Although much remains to be done in order to put Shrewsbury on an equality, with respect to elegance and convenience, with many other places not its superiors in size, wealth, or situation, numerous praise-worthy improvements have taken place during the last 60 years. Previous to that period there was but one Inn (the Raven) of any extent for the accommodation of strangers, no stage coach; neither cart nor waggon was employed for the conveyance of goods, packhorses being only in use; and such persons as had occasion to travel were obliged to perform their journies on horseback, postchaises being unknown.—At length about 1761 the first stage coach made its appearance in Shrewsbury, and since that period by the indefatigable perseverance of the late Mr. Robert Lawrence, of the Lion Inn, in completing the communications and bettering the roads: a noble and substantial Guildhall, two beautiful stone bridges over the river Severn, together with two new and elegant churches, and a great number of charitable and benevolent erections have given additional beauty to this interesting and venerable town. Its suburbs have been materially enlarged and improved, many obstructions in the principal streets removed, and the facilities for travelling have been astonishingly increased. The government and police of Shrewsbury have the next claim on our attention. It is a corporation by prescription, and charters have been granted to it by almost every king of England since William the Norman. The first regular charter was granted by Henry I.; this was confirmed by John, who in addition empowered the burgesses to chuse two prœpositi of bailiffs removeable only on bad behaviour; but it was not until Edward III. that the bailiffs were constituted magistrates and authorised to hold a session for the trial of causes. The institution of aldermen is supposed have taken place in the 12th of Richard II. for “about the year 1390, the earl of Arundel being commissioned by the king to end certain disputes among the Burgesses, awarded that for the good government of the town for the future, the commonalty should elect out of themselves twelve of the most sufficient persons who should continue in their office for two years from the feast of St. Giles.”