and vary in their hire, from one to six guineas per week during the height of the bathing season, (from July to October,) when they are usually occupied.

The beach is stored with several excellent bathing machines, (generally remaining there from May to the latter end of November) fitted up with awnings, to screen the bather from observation, and most commonly provided with dresses and other necessaries, if required. They are lowered vice in the broiling and combustion of it, both to his kingship and to his fatherhood, might not seem unmeritorious: The fire had not pierced it, but, being a sweaty loggerhead, greasy sutor, endungeoned in his pocket a twelve-month, it stunk so over the Pope's palace, that not a scullion but cried foh; and those, that flocked the fastest about it, now fled the most from it, and sought more to rid their hands of it, than before they sought to bless their hands with it. With much stopping of their noses, between two dishes they stewed it, and served it up. It was not come within three chambers of the Pope, but he smelt it; and upon the smelling of it, enquired what it should be that sent forth such a puissant perfume, the standers-by declared that it was the king of fishes: I conceited no less, said the Pope, for less than a king he could not be that had so strong a scent; and if his breath be so strong, what is he himself? Like a great king, like a strong king I will use him, let him be carried back I say, and my cardinals shall fetch him with dirge and processions under my canopy."

Our Author then proceeds very pleasantly through the remaining pages, with the subsequent adventures of his Red Herring.

Mr. Ives, in his introductory preface to Swinden's History, says, that "Nash designed nothing more in this pamphlet than a joke upon the staple Red Herrings of Yarmouth;" which is extremely probable, when it be recollected that he was a native of Lowestoft, and the enmity existing between the two towns might have prompted him to employ his pen in the language of satire, as the only means of retaliation in his power for the injuries he might have conceived the burgesses of Yarmouth had heaped upon his townsmen.

In his own time Nash enjoyed great celebrity: his writings may be classed with those of Tom Coriat, whose cotemporary he was, and whose manner he imitated,

into and drawn up from the water by a capstan and rope, thus securely obviating the possibility of escape or accident.

Hot and cold baths have been established many years by Mr. Wells, and may be used at any time, by giving half an hour's notice to the proprietor.

A new bath-house, upon a more extended plan, was erected on the south beach, in the summer of 1824, by some gentlemen of the town. It commands a fine view of the Ham and Coast, and is an oblong. pebble building, with rusticated angles, having a spacious reading-room, occasionally used for balls. The daily London and provincial papers are provided for the use of the subscribers, the room is ornamented with maps, and is the principal morning resort for genteel company during the bathing season. another part of the building are four commodious baths, for hot and cold bathing, with a sulphureous medicated bath, upon an improved principle, and a retiring apartment, occasionally used as a cardroom. The lodgings for the bath-keeper's are in the centre of the building. These rooms are used only during the summer, but the medicated and other baths are accessible at all times.

In

This building, is highly creditable to the publicspirited gentlemen who are its proprietors. The approach to it has received some very material and extensive improvements, and is a gradual descent from the town, forming an excellent carriage-way and promenade.

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There are few places upon the coast perhaps more attractive to the visitor, whose object it is to profit by the calm enjoyments of a quiet bathing town, than Lowestoft, where all the comforts, and a considerable portion of the luxuries of the metropolis, are to be procured. It abounds with good Inns for the traveller or occasional resident: the most celebrated are the Queen's Head and the Crown, where the best accommodation and attentions may be commanded. The market, though small, is abundantly supplied with provisions generally cheap, compared with the prices at other bathing places.

The views of the coast are particularly fine from all the elevated parts of the town, especially from the hill, near the Light-house, where an extended line of shore, the roads and the ocean beyond frequently studded with ships, may be remarked as objects of the greatest interest. The shore, composed of hard sand, intermixed with shingle, is bold and steep, and perfectly free from those beds of mud and ooze so frequently found elsewhere. It often presents a busy scene to the spectator, and a stroll upon it may be very agreeably employed in selecting a variety of curious pebbles, with amber and jet, thrown on shore from time to time by the waves. Assortments of these curiosities are in the possession of two collectors in the town, who are enabled to display some very singular specimens.

Lowestoft denes, which extend to Corton, and formerly reached much farther, is a pleasing ride or

promenade, and affords many botanical specimens for those who may feel disposed to investigate them. In consequence of the proximity of the sands, the coast here is extremely dangerous for shipping, and sometimes presents a scene of devastation scarcely to be described. It is, however, consoling to reflect, that the wretched mariners, who are so unfortunate as to become entangled with these shoals, have every prompt and effectual assistance that can be afforded, by an excellent life-boat, and the help of Captain Manby's celebrated apparatus for such vessels as may come to the beach. In the restoration of these unfortunate men, in cases of suspended animation, the exertions of the Suffolk Humane Society, established here upon the London plan, have at different times been crowned with the most complete success. A friendly society also, for the aged and infirm, charitably exert their beneficial influence in alleviating the distress of the poorer classes of the community.

Lowestoft is distant from London 115 miles, to which there is a communication by the Yarmouth mail, which passes through this town daily.

Having, in the preceding pages, conducted my readers through the fifteen parishes of Lothingland, and their respective hamlets, I shall now present them with an account of the population of each, extracted from the last census of the kingdom taken in 1821, and conclude by describing, as briefly as possible, the soil and agriculture of the district, with a few other notices incidental to the subject.

Lowestoft, at the period before named, contained 782 houses, which were occupied by about 820 families: 663 of these were employed in trade, manufactures, and commerce; 97 in agriculture, and the remaining 60 were independant.

Total number of persons in the Half-Hundred 10,607

The soil of Lothingland is very unequal and diversified. Corton, Blundeston, Lound, Somerleyton, and Hopton, may be classed as the best land in the district, the greater part being a good sound loam, on a clay and loam bottom, and the remainder, with few exceptions, is excellent light land.