ancient Romans. These are generally rudely built of wood, over an oven,
and the bathers receive the vapour at the requisite heat, reclining on
wooden benches,--while, more powerfully to excite perspiration, they
whip their bodies with birch boughs, and also use powerful friction.
They then wash themselves; and, as these vapour-baths are often
constructed on the banks of a river, throw themselves from the land
into the water; or sometimes, by way of variety, plunge into snow, and
roll themselves therein. This violent exercise and sudden transition
of temperature is almost overpowering to persons unhabituated to the
custom, and will oftentimes produce fainting,--though the patient, on
recovering, finds himself refreshed, and experiences a delightful sense
of mental, as well as bodily, vigour and energy. The enervating effects
of the extreme luxury and refinement practised in the Greek and Roman
baths are obviated in the Russian mode: to which may partly be ascribed
the power which the latter people have in undergoing fatigue and the
various hardships of their rigorous climate. Tooke says that without
doubt the Russians owe their longevity, robust health, their little
disposition to fatal complaints, and, above all, their happy and
cheerful temper, mostly to these vapour-baths. Lewis and Clarke, in
their voyage up the Missouri, have noticed the use of the vapour-bath in
a somewhat similar contrivance to the Russians among the savage tribes
of America;--so it appears that this effectual promoter of cleanliness
is one of the most simple, original, and natural, that can be employed
for that paramount duty.

C.R.S.

[7] Culverwell on Bathing.

[8] [Greek: thermai]--hot springs.