“3.  Two News-rooms, in which the London and Provincial papers may be read.

“4.  A Public Concert, supported by subscriptions, which amount to L700 per annum, and of which Mr. Fritch, from Derby, is the present leader.

“5.  A Subscription Assembly held through the winter, but ill supported.

“6.  A Shakspeare Club, for sustaining the drama, consisting of 80 members, who subscribe a guinea per annum, once a-year bespeak a play, and partake of a dinner, to which the sons of Thespis are invited.

“7.  An Infirmary on a large scale, and munificently supported.

“8.  Two Schools, in which sixty boys and sixty girls are clothed, fed, and educated.

“9.  A Lancasterian and a National School well supported, and numerously attended.

“10.  Sunday Schools attached to the twenty-three congregations, besides others.

“11.  A Society for Bettering the Condition of the Poor, in much activity.

“12.  Dorcas’ Societies, connected with the churches and chapels, to assist poor married women during child-birth.

“13.  A Bible Society on the usual plan.

“14.  Two Medical and Anatomical Schools.

“15.  A thriving Mechanics’ Library.

“Several of these institutions rendezvous in a spacious building called the Music Hall.  The concerts are given in the upper room, a suitable saloon; and beneath are the Subscription Library, the Commercial News-room, and the Museum of the Literary and Philosophical Society.”

Manufactures.

“The staple manufactures of Sheffield embrace the metallic arts in all their varieties.  The chief articles are sharp instruments, as knives, scissors, razors, saws, and edge-tools of various kinds, and to these may be added, files and plated goods to a great extent, besides stove-grates and fenders of exquisite beauty.  It is altogether performed by hand, therefore the fabrication may always be rendered correspondent with the demand, and may be arrested when the demand ceases.  This confers a definite advantage on the manufactory, not enjoyed by other trades which operate in the large way.  The result is mediocrity of wealth, and little ruinous speculation.  At the same time, the sanguine expectations of manufacturers often lead them to overstock themselves, and as the demand has been, so they expect it always to be.

“Sheffield employs about 15,000 persons in its various branches, and of these full one-third are engaged on knives and forks, pocket-knives, razors, and scissors.  The rest are engaged in the plated trades, in saws, files, and some fancy trades.  The following is an exact enumeration of the hands employed in the various departments two or three years since:—­