The curious art before us is perhaps less ancient than profitable, and less healthful than either.  I shall not enquire whose grandfather was the first brass-founder here, but shall leave their grandsons to settle that important point with my successor who shall next write the History of Birmingham.  Whoever was the first, I believe he figured in the reign of King William; but, though he sold his productions at an excessive price, he did not, like the moderns, possess the art of acquiring a fortune:  but now the master knows the way to affluence, and the servant to liquor.

To enumerate the great variety of occupations amongst us, would be as useless, and as unentertaining to the reader, perhaps to the writer, as to count the pebbles in the street.

Having therefore visited a few, by way of specimen, I shall desist from farther pursuit, and wheel off in a

HACKNEY COACH.

Wherever the view of profit opens, the eyes of a Birmingham man are open to see it.

In 1775, a person was determined to try if a Hackney Coach would take with the inhabitants.  He had not mounted the box many times before he inadvertently dropped the expression, “Thirty shillings a day!” The word was attended with all the powers of magic, for instantly a second rolled into the circus.

And these elevated sons of the lash are now augmented to fifteen, whom we may justly denominate a club of tippling deities, who preside over weddings, christenings, and pleasurable excursions.

It would give satisfaction to the curious calculator, could any mode be found of discovering the returns of trade, made by the united inhabitants.  But the question is complicated.  It only admits of surmise.  From comparing many instances in various ranks of life among us, I have been led to suppose, that the weekly returns exceed the annual rent of the buildings.  And as these rents are nearly ascertained, perhaps, we may conclude, that those returns are about 80,000.  If we deduct for four weeks holidays, the annual returns will be—­3,840,000_l_.

Now we have entered the visionary regions of fancy, let us pursue the thought a stage farther; and consider Birmingham as one great family, possessed of a capital of Eight Millions.  Her annual returns in trade as above, from which we will deduct for the purchase of

Raw materials — — — — — — — 1,920,000
House rent, repairs and taxes — — — 100,000
Losses in trade — — — — — — 50,000
Maintenance, clothing, and pleasurable
expences, for 50,000 people, at 10_s_.
per week — — — — — — — 1,300,000
---------
3,370,000
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Annual addition to the capital — — — 470,000

Should a future antagonist arise, and attack me in numbers, I promise beforehand to relinquish the field; for I profess only, to stand upon ideal ground.