Having lived in Paddington from 1838 to 1847, in perfect ignorance of its history, I was aroused, like the rest of the rate-payers, who lived in the parish, in the latter year, to a consciousness of the existence of some moving Power in the parish, by a sudden, and to me unaccountable increase in the demand on my purse. Having seen a considerable diminution in the number of houses for the poor, and a considerable increase in the dwellings of the rich, I was very anxious to ascertain the cause of this call on me for an increase in my contribution to the parochial burdens. I found that a re-assessment of the parish had been made; that my rates, and many others, were increased as much as 6½_d._ in the pound on the former rental; that the assessment was most unequal and unjust; and that it was not at all required for the purpose for which it was said to be made. The excuse given for re-assessing the parish, was, that the county magistrates had raised the assessment; but I found, on looking into that question, that one half-penny in the pound per annum, taken on the old assessment, would have raised the extra sum required by the county. I came to the conclusion, therefore, that the governing body had not chosen to give out to the rate-payers the true motives for their actions; and finding that they had carried out their resolution in a most unjust manner, I thought I should not be doing my duty by discontinuing the enquiry at this point: I proceeded, and the following pages are the result of my subsequent investigations. To shew how Paddington has increased, both in population and wealth, I have subjoined an abstract of the Census Returns since their first establishment, and some extracts from the Rate-books since 1838. For the amount of Rental for 1847,-48,-49, I am indebted to calculations made by Mr. Aveling, the Vestry-Clerk; but the amounts for those years do not include the assessment for the empty houses; for which £10,000 per annum may be added. The enormous increase in the Rental in the year 1847, arose chiefly from the extra sum laid on by the re-assessment made that year. The sums in the second column of that table represent the amounts _levied_ by the two half-yearly rates. CENSUS RETURNS FOR PADDINGTON. HOUSES. POPULATION. YEARS. Inhabit. Uninhab. Building. Males. Females Persons. 1801 324 33 — 870 1011 1881 1811 879 24 32 1994 2615 4609 1821 1139 13 28 2852 3624 6476 1831 1933 104 93 6278 8262 14,540 1841 3479 221 390 10,784 14,425 25,173 1851 6103 416 222 18,784 27,521 46,306 TABLE OF RATES AND RENTAL.