vi. PREFACE. 



of Southport, during the last twenty years, has called for a 

 total re-casting and re-writing of much that the former 

 editions contained the portions, in particular, which are 

 descriptive of the public buildings and institutions. Many 

 of these have been founded or enlarged within the period 

 named. 



The preface to my father's original work contained a 

 paragraph, the re-printing of which, verbatim, will indicate 

 why even increased space is given to the Natural History. 



" I need not apologise for the Natural History occupying 

 so large a portion of the following pages. The motive has 

 been to encourage useful and agreeable mental occupation 

 on the part of visitors whose stay in Southport is more or less 

 prolonged, and whose minds would, in the absence of some 

 external object of thought, turn and prey upon themselves. 

 This continual contemplation of their own condition the 

 result of the depression dependent upon disease, and absence 

 from the ordinary engagements of life needs to be carefully 

 guarded against, and I have not thought it out of place in a 

 work partly medical to suggest a substitute." 



With a view to promoting my father's excellent object in 

 the best manner possible, I have sought the assistance, whilst 

 preparing this new edition, of some of the gentlemen to whom 



