Then，iftheministershouldmakereply：\"Ohyes，weknowallthis。Evensincetherevivaloflettersintheendofthefifteenthcenturyawholeliteraturehasbeenwritten——agreatdealofit，Ifear，bypedantswhoseldomwashedeventheirhandsandfaces——aboutyourGreekandRomanbaths。WevisittheircolossalruinsinItalyandelsewherewithaweandadmiration；andthediscoveryofanewRomanbathinanyoldcityofourislessetsallourantiquariesbuzzingwithinterest。\"
\"Thenwhy，\"theshademightask，\"doyounotcopyanexamplewhichyousomuchadmire？SurelyEnglandmustbemuchinwant，eitherofwater，oroffueltoheatitwith？\"
\"Onthecontrary，ourrainfallisalmosttoogreat；oursoilsodampthatwehavehadtoinventawholeartofsubsoildrainageunknowntoyou；while，asforfuel，ourcoal-minesmakeusthegreatfuel-exportingpeopleoftheworld。\"
WhataquietsneermightcurlthelipofaConstantineashereplied：\"Notinvain，asIsaid，didwecallyou，somefifteenhundredyearsago，thebarbariansofthenorth。Buttellme，goodbarbarian，whomIknowtobebothbraveandwise——forthefameofyouryoungBritishempirehasreachedusevenintherealmsbelow，andwerecogniseinyou，withallrespect，apeoplemorelikeusRomansthananywhichhasappearedonearthformanycenturies——
howisityouhaveforgottenthatsacreddutyofkeepingthepeopleclean，whichyousurelyatonetimelearntfromus？Whenyourancestorsenteredourarmies，androse，someofthem，tobegreatgenerals，andevenemperors，likethosetwoTeutonpeasants，JustinandJustinian，who，longaftermydays，reignedinmyownConstantinople：then，atleast，yousawbaths，andusedthem；andfelt，afterthebath，thatyouwerecivilisedmen，andnot’sordidiacfoetentes，’asweusedtocallyouwhenfreshoutofyourbullock-waggonsandcattle-pens。Howisitthatyouhaveforgottenthatlesson？\"