Virginia illustrated : containing a visit to the Virginian Canaan, and the adventures of Porte Crayon and his cousins . se for the residence of Ladies and Gentlemen who may honor theBath, at the sign of the Liberty-pole and Flag. Every possible attention will bepaid to render the situation of those who honor them with their commands perfectlyagreeable. But the old times have passed away; the old theatre has dis-appeared, the old bath-houses fallen to decay. The brave, the gift-ed, the gay, the beautiful of the old days have gone to one commonresting-place. There are new times now, new hotels,
Virginia illustrated : containing a visit to the Virginian Canaan, and the adventures of Porte Crayon and his cousins . se for the residence of Ladies and Gentlemen who may honor theBath, at the sign of the Liberty-pole and Flag. Every possible attention will bepaid to render the situation of those who honor them with their commands perfectlyagreeable. But the old times have passed away; the old theatre has dis-appeared, the old bath-houses fallen to decay. The brave, the gift-ed, the gay, the beautiful of the old days have gone to one commonresting-place. There are new times now, new hotels, new bath-houses, new fashions, new manners, new people at Berkeley. Thenew buildings are undoubted improvements on the old ones, andthe fresh beauties that congregate here every summer pleasanterto think about than their great-grandmothers. For the rest, wemay quote Solomon and hold our peace: Say not thou, What is JOHN DAVIS. 273 the cause that the former days were better than these ? for thoudost not inquire wisely concerning this. - «VJ«il 111 «!(? Itr /:?>?•^i- ^MiSi^r: r.,V-. ii!i,i^x;^f;«^|i i. JOHN DAVIS, BATH-KEEPER. But there still remains one connecting link between the pastand the present in the person of the old bath-keeper, who sits be-neath the canopy at the spring. Eighty years ago, honest JohnDavis was born at the head of the grove, on the very spot wherehe now lives, and for nearly forty years has, in his present officialcapacity, served the invalid and pleasure-seeking public with pa- S 274 PORTE CRAYON AND HIS COUSINS. tient fidelity. The top of the grove fence is the horizon of hisworld, and his head contains but one full-gi-own, all-absorbingidea, that the chief end of man is to bathe. We are told that he never left home but once in his life. Whenthe British marauders threatened Norfolk, he was drafted into themilitia, and marched to tie defense of that place. His term ofservice expired, and he returned home, innocent as he departed ofthe stain of
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