[From Letters of Bishop Hildesley]

Letter LXXXV

Bishopscourt, Jan. 17, 1771.

Dear Sir,

I have yours by Mr Kelly and all I have to say of your seemingly recovered thoughts about making a second visit to Air for good and all is, that I did not charge you with a determination to accept the invitation and proposals of being kept and supported by a Manks colony's contributions ; but, if a man's mind may be collected from his words and his inclination when committed to writing, I could have no doubt left which way yours tended, by the recital of so many arguments for your listening to the alluring offer, Every man at years of discretion ought to be master of his own will, and it, is absurd to suppose that another should be angry at the claiming that liberty ; and should be taken as a compliment, as I took my late parish of Hitchin's disliked my leaving them, which was certainly more agreeable to me than to have had them hollow (sic) me out of town.

Your tendency toward taking flight to Scotland was so strong and palpable by what you wrote in one of your letters that I thought it would be cruel to clip your wings. If your mind is altered so be it, you shall have my good wishes either way. If you go I shall have the benefit of the continuance of our friendly intercourse, and if youy go, must endeavour to supply your absence in the best manner that I can, but I really thought our fifteen years' conjunction was not so slender a thread as I now have reason to believe it hung by. Had your departure promised any thing truly advisable, I should not have been so self-interested ta have detained you, And by your manner of expressing yourself, whatever I might think of the proposal, I perceived you so pleased with it, that I thought it but just to leave you to y our choice. And so much for this new object that has appeared to attract notice in this new year. And I hope I shall never again fling my poor self into the scale, with the great object of finishing the great work against Mr Christian's allurement. And perhaps it is a fortunate circumstance for your Douglas flock, that their is such a detainer to keep you among, them. If you think Dr. Dickens is mistaken im his opinion of you, I hope you will find no difficulty in forgiving him this wrong. I had not received any notice of your elopement from Sherburn but for your discovering a disposition to take some more Scotch air. And probably till the like smoke breaks out again, neither will be more thoucht of again.

I went this day to visit our Brother of Ballaugh, whom I found with his bed below stairs in his parlour for his wife; but he himself is not able to lie on account of his cough. He has got with him a doctor from Castletown, whom Mr Wilks sent over from thence, whether with or without order I ken not. He has the comfort and assistance of his niece Ross, whose husband also was there, who or Kelly will be the bearer of this. Mrs Curghey I think is much as usual, who by account I had the day before of expected to fnd her much worse. He poor man is much altered to be sure. Can eat no solid food. But yet I think may hold some time. Alas! what is this dying life we seem so fond of. I am close at his heels and yet am proposing and laying out for another journey to London, if I am not called off to a much longer before the time. I think it however not unlikely but you will see us both again before either of us take our departure either partially or finally. But all is in the hand of God! I brought away all the Manks papers from Ballaugh, which he was forced to go up stair to find, as nobody else could, and I am glad they are here ready for your call. I shall also send for the other books you mention..

If you had given yourself the trouble I desired of extracting the articles of receipt of Thompson's charity you would have saved mine. For all the articles of disbursement already entered in your book I know of no use in my revising. I know not the objects and if I did and disapproved tis too late to correct. The Governor, you see, also wants not to see who has received, but whom you desire to recommend for objects in any future payments. Be Mr Wood ever so new in the work, sure he is capable of extracting the dates and sums paid by me, if his predecessor entered them. This I think will take up very little time and less skill to do. As each article will take up no more words than the bare date and sum annexed without any other parade or description whatever, put this Mr Thompson's Charity to the poor of Braddan when and what received from the Bishop's hands.

I wish you health and strength to pursue the great and good work which the Church of Man is already so greatly indebted to you; and which I doubt not with the help of God and your amanuensis (150), you will re-enter upon with the zeal and pleasure as heretofore, when once you have got the Airy scheme out of your head, and begin to recol lect, that you have constantly professed yourself the Church of Man's faithful servant as well as that af the unworthy Bishop thereof who is steadily yours,

M. Sodor& Mann.

I hope my two hampers of wine are some whore in vaults, or they will suffer by this weather, If they are not too much for one of my cart horses to carry, I would send for them.

(150)—John Kelly; afterwards Dr. Kelly.