Whose 18th Century?

Moll Flanders and Walpole at the beginning of the century, Pride and Prejudice and Pitt at the end (with Persuasion just around the corner in 1811). A century dominated by the landed aristocracy or a century dominated by the monied interest, merchants, and traders of the metropolis of London? A stable society reinforcing hierarchy or a rich edifice unsteadily topping an ungovernable people?

Bath is there at the beginning and the end of the century, and it could be taken for representing both visions of 18th-century society. For our purposes, one of the great features of Bath, is that it remains largely Hanoverian (indeed, Georgian); in Jane Austen's time here, it must have been one huge builders' site. Here we are walking towards one of the pump rooms, where they are now rebuilding a spa.

Bath was about separating the classes in an infinite hierarchy of status. Thus, Sir Walter wants to be in the best rooms of Camden Place built on the highest hill. But the Royal Crescent, perhaps a built older remains a slightly more prestigious address (seen here to the right). Bath was about mixing the classes, like horse races and gambling spots in London, and exciting place to watch and be watched by others. Moll can meet someone of higher status at the Bath: is it a matter of hiding one's previous status?; or is it that one just doesn't care in Bath (Las Vegas)? Sir Walter separates himself in the highest hill, then spends his time on the street in town watching others of all sorts of ranks.

In retrospect we should have spent a bit more time in Bath after the tour (although many of us set off on explorations in Cardiff and discovered a bit there too the next day). Some tasted the waters, some (me at least) explored the Abbey, did anyone see where Beau Nash lived like I did? The Abbey was chock-full of monuments to departed surgeons, farriers, apothecaries, and military men (as that to the left). Adm. Croft and Capt. Wentworth were fictional characters in Austen's Bath only in name it appears.