a parish, township, market-town, and since the Reform act a parliamentary borough, is situated on a brook, called in Domesday book "Blackburn," but now only known as "The Brook," in the hundred of Blackburn, in the northern division of the county of Lancaster, 209 miles from London by railway, 359 from Preston, and 21 miles N.N.W. from Manchester. The parish contains 15 townships and 8 chapelrys, and is nearly 14 miles long and 10 broad. The living is a vicarage in the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the rector. Its income is marked in the clergy list at L893, the amount rendered some years back; but as this resulted partly from glebe-lands, which are being yearly let at high rates on building leases, the present value must be far greater. The vicar has 19 livings in his gift, most of them small in money value, though many have large and important populations. The parish church is a very handsome edifice. Almost every form of dissent is here represented, but the Independents are by far the most numerous and influential. There are very many Sunday-schools; but, from the nature of the trade of the town, education is on a rather low scale. Thus, of the 1584 persons married last year (1863) a very small proportion wrote their names. There is a free grammar-school founded by Queen Elizabeth, with a good house but small endowment; it has had no pupils for several years past. There are also a female charity school, several elementary and Sunday schools, a mechanics' institute, a large subscription library, and a small theatre.

Blackburn received a charter of incorporation in the year 1851, when W. H. Hornby, Esq., one of the largest cotton-manufacturers of the place, was elected the first mayor. It returns two members to parliament.

Blackburn is entirely dependent on the cotton trade, and by the industry and skill of its manufacturers, has made wonderful progress during the last few years. By the census of 1801 the population was 11,980; and in 1851 it had increased to 46,536. Several very important inventions have originated from the firms of Hornby and Kenworthy, and Harrison and Son, by which the trade of Blackburn has assumed a high character in the cotton districts. The names of Peel and Hargrave are identified with the place, as belonging to men who in the last century gave an impetus to manufactures. The Leeds and Liverpool canal passes the town; which is also connected by railways with Burnley, Preston, Liverpool, Bolton, and Manchester.

Blackburn, as a town, is in a state of transition, which, unless untoward events interfere, will in a few years give it an entirely new and improved character. Its old, narrow, and irregular streets are giving way to the hand of improvement, and a new town of considerable architectural pretensions is fast springing up. Under an act of parliament the improvement commissioners are widening the streets, and laying out new ones; and a town-hall and exchange is in the course of erection, on a scale of considerable magnificence. An extensive market-house has been recently erected, with slaughter-houses adjoining. If with these measures of public utility, means go hand in hand to elevate the operatives, Blackburn may one day become equal to any town in Lancashire.