SOCIOLOGY. 23 



was, for the su<^fiestioii from which originated this movement, in 

 advance in obtaining the establishment of Board Schools ; from a 

 political point of viev/ the action of Birmingham on the passing of the 

 Reform Bill of 1832 was most important, and must not be overlooked ; 

 nor its action subsequently iu political matters. The example of 

 beueficeuce in Birmingham as regards the Hospital Sunday Collec- 

 tions has spread to other large towns, and even to the Metropolis. 

 The action of its Corporation as to the issue of a funded stock, and in 

 many other forms of its work, has been adopted as a model by other 

 Corporations. In any movement having for its object the advance- 

 ment of the civil and religious freedom of the people, Birmingham has 

 usually been in advance. 



Since the foregoing was written, my friend Mr. Greathecd has 

 called my attention to a recent most interesting lecture by Professor 

 Lapworth, F.G.S., of the Mason College, entitled " The Geology of the 

 Midlands." After pointing out the advantages resulting from the 

 insular position of England, and the " perfect mine of wealth " con- 

 tained in her rocks, he further showed the contrast between the 

 scenery and strata of the Eastern and Western Counties, the peaceful 

 nature of tlie former, and the harsh and rugged character of the 

 latter, and finally pointed out that " iu the Midland District we stood 

 midway between these two types — half-way down the great geological 

 scale — that there was one district where these two kinds of rocks were 

 to be met together, and therewas only one large town where theycould be 

 seen. Thedistrict was the Midland District — the towuwasBirmiugham." 



Apropos of the same generalization, Mr. Greatheed has dii-ected my 

 attention to two recent articles iu the Revue des deux Moiules* attri- 

 buting George Eliofs powers partly to her Midland sympathies. 

 Indeed George Eliot herself, in reply to some questions of au American 

 lady, writes: — "It is interesting, I think, to know whether a writer 

 was born in a central or border district — a condition which always has 

 a strongly determining influence. I was born iu Warwickshire, but 

 certain family traditions connected with more northerly districts made 

 these districts a region of poetiy to me in my early childhood. "f 



I feel that I have only touched on the foregoing points very crudely 

 and roughly, but I think Sociological students will accept some of 

 the conclusions, and that they will probably agree with me that no 

 more generally interesting field for the study of Sociology exists than 

 the town in which we live. 



(2). As regards the Natural History and Microscopical Society, of 

 which our Section is now a unit, I question very much if there aio 

 many local Societies like it which have held their own for something 

 like a quarter of a century, and have had their influence, as ours has, 

 in disseminating a taste for Botany, Zoology, Geology, and Microscopy. 



'■ Revue des deux Mondes, Mar. 1, 15, 188.S, Art. " George Eliot," par M. Einile 

 Moutegut. 



+ Matbilde Blind's Life of George Eliot, 1883, page 12. 



