[From Letters of Bishop Hildesley]

Letter XXVIII

Bishop's Court, Dec. 21, 1763.

Now, Sir, in answer to your letter of the 17th, I have to observe, that I know of no Manksman, who has shewn any, dislike, as you seem to suppose, to the Society's printed Proposals; but, to the scheme of the poor wrong-headed bishop, for introducing Manks printed Gospels and Liturgy, several are disapprovers, both North and South, in this Ellan-slaint (52a), as if he were intending to ruin the country, by extending the light of our holy religion to them who sit in darkness for want of a Manks book, whereby to a with their own! eyes, the wonderful dispensa- sack God's revealing goodness to the sons

But, that: the printed Proposals were received coldly, is also too sure; and that by those, who, I should have thought would he lifted up their hands and voices to eanths Bit thankfulness for such provident assidtance.

Discouraged! my friend; no! Those, or a hundred pails of water poured on my design, will never quench the living fire of my zeal to persue it, so long as I have breath to speak or a pen to write. The vast eagerness and joy with which the first specimen has heen received and sought for have atiply convinced me of the utility of my undertaking, had I no previous persuasion in my own mind of the real benefit it must needs be to the souls of the far greater part of the people of my charge, And when they come to have four Manks Gospels, and Acts of the Apostles, which ave just now finished, let the native railers against Manks-printing vent their remarks with as much wit and acrimony as they please; Whilst our foreign friends go on zealously to promote it with their truly Christian contributions (53),

I will vouch for your having no need to fear writing to men like yourself, Mr Broughton, the secretary, is a modest, humble, piously-disposed brother, and to him you are to write: and the members, who generally assemble once a week, to receive letters and requests from their correspondents, are, for the most part, Archdeacon Yardley their treasurer,and a few more worthy clergymen, and others, who are disposed to give themselves the trouble of going as far as Hatton Garden; where, I take it, the number is but small, compared with their quarterly or yearly meetings, to settle accounts. And therefore why should you be more solicitous about the manner of writing to your brethren in London, than to your brother at Bishopscourt, I know not.

What "countenance you are kept in by great names and good company," for omitting to note materal articles in letters to you, I can't guess at. Great names do not belong to your correspondents in this land; but, if one here be meant, I have only to say, you may possibly be not far from the mark. Sometimes, indeed, I do omit noticing certain articles; perhaps more through design than oscitancy (53a); as being points or subjects upon which I do not choose to enter or enlarge.

Whatever some may think of Pyrenean obstacles, I assure you I have been near upon a balance, once or twice, whether I should not bestride my Manks Bock [horse] to try and surmount them, in order to help a lame brother at the ensuing festivity. But, indeed, and indeed, my dear sir, the sight of that long suspended edifice, so zealously begun, for the honour of God, and the good of his church, so abashes and confounds me, that I know not well how to face my brother subscribers to that excellent and once thought necessary work (54).

And now, it is time to say manum de tabula (54a); not because of length, for that is an old-fashioned apology, the most un-meaning, unnecessary, of any that ever entered into epistolary forms. The longest letter, of upwards of twenty pages (for such I have by me from my English correspondents) do not take up more than a quarter of an hour's reading, ;

and who, ever, apologises for a personal chat, that takes up move than an hour? But having now paid my respects to every paragraph of yours, requiring notice, I am inclined to withdraw ; making my best how to your better half, and assuring you that I am, dear sir, faithfully yours,

Mark SODOR & MAN.

Like some good gossip, who, when she is going and can't stay, talks half an hour with the door in her hand, here I am still, It may not be amiss, When you happen to meet Mr Quayle, if you give him the satisfaction of knowing that I have received all my packets, as far as O inclusive. Tell Thomas Stevens whem you see him, that when I am as near him as he was to the Bishop not long since, I will give him my thanks in person for sending them. But I thought he would not have been within a few yards of me, without favouring me with a visit. His father would not have walked off so, without coming in to give me a smieliam (?). Thank him, however, for the care of my packets, and beg of him always to send them by some safe hand he can trust. And so much for this long packet paragraph.

Footnotes

(53)—The Four Gospels and Acts in Manx were published this year, but it was a very small issue, copies being supplied to the Clergy only, with a request "chat! they would insert freely their remarks on the blank pages, as the best method that can be pro- posed for furnishing from the whole one correct edition.''

(53a)—"Oscitaney''—a, very Johnsonian word.

(54)—We do not know what he refers to; possibly it is to the building of St. George's.

(54a)—Hand from the table,'