Liverpool is an ancient sea-port, borough, and market town, 205 miles from London, containing 205,964 inhabitants, exclusive of 10,000 seamen.

Of its remote antiquity but little can be asserted, amidst the great contrariety of opinion which is held on this subject. Liverpool is not noticed in any of the Roman Itinera, neither does the name occur in the Norman survey. After the conquest it was granted by William, to Roger de Poictiers, together with all the land between the Ribble and the Mersey, and subsequently forfeited. It was thereupon granted to the Earls of Chester; and on forfeiture by their descendants, to Edmund, son of Henry III., as parcel of the honour of Lancaster; and it remained an integral part of the duchy possessions, until its alienation by Charles I., in 1628.

Various opinions have been hazarded regarding the etymology of the name, without reference to the most ancient documents in which it has been discovered. John, whilst Earl of Moreton, and in possession of the honour of Lancaster, confirmed a grant made by his father, Henry II., to Warin de Lancaster, of Liverpul, with other places, under a certain reddendum. In subsequent records it is written Lyrpul, Lythyrpul, &c., signifying, probably, in the ancient dialect of this country, the “lower pool.” Some deduce its etymology from a pool frequented by an aquatic fowl, called a “Liver,” or from a sea-weed of that name; others, and with much more reason, from the ancient British word Lir, “the sea,” and a spreading water or pool, viz., the sea pool, or sea-water pool.Camden says the Castle was built by Roger de Poictiers, in 1089; it certainly was erected at a very early period. In October, 1323, Edward II. dates his orders, &c., from Liverpool Castle; and in April, 1358, Henry, Duke of Lancaster, resided there for a month. It was demolished by order of Parliament, during the commonwealth, and in 1715, its site was granted by Queen Anne, to the corporation, who built St. George’s Church upon it. On King John ascending the throne, at his brother’s death, he again came into possession of the honour of Lancaster, and granted a charter to the town of Liverpool, which Henry III., in 1229, confirmed, made the town a free borough, instituted a guild merchant, and granted additional privileges. These charters have been confirmed, and further ones granted by succeeding sovereigns. The several mandates for fitting-out and providing vessels for the royal service, addressed by Edward II. and III., and subsequent kings, afford proof of its then being a place of extensive trade at this early period; and the fact of the royal order for the prohibition of the export of grain, in the time of Richard III., being transmitted to Liverpool only, is also a proof of its then being the only shipping port in the country. Leland, in 1558, described it thus: “Lyrpole, alias Lyrpoole, a pavid towne, hath but a chapel, Walton, a iiii miles off, not far from the se, is paroche chirche. The king hath a castell there, and the Earle of Darbe hath a stone house there. Irisch marchants cum much thither, as to a good haven. After that Mersey water cumming towards Runcorne in Cheshire liseth among the commune people the name, and is Lyrpole. At Lyrpole is smaule costume payid that causith merchants to resorte. Good marchaundis at Lyrpole, and much Irisch yarn that Manchester men do by ther.” Liverpool appears to have declined, probably from the baneful influences of the wars of York and Lancaster, until the latter part of the reign of Elizabeth, when, in a petition from the inhabitants to the Queen, it is described as “Her Majesty’s poor decayed town of Liverpool.” Its poverty may be understood from the fact, that when Charles I. levied his iniquitous and despotic tax of ship money, this town was rated at £26 only, while Bristol was rated at £1,000. In the civil war Liverpool was alternately held by the Parliamentarians, taken by Prince Rupert, and retaken by the Parliament. In the reign of William III., that monarch, with part of his train, embarked at this port for Ireland, previously to the battle of the Boyne; and regiments and privateer vessels were here equipped against the Pretender and the French.

Times and manners are somewhat changed here since 1617, when one of the orders of the common-council demanded, “that every council-man shall come to council clean-shaved, and in his long clothes.” Slander and gossip were very severely punished by the civic dignitaries, it being a law, “that if any man speak ill of the mayor, he shall lose his freedom.”

The most important feature in the history of this place, is the extraordinary rapidity with which it has risen into a degree of splendour and importance, without example in the history of any commercial country. Among the causes which have produced its elevation to a rank but partially inferior to the metropolis, are, its situation on the shore of a noble river, which expands into a wide estuary; its proximity to the Irish coast; its central position with respect to the United Kingdom; its intimate connexion with the principal manufacturing districts, and with every part of the kingdom, by numerous rivers, canals, and railroads, and the persevering industry and enterprising spirit of its inhabitants. Without the romance, we may see among them the reality of the merchant-nobles of Genoa and Venice; and the grandeur which pervades the modern buildings of our English port may scarcely be outvied in stateliness, and certainly not in fitness and utility, by any palace-city of the past.

As we passed along the busy quays of these crowded docks, and thought of the wealth conveyed by the winged couriers of the ocean there congregated, the following gorgeous lines in Marlow’s Jew of Malta, occurred to us: perhaps the expectant owners of argosies bound hitherward, deal not quite so largely as the poet’s Croesus, in jewelled treasures; but we cannot very honestly change amethysts into tobacco, nor bags of fiery opals into bales of cotton wool; the circumstances of the case may therefore be allowed to vary a little, without our transposing the terms:—

“As for those Samnites, and the men of Uzz,
That bought my Spanish oils, and wines of Greece,
Here have I purst their paltry silverlings,
Fie! what a trouble ’tis to count this trash!
Give me the merchants of the Indian mines,
That trade in metal of the purest gold;
The wealthy Moor, that in the eastern rocks
Without control can pick his riches up,
And in his house keep pearls like pebble stones;
Receive them free, and sell them by the weight:
Bags of fiery opals, sapphires, amethysts,
Jacinths, hard topaz, grass-green emeralds,
Beauteous rubies, sparkling diamonds,
And seld’ seen costly stones of so great price,
As one of them, indifferently rated,
And of a caract of this quality
May serve, in peril of calamity
To rescue great kings from captivity.
This is the ware wherein consists my wealth,
And thus methinks, should men of judgment frame
Their means of traffic from the vulgar trade,
And as their wealth increaseth, so inclose
Infinite riches in a little room.
But now—how stands the wind?
Into what corner peers my halcyon’s bill?
Ha! to east? yes:—see how stands the vane?
East and by south, why then I hope my ships
I sent from Egypt, and the bordering isles,
Are gotten up by Nilus’ winding banks:
Mine argosies from Alexandria,
Loaden with spice and silks, now under sail
Are smoothly gliding down by Candy shore
To Malta, through our Mediterranean sea.”

We have, ere this, noted many a merchant (not of Venice) to whom we have mentally applied Salarino’s words to Antonio; and few will grudge the space we here occupy, by a quotation so apt and beautiful:—

“Salorino. Your mind is tossing on the ocean;
There, where your argosies with portly sail,
Like seigniors and rich burghers of the flood,
Or, as it were, the pageants of the sea,—
Do overpeer the petty traffickers,
That curtsey to them, do them reverence,
As they fly by them with their woven wings.
—My wind, cooling my broth,
Would blow me to an ague, when I thought
What harm a wind too great might do at sea.
I should not see the sandy hour-glass run,
But I should think of shallows and of flats,
And see my wealthy Andrew docked in sand,
Vailing her high-top lower than her ribs,
To kiss her burial. Should I go to church,
And see the holy edifice of stone,
And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks?
Which touching but my gentle vessel’s side,
Would scatter all her spices on the stream,
Enrobe the rolling waters with my silks,
And, in a word, but even now worth this,
And now worth nothing. Shall I have the thought
To think on this; and shall I lack the thought
That such a thing be-chanced, would make me sad?
But, tell not me; I know, Antonio
Is sad to think upon his merchandise.
Antonio. Believe me, No; I thank my fortune for it,
My ventures are not in one bottom trusted,
Nor to one place: nor is my whole estate
Upon the fortune of this present year:
Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad.”

Shakspeare.

The commerce of the port may be divided into three branches: first, the trade with Ireland, whence a variety of produce, chiefly grain, cattle, &c., is imported, the gross value of which has amounted annually to £4,497,708, exclusive of linen and manufactured wares. Liverpool enjoys about two-fifths of the Irish trade. The chief exports are British manufactured goods, salt, coal, and general merchandise. The second principal branch of trade is that with the United States of America, of which it engrosses more than three-fourths of the whole commerce of the kingdom. The chief import is cotton wool, and from this port Manchester and the manufacturing districts are supplied with the raw material. Tobacco is also imported to an alarming extent. The average quantity annually introduced for the contamination of our atmosphere, being 7,623 hogsheads—what a fearful store of materials for smoking the brains, and dusting the nostrils of our fellow-creatures! A great quantity of American flour is also imported. The third branch of the trade is that with the West Indies, which commenced about the middle of the seventeenth century, and which was previously engrossed by London and Bristol. Sugar, rum, and coffee, are the chief luxuries we receive thence through the other ports. The trade with the East Indies is smaller; the imports are cotton, indigo, hides, ginger, pepper, and sugar. With the ports of the Mediterranean and Levant seas, Liverpool has considerable traffic, importing wine, fruits, lemon and lime juice, olive and other oils, barilla, and brimstone. From Egypt is brought cotton; and from the Baltic sea-ports, timber, tallow, &c. The gross receipts of the customs at this port alone, exceed the sum derived from the nine other principal ports of the three kingdoms (London excepted), viz., Bristol, Hull, Newcastle, Leith, Glasgow, Greenock, Dublin, Belfast, and Cork. Vessels from, and bound to, all parts of the globe, are congregated here; and there is scarcely a place in the world accessible to the British flag, to which a ready conveyance is not afforded from this enterprising port.

The harbour is capacious and secure: at the entrance of the river is the Black Rock Lighthouse, erected on a point of rock on the western coast. A floating light is also placed eleven miles seaward from the mouth of the river.

For the security of the shipping in the port, and for the greater facility of loading and unloading merchandise, immense ranges of docks and warehouses, extending upwards of two miles along the eastern bank of the river, have been constructed, on a scale of unparalleled magnificence; and forming one of those characteristics of commercial greatness in which this town is unrivalled. The docks are of three kinds:—the wet docks, which are chiefly for ships of great burden, employed in the foreign trade, and which float in them at all states of the tide, the water being retained by gates; the dry docks, so called because they are left dry when the tide is out, are chiefly appropriated to coasting vessels; and the graving docks, which admit or exclude the water at pleasure, are adapted to the repair of ships, during which they are kept dry, and when completed are floated out by admitting the tide. The Canning Dock is chiefly occupied by sloops from the north coast, which import corn, provisions, and slate, and convey back the produce of the Mediterranean, the West Indies, Portugal, and the Baltic: it has a quay 500 yards in length. The Salthouse Dock is for vessels in the Levant, Irish, and coasting trades: the quay is 759 yards in extent. George’s Dock has a quay 1001 yards in length. The King’s Dock is appropriated to vessels from Virginia and other parts, laden with tobacco; which article is exclusively landed here, and occupies a range of warehouses 575 feet in length, and 239 in depth. The Queen’s Dock, 470 yards long, with a spacious quay, is chiefly occupied by vessels freighted with timber, and by those employed in the Dutch and Baltic trades. The Brunswick Dock is larger than any of the preceding, and receives vessels laden with timber. Prince’s Dock is 500 yards in length, with spacious quays, and along the west side is a beautiful marine parade, 750 yards long, and eleven wide, defended by a stone parapet wall, from which is a delightful view of the river and the shipping: it is much frequented as a promenade. To the westward of these are the Clarence Dock and Basin, appropriated solely to the use of the steam vessels trading to and from the port: there are several smaller docks, and considerable additions are contemplated. When these are completed, the whole range of docks will be two miles and 820 yards in length, exclusively of the openings to the several docks: the total area of water space contained in them is upwards of ninety statute acres, and the extent of the quays in lineal measure is 12,511 yards, or upwards of seven miles; yet spacious as they are, they are still considered inadequate to the increasing commerce of the port. Several ranges of commodious baths are situated in the vicinity of the docks; there are hot, cold, floating, and medicated vapour baths.

The new Custom-house is a superb and beautiful edifice, in the Grecian style of architecture, 454 feet in length, 224 in depth, with three principal fronts of great magnificence. The Exchange buildings, erected by the late Mr. John Forster, form sides of a quadrangular area, in the centre of which is a monument to the memory of Lord Nelson. The north front of the Hall forms the fourth side of this square. This is a stately and magnificent structure in the Grecian style, with four elegant fronts, and contains on the ground floor a council-room, and apartments for the mayor, town clerk, pensioners, and corporation. The grand staircase leads into a spacious saloon, splendidly decorated with royal portraits by Lawrence, Hopner, Phillips, &c. Two spacious ball-rooms, and two richly furnished drawing rooms, decorated with marble pillars, chandeliers, &c., are entered from the saloon. A grand banquet-room, refectory, &c., &c., fitted up with great taste and splendour, are also comprised in this grand suite of apartments. The Public Subscription Libraries are numerous and well selected. The AthenÆum contains a news-room and an extensive library. The Lyceum is a handsome edifice of the Ionic order; contains a library, coffee-room, lecture, and committee-rooms. The Union News-room, Exchange News-room, Medical and Law Libraries, are all well supported. The Royal Institution is a spacious and handsome edifice, containing on the ground floor, lecture, reading, and school-rooms; on the first floor, a large room for the Literary and Philosophical Society, a library, museum, spacious exhibition rooms for the Liverpool Academy of painting, &c. On the roof is an observatory, and behind are a laboratory and a theatre for chemical and philosophical experiments. This institution was formed in 1814, for the advancement of literature, science, and the arts; and the members were incorporated by royal charter, in 1822. Professors, lecturers, and masters are appointed by the society. The Botanic Gardens near Edge Hill, and the Zoological Gardens, are valuable additions to the rational and profitable amusements of the inhabitants. There is a Theatre, Amphitheatre, and Circus, the former for the drama, the two latter for equestrian performances and pantomimes. The Wellington Rooms, for balls, are admirably adapted for such gay scenes. The summer races in July continue four days, the course lies five miles to the N.E. of the town. The grand stand is capable of accommodating 2,000 persons. The chartered market days are Wednesday and Saturday, and for corn, Tuesday and Friday. The Market-houses are numerous, handsome, and commodious.

The corporation of Liverpool have an income of above £100,000 per annum, a great portion of which is expended in the improvement of the port and embellishment of the town. The Churches of the Establishment are about twenty-four in number, some of them of great architectural beauty. In addition to the Churchyards, there are two extensive Cemeteries, one near Edge-hill; the other occupying a large tract of ground, excavated as a quarry for stone used in the building of the docks, and converted into a depository for the dead, at an expense of £21,000; it is tastefully laid out, and has a suitable chapel for the performance of the funeral service. The buildings dedicated to religious purposes by the several sects of Dissenters, are about forty in number, some of them of considerable beauty. The Public Schools are very numerous, and so well supported as to render them valuably and most extensively useful. That for the indigent blind, was established in 1791; 120 pupils now receive instruction in various branches, and are taught spinning, basket-making, the weaving of linen, sacking, carpeting, the making of list shoes, twine, worsted rugs, and other trades, by which they may earn a livelihood; they are also instructed in music. Asylums and Institutions, too numerous to be here enumerated; Hospitals, Infirmaries; Societies for the assistance and relief of aged seamen, and other humane and admirable purposes, are, by the munificence of the inhabitants, all enabled to administer in no small degree to the wants and misfortunes of suffering fellow-beings.

Among the distinguished natives of the town may be noticed Jeremiah Horrox, the astronomer, born 1619, at Toxteth Park, near Liverpool. He is supposed to have been the first person who ever predicted or observed the transit of Venus over the sun’s disk. He died on the 3rd of January, 1641, a few days after completing his treatise on the transit which took place in the November preceding. George Stubbs, the animal painter, born 1724. William Sadler, who invented the application of copper-plate prints to the embellishment of earthenware. William Roscoe, author of the lives of Lorenzo de Medici, and of Leo X. He died in 1831, aged seventy-nine, equally beloved and regretted for his excellence as a man, and for his ability as an author. The Rev. William Shepherd, author of the life of Poggio Brachiolini, &c., an elegant writer, and earnest reformer. Dr. Currie, the intelligent biographer of Burns, was also a native of Liverpool, as was the gentle-minded and truly feminine poet, Felicia Hemans.

The manufactures of Liverpool, are chiefly such as are connected with the port and the shipping, the promotion of its commerce, and the supply of its inhabitants. There are several very large sugar refineries, extensive potteries, glass-houses, breweries, tanneries, salt and copperas works, iron and brass foundries, foundries for cannon, anchors, chain-cables, and steam engine machinery, manufactories for steam-boilers, engines, also guns, small arms, sails, cordage, watches, tobacco, snuff, and soap. There are numerous mills for grinding corn, mustard, colours, and dye-woods: the manufacture of soap exceeds that of any place in England. The average number of watches made annually, is 11,500, a number greater than any town, except London. Ship-building is carried on to a great extent; several men-of-war have been launched from the dock-yards; and in the building of steam vessels, Liverpool takes the lead of all other ports. The trade of the town is greatly facilitated by the extensive inland navigation in every direction, by which it is connected with the manufacturing districts and chief towns in the kingdom. No less than five water conveyances fall into the Mersey, viz., the Mersey and Irwell Navigation, Duke of Bridgewater’s Canal, Sankey Canal, Chester and Ellesmere Canal, and Weaver Navigation, opening communication with Manchester, Bolton, Hull, South Lancashire, Birmingham, Worcestershire, South of England, and Wales.

The information required by the traveller respecting inns, coach-offices, &c., will be found in the Appendix; together with a list of places of amusement and interest, worthy the attention of a stranger in this great and truly splendid sea-port.