods of applying its world-renowned waters , it is not surprising to find the city once more enjoying

a wonderful return of prosperity . The handsome building shown in close proximity to the old pump room in the accompanying illustration , has been erected during the last few years around those remarkable remains of the Roman occupation which furnish such an inexhaustible interest for visitors from all parts of the world . The main structure

contains a large and attractive concert hall with drawing and smoking rooms for visitors , while the great Roman bath is surrounded with terraces for promenading . No more interesting connecting link between the modern and the ancient world than this building constitutes could probably be found anywherethe colossal remains of the great baths of the

, Romans being in themselves worth a long pilgrimage to see . When it is remembered also that apart from these unrivalled attractions , Bath , is one of the most beautiful cities in the kingdom , little wonder is it that as a health resort of the first rank , it has successfully withstood the test of time and the idiosyncracies of fashion . L . H . WILSON .