five, lulls
old age to sleep.

Not only life is productive of change, but also every day in it. If a
man would take a minute survey of his thoughts and employments, for only
twenty-four hours, he would be astonished at their infinite variety.

Though industry be the ruling passion of this ingenious race, yet
relaxation must follow, as one period to another. Society is therefore
justly esteemed an everlasting fund of amusement, which is found at the
tavern, in the winter evening: Intoxication is seldom met with, except
in the inferior ranks, where it is visible in both sexes.

A regular concert is established, where the music is allowed to excel.
This harmonious science, like other productions of taste, though it be
not the general study of the inhabitants, hath made an amazing progress
during the last thirty years.

In 1777, a coffee-house was opened at the East end of New-street, the
first in this department; which, drawing into its vortex the
transactions of Europe, finds employment for the politician.

Assemblies are held weekly, which give room for beauty to figure at
cards, in conversation, and in the dance.

The pleasures of the field claim their votaries, but, in a populous
country, like that of Birmingham, plenty of game is not to be expected;
for want of wild fowl, therefore, the shooter has been sometimes known
to attack the tame.

However, the farmer need not be under any great concern for his
property; the sportsman seldom does any thing with his arms--but--_carry
them_. We are more famous for _making_, than _using_ the gun.

A pack of hounds have sometimes been kept by subscription, termed, The
Birmingham Hunt; but, as the sound of the dogs and the anvil never
harmonised together, they have been long in disuse: the jocund tribe,
therefore, having no scent of their own, fall into that of the
neighbouring gentry, many of whom support a pack.

The man of reflection finds amusement in domestic resources; and, in his
own mind, if unoppressed. Here the treasures collected from men, books,
and observation, _are laid up for many years_, from which he draws
pleasure, without diminishing the flock. The universal riches of nature
and of art; the part, the present, and a glympse of the future, lie open
to his eye.

Two obstructions only bound his ideas, _time_ and _space_. He steps from
planet to planet, and if he cannot enter immensity, he can verge upon
its borders.

I pity the man, who through poverty