ost destroyed society in
Birmingham, although people meet occasionally at formal expensive parties,
and are drawn together by sympathy in religion and politics.

Nothing would induce an educated gentleman to live in Birmingham except to
make a living, yet there are residing there, seldom seen out of their
factories, men of the highest scientific and no mean literary attainments.

There are a number of manufactories, which, in addition to their commercial
importance, present either in finished articles, or in the process of
manufacture, much that will interest an intelligent traveller.

GLASS.--Messrs. F. & C. Oslers, of Broad Street, have attained a very high
reputation for their cut and ornamental, as well as the ordinary, articles of
flint glass. The have been especially successful in producing fine effects
from prismatic arrangements. Their gigantic chandeliers of great size, made
for Ibrahim Pacha, and the Nepalese Prince, were the steps by which they
achieved the lofty crystal fountain, of an entirely original design, which
forms one of the most novel and effective ornaments of the Crystal Palace.
The manufactory as well as the show-room is open to the inspection of
respectable strangers.

Messrs. Rice and Harris are also extensive manufacturers of cut and coloured
glass; and Messrs. Bacchus and Sons have been very successful in their
imitations of Bohemian glass, both in form and colour. Messrs. Chance have
acquired a world-wide reputation by supplying the largest quantity of crown
glass in the shortest space of time for Paxton's Palace. These works, in
which plate and every kind of crown glass is made, are situated at West
Bromwich. The proprietors have benevolently and wisely made arrangements for
the education of their workmen and their families, which are worthy of
imitation in all those great factories where the plan, which originated in
Lancashire, has not been already adopted. A letter of introduction will be
required in order to view Messrs. Chance's establishment, of which we shall
say more when noting the social state of the Birmingham operatives.

PAPIER MACHE.--Messrs. Jennens and Bettridge's works are so well known that it
is only necessary to refer to them for the purpose of saying that in their
show-rooms some new application of the art which they have carried to such
perfection is constantly to be found. Pianos, cradles, arm-chairs, indeed
complete drawing-room suites, cornices, door-plate