[3] The Cod or Gadus Morrhua, is termed stock-fish when dried without
salt. - E.
[4] This must have appeared a most wonderful reliance upon female chastity,
in the opinion of jealous Italians, unaccustomed to the pure morals of
the north. - E.
[5] This custom of promiscuous bathing is very ancient, and existed among
the Romans, from whom it was learnt by the Greeks, but gave rise to
such shameful lewdness, that it was prohibited by Hadrian and
Antoninus. This law seems to have fallen into oblivion, as even the
Christians in after times fell into the practice, and gave occasion to
many decrees of councils and synods for its prohibition; yet with
little effect, as even priests and monks bathed promiscuously along
with the women. Justinian, in his 117th novel, among the lawful causes
of divorce, mentions a married woman bathing along with men, unless
with the permission of her husband. Russia probably adopted bathing
from Constantinople along with Christianity, and in that country
promiscuous bathing still continues; and they likewise use a bundle of
herbs or rods, as mentioned in the text, for rubbing their bodies.
- Forst.
Norway certainly did not learn the practice of bathing either from
Rome or Constantinople. Some learned men are never content unless they
can deduce the most ordinary practices from classical authority, as in
the above note by Mr Forster.
