re uniformly brick and mortar, and with few
exceptions, the floors of small houses are laid with quarries, which
in a great degree accounts for there being so few fires of any
consequence within this extensive town.

There is not any thing in this town, or its immediate vicinity, that
can attract the attention of an antiquarian: it appears that
there once was a castle, encircled by a moat, situated near the
Icknield-street, or Warstone-lane; the foundation of which is still
perceptible, and covered an area of twenty square perch; but the
ground whereon it stood has been so frequently turned over, that it is
only by the difference in the verdure that it can be discovered.

The present occupier of the land has at different times taken up about
four thousand of the bricks, which were burnt very hard, and resembled
those now in use, but were not so large.

About four miles distant there once stood Weoliegh castle, which was
surrounded by a moat; but the site of the castle is now a garden, and
not a vestige of the building remains, except a small part of the
foundation, which may be discovered at the edge of the moat, that
remaining entire.

Having concluded my observations respecting the public concerns of
Birmingham, I cannot restrain myself from remarking, that there is
at Warwick castle a most magnificent marble bacchanalian vase, of
astonishing dimensions, it being seven feet in diameter and twenty-one
in circumference, which is encircled on the outside with fruit,
leaves, and branches of the vine, the latter being entwined so as to
form two massive handles, with grotesque masks at the end of each; the
whole being in exact proportion to the magnitude of the vase. This
unique specimen of ancient sculpture was discovered in the baths of
the Emperor Adrian, and presented by the Queen of Naples to Sir
Wm. Hamilton, the British ambassador at that court, by whom it was
forwarded as a present to the late Earl of Warwick; who, when it was
unpacked, and he had taken a survey of it, immediately gave orders for
the erection of a splendid green-house, wherein it is now deposited.

Mr. E. Thomason, of this town, who had been a pupil of the late Mr.
Boulton, at Soho, no sooner saw this remarkable production of the fine
arts, than he conceived the idea of forming one of the same magnitude
in metal; and accordingly solicited permission to make models from it,
which his lordship in the most condescending manner permitted him to
do