EMINENT PERSONS, ETC.

225

De Quincey not only composed Greek verses, in lyric metres, but could converse in Greek fluently and without embarrassment, so perfectly, that one of his own masters, who was himself a scholar, has said of him, "that boy could harangue an Athenian mob better than I could an English one."

MRS. MARSHALL, authoress of several popular juvenile works, resides near Manchester.

ROBERT S. M'ALL, LL.D., (the minister of the Independent Chapel, Mosley-street,) celebrated for his eloquence, and high literary and philosophical attainments, died in 1838.

In a work, entitled "Manchester Poetry," edited by MR. JAMES WHEELER, and published in December, 1838, we find the following names connected with Manchester, either by birth or residence. Some of the names have been mentioned before, but we present them again, in order to furnish a list of the principal of those who have, at various times, avowedly been connected with the publication of poetry in Manchester.

John Byrom
Mrs. Fletcher,
Charles Swain,
Dr. M'All,

W. H. Ainsworth,

Rev. R. Parkinson,

J. Riddall Wood,
William Mort,
Samuel Bamford,
Ner Gardiner,
James Everett

Rev. Hugh Stowell,
Rev. E. D. Jackson,
Henry Wheeler,
Rev. W. Gaskell,
William Harper.

MR. J. C. PRINCE, author of "Hours with the Muses," a book which has deservedly attained great patronage, and MR. J. B. ROGERSON, author of a Volume of Poetry, &c., entitled, "Rhyme, Romance, and Revery," both reside in Manchester.

NOTE ABOUT NEWSPAPERS.

We stated at the commencement of this chapter that the most flourishing literature of the town, is that of the newspaper press. We here give a short list of the Manchester Newspapers:—

There are five newspapers published in the town, all of which are issued on Saturdays. One, however, is published twice a week, the other day of publication being Wednesday. The following is a list of them, with a statement of their political bias :—

The Chronicle and Standard, established in 1781, is published on Saturdays. The average circulation, according to the last Stamp-office return, for the last six months of 1841, was 2,087. Conservative politics. Office, St. Ann's-street.

The Guardian, established 1821, is published on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The average circulation for the last six months of 1841, was 6,250. Whig politics. Office, Warren-street.

The Courier, established 1825, is published on Saturdays. The average circulation for the last six months of 1841, was 5,538. Conservative politics. Office, St. Ann's-square.

The Times, established 1828, is published on Saturdays. The average circulation for the last six months of 1841, was 2,686. Liberal politics. Office, Ducieplace.

The Advertiser, established 1828, is published on Saturdays. The average circulation for the last six months of 1841, was 2,077. Radical politics. Office, Market.street.

Some of the earliest Lancashire newspapers were :— The Liverpool Courant, printed by S. Terry, Dalestreet; No. 18, July 18th, 1712. Manchester Weekly Journal, printed and sold by Roger Adams; No. 325, March 15th, 1725. Whitworth's Manchester Gazette; No. 1, December 22nd, 1730. The British Courant, or Preston Journal, printed by James Stanley and John Moon, 1745. Harrop's Manchester Mercury; No. 1, March 3rd, 1752. The Manchester Journal, printed by S. Schofield and M. Turnbull; No. 1, March 2nd, 1754; and Williamson's Liverpool Advertiser; No. 1, May 28th, 1756.

The following statement of the number of stamps taken out for the purposes of publication by each of the Lancashire newspapers during the six months ending December 31st, 1841, with average circulation and advertisement duty, may be useful for reference.

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CHAPTER XIII.

COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS-INSTITUTIONS-NEWS ROOMS

-BANKS-PUBLIC BUILDINGS-CLUBS-ETC.

T

HE head of this chapter presents a list of subjects so miscellaneous as not to admit of any classification. We begin by noticing

MANCHESTER WAREHOUSES.

Within the last few years Mosley-street MX contained only private dwelling-houses : it is now a street of warehouses.-The increasing business of the town is rapidly converting all the principal dwelling-houses, centrally situated, into mercantile establishments, and is driving most of the respectable inhabitants into the suburbs. So great, about the year 1836, was the demand for such conversions, that some of the land in Mosley-street, intended for warehouse erections, sold for a rental of fourteen shillings per square yard per annum ! On land purchased at so high a rate new

buildings have generally been erected; and, to make the most of it, a more than usual number of warehouses are raised on a limited space, the towering height of which make up for their contracted width. The exterior of many of the Manchester warehouses and places of business are very imposing, and, in some instances, beautiful. The noble warehouses of Messrs. Potter and Norris, in George-street; of Messrs. Wood and Westheads, Piccadilly; Messrs. Henrys', in Portland-street; Messrs. Bannerman, York-street; and Messrs. Fletcher and Son, George-street, are of the former description; whilst the Manchester and Salford Bank, in Mosleystreet; the South Lancashire Bank, in York-street; and the warehouse belonging to Messrs. Hargreaves, Dugdale, and Co., in Meal-street, are of the latter.

To form a good conception of the commercial character of Manchester, a visit should be paid on a Tuesday, to the Exchange, and then a tour made among the warehouses. Beginning with Cannon-street, and looking through the openings right and left, till he reaches High-street, the visitor will find ample materiel for observation. He may then enter High-street, and perambulate Church-street, Bread-street, Bridgewaterbuildings, New High-street, Spring-gardens, Fountainstreet, York-street, Mosley-street, George-street, cum multis aliis, and the bustle and activity, the loading and unloading of waggons, the carriers' carts waiting to receive packages, and the dyers' and bleachers' vans waiting to deliver pieces, the waggon-loads of cotton, the immense iron-hooped bales for exportation, drawn along the streets, which, with the most hasty glance, he cannot fail to notice, will convey to his mind an idea of the amazing amount of commerce that is daily transacted.

Nothing strikes the attention of a stranger sooner than the signs over the doors of manufacturers' warehouses in Manchester. Thus :- ." A. and B, manufacturers of domestics, moleskins, &c." We present a list of some of the articles manufactured and sold in Manchester warehouses: