472 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



says lie, very prolific after mar- 

 riage, and sometimes before. An 

 honest and industrious servant- 

 girl is not ruined by becoming a 

 mother, though for the sake of de- 

 cency her place is lost. To this 

 laxity of morals is attributed the 

 absence, even in Douglas, of those 

 women which so frequently swarm 

 in towns. I was infovmed that 

 their trade had been tried, but 

 found not to answer. The ser- 

 vants of Man are more dirty and 

 untidy than the English, but less 

 so than the Scotch or Irish. 



The people are attached to their 

 native valts and mountains, to 

 their ancient customs, and their 

 laws. They considered themselves 

 independent of the English nation, 

 and were greatly affected by the 

 sale of the island, which they 

 thought would blend the coun- 

 tries. , Though few the enjoyments 

 of the lower orders, their cares are 

 also few. Over a jug of ale their 

 troubles are frequently forgotten ; 

 and, when again remembered, are 

 expected to terminate with the 

 next fishing season. The cheap- 

 ness of law encourages strife : ma- 

 ny a quarrel, which, in England, 

 would be amicably adjusted, is 

 here brought into court. Rancour, 

 when long indulged, it is not easy 

 to eradicate. 



Insanity sjmong the natives is 

 reckoned rather common : it is 

 usually of a melancholy, not of a 

 violent description. Persons af- 

 flicted with this calamity, if not 

 kept at home by their friends, are 

 permitted to roam at large. 



The middle and higher ranks 

 mix too much with the English 

 to retain any peculiar character- 

 istic of their native country. The 

 chief trade and much of the farm- 



ing business is carried on by stran- 

 gers. Civilization is little, if at 

 all, behind the remoter parts of 

 England. An anonymous writer 

 of the last century says, that 

 knives and forks were scarcely 

 known here ; that when a person 

 gave a dinner, the appendage was 

 a few butchers knives for carvers ; 

 that their thumbs and fingers and 

 their teeth were the only imple- 

 ments allotted to the guests. He 

 was either misinformed himself, 

 or attempted to mislead his read- 



ers. 



The people are hospitably and 

 charitably disposed. One of their 

 proverbs is, " When one poor man 

 relieves another God himself laughs 

 for joy." Poor-rates and most 

 other parochial rates are things 

 unknown ; and there is not in the 

 whole island either hospital, work- 

 house, or house of correction. A 

 collection is made after the morn- 

 ing service of every Sunday for the 

 relief of such poor of the parish as 

 are thought deserving of charity. 

 The donation is optional ; but it is 

 usual for every one to give some- 

 thing. Beggars are little encou- 

 raged and rarely met with. The 

 want of poor-rates and work- 

 houses is by some thought a dis- 

 advantage ; while others, judging 

 by their effect in England, and 

 reasoning upon general principles, 

 imagine that, while they are a tax 

 upon the higher and middle classes, 

 they are rather detrimental than 

 beneficial to the industrious poor, 

 and consequently prejudicial to a 

 nation. 



In every parish is at least one 

 charity school, and often a small 

 library. These were founded by 

 Bishops Barrow and Wilson, are 

 supported by voluntary contribu- 

 tions, 



