Bath in Humphry Clinker: 'the madness of the time'

 Bath, April 28. Matthew Bramble to D^r Lewis

http://www.18thc-cities.paris-sorbonne.fr/spip.php?article29

a)-“the king’s evil, the scurvy, the cancer, and the pox”...: do you know these diseases? How were they cured? Do they still exist?

b)-Explain why Matthew Bramble is just “as much afraid of drinking, as of bathing”…why… “the very idea turns my stomach”…

How do you situate practically the Pump and the baths?

c)- Look at the film extracts illustrating Jane Austen’s world : Bath in Northanger Abbey ( 1803 )

http://www.18thc-cities.paris-sorbonne.fr/spip.php?article261

d) and in Persuasion (1816).

http://www.18thc-cities.paris-sorbonne.fr/spip.php?rubrique66

e)-Doctors : look out for medicine in the 18^th century.

http://www.18thc-cities.paris-sorbonne.fr/spip.php?article45

What were the diseases? The cures?

f)-Look out for hospitals and the need for progress.

g)-Also consider Rowlandson's caricatures in Bath : write your own comments on them or give them your own titles!

http://www.18thc-cities.paris-sorbonne.fr/spip.php?article273

Do you think the baths are more a cure or a show ? Give arguments to justify your answer.

 Bath, April 30. Jerry to Sir Watkin Phillips, of Jesus College, Oxon

http://www.18thc-cities.paris-sorbonne.fr/spip.php?article29

a)-..."without distinction of rank or fortune" : Explain the opposite opinions of the Mathew Bramble and of his nephew , Jerry. Give your arguments and defend one approach or the other.

b) -Explain the role of the “Master of Ceremonies” especially as far as the “company’s breeding” was concerned at the tea-drinking party.

c)-What was historically the role of Beau Nash in particular?

http://www.18thc-cities.paris-sorbonne.fr/spip.php?article268

d)-Study the “Laws of Bath” : which do you think is most important? Why?

http://www.18thc-cities.paris-sorbonne.fr/spip.php?article268#3

e)-Doctors prescribed “gambling”to their patients as a cure : explain why?

http://www.18thc-cities.paris-sorbonne.fr/spip.php?article269

 May 5. Mathew Bramble to D^r Lewis

http://www.18thc-cities.paris-sorbonne.fr/spip.php?article29

a)-...“the madness of the times” ...”the flood of luxury and extravagance”... “a mere sink of profligacy and extortion”: Give examples in Bath

b)-Think of present places where the same could apply!

 May 8. Mathew Bramble to D^r Lewis.

http://www.18thc-cities.paris-sorbonne.fr/spip.php?article29

a)-“Imagine to yourself a high exalted essence of mingled odours, arising from putrid gums, imposthumated lungs, sour flatulencies, rank armpits, sweating feet, running sores and issues, plasters, ointments, and embrocations, hungary-water, spirit of lavender, assafoetida drops, musk, hartshorn, and sal volatile.” : comment!

b)-And try to write a similar paragraph in Smollett’s style to describe one of the places you know and do not particularly appreciate!

c)-O Rus, quando te aspiciam !

What is Bramble’s –or Smollett’s –message?

d) -If you have an access to LION ( Literature On Line –Chadwyck Healey) try to do the same exercise as the one described in the article GALLET-BLANCHARD, Liliane. "Les romans du XVIII^ème siècle sur CD-ROM et en ligne - Un exemple : « water » in Humphry Clinker."XVII-XVIII 45 (Nov.1997):245-62.

Study a theme like « water » in Humphry Clinker through an analysis of all the occurrences of the word itself – WATER- or all the words connected with a notion of “humidity” or “vapours”.

So try to find out the role played by the word “water” and all the notions associated to it that could build a very important message in the novel Humphry Clinker.

An important article to improve your knowledge of computerized literature and Computer Aided Textual Analysis is :

"Chawton's Novels Online, Women's Writing 1751-1834 and Computer-Aided Textual Analysis", ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640-1830: Vol.5: Iss.2, Article 1 DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/2157-7129.5.2.1 ( ACLN) Available at :

http//scholarcommons.usf.edu/abo/vol5/iss2/1