The late eighteenth century saw Manchester and its surrounding areas undergo significant change as industrialisation fuelled urbanisation and population growth. In this classic 1795 account, the physician and prolific writer John Aikin (1747–1822) gathers together information on the settlements at the heart of manufacturing and trade in north-west England, covering the vital network of waterways as well as the surrounding countryside. Revealing the fundamental importance of the textile industry, this survey provides a detailed portrait of an evolving region and its human geography. It is complemented by a number of illustrations, including maps, plans, and engravings of notable landmarks. Referred to by Karl Marx in his writings, the book remains a historically valuable resource. Also reissued in this series is Aikin's Biographical Memoirs of Medicine in Great Britain from the Revival of Literature to the Time of Harvey (1780).