BRADFORD is an ancient and very considerable market-town in the West Riding of Yorkshire, ten miles west from Leeds, and contains a population of upwards of 105,000. Like Leeds, it owes its prosperity to the manufacture of woolen cloths. The annexed engraving is a view of the place as seen from the north-east, and may be considered as a fair specimen of the characteristic appearance of the manufacturing towns in this part of England.

HUDDERSFIELD is a borough town in the West Riding of Yorkshire, is eight miles south-east from Halifax, sixteen south-west from Leeds, and 189 north-west from London. It is distinguished principally for the manfacture of woolen cloths. The population of the town is upwards of 25,000.

The history of Huddersfield does not furnish much matter for the gratification of antiquarian research, though it is an undoubted fact, that the castle-hill at Almondbury was, in the early period of our history, crowned with a Saxon fortress, which awed the villages below; and that the celebrated Roman station of Cambodunum was within the parish of Huddersfield, on the confines of Stainland, and in the township of Longwood. It is also acknowledged that there are some ancient symbols of druidical worship still extant in the neighborhood, and that the site of a cromlech, and several stupendous rocking stones of that kind, remain to this day. Not far from Meltham there is one of those stones; but the finest druidical remains in the neighborhood of Huddersfield are at Golcar, on Wholestone Moor. From the rolls of Richard II it appears that, in the third year of that reign, free warren in Huddersfield was granted to the prior and canons of Nostel. But before this

time, so early as the year 1200, Roger de Lacy granted to William de Bellemonte, ancestor of the Beaumonts of Whitley, a grant for his homage and service. A grant was also made to Colin de Dammeville, who, as an act of gratitude to his benefactor, "gave to God the blessed St. Mary, and the abbots and monks of Stanlaw, for the soul of his lord, Roger de Lacy, all his part of the said mill at Huddersfield, on the river Canne, and twenty-seven shillings annual rent."

HALIFAX, SUNDAY SCHOOL CELEBRATION, &c.

HALIFAX is a large borough town in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the parish of which contains upwards of 33,000 inhabitants. It is 197 miles north-west of London, and eighteen south-west of Leeds. The town is built in a deep valley, and being advantageously situated with regard to water-power, for working their machinery, have brought their local manufactures, which consists principally of various kinds of cloth, to a great degree of excellence.

In ancient times Halifax was distinguished for a gibbet law," which was a power claimed over the town and part of the parish, of trying by jury, and executing on the block, persons guilty of stealing to the value of thirteen pence half-penny. The criminals were beheaded by a kind of large guillotine; and this sanguinary measure was enforced as late as 1620, when the bailiff being threatened with prosecution, the practice was abolished. The following, relative to this law and its execution, is from a recent publication:

"The thief must be apprehended with stolen goods to the value of 131d or more upon him, or by confsssion must acknowledge such to have been stolen. The old definition is hand-habend, having them in his hand; back-berond, or bearing them on his back; or confessand, or confessing them to have been stolen. As soon as the felon was secured, the Earl's bailiff summoned four free burghers from four towns in the neighborhood to hear the evidence, and the accused was confronted with the accuser. The court then condemned or acquitted him. If he was condemned he was executed on the following market-day, and in the intervening time was compelled to sit in the stocks, with the stolen goods placed either on his back or before him, as a public spectacle to deter evil-doers. The bailiff accompanied the culprit to the scaffold. The fourth psalm was played by a minstrel on the bagpipes; the priest continuing in prayer with the prisoner until he received the fatal stroke, which was performed by an axe, (in Mr. Lumb's possession, at the Roll's-office, in Wakefield,) exactly in the same manner as in the French guillotine. After the execution, the coroner for the county assembled and summoned a jury of twelve men, who were expected to give verdict on oath that the felon bad been duly executed for such an act, (specifying it,) that the whole transaction might be recorded in the crown office. The list of executions of both sexes is very formidable, and seem to have given rise to the proverbial petition of thieves, "From Hell, Hull, and Halifax, good Lord deliver us!"

The following is a representation of the musical festival in commemoration of the "Sunday School Jubilee," held in Halifax, June 1, 1852. This is the greatest meeting of the kind which has ever yet been held in the world. It is described by those present as one of the most sublime and interesting spectacles ever witnessed. The

impression produced by the union of twenty thousand voices as one, is said to have been overpowering and affecting to the last degree.

Sunday School Celebration at Halifax, England.

The meeting was held in the noble "Piece Hall," a structure consisting of open galleries of two or three stories, at the back of which are small shops, in which the stuffs and other manufactured goods are exposed for sale on the market days. The galleries enclose a large uncovered space of about 260 by 220 feet. The children of the various schools began to enter the open space at eleven o'clock. Each school marched to its allotted position, headed by the minister. There were eighty-two schools of various denominations. The largest school was Zion Independent, and its branches, with 130 teachers, and 1,170 scholars; one of the smallest, but not the least attractive, was the Union Work-house School, with its two teachers, and forty-eight scholars. As the little ones, in their neat attire, passed along the walks, many a prayer of "God bless them!" was uttered. And the children of South Parade School, who had received a number of oranges, presented the workhouse children with one each as they passed by. There were, in all, 3,588 teachers and 17,163 scholars present. On the east side of the building an orchestra was erected for 505 musicians-being the union of twenty-three bands. Our musical friends will form some idea of the power of this united band, when we state that it included 105 cornets, ninety trombones, twenty-three trumpets, seventy-four ophicleides, fifty clarionets, and thirty-six drums. There were also 324 "vocal performers" distributed among the schools in sight of the conductor. At about one o'clock the drums rolled and the trumpets sounded, as a signal for silence. The band then played over the first tune; which was followed by the scholars singing, as with the voice of many waters, the following:

Almighty God, to thee we raise,
Our tribute of united praise,
On this returning day;

Teachers and children meet once more,
Thy sparing mercy to adore,

Thy goodnes to display.

Before thy throne, O Lord, we stand,
A large and still increasing band,
Thy blessing now we seek:
While our glad voices thus combine,
O touch our hearts with grace divine,
And they thy praise shall speak.

Our happy eyes this day behold
What kings and righteous men of old
Desired in vain to see;

And we shall see yet greater things,
When thou, Almighty King of Kings,
Shall draw all men to Thee.

Lord Jesus, draw our youthful race,
And make us children of Thy grace,
To reign with Thee above.
Into Thy fold Thy wanderers bring,
That they with us may learn to sing
And praise redeeming love.

This was sung to the tune "Grosvenor." The impression produced by the first verse will probably never be effaced from the memories of those who heard it. Tears involuntarily started into the eyes of thousands of the spectators, and a speechless awe seemed to be induced. The conductor, Mr. Dean, was highly praised for his care and exertions; he had desired the band "to suit the music to the words," and he had impressed upon the performers not to play the tunes like clock-work, but to accompany the hymns like men, which could only be done by reading, studying, and feeling the words. The result was triumphant-the singing of the scholars was described as uniformly excellent and truthful, and the playing of the band as marvellously correct. In the words of the Halifax Guardian: "From the first note of rapturous praise, down to the last prayer of the national anthem, the performance was a proud triumph. Never were hymns of praise sung so gladsomely; never did genius win for herself so glorious a victory." The second hymn, "Sweet is the time of spring," &c., was sung to the tune " Westmoreland," from a new work by a townsman, Mr. J. Wadsworth. After the singing of the second hymn, refreshments were distributed to the scholars. About four tons of currant cakes, reckoning nine ounces to each, disappeared with remarkable quickness. The contents of the large water-butts, which had been distributed over the area, also rapidly diminished. The third hymn, commencing with "Millions of happy angels wait," was sung to the tune " Halifax," and produced such a thrilling effect that it was encored. The fourth hymn, “Hark, the song of Jubilee!" to the tune "St. Helen's," with a telling drum accompaniment, was also repeated. The festival concluded about four o'clock by singing the national anthem. The proceedings appeared to give great satisfaction; no casualty occured to mar the pleasures of the day-the only regret was that the children had not half a dozen more hymns to sing. The spectators and listeners were very numerous; including a large number to Halifax by Railway, both by the regular and cheap excursion trains. About 8,000 were admitted to the hall by paid tickets; the neighboring streets were also crowded during the performance. Without doubt many of the parents of the scholars kept the holiday. The elevated position of Beacon Hill was chosen by many as a most favorable spot, and it has been affirmed that the singing of each part could be readily distinguished, and that even the piano passages were minutely heard at that distance. The day was kept as a holiday, and all the mills in the neighborhood, and nearly the whole of the shops in the town, were closed. The receipts, after paying the incidental expenses, were divided among the several schools.'

HALIFAX.-C. M.

(From Houldsworth's Cheetham's Psalmody.)

Sung with the most powerful effect, by twenty thousand voices, accompanied by three hundred and seventy-eight instruments, during the Sunday School celebration in Halifax, June 1, 1852.

They bend before His throne of state, Or on His er rands

go.