good people of Birmingham except the civil war of the seventeenth century, when they proved themselves staunch adherents to the parliamentarians, and did good service to their partizans, against Prince Rupert and his troops, at which time some earth works thrown up at Bordesley, conferred the name of Camp Hill on a part of it. The prince afterwards set fire to the town, but obligingly desisted from further demonstration of such warm regard, on being handsomely bribed to that effect. The riots of 1791 are so frequently brought to the minds of our town’s people by present allusions, that it needs not to dwell here on the disgraceful theme. Turning to a pleasanter topic, we will briefly glance at the manufactures which made an anonymous poet formerly exclaim,— “Europe’s grand toy-shop, art’s exhaustless mine— These, and more titles, Birmingham, are thine.” It is amusing to look back to the condition of Birmingham in Leland’s time, (Henry VIII.,) who describes it as inhabited only “by smithes that use to make knives and all manner of cutting tools, and lorimers that make bittes, and a great many nailors.” Camden, in the reign of Elizabeth, speaks of it as “swarming with inhabitants, and echoing with the noise of anvils; but the upper part rising with abundance of handsome buildings;” and his continuator, Bishop Gibson, in the reign of Anne, mentions “its artificers in iron and steel, whose performances in that way are greatly admired both at home and abroad.” Prior to the restoration of Charles II. the town only consisted of one long street, extending from the hamlet of Deritend to the present Bull-street, and contained barely 5,000 inhabitants. _Now_, the probably correct amount would stand thus: streets, 340; houses, 22,000; population, 200,000. Birmingham was created a borough by the Reform Bill, and sends two members to parliament. The honours of a mayor and corporation are now added to its civil dignities. * * * * *