Wednesday, 30. -- l embarked on board the packet-boat for the Isle of Man. We had a dead calm for many hours; however, we landed at Douglas on Friday morning. Both the preachers met me here and gave me a comfortable account of the still increasing work of God. Before dinner, we took a walk in a garden near the town, wherein any of the inhabitants of it may walk. It is wonderfully pleasant, yet not so pleasant as the gardens of the Nunnery (so it is still called), which are not far from it. These are delightfully laid out and yield to few places of the size in England. At six I preached in the market place, to a large congregation; all of whom, except a few children and two or three giddy young women, were seriously attentive. Saturday, June 2. -- I rode to Castleton, through a pleasant and (now) well-cultivated country. At six I preached in the market place, to most of the inhabitants of the town on "One thing is needful" [Luke 10:42]. I believe the word carried conviction into the hearts of nearly all that heard it. Afterward I walked to the house of one of our English friends, about two miles from the town. All the day I observed, wherever I was, one circumstance that surprised me: In England we generally hear the birds singing, morning and evening; but here thrushes and various other kinds of birds were singing all day long. They did not intermit, even during the noonday heat, where they had a few trees to shade them. |