discharges itself into the Bristol Channel, or, as it is sometimes called, the Severn Sea. Till Bristol was made an independent county, it was usually reckoned to belong to Somersetshire, occupying the southern extremity of Gloucestershire, and the northern of Somersetshire. It is now usually mentioned in connection with the latter of these counties. The old town, which is now in the heart of the city, stands upon a narrow hill, in a valley, and is bounded by the Avon on the south, and the Frome on the north and west, and by a deep ditch, or moat of the castle, on the east. The whole city stands on several rising grounds: St. Michael's Hill and Kingsdown are the highest; their summits being at least 200 feet higher than any other part. These elevations, though themselves seated in low ground, and the windings of the two rivers through the city, render Bristol altogether one of the most healthy and pleasing cities in England. The city boundaries, by land, on the southern, or Glouces tershire, side of the Avon, include nearly five miles; and the northern, almost three miles: the liberties occupying a circumference of upwards of seven miles, though the boundaries of the whole town include many streets and houses within the jurisdiction and government of the county of Gloucester. It is, however, difficult to convey a distinct idea of the full extent of this large and populous city, as it is continually increasing in size and importance, and is supposed to have acquired upwards of 8000 houses since the commencement of the eighteenth century. In 1777, an act passed, by which the boundaries south of the Avon, are much extended, its jurisdiction by water reaching from Tower Harratz to Kingsroad, and from thence down the south side of the Bristol Channel, as low as the two islands called the Flat-Holmes and the Steep-Holmes, and from thence eastward to the Denny Island, and so on again to Kingsroad. According To preserve the true boundaries, an annual perambulation is made by the city officers, on choosing the mayor, According to the POPULATION returns in 1801, Bristol contains 10,403 houses, and 63,645 inhabitants, of whom, if these returns are correct, 26,943 are males, and 36,702 are females. Of this number, 10,190 were returned as being employed in trade and manufactures. This population includes the parishes of Clifton, Mangotsfield, and Stapleton, in the hundred of Barton Regis, or out parishes; but in this addition is not reckoned the parish of Bedminster, containing 3278 persons. These returns, however, convey a very imperfect idea of the population of Bristol with its suburbs, and environs. By a survey, taken in 1786,* it was found that the city contained 13,000 houses, and about 80,000 inhabitants. In 1757, is is said to have contained 13,000 houses, and 90,000 inhabitants. In the year following, Mr. Anders sont perambulated the city for two successive days; and from a near examination of the number of houses on new founda tions, and streets erected since 1751, he concluded that it could not contain less than 100,000 souls, and is as big as London within the walls. "Dublin," says he, " appears more popu lous in the streets; but it is the residence of the chief governors, of all public officers, guards, nobility, and gentry, with nume rous retinues of people in the streets, without being larger than Bristol, where the inhabitants are private families and manufacturers in employ within doors." Mr. Barrett thinks this too large a calculation; but in a more recent publication,|| we are told that, in 1797, there were many hundreds of handsome houses building on new foundations, in and about Bristol, Clifton, and the Hotwells; and this account concludes by adding, that "if in our computation of people at Bristol, we include its environs, viz. the out-parish of St. Philip and Jacob, Barton-hill, Upper and Lower Easton, Baptist Mills, St. George's parish, the out-parish of St. James, and the new buildings in the parish of Westbury; the parishes England's Gazetteer, apud Bristol. + Barrett's History, 99. Historical and Chronological Deduction of Trade and Commerce. History, Antiquities, Survey, and Description of the City and Suburbs of Bristol, &c.; by the Rev. George Heath, parishes of St. John and Bedminster, and Clifton, and the town of Hotwells, all of which pertain to the city, or are in the vicinity of the suburbs, we may find the whole to contain upwards of 100,000 souls." And, certainly, if we take into the account the recent improvements, particularly at Clifton, this calculation, we are persuaded, does not exceed the truth. In 1801, however, it appeared, that the number of inhabitants in the interior part of the city, had decreased; which the Rev. J. New, in a letter to the editor of Mr. Farley's Bristol Journal, attempts to account for, by representing, that within the last seventy years many houses have been destroyed, either for erecting new streets, or large buildings; amounting altoge ther, to several hundreds. Mr. New is, nevertheless, persuaded that the parishes in the suburbs will more than make up the deficiency, and prove that the population will not fall short of 100,000.* The County Annual Register states,† that according to the whole amount of the population returns already referred to, including both the Gloucestershire and Somersetshire sides of the Avon, Bristol in 1809 contained about 67,000 souls; and the same work adds, that with respect to improvements in public buildings, few places can vie with the recent ones, both for pleasure and business, exclusive of 1500 houses, erected within these five years. As a place of TRADE and COMMERCE, Bristol is, perhaps, second only to London; but the increasing pressure of the times, and the present wild and injurious policy respecting our commercial and continental relations, every year retard the extension of its commerce, and the importance of its situation. The Avon is now navigable for vessels of the largest * Vide Monthly Magazine, Vol. XII. pp. 273, 274, where there is a circumstantial, and apparently correct, statement of the causes of decrease in the city, and of increase in the suburbs. + Vol. I. Part IV. pp. 60, 61. Liverpool, it is said, has at length surpassed this port, in the extent of its commerce. See Beauties, Vol. IX. p. 196. largest burthen, which ride in perfect safety in deep water. The vicinity of the Severn, and the centrical situation of the town, give it a facility of communication of which few other cities can boast. But a more particular view of the commerce of Bristol may be taken from a description of its harbour, and those public buildings and institutions immediately connected therewith, which shall be noticed in their proper places. This city has several PUBLIC EDIFICES of great beauty and importance. Here are nineteen churches, belonging to the establishment, besides places of worship appropriate to almost all the various denominations of dissenters, and a synagogue for the service of the Jews. The Cathedral, situate at College-green, was originally the collegiate church of the monastery of St. Augustine, and was founded by Robert Fitz-Harding, before-mentioned. At the time of the dissolution, by Henry the Eighth, some have erroneously supposed, the whole of this building was destroyed, except the arched gateway leading from the upper to the lower green, at the west end of the cathedral, which was the chief entrance to the monastery. This gate has been reckoned one of the finest remains of architectural antiquity in the kingdom. It is certain, however, that it was not finished, or at least the inscription not placed there, till after Henry the Second, who confirmed the foundation of the monastery, and contributed to its expence, came to the throne. The inscription on the north front, which is in Latin, is to the following effect :"King Henry the Second, and Lord Robert, son of Harding, son of the King of Denmark, were the first founders of this monastery." It was erected about 1460, as a priory of Black Canons. The east part was added the twenty-fifth of by Edmund Knowles, the abbot, who died in 1332. The abbot, William Hunt, added or repaired the choir in 1463. In 1481 and 1500, the upper part was repaired by the abbot, John Newland, or Nailheart; who was assisted in Edward the First, * * Reg. Wigorn, in Barrett, p. 269. the |