28 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VOL. II. 



to the literature and topography of the Isle of Man, and has earned an 

 honourable reputation for his patriotic efforts to revive and perpetuate 

 whatever is of value in the history and literature of his native island. 

 This little island can at least boast that it has preserved its independence 

 unimpaired, and that it still possesses its old legislature, which had its 

 origin before the Battle of Hastings. Fifty thousand people still retain- 

 ing their old laws and their old customs in the centre of the United King- 

 dom is a spectacle as unique as it is notable. Their annals necessarily 

 possess a peculiar interest to the antiquarian and the historian. There was 

 formed in 1858 a society bearing the designation, " The Manx Society, 

 for publication of national documents of the Isle of Man." Up to 1886 

 twenty-nine volumes were published by that society. Mr. Moore divides 

 the history of Man into three parts : — (i) When it was inhabited by a 

 Celtic people exclusively. (2) The period of the Viking invasions and the 

 establishment of Scandinavian rule. (3) The period during which Man 

 came under English dominion. It is found that in nearly eveiy case 

 Scandinavian names are Celticized, i.e., they have received the prefix 

 " Mac." It does not appear that " O " ever took root in the Isle of Man, 

 though " Mac " was widely prevalent. Mr. Moore avers that surnames 

 in Europe may generally be divided into four classes : — (ij Those taken 

 from the personal names of an ancestor. (2) Those taken from trades 

 and occupations. (3) Those which originally indicated place of birth or 

 residence. (4) Those which were originally descriptive of a person's 

 appearance in character and residence. It has been ascertained that of 

 the surnames which are now in use in man 68 per cent, are purely Celtic 

 Numerous examples were given by the writer of the various classes of 

 names with their signification. Mr Moore s book cannot fail to find a 

 very honorable place among the comparatively few books that are of 

 highest value and that are most highly prized in connection with the 

 early monuments and character and varied development of the several 

 divisions of the great Celtic family. 



SIXTEENTH MEETING. 



Sixteenth Meeting, 28th February 1891, Mr. Browning in the chair. 



Donations and Exchanges 46. 



Mr. T B. Browning, M.A., read the third of a series of papers on the 

 " Codification of the Law," with special reference to " contracts." In 

 opening he paid a tribute to the great codifier whose untimely fate has 



