232 THE BATH ROAD 



remedy to himself, with the like result, and returned 

 to his home once more ; building a city upon the 

 spot in after years. This happened B.C. 863, and 

 there is a statue of Kino- Bladud, as he afterwards 

 became, erected in the "Pump Room" in 16G9 ; so 

 that any one not subscribing to the truth of this 

 legend had better do so at once, in view of this over- 

 whelmino- evidence thus afforded. 



We are on more certain ground when we come 

 to the Romans. That great people left too many 

 evidences of their occupation of this island for many 

 doubts to be entertained as to where they settled, or 

 when. Thus, when we assign the close of the first 

 half-centur}' of the Christian era to their discovery of 

 the medicinal properties of those waters, we do so, not 

 from leoend, but from the evidence of the l)uildino's 

 they have left behind. It is singular that we do not, 

 as a rule, lay much stress upon the Roman occupation 

 of Britain. Yet it lasted long, and was for nearly 

 four centuries what modern political slang terms 

 " effectual." An advanced civilization reigned here 

 then, and Britain became both a populous and a 

 flourishing colony. The dealings of England witli 

 India in the present time form a tolerably close 

 parallel with Rome's conquest of this island, and if 

 we go further and liken the British who remained in 

 the remote places of Cornwall, Devon, and Wales to 

 the fierce Afohans and Chitralis who liave troubled us 

 on the borders of Hindostan, we shall by no means 

 strain the similitude. Batli — or rather Aquoe Soils, 

 the " Waters of the Sun " * — as well as being the 



■•' That the Romans knew the city we call Bath as Aqmr. SoU^ 



