Olivia P asked:

In her letter, Jane discusses how bathing has tired her. It seems like bathing/swimming would indeed be very tiring when wearing bulky bathing clothes. Would she have used a bathing machine? How much would use of a bathing machine have cost? Were bathing machines used only by people of means or were they affordable for the average person (whatever that is!)?

In Letter 39 JA wrote from Lyme Regis:

Friday Eveng. -- The Bathing was so delightful this morning & Molly so pressing with me to enjoy myself that I believe I staid in rather too long, as since the middle of the day I have felt unreasonably tired. I shall be more careful another time, & shall not bathe tomorrow, as I had before intended.

Sea bathing was seen not really as a leisure pursuit in our era, more as something to promote health. This was all put in motion by a Dr Richard Russell, a native of Lewes in Sussex. It was he who from the 1740s, and perhaps even before, who prescribed sea bathing and even the drinking of sea-water for many ailments, and the popularity of sea-bathing rapidly increased.

Here is a picture of the title page and frontispiece to the first Irish edition of his influential work.

And this is Dr Russell in all his glory:

Bathing-machines appeared on the beach at Scarborough

circa 1735- the northern haunt of Miss Bingley et al in P+P- and were certainly at Brighton by 1750, and here although bathing was initially mixed, separate beaches for the sexes were later established, the ladies' beach being just east of the Steine with the gentlemen's to the west.

This picture by Thomas Rowlandson, from his work An Excursion to Brightelmstone (1790) shows the first bathing “ machines “ on Brighton beach , with the seaman and fishermen of the old trade which once dominated the town, mending their nets to the right of the picture ;-)

In 1776 Dr Samuel Johnson bathed at Brighton, and when the Prince of Wales expressed his pleasure at the practice during his first visit in 1783 the future and fashionableness of sea-bathing was assured. In the early nineteenth century some doctors even advocated bathing in cold water throughout the winter. This is a picture of the rather formidable Martha Gunn by Robert Deighton. She was a very famous “ dipper’ . Her job was to dip the female bather vigourosly into the sea water when she emerged form her bathing machine-even if she was rather reluctant to go into the water!. ( Gentlemen were similarly plunged into the sea by “Bathers”)

What ladies wore when bathing in the sea seems to have evolved from the type of clothing worn at spas like Bath when being immersed into the spa waters:

The dress worn by those who actually immersed themselves in the waters was described by Celia Feinnes, a connoisseur of spas, who visited Bath both before and after 1700:

“The Ladys goes into the bath with garments made of fine yellow canvas, which is stiff and made large with great sleeves like a parsons gown, the water fills it up so that it is borne off that your shape is not seen, it does not cling as close as other lining…the Gentlemen have drawers and waistcoats of the same sort of canvas ,this is the best linning for the bath water will change any other sort of yellow.”

As the lady rose out of the water up a flight of steps another garment of “Flannel made like a nightgown with great sleeves” was slipped on as the other was removed. By the 1770s the yellow linen gown had become a jacket and a petticoat of brown linen, “ with chip hats in which they fix their handkerchiefs to wipe the sweat off their faces”(from Tobias Smollet: The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle).

Not all visitors to Bath subjected themselves to public appearance in this uniform. Evelina in Fanny Burney’s novel , no doubt spoke for many who were,“amazed at the public exhibition of the ladies in the bath :it is true their heads are covered with bonnets, but the idea of being seen in such a situation by whoever pleases to look is indelicate "(see p393, Oxford World Classics Edition ).

The Eighteenth-Century position regarding clothes was ,I suppose, an improvement on the situation in the 17th century when people used to bathe naked in the baths. See Anne Buck Dress in Eighteenth-Century England

This is a picture of a ladies bathing ensemble from 1800: a Circassian Ladies Corset and Seaside Bathing Dress Invented and to be had exclusively from Mrs Bell 26 Charlotte Square, London. You can see the hooded bathing machines in the background of the picture.

These hoods attached to the Bathing machines were called "tilts" and were used as an extra "modesty" precaution.

Here are some more bathing machines with tilts attached from my 1816 copy of A Guide to all the Sea Bathing and Watering Places etc by R Phillips.

There were bathing machines at Lyme: this is a description of the interior of a bathing hut, again by Tobias Smollet via his creation Jeremy Melford :

Image to yourself a small, snug, wooden chamber, fixed upon a wheel-carriage, having a door at each end, and on each side a little window above, a bench below - The bather, ascending into this apartment by wooden steps, shuts himself in, and begins to undress, while the attendant yokes a horse to the end next the sea, and draws the carriage forwards, till the surface of the water is on a level with the floor of the dressing-room, then he moves and fixes the horse to the other end - The person within being stripped, opens the door to the sea-ward, where he finds the guide ready, and plunges headlong into the water - After having bathed, he re-ascends into the apartment, by the steps which had been shifted for that purpose, and puts on his clothes at his leisure, while the carriage is drawn back again upon the dry land; so that he has nothing further to do, but to open the door, and come down as he went up - Should he be so weak or ill as to require a servant to put off and on his clothes, there is room enough in the apartment for half a dozen people." See The Expedition of Humphry Clinker (1771) "Letter To Sir Watkin Phillips, Bart. of Jesus college, Oxon. from Jeremy Melford Morpeth July 13", page 213.

Elizabeth Ham in 1802 wrote about the situation where no bathing machines were to be had:

I never enjoyed such bathing before or since. We had made our bathing dresses of green baize, and used to threaten to trim them with sea weed and cockle shells, but this we never did. What we used to do was to rise early, put on our bathing dresses, with a loose wrapper and a shawl over, slip our feet in warm slippers, and with a bonnet on our heads our toilet was done. The servant girl with a bundle containing our linen and petticoats, with sheets and towels followed us to the shore . . . We were ready to take to the water in a minute. We used to stoop and let the rolling waves sweep over us, or throw ourselves head foremost into the deepest, and tumble over to our feet again somehow or other.

Elizabeth Ham, 1783-1820 by herself, ed. E. G. Gillett.

I'm afraid I have no details of the cost of hiring these bating huts, Olivia: however it was most definitely a genteel activity as the following extract from Poetical Sketches of Scarborough, (1813) by John B. Papworth illustrated by Thomas Rowlandson reveals, along with all the fears and claims and slight sauciness involved in early 19th century sea bathing ;-)

SEA BATHING.

THREE hours, at least, the pacing sun

Had his diurnal course begun,

And thrown his bright resplendent rays

On mountain tops and tranquil seas.

Refreshing was the morning gale,

That fill'd full many a distant sail.

The gentle wave refused to roar

And only kiss'd the pebbly shore.

Hygeia sat upon the brow

That overlook'd the flood below,

Dispensing health to those who sought

By watery plunge or briny draught,

Her wholesome aid and fostering care

Or strength to give or to repair.

Such was the morn, bright and serene,

When Lady Bustleton was seen,

Who had arrived the night before,

To stand admiring on the shore.

Her sister Tab, a maiden lady,

Who had some time been past her hey-day;

Two misses, of no common mien,

Who the world's pleasures had not seen;

But had at home learn'd Fal, La, La,

From private masters and mamma;

And Tommy a fine sprightly boy,

His aunt's delight and mother's joy,

The party form'd, whom coach and four

Had brought an hundred miles and more,

To where the wayward Muse has found 'em

Gazing at every thing around 'em.

The Baronet refused to roam,

And therefore grumbling stay'd at home.

While Caroline her glass was trimming,

To see the gentlemen a-swimming;

While sister Betsy sought a store

Of pretty pebbles on the shore;

And little Tommy, all astride,

Upon his cock-horse chose to ride;

The following colloquy began

Between the ladies and a man,

Who sought with all humility To introduce them to the Sea:

"And please your Ladyship, I beg

"In my machine you'll put a leg:"

A better you cannot command

"Of all you see upon the strand;

"While my wife, who for many a year

"Has waited on the gentry here.

"Will please you madam to a T,

"(As if you try her, you will see)

"Undress and dress you in a trice,

"Arrange your ribbands all so nice,

"And stick each pin into it's place;

"For she has waited on her Grace,

"And many a noble Lady too,

"With such great Quality as you."

"All this is well," Aunt Tabby said,

"You seem, my friend, to know your trade:

"But while I see those ladies splashing,

"Pray tell me who are yonder dashing?"

"-Sir Harry, and Lord John no doubt;

"Like Dolphins they can swim about."

-Aunt Tabby started with affright,

When she beheld the horrid sight.

"The thoughts of bathing thus I hate;

"Nought can be so indelicate

"Besides a sailor, two leagues off,

"May turn his glass, and spy and scoff:

"And, after all, I do not know

"What good salt water can bestow."

-"Believe me, Ma'am, a daily dip

"Will rubify the cheek and lip.

"If you're too fat, 'twill make you thin;

"And if the bones invade the skin,

"Twill in a month their sharpness cover,

"And clothe them well with flesh all over.

"The sea's the mill that people mean,

"To make the old grow young again.

"Now ladies the machine is ready,

"My wife prepared, the black horse steady;

"Tom Careful will the beast bestride,

"And be your La'ship's Honour's guide.

"Oh how delighted you will be,

"When you are splashing in the Sea.

"And if to me you'll trust young Master',

Well then," said Lady Bustleton,

"Of the sea-party I'll be one:

"The girls shall also take their places,

"And in it's waves may wash their faces."

"Tabby exclaim'd;

"If you should please

"To play such silly freaks as these,

"Why, wives may take these liberties.

"But, Sister, sure 'twill not be wise,

"To let the girls employ their eyes

"On such strange sights as they may see,

"Not fit for either them or me."

La, Aunt," the smiling Misses cried,

"We're surely not to be denied

"To do whate'er Mamma may do;

"For we hope to be married too,

"And so, Aunt Tabby, so do you."

Thus the old maid outvoted stood

And watch'd the ebbings of the flood;

But did not like to stand alone,

When all the rest of them were gone:

SO bribed the dame of a machine,

To let her sit awhile within.

Thus as she chatted of the weather,

And who and who were got together:

The driver, as a thing of course,

To the machine attach'd his horse,

Which suddenly was put in motion,

And Tabby dragg'd into the Ocean.

Now, though this lady had miscarried

In that same wish of getting married,

She still possess'd the worldly science,

Which to a scrape can bid defiance;

And knew full well, if once the tale

Should in the public rooms prevail,

The dashing folks would have a reason

For quizzing her throughout the season.

Thus, when surrounded with salt water,

She burst into a fit of laughter,

And through the window stole a peep

To see her nieces take a leap.

"Tell me," she said, "what fish is yonder!"

"No fish, I'm sure, but 'Squire Blunder,

"And just beside us here's another,

"A comely man, Lord Something's brother.

"They do no harm, my Lady; they

"Here in the waves but frisk and play,

"And sport about to take a view "

OF such fine noble forms as you.

"The Ladies, dress'd in flannel-cases,

"Show nothing but their handsome faces.

"Besides, so noble is your mien,

"To such advantage you'll be seen,

"That all the Gem'men will agree,

"You are the Beauty of the Sea."

"Well, then," said Tabby,

"I'll prepare

"To make the saucy fellows stare.

"-But stop a moment:-You must know

"That not above three months ago,

"A fever robb'd me of my hair,

"And left my head so bald and bare,

"That to do justice to my face

"A wig has since supplied it's place.

"So till another time I'll stay,

"And put off bathing for to-day"

"-Oh no, here's Lady Bumpkin's tresses

"In which, to bathe, she always dresses:

"For grey her hair has long been grown,

"And then she paints her eye-brows brown."

To this Aunt Tabby did agree,

And soon went headlong in the Sea.

The Sea received the virtuous maid,

Who no unseemly fears betray'd

But look'd about her undismay'd. )

Then soon with all the pleasing glow,

Which the salt waves so oft bestow,

She sought the ready handmaid's care,

And found each kind attention there. -

From nieces, when their aunt was seen

Descending quick from the machine,

Sprung forth with eager step to meet her,

And with a cheerful welcome greet her.

Thus laughing loud in accents gay,

Homeward they, took their pleasant way,

With stomachs keen and looks bewitching,

To breed a famine in the kitchen.

I hope that helps...... and on that note I am now going to close down this Group Read of this section of Jane Austen's leeters.

I am not sure if or when the next Group Read of the letters will take place but if there is to be one it will be announced in the usual fashion on the Announcements page,the L+T board and Ramble.

Thanks to you all for reading along and especially to Moni,Caitlin and Cathy Allen for your thoughtful comments.