London.  The exhibition rooms of the Birmingham Society of Arts, New-street, form a handsome building, admirably adapted for the purpose; and the annual exhibition, of ancient and modern masters, is inferior to no provincial one.  Another spacious suite of rooms was erected a few years since, by a dissentient party of the artists; but, having returned to the parent institution, their gallery since has been occupied by the highly interesting, valuable, and well-arranged Museum of Natural History, collected by Mr. Weaver, in the various branches of geology, ornithology, entomology, mineralogy, conchology, &c.  The Royal School of Medicine and Surgery, in Paradise-street, have now purchased this splendid collection, which, joined to the one they already possess, will form one of the finest Museums in the provinces.  It is liberally supported and patronised by the neighbouring nobility and county families.  The General Hospital, Blue Coat School, Dispensary, and Asylums, are worthy of all praise for their essential utility as charities.  The former is mainly supported by the proceeds of the Triennial Festivals; the others by liberal subscriptions, with which the inhabitants of Birmingham appear ever ready to increase the usefulness of charities having for their end the alleviation of misery, in whatever form it exists.  The new Market Hall, extending from the Bull-ring to Worcester-street, is a spacious and commodious building, though the internal arrangement might be greatly improved, by a little more attention to order and neatness on the part of the various trades-people who have stalls there.  The market having formerly been held in the open street, may, in some degree, account for this.  Nearly opposite the hall stands a statue of Lord Nelson, by Westmacott, with a miniature man-of-war beside him, on a pedestal surrounded by an iron rail and lamps.

The Churches most remarkable for architectural beauty, are, St. Philip’s, in the Doric style, with a graceful tower and cupola: Trinity Church, Bordesley, designed by Mr. F. Goodwin, much in the style of King’s College Chapel, Cambridge; it is a fine example of the Ecclesiastical Gothic: St. George’s, also Gothic, but of far inferior beauty; St. Martin’s, which has been a fine old edifice, with a tapering spire, but is now disfigured by a brick shell: St. Paul’s, Christ Church, St. Thomas’s, St. Peter’s, St. Bartholomew’s, St. Mary’s, All Saints’, and others are of less striking appearance.  Many of the dissenting congregations have handsome and spacious meeting-houses and chapels, particularly the Catholic Chapels; Unitarian Meeting-houses; Independent Meeting-house, Carr’s-lane; Mount Zion Chapel; Scottish Kirk, &c.  Schools are connected with all, and with the numerous National, Lancasterian, Infant, and other schools, combine in distributing knowledge, in however a small degree as yet, among the useful and industrious classes.  The excellent school for the instruction of Deaf and Dumb children is pleasantly situated at Edgbaston: there are also various Asylums for the young, the helpless, and the immoral (repentant, of course).

The Old Library, in Union-street, contains a valuable collection of 40,000 volumes, and commodious reading rooms.  The New Library, in Temple-row, is a more recent and smaller establishment.  Divers conglomerations of novels, called “Circulating Libraries,” also exist for the benefit of the sentimental.  The Philosophical Institution has a convenient Lecture-Theatre and Museum in Cannon-street, with a resident Curator.  Subscribers have the privilege of introducing strangers to the lectures.  The members of the Mechanics’ Institution at present have lectures in the same building, until the erection of one suitable for them.  Strangers are admitted to the Mechanics’ lectures on payment of one shilling.  The Botanical and Horticultural Society have extensive gardens and conservatories at Edgbaston, situated on rising ground, and commanding a beautiful and richly-wooded expanse of scenery.  The exhibitions of plants, fruits, &c., when a brilliant company generally assembles, are scenes of great gaiety.

The Conservatories and Greenhouses, are the erection of Mr. T. Clark, of Lionel-street, Birmingham, whose manufactory for Metallic Hothouses, &c., is very extensive.

A Cemetery has been recently laid out and planted on the north side of the town, at Key Hill, where a large excavation in a hill of gravel renders the spot striking and even picturesque: a neat Chapel is erected for the performance of the funeral service.

In 1813 an Act of Parliament was obtained for the erection of a Proof House for all fire-arms made in the town, which are subjected to a very severe test.  The hall and other premises are in Banbury-street, and have quite a military and formidable appearance.

The News Room, on Bennett’s-hill, and the different banking establishments, are handsome buildings, many of them of considerable architectural beauty.  The Theatre is large, and inferior to few out of the metropolis, though the indifferent encouragement given to the drama in Birmingham, causes it to be comparatively but little used.  It is capable of accommodating 2,500 persons, and contains to the front, a suite of Assembly Rooms, Billiard and Coffee Rooms, &c.  There were formerly two smaller theatres, and an amphitheatre for equestrian performances, all three of which have been converted from their dissolute ways, and become pious and holy conventicles for divine worship.  Temporary amphitheatres have frequently been erected since, and a permanent one is in progress.  For more circumstantial particulars and descriptions of these and other edifices, we must refer our readers to the “Picture of Birmingham,” [11] or other more lengthy histories.

The environs of the town, especially Edgbaston and Harborne, contain many tasteful residences, erected by the wealthier merchants and tradesmen; whose pretty suburban villas have all gardens and pleasure grounds attached.  In the neighbourhood of Birmingham are many fine old houses, or halls, as they are called, well deserving of a visit from the antiquary or artist; and the far famed glories of Warwick, Kenilworth, Shakespeare-sainted Stratford, Guy’s Cliff, and other places of renown, are within a short drive.

In this brief survey of the past and present condition of Birmingham, it will be seen how rapidly its greatness and importance have been achieved by the perseverance, spirit, and ingenuity of its inhabitants.  We may expect as rapid, and almost as great improvements from the additional consequence and advantages it will receive from the great works now nearly completed.  The finished line of railway from London to Liverpool through this place, may, with confidence, be looked to as another great era in its history, from whence to date still increasing wealth, power, and intelligence.

CHAPTER II.
ROUTE.
BIRMINGHAM TO WOLVERHAMPTON,
Fourteen Miles.

BIRMINGHAM AND VAUXHALL STATION.

Distance to Liverpool and Manchester, 97¼ miles.