392 Dilapidated State of Castle Isle. 



and a very thriving, opulent place ; at present 

 it is almost in a dilapidated state : nothing can 

 exceed the misery it exhibits as a town ; and I 

 am constrained to add, that the inn was in strict 

 conformity with its general appearance. 



The court-house is unroofed, and the walls 

 nearly down ; nor has the general state of de- 

 vastation spared even the church, notwithstand- 

 ing the living is of considerable value. The 

 rector is non-resident, and the church seems 

 likely soon to decay. The property belongs to 

 the Pelham family, but was granted some years 

 ago to a lessee, for such a term of years as 

 amounts nearly to a perpetuity. The rent is 

 fifteen hundred pounds a-year, which at the 

 time was a full consideration : it is now probably 

 let for at least double that sum. The demise is 

 supposed to be defective in powers to the lessee 

 for granting renewals. The proprietor and the 

 lessee disagreeing is highly injurious to the 

 place, the destruction of which, in a few years, 

 will leave little more than ruins to mark its site. 



Pleased and gratified with the richness of sur- 

 face the romantic scenery, and stupendous gran- 

 deur of the country, little ills have had no power 

 of disconcerting either my companion or myself; 

 but Castle Isle is so repulsive to every sense, 



