says is a "City of marvellous wonder and magic growth," &c.,
&c.

~Birmingham Begging.~--Liberal to others as a rule when in distress, it
is on record that once at least the inhabitants of this town were the
recipients of like favours at the hands of their fellow-countrymen. In
the churchwardens' books of Redenall, Norfolk, under date September 20,
1644, is an entry of 6s. paid "to Richard Herbert, of Birmingham, where
was an hundred fifty and five dwelling house burnt by Pr. Rupert."

~Birmingham Borough,~ which is in the hundred of Hemlingford, and wholly
in the county of Warwick, includes the parish of Birmingham, part of the
parish of Edgbaston, and the hamlets of Deritend-and-Bordesley, and
Duddeston-cum-Nechells, in the parish of Aston. The extreme length is
six miles one furlong, the average breadth three miles, the
circumference twenty-one miles, and the total area 8,420 acres, viz.,
Birmingham, 2,955; in Edgbaston, 2,512; and in Aston, 2,853. Divided
into sixteen wards by an Order in Council, approved by Her Majesty,
October 15, 1872. The mean level of Birmingham is reckoned as 443 feet
above sea level.

~Birmingham Heath.~--Once an unenclosed common, and part of it may now
be said to be common property, nearly 100 acres of it being covered with
public buildings for the use of such as need a common home. There is
not, however, anything commonplace in the style of these erections for
sheltering our common infirmities, as the Workhouse, Gaol, and Asylum
combined have cost "the Commons" something like L350,000. The Volunteers
in 1798 made use of part of the Heath as a practice and parade ground.

~Birmingham Bishops.~--The Rev. John Milner, a Catholic divine and
eminent ecclesiastical antiquary, who was educated at Edgbaston, was
appointed Bishop Apostolic in the Midland district, with the title of
"Bishop of Castaballa." He died in 1826, in his 74th year.--Dr.
Ullathorne was enthroned at St. Chad's, August 30th, 1848, as Bishop of
the present Catholic diocese.--The Rev. P. Lee, Head Master of Free
Grammar School in 1839, was chosen as the first Bishop of Manchester.--
The Rev. S. Thornton, St. George's, was consecrated Bishop of Ballarat,
May 1, 1875.--The Rev. Edward White Benson, D.D., a native of this town,
was nominated first Bishop of Truro, in December, 1876, and is now
Archbishop of Canterbury.--The Rev. Thomas Huband Gregg resigned the
vicarage of East Harborne in March, 1877, and on June 20 was consec