14 
Though there is often an obvious bias in the tone of the paragraphs 
of news, which would be avoided, by a careful sub-editor, in 
these days of more fully developed journalism, the paper cannot 
be said to belong to any political or religious party ; the power 
of the press as an organ of public opinion was unknown at the 
time we are considering. The news was mainly taken from the 
“ Gazette” and other London papers, and it was regarded asa great 
enterprise to have an express which should anticipate the arrival 
of the post. The Bath news consisted of a few paragraphs men- 
tioning arrivals, deaths, marriages, and certain local events with 
aggravating terseness. I will only be tempted to give you two 
quotations, which will show you how curiously they recorded 
marriages in those days. 
Under date Oct. 21st, 1745 :— 
Marriages. Sir James Aston, of Ormskirk, Bart., to Miss Halworth, 
an agreeable young lady with a fortune of £15,000.—Paul Venner, of 
Swallowfield, Esq., to Miss Sally Mann, with £10,000 fortune. 
Again a week later :— 
Married. William Peston, an eminent whalebone merchant, to Miss 
Nancy Elers, an accomplished young lady with a fortune of £15,000. 
The office of the “ Journal” has, according to tradition, always 
been where it is now, and it must have been one of the first 
buildings in the Kingsmead fields.* On Oct. 8th, 1750, mention 
is first made of ‘‘ Kingsmead street,” and on December 17th the 
name of the sign, usual in those days before the present plan of 
numbering streets had been adopted, is added “ The Pope’s Head in 
Kingsmead street.” The volumes for 1756 and 1759, which would 
record the death of Thomas Boddely,+ are unfortunately missing, 
* For proof that the tautology of ‘‘ mead” and ‘‘fields” is correct, which was 
questioned when the paper was read, one may refer to Sheridan, who invariably 
speaks of “‘ the Kingsmead fields.” —See ‘The Rivals,” Act iii., 4, Act iv., 3. 
+ Stored away in a chest in the tower of Walcot Church are the dismembered 
pieces of a handsome brass chandelier, which was taken down when gas was 
introduced and consigned to unmerited oblivion. Five arms, terminating in 
