[From Letters of Bishop Hildesley]

Letter XXX

Saturday Night, January 14, 64.

The great flood this morning upon last night's rain, the greatest they say here, that has ever been remembered prevented the band that intended for Douglas bringing: this packet to-day, which in thar respect is fortunate, as I have opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of two from Liverpool, you were so kind as to send me by Mr. Willis, by whom also I have a parcel of papers from the Governor, which though very stale are all new to me, having not seen a paper, of a long season, In my letter to you, I believe I wished myself a good journey to Lezayre. But an unusual cough having seized me, I find it desirable to submit and send a Reader for my deputy; though as I am under appointment, I am very hardly persuaded to forbear fulfilling it. But too positive is next door to presumption, and so I subside and stay at home. At your leisure be so good as to send me a categorical answer to the following questions :—(1) What might you, bona fide, make of each year's setting of the Bishop's third at Ballaugh? (55). (2) Can your classical memory furnish you witlh a recollection where this sentence is to be found: "Ingratum si dixeris, omnia dixeris'' (55a)? Lest you should be alarmed and puzzle your head about the meaning and intent of these questions, I here frankly assure you that with regard to the first I only would know whether your successor has or has not a good bargain at the rent you gave, and without any view to ruin him. The second is to answer the said query to a correspondent in England, who intends it for the motto of a book he is about publishing. It was a phrase so familiar to me at first sight that I thought I could turn to it immediately ; but I soon found, as most confidents do, that I was mistaken.

I am once more affectionately yours,

M. S. M.

(55)—Philip Moore had been Rector of Bride from 1751 to 1760.

(55a) FPC ="if you pronounce a man ungrateful, you say all that can be said against him."