4 THE BATH INSTITUTION. 



I became an inhabitant of Bath in 1809 ; one in 

 the succession of pastors of the persons whose ances- 

 tors had separated themselves from the Church in 

 the time of King Charles the Second, and who were 

 taken under the protection of the law by one of the 

 first Acts — the Act of Toleration — of King William 

 and Queen Mary. I find amongst my papers a 

 scheme which I drew up as early as 1812 for a kind 

 of minor institution, contemplating, however, no 

 more than the formation of a better public library 

 than any then existing. I mentioned the design to 

 a few friends, but it was thought by them impractic- 

 able, and nothing more was heard of it. 



It was not till 1819 that any movement was made 

 in this direction. 



This movement originated with Dr. Edward 

 Barlow, a physician then lately settled in Bath. 

 His name must not be mentioned without, as Fuller 

 quaintly says, " an asterism of regard " for this and 

 many other services which he rendered to the place 

 during a pretty long residence there, terminated only 

 by his too early and lamented death.* He found 

 means to assure himself of the support of a few 



* On one occasion only had I reason to offer a serious oppo- 

 sition to any project of Dr. Barlow. He was the originator 

 of the great change in the constitution of the General Hospital, 

 by which it was thrown open to residents of Bath, who were 



