, 1866-05-11

The periods from which their acquisition Of
wealth hos dated, and thesa arc nlg,nin sub
divided into fast, gay and fashionable. OF slow,
sounbre and clumsy sets. Leading profession
nj meu mix freely with the great merchants
families, aud the clergy, particularly the
high1y-conrccted rrctors Of the Establish
ed Church, rally around them the sae
Of thclz flock, who arc generally imoued
with more or less aristoe.atic pretens,ons.
Music Is e1tcndvelY cultivated In the families
OF Manchester, nottingham, DC, as we'll as
In Birmingham, and particularly are the more
refined German merchants families Of tho
former cities contributing to make musical
accomplishments appreciated in society. in
the midst, however, Of many personal aspifa-
tlous atter a higher culture, there Is great
dearth OF ideas, and total absence Of that
cosmopolitan grace md comprehensiveness
which invests the intellectual circles OF Lon
don with SO much clarm and instruction.
The youug mechanics are, in fact, far mora
xealous for intellectual improvement thnn the
solid men and social notabl1itiea Of these
manufacturing towns, who are either snnk In
the 'tshop'' and In small social yanlties, OF
who sacrifice readily large amounts Of money
In order to marry their daughters In the
"H-aristocracy," or even in the army, navy
and clergy. Of ali tho centres OF industry,
Birmingham is the most delightfully."- situated.
1t is surrounded BY simmer resorts and great
historical associations. Within few
hours ride from the city, Is
bennington, the pretttest town Of
England, aud the favotite resort OF
retired army and navy men, and Of loungers
OF all classes who can live there. pleasantly
and economically. kenilworth, Warwick
Castle, stratford-on-A7on, old DR.. Johnson's
native town Lichflcld. md Dr. Auold's Rug
by, are Ill within easy and short access from
Birmingham and stratford. particularly de-
lights the American by its Shakespeare asso-
ciations, as well as It's delightful natural
scenery. T. 80.
OF the other provincial towns Of England,
Hull Is the important seaport for tho North
Of Europe, with steamers plying to Ham
burg, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Christiania,
Bergen, Gothenbrg and st. Petersburg.
Southampton occupies the same position
! for the South American and East India and
| Chinese ports, as well as for New York and
uavre, while Portsmouth Is the headQuar-
tcrs Of the royal nnvy. The most charming
Of these ports is Plymouth, contiguous to
Falmouth, situated In Devonshirc, the garden
Of England, remarkable alike for Its stu
pendous breakwater aud for lts
lively and Interesting yacht club. Bristol,
great outlet for the produce Of Gloucester
shire and other agricultural districts, and the
starting point OF steamers for Cork and Dub
lin, Is q duh, dreary place, but surrounded by
delightful country residences. ,Whllt
al1 these towns show more or less indication:
Of progress, the Cathedral towns of York ant
Lincoln, md the University towns Of Oxford
and Cambridge are nearly the same in 1866 Al
they were century ago. They resemble il
this respect the purely agricultural towns
except that the stagnation which marks thi
mind of the population Of these localities,
at least relieved In York anI Lincoln by th'
splendor Of the old calhed1als, and In Oxfort
aud Cambridge by the academieal learning O
the professors and the prauks of the students
Yet as far as genuine sympathy with moder1
civilization is concerned, II is as little q
home among the clerical and academica
circles ns among the country squircs an,
shopkecpers Of the agricultural neighbo,
hood. Manchester with all its gloom, an
Sheffield with all Its smoke, are in poin
Of modern aspfrntion and thought, centurie
ahead Of these so~called centres Of re1iglo
| and learning.