"Pains, reading, study, aré his just pretencè;

and we would not have him think that we apply to him the line which follows to complete the couplet. Taste and sense are very requisite in such pursuits as those which have attracted Mr. Shaw; otherwise, writers will be the dupes of a credulity which must injure their reputation. In the Advertisement prefixed to this volume *, we find a letter from Dr. Plot to the Rev. Dr. John Fell, Dean of Christ-Church, Oxford, giving an account of his intended Journey through England and Wales, for the Discovery of Antiquities and other Curiosities, published from a manuscript in the Bodleian Library; which so completely exemplifies our remark, that we cannot resist the temptation of taking from it two short passages:

"I shall inquire, (says Dr. Plot,) of any strange accidents that attend corporations or families, as that the Deans of Rochester ever since the foundation by turns have died deans and bishops. The bird with a white breast, that haunts the family of Oxenham near Exeter, just before the death of any of the family. The bodies of trees that are seen to swim in a pool, near Brereton in Cheshire, a certain warning to the heir of that honourable family to prepare for the next world."

"I will endeavour also to find the Isle of Baruchus, on the coast of Wales, mentioned by Varenius in his Geography, in which, he says, there is a cave from whence are heard the noise of hammers, the blowing of bellows, as if it were the shop of the Cyclops. As also the cave, lying under a mountain in Brittany, mentioned by Clemens Alexandrinus; which receiving wind at its gaping top, and dashing it into the bason of an hollow-place, there is heard a tinkling of cymbols beating to tune and time.""

This letter is a curiosity, and shews that Dr. Plot was a man of extensive research; yet, since he had such a disposition to believe the marvellous, the judicious reader is warranted in questioning whether he would take sufficient pains to expose falsehood and deception, and to bring to light the real truth.

Let it not be supposed that we have any wish to degrade the study of Antiquity, which has been called " the right-hand of history, the key of chronology, and a necessary handmaid to divinity" we are only desirous of cautioning those who are engaged in this branch of inquiry, against becoming too voluminous and too indiscriminating reporters. Every thing which they may discover in old parchments, old registers, and on old tomb-stones, does not merit transcription; and names which excite no other recollection than that somebody lived and somebody died, of whom so much cannot be said as of the man whose epitaph is recorded in the Spectator,

* For Vol. i. see M. R. vol. xxx. p. 417. N. S.

« Here

"Here lies the body of Daniel Saul,

Spitalfields' weaver, and that's all,"

are not intitled to fill the columns of pompous folios, but should be suffered to remain ignoti longa nocte. Whatever contributes to illustrate history, whatever names can be associated with the recollection of past events, and even the magni nominis umbra in the registers of individuals who have filled eminent civil or ecclesiastical offices, may enter the pages of a county history: but by this line let the pen be bounded. Much trouble would have been saved to the author before us, had he acted on this principle; and though, unfortunately, he may plead precedents, this is but an indifferent justification, and a weak defence.

In taking some notice of the contents of this volume, we shall discharge our duty with brevity, and without adverting to transcripts from pedigrees, monuments, and parish registers. We are here furnished with the remaining parishes in the hundred of Offlow; including the histories of Drayton-Bassett-Hintes or Hints Canwell-Weyford or Weeford Shenston-Norton under Cannock-Pelsall Rushall -Walsall Wednesbury, commonly pronounced Wedgebury-Darlaston-Bentley-Aldridge-Handsworth - Harbourn West Bromwich Tipton-Dudley Castle - Willenhall. In the Hundred of Seisdon, Mr. S. gives an account of Wolverhampton-Byshbury-Tettenhall-TrysullWomburne-Over Penne-Sedgeley-Himley-Swinford Regis Rowley Regis-Clent-Brome-Over Arley-KinverEnfield or Enville- Bebington- Pattingham-Pattershulland Codsall.

This indefatigable collector and historian has brought toge ther whatever is curious and amusing respecting the several districts mentioned in the volume; and to gentlemen whose estates and family-mansions are situated in the respective pa rishes, villages, &c. every minute particular will probably excite a peculiar interest: but, as these local details are not attrac tive to the general reader, we shall not quote either parochial or family-anecdotes of antient date, but take a specimen from a part which relates to modern times and to the arts. Situated in the village of Handsworth, are the manufactories of Messrs. Woolley and Co., for grinding sword blades, and of Mr. Eginton for stained glass: but, above all, it is distinguished by the vast Soho manufactory belonging to the celebrated Mr. Boulton, whose noble mansion and pleasure-grounds add beauty to the surrounding scenery. Of this manufactory a long account is given; a part of which we shall copy:

Soho is the name of a hill in the county of Stafford, about two miles from Birmingham; which, a very few years ago, was a

barren

barren heath, on the bleak summit of which stood a naked hut, the habitation of a warrener.

The transformation of this place is a recent monument of the effects of trade on population. A beautiful garden, with wood, lawn, and water, now covers one side of this hill; five spacious squares of building, erected on the other side, supply workshops, or houses, for above six hundred people. The extensive pool at the approach to this building is conveyed to a large water-wheel in one of the courts, and communicates motion to a prodigious number of different tools. And the mechanic inventions for this purpose are superior in multitude, variety, and simplicity, to those of any manufactory (I sup pose) in the known world.

Toys, and utensils of various kinds, in gold, silver, steel, copper, tortoise-shell, enamels, and many vitreous and metallic composi tions, with gilded, plated, and inlaid works, are wrought up to the highest elegance of taste, and perfection of execution, in this place.

Mr. Boulton, who has established this great work, has joined taste and philosophy with manufacture and commerce; and, from the various branches of chemistry, and the numerous mechanic arts he employs, and his extensive correspondence to every corner of the world, is furnished with the highest entertainment as well as the most lucrative employment.

About the year 1745 Mr. Boulton, then, of Birmingham, invented, and afterwards brought to great perfection, the inlaid steel buckles, buttons, watch-chains, &c. which Dr. Johnson mentions in one of his papers in the World, as becoming fashionable in this country; whilst they were re-purchased from France, under the idea of their being the production of that kingdom.

In the year 17.7, John Wyrley, of Hamstead, esq. lord of the manor of Handsworth, granted a lease, to Messrs. Edward Ruston and Eaves, of these tracts of common; viz. Handsworth heath, Moneybank hill, Crabtree bank warrens, for 9 years, with cer tain inclosed lands, with liberty to make some additions to the same, and to make a cut for the turning of Hockley brook, to make a pool, with powers to build a water mill. In consequence of which a small house and feeble mill were erected, for the purpose of rolling metal. On Lady-day 1762, Mr. Boulton purchased the aforesaid lease, with all the premises and appurtenances, to apply the same to such branches of the manufactory established at Birmingham as would tend to diminish expence and labour.

In order to prosecute his designs and improvements, he soon after enlarged and rebuilt those premises, and then transplanted the whole of his manufactory from Birmingham to Soho; and though he had made very considerable additions to these buildings, he found them not sufficient for his great designs: he therefore, in 1764, laid the foundation of the present superb manufactory, which was finished in the following year, at the expence of goool. From that period he began to turn his attention to the different branches of manufactory; and, in conjunction with Mr. Fothergill, then his partner, established a mercantile correspondence throughout Europe; by which means the produce of their various articles was greatly extended, and the manufacturer,

manufacturer, by becoming his own merchant, eventually enjoyed a double profit. Impelled by an ardent attachment to the arts, and by the patriotic ambition of bringing his favourite Soho to the highest degree of perfection, the ingenious proprietor soon established a se minary of artists for drawing and modelling; and men of genius were now sought for and liberally patronised, which shortly led to a successful imitation of the Or Molu. These metallic ornaments, consisting of vases, tripods, candelabras, &c. by the superior skill and taste bestowed upon them here, soon found their way, not only to the admiration of his majesty, and to the chimney-pieces and cabinets, &c. of the nobility and curious of this kindgdom; but likewise to France, and almost to every part of Europe. From this elegant branch of the business the superior skill of Mr. Boulton led his artists, by a natural and easy transition, to that of the wrought silver; upon which he soon found the necessity of applying to parliament for, and establishing, in 1773, an assay office at Birmingham. About this time that ingenious art of copying pictures in oil colours, by a mechanical process, was invented at Soho; and, under the patronage of the above proprietor, was brought to such a degree of perfection as to be taken for originals by the most experienced connoisseurs. This extraordinary piece of art was principally conducted by the ingenious Mr. F. Eginton, which led him to that of painting upon glass, now carried on at his neighbouring manufactory, as hereafter separately described.

Mr. Boulton, finding from experience that the stream of water which had induced him to build a mill, and transplant his manu factory to Soho, was insufficient for its purposes, applied horses, in conjunction with his water-mill; but finding that both troublesome, irregular, and expensive, in 1767 he made a steam-engine, on Savery's plan, with the intention of returning and raising his water about 24 feet high; but, this proving unsatisfactory to him, he soon after formed an acquaintance with his present partner and friend, Mr. James Watt of Glasgow, who in 1765 had invented several valuable improvements upon the steam-engine, which in fact made it a new

machine.

The application of this improved steam-engine at Soho to raise and return the water extended the powers of the water-mill; which induced Mr. Boulton to rebuild it a second time upon a much larger scale; and several engines were afterwards erected at Soho for other purposes, by which the manufactory was greatly extended, the source of mechanical power being thus unlimited.

Amongst the various applications of the steam-engine, that of coining seems to be of considerable importance, as by its powers all the operations are concentered on the same spot; such as rolling the cakes of copper hot into sheets; 2dly, fine-rolling the same cold in steel polished rollers; 3dly, cutting out the blank pieces of coin, which is done with greater ease and rapidity by girls than could pos sibly be done by strong men; 4thly, the steam-engine also performs other operations, such as shaking the coin in bags; and, 5thly, it works a number of coining machines, with greater rapidity and exact-ness, by a few boys of twelve or fourteen years of age, than could be

"

done by a great number of strong men, without endangering their fingers, as the machine itself lays the blanks upon the die perfectly concentral with it, and when struck displaces one piece and replaces another.

The coining mill, which was erected in 1788, and has since been greatly improved, is adapted to work eight machines, and each is capable of striking from seventy to eighty four pieces of money per thinste, the size of a guinea, which is equal to between 30,000 and 40,000 per hour;, and at the same low which strikes the two faces the edge of the piece is also struck either plain or with an inscription tipon it, and thus every piece becomes perfectly round, and of equal diameter; which is not the case with any other national money ever fut into circulation.

Such a coining mill, erected in the national mint, would, in cases of emergency, be able to coin all the bullion in the Bank of England a a short notice, without the necessity of putting dollars, or other foreign coin, into circulation; and by erecting double the number of presses a double quantity may be coined.'

It is worthy observation, that the ground of the silver money coined by this machine has a much finer and blacker polish than the money coined by the common apparatus.

In consequence of Mr. Boulton's money being perfectly round, and of equal diameter, he proposed the following co-incidence between money, weights, and measures, in the copper coin, part of which he hth lately executed for the British government; viz. a 2-pennypiece to weigh 2 oz. and 15 of them to measure 2 feet, when laid Bat in a straight line; 1 penny-piece to weigh 1 oz. and 17 of them to measure 2 feet; penny to weigh oz. and 10 of them to measure 1 foot; a farthing to weigh oz. and 12 to measure 1 foot. This plan of co-incidence was prevented from being put into execu tion by the sudden advance of the price of copper.

In the year 1788 Mi. Boulton struck a piece of gold, the size of a guinea, as a pattern (similar to those in copper); the letters were indented instead of in relief; and the bead, and other devices (although in relief), were protected from wear by a broad flat border and, from the perfect rotundity of shape, &c. with the aid of a steel gage; it may, with great ease and certainty, by ascertaining its specific gravity, be distinguished from any base metal. Previous to Mr. Boulton's engagement to supply government with copper pence, in order to bring his apparatus to the greatest perfection, he exercised it in coining silver money for Siera Leona and the African company, ahid copper for the East India Company and Bermudas. Various beautiful medals of our celebrated naval and other officers, &c. have Likewise been struck here from time to time by Mr. Boulton, for the purpose of employing and encouraging ingenious artists to revive that Eranch of sculpture, which had been upon the decline in this king. dom since the death of Symons in the reign of Charles II.'

In order to obtain the desired degree of perfection in the manufactory of steam engines, Messrs. Boulton and Watt found it necessary to erect and establish an iron foundery for that purpose; and they have accordingly, in partnership with their sons (to whose activity, REV. JUNE, 180z.

M

genius