Chapter V.—1781-1791.
§ 1.Appearance of the Town.
Great The changes which Birmingham was undergoing in its appearance at this time were considered by the inhabitants as something wonderful and unparalleled. An advertisement, which was published on January 27, 1783, contains a paragraph which, in a few words, gives us a graphic account of how extraordinarily rapid the growth of the town appeared to the most careful observers. On that day an edition of Hutton's History of Birmingham in numbers was announced. The writer of this advertisement—doubtless Hutton himself—first descants upon the importance and advantage of the study of history generally, and then, in the following remarkable paragraph, he directs the reader's attention to the still greater need for an acquaintance with the history of "principal parts." It follows," he says, "if an intimate acquaintance with our Country is necessary, an acquaintance with a principal Part is peculiarly so. Birmingham in many Points of View may be considered in that Light; the Name is echoed through the Commercial World; there is not a Village without her Manufactures: This Seat of Invention furnishes Ornament and Use. Her astonishing Increase is beyond Example. The Traveller who visits her once in six Months, supposes himself well acquainted with her; but he may chance to find a Street of Houses in the Autumn, where he saw his horse at Grass in the Spring. A pitiful Market Town, in an Inland County by pure Industry, in a few Years, surpasses most of our Cities. Thus singularly circumstanced, she naturally calls for a History, and invites a Reader." We have anticipated a little in order to place at the beginning of the present chapter this vivid picture of the growth of the town by one who was an eye-witness of the changes which were going on around him, and who knew well how to use his eyes. We shall now proceed in regular order to quote such extracts as will throw light on the words of our historian.
