|Liverpool. It properly lies in two counties, Somerset and |Gloucester, but in the reign of Edward the Third it was erected |into a county of itself. | |This metropolis of the west of England gradually rose to eminence |in the Anglo Saxon period, but its origin is uncertain. It |contains 10,403 houses, and 63,645 inhabitants, and is situated on |the rivers Avon and Frome. The bridge over the former was first |built above 500 years ago, and rebuilt in 1768. It consists of |three wide and lofty arches, with a neat stone ballustrade. The |river here is deep and very rapid, and flows to the height of 40 |feet, so as to bring a vessel of 1000 tons up to the bridge. | |The internal streets of this city are high and irregular, with |projecting buildings, mostly built of wood and plaster, which |render it close; but many of the streets have been lately much |widened, particularly the avenues to the bridges. The suburbs and |external parts of the city are elegant and spacious buildings, |principally inhabited by gentry, merchants, and retired tradesmen, |or let as lodging-houses. The sides of the streets have smooth |pavements, and the whole is well lighted. It is supplied with |excellent water, both from pumps and conduits; that in Temple |Street has a noble statue upon it, representing Neptune. The |common sewers which run through the streets, render the whole city |remarkably clean. Carts are not admitted in the streets, for fear |of damaging the arches of the vaults and gutters that are made |under ground, for conveying the soil into the rivers; on this |account every thing is conveyed by sledges, to the no small danger |of the foot passengers. | |In King Street there is a very elegant and convenient theatre, and |the city library is a handsome stone building, with literary |emblems in front, which contains a very good collection of books, |and a clergyman is always appointed the librarian. | |Above the river, Redcliff Parade is a handsome range of houses, |whence is a beautiful prospect of the surrounding country. | |Over the river Frome is a draw-bridge, which has also two arches |of stone, and an octagon building at each end. | |The quay is above a mile in length, reaching from St. Giles’s to |Bristol Bridge, and is all the way embanked by a firm wall, coped |with hewn stone; the whole is not impeded by the buildings, which |lie a considerable way back, so that it is one continued quay, |although under different names; that from Bristol Bridge to the |bend of the river opposite Redcliff Parade, is called _The Back_, |and from thence downwards is called _The Grove_. Here is a dock |which will contain 10 sail of large vessels, and further on there