of, Hackney coach fares, Hen and chicken’s inn, Hides, raw, Hospital, Hotel, hen and chicken’s, ——­, Nelson’s, ——­, royal, ——­, swan, Houses, Humane society, Huntingdon’s meeting, Jew’s synagogue, Ikenield street, Improvements in the town, Inland commercial society, Innovation of the post office, Interesting information John-a-Dean’s hole Lady well Lancasterian school Lench’s trust Liberality of the town Library, new ——­, public ——­, theological Magistrates Manufactories Markets Metal company Methodist meeting Mining and copper comp.  Miscellaneous information Musical festival National school Neat brick work Nelson’s statue ——­ tavern New library ——­ meeting Newspapers New union mill Old meeting Origin of factoring Panorama Parsonage house Philosophical society Piddock’s trust Places of worship Population Post office ——­ innovation Principal manufactories Prison Private charities Proof house Protection of trade Provident society Public breweries ——­ library ——­ office ——­ scales Quaker’s meeting Raw hides Remarkable circumstance Roman road Rose copper company Royal hotel Scales, public Schools Situation Smithfield Square Stage coaches Statue of Lord Nelson Steam engines improved Steel house Sunday schools Swan hotel Swedenburgians Theatre Theological library Town improved Trade protected Trust, Crowley’s ——­ Fentham’s ——­ Jackson’s ——­ Lench’s ——­ Piddock’s Vase, a remarkable one Vauxhall Union mill Warwick canal Water Worcester canal Workhouse Worship, places of

MODERN

BIRMINGHAM,

EMPHATICALLY TERMED

THE TOY-SHOP OF EUROPE.

This extensive town, which, from its manufactures, is of so much importance to the nation, is distinguished in the commercial annals of Britain, for a spirit of enterprize and persevering industry.  Its inhabitants are ever on the alert, and continually inventing some new articles for traffic, or making improvements in others, that have been introduced in foreign countries; and by their superior skill, aided by machinery, are enabled to bring into the foreign market an endless variety of manufactured goods, both useful and ornamental, which they sell at a more moderate price than any other manufacturers of similar articles in the known world.

Comparisons are odious, and therefore to be avoided.  That the inhabitants are become wealthy, there is indisputable evidence, but to whom they are indebted for their opulence, different opinions prevail.

The writer of these pages was born in the year 1749, and having been an attentive observer more than fifty years, he is convinced that the extensive trade now carried on in this town, is principally to be attributed to the enterprising spirit of the late Matthew Boulton, Esq. who, by his active and unremitting exertions, the indefatigable perseverance of himself and his agents, together with the liberal manner in which he patronized genius, laid the foundation.