[From ManxNoteBook vol iii,1887]

THE OGAM INSCRIPTIONS AT BALLAQUEENEY. (No. 8, pp. 145, 148). — The Editor has only recently known that these Inscriptions were first deciphered by Mr. William Kneale, of Victoria-street, Douglas, in 1875, shortly after their discovery by the Rev. T. B. Grant. He takes the earliest opportunity of recording this interesting fact. Mr. Kneale has promised to forward his reading for publication in THE MANX NOTE BOOK.

THOMAS STANLEY, BISHOP OF MANN (No. 10, p. 98). — The following notes from an old MS. of Bishop Hildesley's may be of use to your correspondent "J. W. Lea: " — "Stanley Bp. 1542 was deprived in 1545 by Henry for not complying with his measures when See was annexed to York. Bp. Farrar translated same year to St. Davids. Bp. Mann appointed 1546 and died in possn 1556. Stanley restored 1556, and died in possessn 1568."
T. W.

EXTRACTS FROM CRABB ROBINSON'S DIARY CONCERNING THE ISLE OF MANN. — The subjoined extracts from Henry Crabb Robinson's Diary, relative to the Isle of Mann, will no doubt be deemed worthy of a place in THE MANX NOTE BOOK. It is almost superfluous for me to state that Robinson was the friend of Wordsworth, Southey, Coleridge, and Goethe; that, as a young man, he was employed by The Times as a foreign correspondent; that he became a Vice-President of University College, London; and that he died at the age of 91, in the year 1867.

Wm. KNEALE, Victoria Street, — May 20th, 1887.

In a letter dated 19th Oct., 1833, the following occurs: —
" It would fill up my paper were I to enumerate all the famous places I saw. Therefore, take my account in the form of a school lesson in geography. My journey was bounded by Peel Castle, in the Isle of Man, to the west, by Inverness to the north, and Aberdeen to the east. You cannot accuse me of hurrying this time through the country. I did not meet with a single unpleasant incident on the journey, and had a vast deal of enjoyment. First, I spent several weeks in Westmoreland and Cumberland. And Wordsworth accompanied me to Man, Staffa, and Iona." (Page 31, Vol 3.)

" JULY 14th, [1833] — (Isle of Man.) At Bala-sala we called on Mr. and Mrs. Cookson,* esteemed friends of the Wordsworths (vide Yarrow Revisited," p. 205). I had seen Mrs. Cookson at Kendal formerly: there is something very prepossessing in her person and manners. At Bala-sala are the remains of an ancient abbey (Rushen Abbey), a stream, and many trees, — a contrast to the nakedness of the adjacent country. Here we lounged more than an hour.* We arrived at dusk at Castletown, the legal capital of the island; but it is a poor little village in a bay, much less beautiful than Douglas. . . . . . Turned over a book of the Mona Statutes, which much amused me, — the style original. Some expressions are worth recording. It is ordered that persons outlawed shall not be inlawed without the King's permission, whose title at one time was "The Honourable Sir Thomas Stanley, Knight, Lord and King of Man." The Isle is divided into "Sheddings " (German Scheiduitgen — boundaries or separations.) The judges are called , "deemsters, " that is, doomsters, or pronouncers of judgment. The title of the King is our doughtful Lord." The place of proclaiming the law is the Tinwald." , Tin " is said to mean "proclamation," and " wald '' fenced round." This too is German; so that the Manx language seems to have some Teutonic affinities." (P. 35.)

"And as the poet thought of his friend and looked on the scene
Where ancient trees teist convent-pile enclose,
In ruin beautiful,"

the Sonnet No. XX, of Poems connected with a Tour in the summer of 1833 was suggested, — " And when I note .

The old tower's brow yellowed as with the beams
Of sunset ever there, albeit streams
Of stomy weather-stains that semblance wrought,
I thank the silent monitor, and say,
Shine so, my aged brow, at all hours of the day'

H. C. Robinson had pleasure in recollecting that he was present at the conception of this sonnet, for on the spot Wordsworth likened the colour on the " old tower" to perpetual sunshine."

* Parents of the executor of both Wordsworth and H. C. R [obinson.]

AN OLD HALLOWE'EN CUSTOM. — A correspondent sends us the following recipe for dreaming of a future husband, which, however, is only efficacious if made use of on Hallowe'en: — " Take a salt herring from a neighbour's house, without the consent or knowledge of the owner. Be sure to capture it in the dark and take the first that comes to hand. Then take it home and roast it in its brine u?on the cinders. Maintain strict silence, both while eating it and afterwards, carefully consume every scrap, bones and all. On the stroke of midnight retire backwards to bed, undress in the dark, and avoid touching water. If these instructions are properly carried out the future husband will appear in a dream, and will present a drink of water." F. S.

THE MANX ARMS IN BOLTON CHURCH. — I send you an extract from a book which I have come across, dated 1874, called "Memorials of Manchester Streets:" — " On taking down the timbers of the chancel roof of Bolton Church there was found, upon the centre boss, a rude carving of the Three Legs of Mann, along with the representation of an axe having a formidable blade. This shows that the chancel was re-roofed shortly after the execution of the Earl, while the event was fresh in the minds of the people, who thus handed it down to posterity. . These timbers were lying in Bolton Church-yard during in 1870-71, until finally sold as waste wood."
F. S.

ORDER FOR THE SPECIAL PETITION IN THE LITANY. — June 18, 1705. — It is hereby Order'd (by the Approbation of the Civil Government) that in the Publick Service of the Church this Petition be inserted in the Litany in the place and manner following, and constantly used in all the churches within this Isle, viz: That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kinde fruits of the Earth, and to restore and continue to us the Blessings of the Seas, so as in due time we may enjoy them.

Let this be forthwith transmitted to the Clergy by our Regr.THO. SODOR & MAN.

NOTES FROM A MS. DATED 1801. — " Brandy was formerly sold about 20 or 30 years ago at 16d a gallon and of so mild a quality that a man could drink a pint of it without being hurt or suffering from it. Sheep have been purchased within these few years at 3/6 each with their lambs. The Herring fishery which is the chief Trade is very considerable, upwards of 500 boats built in the Island are employed at it. Upon their going out to sea the men take off their hats & say a prayer, after which they proceed, but such is the order and regularity among them that not a net is cast until a signal is given by the Admiral of the Fleet."

BOOKS RECEIVED. — Gleanings in Old Garden Literature, by William Carew Hazlitt, published by Elliot Stock, 62 Pater noster-row Row, London, is a charming addition to the tasteful and dainty 'Book Lovers' Library." Mr. Stock has already issued a second edition of The Diversions of a Book Worm, one of the volumes of the same library, the first edition of which only appeared in 1886.