Downstream

and a new art. It needed to be
properly defined and would-
be swimmers required plenty
of advice. The best time to
bathe in the open air was the
early morning, for then the
‘robust and healthy body’ had
been ‘strengthened by the
night’s repose’ and benefited
most from the shock of
immersion. But it was
‘injurious’ to bathe on an
empty stomach and Steedman
advised, ‘take a cup of warm