SOUTHAMPTON, an ancient town and burgh of England, and capital of the county of Hampshire, is pleasantly situated on a tongue of land bounded on the south and west by the large estuary called South ampton water, and on the east by the river Itchin. The town contains many handsome streets, which are built of bricks, instead of timber, which was formerly the custom. The luigh Street, which runs northward from the quay, is upwards of half a mile in length, and is no less remarkable for its elegance and spaciousness, than for the resemblance it bears to the lligh Street of Ox ford. Owing to the circumstance of the town being built upon a slightly elevated ridge, and the soil being of a gravelly nature, the streets are kept remarkably clean and dry. They have also the advantages of be ing well paved, and regularly lighted and watched. The public buildings are five parish churches, St. Michael's All-Saints', II olyrood, St. Lawrence, and St. Mary. There were formerly six churches; but the parishes of St. John and St. Lawrence being unit ed in the reign of Charles II. it was deemed expedient to pull down the church of the former at the same time. St. Michael's is the oldest of the five, and is ornamented by a lofty octagonal spire, which was erected about sixty years ago for the purpose of guid ing ships entering the harbour. On the north aisle of the chancel, a handsome monument has been raised to the memory of the Lord Chancellor Wriothesley; and in the opposite aisle on the south, there is a very cu rious antique font. It is in this church that the cere mony of the mayor being sworn into office takes place. All-Saints' church is a handsome modern building in the Grecian style. The remains of Captain Carteret, the well known circumnavigator, and of Bryan Ed wards, the celebrated historian of the West Indies, are interred here. Holvrood church is a spacious edifice, with a tower at the south-west angle, and a colonnade in front, generally called the Proclamation, where the hustings is erected, and the poll taken at elections. In the interior of the church, there are several monuments, and a fine organ. The churches of St. Mary and St. Lawrence are no way remarkable. There was for merly a house of Grey Friars, instituted in 1240, of, which hardly a trace now remains. At the north end of the High Street, there is a curious old gatehouse called the Bar gate. On its north front are delineated two gigantic figures, one on each side of the gateway, which, according to tradition, were intended for the giant Ascupart, and Sir Bevois of Southampton, who slew him in combat. Southampton being much fre quented during the summer months by visiters, for the purpose of enjoying the sea-bathing, and drinking the chalybeate water, a spring of which, highly es teemed for its medicinal qualities, rises about a hundred yards to the west of Bar gate. is enabled to support a theatre, and assembly and ball rooms, which are beau tifully situated, and elegantly fitted up. The Audit house is a handsome edifice, in which the sessions are held; it is also the repository of the records and regalia of the corporation. There is a free grammar school, which was instituted so long ago as the reign of Ed ward the Sixth. There is likewise a charity school for
ten boys, founded by Alderman Taunton of this town; and Sunday schools, and a school of industry, were established in 1786, and are still continued. Near the entrance of the town on the right, is a neat range of alms-houses, built about fifteen years ago, to accom modate eighteen poor widows, who each receive two shillings per week from a legacy left by Robert Thor ner, Esq. of Baddesley, who died in July 1690. There is an hospital, called Domus Dei, or God's house, founded in the reign of Henry the Third, for four old men and as many women. The poor house is an extensive, modern, and convenient structure. Near the town, on the north, barracks have been lately built by government, for the reception of cavalry, which occupy nearly two acres of ground. The prin cipal trade of this port is with Portugal, the Baltic, and the Islands of Jersey and Guernsey. Wine and fruit are imported from Portugal. Tar and pitch from Sweden; hemp, iron, and tallow from Russia. Eng lish iron is brought by the coast from Wales; and coals, lead, and glass, from Newcastle. Southampton is allowed to export 6000 tons of unwrought wool yearly to Jersey and Guernsey; the most part of which is returned, converted into coarse knit hose. The manufactures are inconsiderable, being chiefly silk and carpets. Frigates and sloops of war were former ly built here, but ships of smaller burden only are now constructed. Southampton is governed by a mayor, recorder, sheriff, two bailiffs, and a common council, (formed of all those who have filled the foregoing offices,) a town clerk, two coroners, and other inferior officers, and is a county of itself, being styled the town and county of the town of Southampton, a privilege be stowed on it by King John, and, as such, is independent of the lord lieutenant and sheriff of Hampshire, having its own clerk of the peace, which office was added by charter to that of the town clerk. It returns two mem bers to parliament, who are elected by about 700 voters, consisting of the burgesses, and those inhabitants who pay scot and lot. The mayor is admiral of the liberties from Southsca Castle to Hurst Castle, and half sea over from Calshot to the Isle of Wight. It was in this town that the Earl of Cambridge, Lord Scrope of Masham, and Sir Thomas Grey, were executed, for conspiring against the life of King Henry the Fifth. The number of emi nent men born at Southampton is not very great ; the most remarkable arc Nicholas Fuller, an eminent divine, horn in 1557, who died in 1622-3 ; Dr. Isaac Watts, born in 1674, who died in t748, and Richard Pococke, a cele brated tv,aveller, and a bishop of Meath, born in 1704, who died in 1765. In Southampton four fairs are held annually, the principal of which is opened by the mayor and bailiffs with much ceremony ; there is a market every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, which is held in an area behind the Audit House, and is plentifully supplied with fish and provisions of every kind, and of the best description.