... is entitled to a far more important place than the first of the world, because, whereas Winmann had never (up to 1866) been translated or copied or even quoted by any one, Digby has been three times translated; twice into English and once into French and through this latter became and probably still is the best known treatise on the subject.[6] [6] THOMAS, op. cit. (footnote 3), p. 172. This French version was first published in 1696 with its purported author being Monsieur Melchisedesh Thevenot. In his introduction Thevenot indicates that he has made use of Digby's book in his own treatise and that he knows of Winmann's publication. The English translation of Thevenot's version became the standard instruction book for English-speaking peoples. Typically, his reasons in favor of men swimming were based on its being a useful skill (i.e., to keep from being drowned in a shipwreck, to escape capture when being pursued by enemies, and to attack an enemy posted on the opposite side of a river).[7] [7] MELCHISEDESH THEVENOT, _The Art of Swimming_ (London: John Lever, 1789), pp. 4-5. In the 18th and 19th centuries numerous other publications on swimming appeared--too numerous to deal with in this paper. Nevertheless, the refinement of the art of swimming was not related to the number of instruction books. Few of these books actually offered new insights in comparison with those that were outright plagiarisms or filled with misinformation. In the meantime, bathing was reintroduced and as this activity became more widespread swimming was regarded as more than a useful skill, but only for men. There is little evidence of women bathing or swimming prior to the 17th century; these activities seem to have been exclusively for men. Nevertheless, Thomas refers to Winmann as writing, in 1538, that at Zurich in his day (thus implying that he was an elderly man and that the custom had ceased) the young men and maidens bathed together around the statue of "Saint Nicolai." Even in those days his pupil asks "were not the girls ashamed of being naked?" "No, as they wore bathing drawers--sometimes a marriage was brought about." If any young man failed to bring up stones from the bottom, when he dived, he had to suffer the penalty of wearing drawers like the girls.[8] [8] THOMAS, op. cit. (footnote 3), p. 161. Thomas goes on to say that the only evidence he had found of women swimming in England in early days was in a ballad entitled "The Swimming Lady" and dating from about 1670. Despite these isolated references it was not until the 19th century that women were encouraged to swim.