375 
John Wilkes and his visits to Bath. 
By EMANUEL GREEN, F.S.A. 
(Read Decemhr 7th, 1904.) 
To the majority of people perhaps, the name of John Wilkes 
implies all that is worst in the political demagogue, socialist, 
and agitator. This view is however wrong. That he took an 
advanced position in the politics of his day is true, but to under- 
stand that position the politics of his day must be considered and 
understood. By the influence of the Crown he was illegally 
imprisoned both in the King’s Bench and in the Tower and it 
‘was against such proceedings that he raised his protest, yet he 
“wrote that no heart beat more in unison with—God save the 
2: ing—than his own, with the proviso presumably that the position 
of King was used constitutionally. He became the idol of the 
added in the litany—to show pity upon all prisoners and captives, 
particularly the patriotic John Wilkes, esq. But this political side 
o his character is not that which now comes under notice. 
_ The son of a wealthy father, he was well educated. When 
barely out of his teens he married a Miss Mead, a lady about 
Buckinghamshire. Separation unfortunately followed when 
Wilkes retained the estate and the custody of the child, a 
daughter, Mary, to be mentioned hereafter. Thus well provided 
and weli qualified he became sheriff of Bucks, M.P. for 
\ Eebury, and colonel of the Bucks militia. He became also 
ff of Middlesex, an alderman of the city and was Lord 
Mayor in 1774. In this year too he was elected M.P. for 
f Well versed in french and italian literature and art, 
2 was elected F.R.S. and a member of the sublime society of 
eefsteaks. Later he himself published some good books. But 
th all this he was very much a man of fashion. Having a great 
A Vou. X., No. 4. 
