stones. At the distance of four hundred and fifty feet, it suddenly expands fifty feet to the right. This broad part is raised three or four feet above the other, and terminates in a semicircle. In the middle of the area is a handsome and very useful light-house. The whole of the building cost the English government upwards of 22,0001. The pier is the promenade of the town, and in fine weather crowded with genteel company. Immediately to the left is seen a range of hills, and beyond these the mountains of Penypont and Snawfel. Turning towards the east, we see the cliff of Clayhead, with a spacious intervening bay; and, to the right of it, a long extent of the coast of Cumberland, crowned with distant mountains, delightful objects to the eye. Still turning towards the right, nothing but the ocean is visible, till we discern, through a clear horizon, the high lands of Wales. The view is now obstructed by Douglas head. From the pier, directly across the harbour, is an elegant castellated mansion, till within these few years the residence of Mr. Whaley, usually called Buck Whaley. Its vicinity to the sea diminishes the verdure, and prevents the growth of trees about the grounds,

The bay is nearly two miles across; it has good anchoring, excepting on the northern side, and is sheltered from all winds but the east. Both points of the bay are rocky and dangerous; and in the middle lies a large bed of rocks, just covered at high water.

The harbour is accounted the best dry one in the Irish Channel, and admits vessels of considerable burden to come at high water close to the quay, the depth at spring tides being from fifteen to twenty feet.

Northward of the town are extensive sands much frequented by company in carriages, on horse-back, and on foot. The water of the bay is so calm and transparent, that a person, standing on the pier, may often, even at high water, distinctly see the bottom. In the most stormy weather the breakers rarely exceed the height of fifteen inches. These circumstances render the bathing particularly safe and delightful to the ladies but only one machine is yet provided for the use of the company.

The market-place is small and destitute of shops and shambles. It is usually well supplied by the neighbouring farms; but, on a rainy day, it is sometimes impossible to purchase either a

pound of butter, a shilling's-worth of eggs, or a kishon of potatoes; and, unless these are by chance to be sold in the town, the inhabitants are obliged to wait for them till the expiration of another week.

Almost every article of necessity or convenience may be purchased at one or other of the shops. There is only one person here, or, I believe, in any part of the country, who sells books, and he is by trade a bookbinder; and only two who sell stationary. I tried in vain to buy a sheet of blotting paper. Wines and spirits are retailed by grocers, bakers, and linendrapers.

4

Of inns in this town, the largest, and, I believe, the best, was the Globe, now divided into two. There are also the Duke's Arms, the Liverpool Hotel, the Liverpool Coffee-house, and one without a sign, kept by Clague, the oldest of all, situated between the market-place and the post-office. There are several boardinghouses, one of the best of which is kept by Mrs. Pratt, of Muckle's-gate. There is no want of public houses; their usual sign in the towns is, "Ale sold here;" and in country places an empty barrel by the door.

Some years ago a theatre was built, aud plays were acted at Douglas; but even for a few weeks the proprietor did not meet with sufficient en couragement, and they are consequently discontinued. An assembly every three or four weeks is the only public amusement of the inhabitants. They are fond of visiting, and of cards, and, illnatured people say, of scandal.

A public circulating library and reading room have been lately established, and are a great acquisition to the town. They have commenced on a moderate scale, and contain, at present, a very small, but well chosen collection of books. The number of proprietors, all of one class, does not exceed ninety. The funds are divided into guinea transferrable shares, every share-holder paying one guinea a year for contingent expenses and the improvement of the library. On the arrival of every packet, the room is crowded with subscribers, flocking thither to read the English news. On other occasions it is little frequented, and the conversation is always more political than literary. To particularize any might appear invidious to others; but every one will be pleased with the urbanity of manner and

general knowledge of the present High Bailiff, a native of the island.

All letters for the Isle of Man are brought from Whitehaven to Douglas by a packet, which ought to leave that port every Monday night; but which, owing to bad weather and the difficulty of getting out of harbour, is sometimes in the winter season for two or three weeks delayed. It remains three days at Douglas, and then returns. It contains good accommodations for passengers; but not superior to those of the Duke and of the Duchess of Athol trading to Liverpool; and perhaps not equal, in this respect, to the Chesterfield packet which sails weekly from Liverpool with passengers only. The passage from Whitehaven is nine shillings, and from Liverpool half-a-guinea. The letters are sorted from the post-office; and those for Castle-town, Peel, and Ramsey are forwarded in the order of their names. The letter-carrier stops one day at Ramsey, and then returns by the same route with the letters for England. Every body expecting letters applies for them at the post-office; and such as are not immediately sent for are stuck up in the window, ready to be