SUBSCRIPTION LIBRARY.

Of late years there has been a considerable improvement in the extension and management of the Subscription Library; the books of this society were for many years contained in a hired house in Surrey-street, and circulated under very indifferent management. On the death of the aged female librarian, the library was for awhile removed into George-street, where a better system was introduced; on the erection of the Music Hall, a commodious apartment was therein fitted up for the reception of the books, with a comfortable reading room annexed. A collection of the Public Records of the kingdom, as printed by order of parliament, is deposited in the Library, to which every person has the right of access, on application to the president. These works consist of thirty volumes, including the statutes of the Realm, Rymer's Fœdera, Hundred Rolls, Ecclesiastical Surveys, Abstract of Doomsday Book, catalogues of the British Museum, &c. &c.

MECHANICS' LIBRARY.

Another public library, occupying a convenient room in Watson's Walk, was opened in 1824, chiefly designed for the use of mechanics and apprentices; a number of public spirited individuals have become honorary members, besides a considerable proportion of subscribers who are also readers, so that this library promises in a short time, not only to become of encreasing advantage to the class of persons for whose benefit it was primarily established, but an important acquisition to the literary resources of the inhabitants of the town in general. The library at present contains upwards of two thousand volumes :novels and plays as well as any book adjudged of an immoral tendency, being very properly excluded by a law of the founda. tion. It may be observed that the library is cpened six evenings in the week, under the gratuitous attention of six of the members who act as librarians.

NEWS ROOMS.

A neat stone building, forming a portion of the East Parade, which was erected some years ago, is now used for the purpose of a public news room-a scheme which has met very li

beral encouragement from the respectable inhabitants of the place.

Another institution of a similar nature distinguished as the Commercial News Room, has more recently been established in one of the apartments of the Music Hall. An attempt was made at the beginning of this institution, to appropriate a commodious part of the room for the purposes of an Exchange, but the experiment did not succeed nor do we think the mercantile affairs of Sheffield are much adapted for transactions in such a place and way.

NEWSPAPERS.

Nearly all that is interesting-indeed nearly all that is known, concerning the earliest efforts to furnish the people of Hallamshire with news, previously to the establishment of the oldest of the existing papers, is comprised in the words of Mr. Hunter, "Between 1740 and 1760, several attempts had been made to establish a weekly newspaper, but without success; and the public were disposed to acquiesce in an arrangement of Ward's, to circulate in Sheffield on the Monday the Northampton Mercury, which was published in that town on the Saturday."Other and subsequent "attempts," of a similar nature, might be added, which were equally "without success." There are at present four weekly newspapers published in the town, viz.

THE SHEFFIELD IRIS, established in 1787, by Mr. Gales, under the title of The Sheffield Register: from 1794 to 1825, this paper was issued by Mr. Montgomery as editor, publisher, and proprietor: at the latter period it was transferred to Mr. Blackwell, at whose office, 48, High-street, it is published every Tuesday morning.

THE SHEFFIELD MERCURY, was established in 1807, by Mr. Todd, and by him published at the head of the Market place, until 1826, when it was transferred to Mr. Ridge, by whom it is now published, at the top of King-street, every Saturday morning.

THE SHEFFIEld IndependenT was established in 1819, by Mr. Bacon, by whom it continues to be published every Sa

F

turday morning, at the shop of Mr. R. Leader, bookseller, Angel street.

THE SHEFFIELD COURANT, established during the last year, by Messrs. J. C. Platts and Co., at whose office in the Haymarket it is published every Friday morning.

We may here notice the fact, without attempting to account for the failure, of the publication of several other local periodicals within the last few years; especially the Northern Star, which contained in each number a well executed engraving, and extended to three volumes: to this may be added the Yorkshire and Derbyshire Magazine, The Parlour Fireside, &c.

The inhabitants of Sheffield may be generally characterised as frank, hospitable and benevolent. That honest openness of expression and sincerity of manner, which constitutes in some degree, the first of the above traits, and which is perhaps, peculiar to the county of York, was universally conspicuous in the ancient Sheffielders, and we feel proud to remark, that while it continued for many years as a staple material in the character of the upright, downright tradesmen who laid the foundation of our manufacturing credit, to distinguish our forefathers, it is still appreciated amongst us as the heritage of a population, who are taught to prefer the substantial advantages of a good conscience and an enlightened understanding, before the immoral concomitants of an infidel philosophy which is now too much in vogue, and the showy accomplishments of a fashionable education. Let us not, however, be misunderstood as congratulating our townspeople on the prevalence of what in itself could do them little credit-the retention of their ancient roughness of character, to the disparagement of the various refinements and improvements of modern times: no such inference is intended or warranted by the above remarks: but as the statue of Hercules could not be resculptured into that of Apollo without losing in strength what it gained in elegance, so we would have the men of Hallamshire to recollect that the manners o the fantastical, as well as the vices of the immoral, may presen themselves under a specious and even amiable guise, while in reality they are frittering away the strength, to produce only th dexterity of character.

Whatever Lord Byron might mean - if indeed he had any efinite meaning in his application of the epithet of "classi

Sheffield " to this place, we may remark, that Sheffield is not destitute of literary talent, nor of men who have distinguished themselves as authors in almost every line of polite learning. A mere enumeration of the names of those individuals who have in various ways exercised their pens amongst us from time to time, would not here be exactly in place, nor would it be easy to render such a list complete: a curious article on the subject of "Sheffield Poetry," including notices of a number of our townspeople, who have been votaries of the muses, appeared in that spirited but short-lived periodical the Cambridge Review.

TRADE OF SHEFFIELD.

In connection with the trade of Sheffield, it may be interesting to observe, that the curious and intelligent stranger visiting the town, will not merely be gratified by an inspection of the various beautiful articles of our manufacture in a finished state, as they are shewn in the warehouses, but, in general he would be very highly delighted, and in some instances perhaps astonished, to witness the process of manufacture itself, which in no case nor place, that we know of, would he be debarred from seeing. Our forges, furnaces, and grinding wheels; the shops of our silversmiths, opticians, and cutlers, with many others, would well repay the visits of the curious.

EXCURSIONS FROM SHEFFIELD.

CHESTERFIELD road.-Highfield, Heeley, via Meersbrook, Norton, the birth place of Chantrey. Woodseats, Beauchief Abbey, Beauchief Hall. Dronfield, church spire pleasing, fine chancel. Chesterfield, curious twisted spire, French prisoners here during the war. Staveley, Bolsover Castle.

BUXTON road.-Highfield, Milnhouses, Totley, Peacock Inn, Montgomery's "Bolehill Trees" conspicuous to the left. Baslow, Chatsworth House, ("Palace of the Peak") seat of the Duke of Devonshire, Waterworks. Bakewell, White Watson, F.L.S. Haddon Hall, belonging to the Duke of Rutland, Taddington, Buxton.

MANCHESTER road.-South-street, Banner cross, beautiful modern-gothic mansion. Ecclesall, fashionable burying place. Bent's-green, Rising-sun, scene of Mrs. Hoffland's "Tale of the Moors," (Amulet 1827.) Ringing Low, York Minster sometimes seen from hence. The moors, grouse. Hathersage, church yard, "Robin Hood's Arrow,' "Grave of Little John." Hope. Castleton, ancient ruin scene of "Peverel of the Peak," "Devil's Cavern," one of the most famous grottos in the world, lead mines.

GLOSSOP road. West-street, Hallam, "Hallamshire." Riveling river, fine romantic scenery, the Woodlands, Glossop.

PENISTONE road.-Gibraltar-street, Infirmary, Owlerton, Greno-wood head, telegraph station during the war. Wortley, seat of Lord Wharncliffe, Wharncliffe lodge, ancient inscription, enchanting scenery, cave of the "Dragon of Wantley.'

BARNSLEY road.-Bridgehouses, fine prospect, Brush House, to the right via Shiregreen, The Grange, seat of the late Lord Effingham. Ecclesfield, "Minster of the moors." Chapel-town, iron works. Worsbro, Barnsley.

DONCASTER road. The Wicker. Attercliffe, beautiful new church, Archbishop Secker educated here. Rotherham, fine old church, birth place of Archbishop Rotherham. Masbrough, iron works, dissenting academy; to the east, via Maltby, Roche Abbey, celebrated ruins, sequestered walks, indigenous plants; adjoins Sandbeck, seat of Earl of Scarborough to the west, via Greasborough, Wentworth House, seat of Earl Fitzwilliam, mausoleum of Marquis of Rockingham, fine statue by Nollekins. Conisbrough Castle, ancient Saxon fortress, scene in "Ivanhoe." Doncaster.

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WORKSOP road.-The Wicker and Attercliffe. Handsworth, pleasant village, Cinderhill-green, where George Fox used to preach, Quaker graves. Aston, Rectory of Mason, author of English Garden," and "Life of Gray," parsonage garden beautifully laid out, once visited by Gray; ancient seat of the D'Arcey's, now of Verelst. Anston, eastward on the hill, the tall spire of Laughten-en-le-Morthen church, seen from the German ocean. Worksop.