cotemporaries whom history or poetry record to have believed in or actually witnessed miracles were sometimes seized with an incomprehensible indifference or coldness, and attached little importance to their author. Gibbon says that, considering the number of miracles wrought in favour of Æneas, he sometimes doubts whether that celebrated hero should rather have been called impious than pious. A portion of the same spirit which formerly induced nations to kill their prophets was perhaps exerted in the punishment of witches.

Wherein this witch offended the people I could not learn. She shared the fate of Regulus, was put into a barrel with spikes inserted round the interior, and thus by the weight of herself and the apparatus rolled from the top of the hill to the bottom. The Manksman who related the story to me appeared to credit it himself.

Three miles from Peel is the Tinwald Mount, * of singular appearance and unknown antiquity. Its name is usually derived from the word tin or ting, signifying in the Danish language an assembly of the people, or court of justice; and wald, a field or place, or possibly fenced. modern author derives it from the British words

A

tyng and val, signifying "the juridical hill." The way up the mount is by a flight of steps of turf on the eastern side. The diameter of the summit does not exceed seven feet. Round this, and three feet below it, is an annular plot about four feet wide; and below this, another six feet wide; and below this another still wider. The circumference of the outer circle is nearly eighty yards; all the angles are rounded, and almost the whole surface is of turf. The mount is kept clear of weeds, and is pervaded by an air of

neatness.

At a little distance is St. John's chapel, rebuilt about twelve years since, destitute of pews, and used, I believe, only on the day of the promulgation of the laws. The old chapel was for many years in so ruinous a condition that it served no other purpose than a sheltering place for the neighbouring sheep, driven from the open plains by storms or noon day heats. Whether the annual prayers were, during this period, dispensed with or read elsewhere, I omitted to inquire.

Grose's view of the Tinwald is very correct. The church has been rebuilt as it was before, ex

cept that a turret and a bell have been added.

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Not any stone by way of fence or gate post is

now visible.

road, we

The sides

From ten

Leaving on our right the Douglas enter a solitary dell, two miles long. are lofty, steep, rocky, and barren. to twenty yards below the carriage way is a shallow river, murmuring over the pebbles; and the noise is occasionally increased by the tributary waters of a mountain torrent. In this glen is one cottage with a little garden; and nature has produced one tree, a stunted oak.

The first village that we come to is the pleasantly situated one of Kirk Michael, in a parish of its own name; and almost contiguous to it upon the shore is the village of Glenwillian.

The church, dedicated to the Arch-angel, is within an hundred yards of the inn. Opposite the entrance of the church yard stands upright, forming the center of a horse-block, a piece of clay-slate, seven feet high, eighteen inches wide, and between four and five inches thick. On the side furthest from the church is engraved a cross, its length being nearly equal to that of the stone. On each side of it are various devices of horses and riders, and of stags being seized by dogs. The other side, more defaced, is

somewhat different, but partakes of the same character. On the upper part of one edge of the stone, and on the right hand, is the figure of a warrior with his spear and shield, and between his legs a cross. On the same edge are Runic characters. To shew the reader how little certain knowledge he can obtain on such subjects, I shall insert the translation of them by two antiquarians :

Watter, son of Thurulf, a knight righ valiant, Lord of Frithu, the Father, Jesus Christ."

John Prestwich, Bart.

"For the sins of Ivalsir, the son of Dural, this cross was erected by his mother Aftride."

Mr. Beauford.

On the edge of a stone in the church-yard is a Runic inscription, thus read and explained by Mr. Beauford:

"Uleifan funtree Gudean nom illean Reinti crund: son sfstr mel muru funtree niis tolirluf cetlan cone, in e."

"We hope to live through the holy name of God; and by means of the mysterious tree on

which his Son suffered an evil death our sorrows shall be washed away."

Colonel Townley says in his journal that he found on the outside of this-church-yard a venerable stone, displaying in the rude chisselwork the figure of some mighty Danish chief in complete steel: that he "rescued the warrior from his ignominious concealment, took him into his carriage, and conveyed him to more respectable quarters."

Near the eastern end of the church is the tomb-stone of Bishop Wilson, with this inscription:

"Sleeping in Jesus,

Here lieth the body of Thomas Wilson, D. D.
Lord Bishop of this Isle;

Who died March 7th, 1755, aged 93,
And in the 58th year of his consecration."

In the lower part of the stone his son, Dr. Wilson, informs the reader that he is restrained by the express commands of his father from mentioning his character or bestowing praise, and therefore adds no more than one expressive line:

"Let this Island speak the rest."

In this parish is the pile of stones called Cairn