25S THE ISLE OF MAN. 



esteemed very delicious. It is said that this island abounds with iron* 

 lead, and copper mines, though unwrought ; as are the quarries of 

 marble, slate, and stone. 



The Isle of Man contains seventeen parishes, and four towns on 

 the sea-coasts. Castle-town is the metropolis of the island, and the 

 seat of its government ; Peele of late years begins to flourish ; Dou- 

 glas has the best market and best trade in the island, and is the rich- 

 est and most populous town, on account of its excellent harbour, and 

 its fine mole, extending into the sea. It contains about 900 houses, 

 and is a neat pleasant town : the buildings are lofty, but the streets 

 narrow and close. Ramsey has likewise a considerable commerce, 

 on account of its spacious bay, in which ships may ride safe from all - 

 ■winds, excepting the north-east. This island is situated extremely 

 convenient for being the store-house of smugglers, which it was till 

 within these few years. 



The established religion of Man is that of the church of England. 

 The bishop of Sodor and Man enjoys all the spiritual rights and pre- 

 eminences of the other bishops, but does not sit in the British house 

 of peers ; his see never having been erected into an English barony* 

 One of the most excellent prelates who ever adorned the episcopal 

 character, was Dr. Thomas Wilson, bishop of Man, who presided 

 over the diocese upwards of fifty-seven years, and died in the year 

 1755, aged ninety-three. He was eminently distinguished for the pie- 

 ty and the exemplariness of his life, bis benevolence and hospitality, 

 and his unremitting attention to the happiness of the people intrust- 

 ed to his care. He encouraged agriculture, established schools for 

 the instruction of the children of the inhabitants of the island, trans- 

 lated some of his devotional pieces into the Manks' language, to ren- 

 der them more generally useful to them, and founded parochial li- 

 braries in every parish in his diocese. Some of his notions respect- 

 ing government and church discipline were not of the most liberal 

 kind : but his failings were so few, and his virtues so numerous and 

 conspicuous, that he was a great blessing to the Isle of Man, and an 

 ornament to human nature. Cardinal Fleury had so much veneration 

 for his character, that, out of regard to him, he obtained an order 

 from the court of France, that no privateer of that nation should ra- 

 vage the Isle of Man. 



The ecclesiastical government is well maintained in this island, 

 and the livings are comfortable. The language, which is called the 

 Manks, and is spoken by the common people, is radically Erse, or 

 Irish, but with a mixture of other languages. The New Testament 

 and the Common Prayer Book have been translated into the Manks' 

 language. The natives, who amount to about 30,000, are inoffen- 

 sive, charitable, and hospitable. The better sort live in stone houses, 

 and the poorer in thatched ; and their ordinary bread is made of oat- 

 meal. Their products for exportation consist of wool, hides, and tal- 

 low ; which they exchange with foreign shipping for commodities 

 they may have occasion for from other parts. Before the south pro- 

 montory of Man is a little island, called the Calf of Man : it is about 

 three miles in circuit, and separated, from Man by^a channel about 

 two furlongs broad- 



This island affords some curiosities which may amuse an antiqua- 

 ry. They consist chiefly of Runic sepulchral inscriptions and monu- 

 ments, of ancient brass daggers, and other weapons of that metaL 



