at a
Grange-House near it; then removed to Bilton-Park, where he spent
the rest of his Days. He, using this Water yearly, found it exactly
like the German Spaw. He made several Tryals of it, then walled it
about, and paved it in the bottom with two large Stone-flags, with
a Hole in their sides for the free Access of the Water, which
springs up only at the bottom, through a Chink or Cranny left on
purpose. Its current is always near the same, and is about the
quantity of the Sauvenir, to which Mr. Slingsby thought it
preferable being more brisk and lively, fuller of Mineral Spirits,
of speedier Operation; he found much benefit by it. Dr. Tim.
Bright, about thirty years ago, first gave it the name of the
English Spaw: Having spent some time at those in Germany, he was
Judge of both; and had so good an Opinion of ours, that he sent
many Patients hither yearly, and every Summer drank the Waters
himself. And Dr. Anthony Hunter, late Physician at
Newark-upon-Trent, often chided us Physicians in York, for not
writing upon it, and deservedly setting it upon the Wings of Fame."
A more consistent form has been given to the error by Grainge, who in
1862 published a memoir of the Life of Sir William Slingsby, Discoverer
of the first Spaw at Harrogate. Grainge, like Hargrove, had only access
to Short's summary, but he sees the difficulty to which I have alluded,
for he writes[14]:--
"From the uncertain expression of the Dr. 'about 50 years ago' the
date of this discovery is generally fixed in the year 1576, though
it is probably twenty years or more too early, as at that time
Slingsby would only be fourteen years of age: and could not have
travelled much in Germany or elsewhere: while the expression 'in
his younger days' would infer that the discovery was not made until
he had attained middle age at least."
Grainge accordingly dates Captain (or Sir) William Slingsby's discovery
to 1596 or later, the origin of the expression "near the close of the
16th Century" of the recognised history.
In the first place Dr. Short is inaccurate in that Deane states it was
discovered "55" years ago, and not "50." In the second place, the only
authority whom Grainge could rely upon was Deane, either directly or
indirectly, and Deane could not have made the discoverer to be a boy of
nine years of age (not fourteen) for he mu
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