Posted by The Mysterious H.C. on July 14, 1997 at 11:59:27:

In reply to Bathing machines posted by Carl Gossd/ab on July 14, 1997 at 11:41:44

] There is a reference to bathing machines in Sanditon. Anybody got any idea what sort of machines these might be? What might they look like?
___________

Carl, they're not really "machines", but just a kind of wagon that was pulled up to the shore and served as a moveable changing room. The wagon had two doors, and you'd enter by the one that was away from the sea, change inside the wagon to your "bathing dress", and then exit by other door, which faced on to the sea. Sometimes the sea side of the wagon had kind of an awning you could pull down to "bathe" (not "swim") in relative seclusion. Bathing machines are mentioned in Smollet's Humphrey Clinker (written about 1770), and survived on into the Victorian era; here's a quote from The Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll:

"Come, listen, my men, while I tell you again

The five unmistakable marks

By which you may know, wheresoever you go,

The warranted genuine Snarks.

"Let us take them in order. The first is the taste,

Which is meager and hollow, but crisp:

Like a coat that is rather too tight in the waist,

With a flavor of Will-o-the-wisp.

"Its habit of getting up late you'll agree

That it carries too far, when I say

That it frequently breakfasts at five-o'clock tea, And dines on the following day.

"The third is its slowness in taking a jest.

Should you happen to venture on one,

It will sigh like a thing that is deeply distressed:

And it always looks grave at a pun.

"The fourth is its fondness for bathing-machines,

Which is constantly carries about,

And believes that they add to the beauty of scenes--

A sentiment open to doubt."

Follow Ups:

• Re: Bathing machines--images Jessamyn 00:51:10 7/15/97 (1)
  • this link should actually work Jessamyn 01:00:47 7/15/97 (0)
• So THAT'S what they're called! Nan 16:28:44 7/14/97 (0)
• Re: Bathing machines Kathleen T 14:59:00 7/14/97 (1)
  • Re: Bathing machines AnneM 16:27:22 7/14/97 (0)
• Thanks, because Caroline is on vacation Amy 13:27:42 7/14/97 (0)

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