Thomas Christian

Thomas Christian (1754–1828) was the translator of John Milton's Paradise Lost into Manx, an author of Manx carols, and vicar of Marown parish, Isle of Man. Life Thomas Christian was the second son of John Christian (1728–1779), Vicar of Marown for 26 years, from 1753 to 1779, and his wife Elizabeth. Thomas Christian's father is notable for having translated the Second Book of Kings from the Bible into the Manx language for Bishop Mark Hildesley, published in 1771. Thomas was John's second son, born in 1753. He showed early academic promise, as testified by Bishop Hildesley, although the Bishop was disappointed upon first meeting him: Young Christian got to me the day before the snow ... I find he is almost a blank paper, notwithstanding the vast cries up of his vehement scholarship. His uncle sent me a list of books he had read, enough to frighten a learned Jew. He is tolerably versed in Greek Testament. But it is time he should know things as well as words In 1768 or 1769 he was appointed Vicar of Peel. However, Christian was disappointed by this position as he saw as insufficient for him. But his complaints were quieted by Bishop Hildesley's pointing out that "his several appointments" brought him no less than £65 Manx, nearly £56 Sterling.