The chief public buildings are the Pump Room, rebuilt in 1796, and considerably extended in recent times; the Guildhall, built in 1768-75, containing some good portraits; the Upper Assembly Rooms (1771); the Royal Institution (1824), on the site of the old Assembly Rooms, the scene of Nash’s triumphs; the Mineral Water Hospital (1737); and the Holbourne Art Museum (containing a large number of pictures, many of which are unfortunately not the “old masters” they profess to be, some good porcelain, and a fine collection of “Apostle” spoons).  Hetling House in Hetling Court was once a mansion of the Hungerfords.  The public grounds are the Victoria Park, Sydney Gardens, Henrietta Park, and the Institute Gardens (subscribers only).

[Illustration:  ROMAN BATHS, BATH]

Roman Baths.  The waters from which Bath gets its fame are believed to owe their origin to the surface drainage of the E. Mendips, which percolates through some vertical fissure, perhaps at Downhead, to the heart of the hills, and are conducted by some natural culvert beneath the intervening coal measures, washing out as they go the soluble mineral salts, and whilst still retaining their heat emerge again at the first opportunity at Bath.  The Romans were the first to make use of this natural lavatory, and with their unrivalled engineering skill founded here a magnificent bathing establishment.  Though the fact of their occupation of the site was long known, the extent and magnitude of their arrangements have only lately been laid bare.  Thanks to the skill and intelligence with which a thorough investigation of the site was made by the city architect in 1881, every visitor to Bath has now an opportunity of examining the finest extant specimen of a Roman bathing station in the world.  The entrance to these antiquities is through a corridor to the left of the Pump Room (admission 6d.).  This passage opens upon a modern balcony overlooking the great central basin.  To investigate the ruins, a descent must be made by the staircase to the basement.  The Great Bath is a rectangular tank 111 feet by 68 feet, originally lined with lead 1/4 inch thick.  It was surrounded with dressing-rooms, from which steps led down to the water.  The great hall which contained it was covered in with a roof of hollow bricks and concrete (plentiful specimens of which lie scattered about), supported by carved columns.  On the left is another square bath with a semi-circular tank at each end, and a series of vapour chambers behind it.  The greater part of this bath was unfortunately destroyed in the 18th cent., to furnish material for the construction of a new bath.  To the right of the great bath is a fine stepped circular bath, and beyond this again are sudatories.  Still further on, extending beneath the street, in a part not always shown to the public and somewhat difficult of approach, is a third rectangular basin of considerable size.  Even this does not complete the full tale of the bathing accommodation