attention from their quaint and neat appearance. The original endowment was for the benefit of four poor men, two of Rugby, and two of Brownsover; but the number has been increased with the increase of the revenues. The town also possesses a charity school and almshouses, founded and endowed by Richard Elborow, Esq., in 1707. Several important fairs are held at Rugby for the sale of horses, cattle, and sheep.

Rugby School, celebrated as an educational institution, gives chief importance to the town. It was founded in 1567 by Laurence Sheriff, a grocer of London, a native of the neighbouring village of Brownsover. This benevolent individual endowed the school and the almshouses already mentioned, with estates in the neighbourhood of Rugby and London; but it was not till 1653 that the full endowment from these sources was obtained. The original building, which was of a very humble description, was taken down in the beginning of this century, and the present noble structure erected from the designs of Mr. Hakewell. It is built in the Elizabethan style, from a proper regard to the period of its original erection, and the memory of its founder. It is constructed of white brick, the angles, cornices, and dressings to the windows and the openings being of Attleborough stone. The principal front, which is towards the south, extends 220 feet. A gateway from the street leads into the principal court, which is 90 feet by 70, having a plain cloister on three sides. The arrangements of the interior of the building are admirably in accordance with the objects of the institution. The chapel is adorned with a fine monument by Chantrey to the memory of Dr. James, formerly head master of the school. The splendid east window of stained glass was the gift of Dr. Arnold, also a head master of Rugby. The subject is the adoration of the Magi. This fine specimen of ancient stained glass belonged originally to a monastery in Flanders. A memorial window has been constructed for this chapel in honour of the gallant Rugbeians who fell in the late war with Russia.

Rugby School is considered one of the best in the kingdom. It has had several very eminent men as its masters. Dr. Arnold's name is universally celebrated as that of a profound scholar and an excellent man. He raised the standard of classical learning as well as the reputation of Rugby School. His successor was the Rev. Dr. Archibald Campbell Tait, now Lord Bishop of London. The present head master is the Rev. E. Meyrick Goulburn, D.C.L. There are fourteen assistant masters for classics, mathematics, etc., and six others for writing, drawing, music, calisthenics, etc.

The usual number of boys in the school is from 300 to 350. Of these 40 or 50 are upon the foundation. About 60 pupils board in the school-house under the superintendence of the head master; the others board with the different masters, or with friends in the town.

The management is vested in twelve trustees, who are gentlemen connected with the district. The benefit of the foundation was originally confined to Rugby and the four neighbouring parishes. In 1777, however, an Act of Parliament was obtained to extend it to places within five miles. At the same time a number of exhibitions was founded. These have since been considerably augmented, and are open to the competition of all members of the school, without preference to any part of the United Kingdom. There are 21 Exhibitions of £60 a year for four years. Originally they were held for seven years; but in 1854 the trustees, with the sanction of the Charity Commissioners, determined to limit the term of their tenure to four years. By this arrangement, when it is in full operation, there will be five exhibitions given annually, independently of broken ones. The exhibitions are awarded to the boys most proficient in divinity, classics, mathematics, and history. The examiners are appointed by the Vice-Chancellors of the Universities. There are also scholarships of £30 and £20 for three years instituted by the masters. With regard to admission, the rule of the school is that no boy above sixteen can enter, unless qualified for the upper fifth form; and no boy is allowed to remain after completing his nineteenth year. The system of fagging exists in this school, but to a limited extent, and under proper control.

BILTON HALL, which has been rendered classic ground by the residence of Addison, is about two miles from Rugby. The house and manor were purchased by Addison, in 1711, from William Broughton, Esq., previous to his marriage with the fair Countess of Warwick. On his taking up his residence here the poet Somerville addressed to him a complimentary epistle in verse, in which the following couplet occurs :

"When panting virtue her last efforts made,

You brought your Clio to the virgin's aid."

Dr. Johnson remarks that this couplet is "written with the most exquisite delicacy of praise; it exhibits one of those happy strokes that are seldom attained."

Addison was married in 1716. The union was not a happy

one, owing to the proud and irritable temper of the Countess. He died in London in 1719, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. He left one child, a daughter, who resided at Bilton Hall, and died unmarried at the age of 79.

The mansion is spacious but irregular. In construction it is of different periods, the oldest and largest portion bearing marks of the style of architecture common about the time of James I. The remainder of the building consists of a lower range of apartments facing the gardens. This part of the house, being of the style which prevailed in the beginning of the eighteenth century, may have been erected by Addison himself when preparing the mansion for the reception of his destined wife. The furniture, after being long preserved as it was left by its illustrious possessor, was disposed of by auction; but some of the pictures collected by him still adorn the walls.

The gardens are extensive, and retain much of the old formal character, being laid out principally in straight lines. A long walk on the north side of the grounds is called Addison's Walk," there being a tradition that this was his favourite retreat.

Bilton Hall will possess to some an additional interest from the circumstance of its having been, for several years, the residence of the well-known writer "Nimrod," the author of numerous popular works on sporting subjects.

Bilton Church is a neat building, in the Gothic style, with a graceful spire. The interior is plain, containing no monuments of interest. The remains of Miss Addison are interred here, but without any monumental inscription.

The village possesses no features worthy of remark. It has a picturesque green, on which may be noticed the stocks, in excellent condition. Besides them is part of a stone pillar fixed in a socket, much defaced-perhaps the pillory.

BIRMINGHAM.

HOTELS.-Hen and Chickens, Francis Smith. Dee's Royal, Fred. Dee-Bed 2s. 6d., breakfast 1s. 6d. to 2s. 6d., dinner 2s. to 5s., tea 1s. 6d. to 2s., attendance optional, private room 5s. Stork, E. and M. George-Bed 1s. to 2s., breakfast 1s. 9d. to 2s., dinner 2s. to 5s., tea 1s. 9d. to 2s., attendance 1s. 6d. Clarendon Family and Commercial-Bed 1s. 6d., private room, 2s. King's Head Railway and Commercial, Sarah Mayo-Bed 1s. 6d. to 2s., breakfast 1s. 6d. to 2s., dinner 2s., tea 1s. to 2s., attendance 1s. 3d., private room 2s. 6d. Queen's, Railway Company-Bed 2s., breakfast 2s., dinner 2s. to 3s., attendance 1s. 6d.

Population in 1851, 232,841; Inhabited houses, 45,844.

Sends two Members to Parliament.

Birmingham from London, 1124 miles; from Manchester, 85; from Coventry, 181; from Warwick, 20.

This great manufacturing town, unsurpassed in England, or in the world, for the variety, quantity, and quality of its products, is situated in the north-western extremity of Warwickshire, its suburbs extending into the neighbouring counties of Stafford and Worcester. It is built on a series of elevations of the new red sandstone formation-a site favourable both for beauty and salubrity. The origin of the name has been the occasion of much discussion. Some writers suppose it to have been the Bremenium mentioned in the Itinerary of Richard of Cirencester, and, consequently, ascribe it to the Romans; while others are of opinion that the name is Saxon. It has been conclusively shown that the former opinion is groundless. The name has been found in upwards of a hundred different shapes in ancient documents. During the last four centuries, eight different ways of spelling it have been used: Brumwychcham, Bermyngeham, Bromwycham, Burmyngham, Bermyngham, Brymyngham, Bromicham, and Birmingham. Dugdale regards the name as of Saxon origin. He adopts the spelling Bromwycham, and supposes the first part of it to be the name of a Saxon owner, the syllable ham denoting a dwelling. Hutton, the historian of Birmingham,

I

says that brom signifies broom, and wych a dwelling. Whatever the time of the crigin of the name, there seems thus to be no reason to doubt that it is of Saxon etymology. Birmingham was a place of some consequence before the Conquest, as is shown by the fact that, in 1309, William de Birmingham, then lord of the manor, proved that his ancestors had held a market here, and levied tolls under the Saxons. The De Birmingham family had a castle here, erected about 1154, and on several occasions took an active part in public affairs, particularly in the wars of the barons. Edward, the last of this ancient family, was, in the reign of Henry VI., tricked out of the lordship by John Dudley, Earl of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland, upon whose execution for treason it reverted to the crown. During the war between_Charles I. and his Parliament, Birmingham sided with the Parliament, supplying its troops with about 15,000 sword blades, and seizing the royal plate and furniture, which the King had left behind him at Aston Hall on his way southward. A few months after, Prince Rupert inflicted signal vengeance on the town, by burning and plundering it to the extent of £30,000. In 1665, Birmingham was almost depopulated by the plague. The Restoration gave an impetus to its trade from the many gilded trifles that were used by the ladies and cavaliers of the time for their personal adornment. William III., it is said, founded the gun trade. He was lamenting the necessity of depending upon Holland for this species of arms, when Sir R. Newdegate, a member of Parliament for Warwickshire, directed his attention to Birmingham as able satisfactorily to execute his orders. From that time the gun trade of Birmingham continued to grow in importance. The next point in the history of Birmingham is the riots of 1791. These riots resulted from the indignation of the mob at a dinner held by about eighty persons to commemorate the French revolution. For three days the populace were in possession of the town, and indulged in wanton and brutal excesses. The damage done was estimated at £60,000. Among those who suffered most severely was the celebrated Dr. Priestley, whose philosophical apparatus, library, and valuable manuscripts, were destroyed along with his house. The year 1831 witnessed the establishment of the Political Union, with Thomas Attwood as its chief. The effect of the Union in securing the passing of the Reform Bill is well known. With the exception of the Chartist riots in 1839, and several royal visits, there is nothing further in the history of Birmingham calling for mention.