Lewisham, to prepare matter (who would believe it) for
Apritr1780
WESLEY'S NEW HOUSE
prisoners.
I was glad to find they have plenty of wholesome food ; and are treated, in all respects, with great humanity.
In the evening I preached at Portsmouth-common.
Thursday, 7. I took a view of the camp adjoining to the town, and wondered to find it as clean and as neat asa gentleman's garden.
But there was no chaplain.
The English soldiers of this age have nothing to do with God!
Fri. 8.—We took chaise, as usual, at two, and about eleven came to Cobham.
Having a little leisure, I thought I could not employ it better than in taking a walk through the gardens, They are said to take up four hundred acres, and are admirably well laid out.
They far exceed the celebrated gardens at Stow.
This night I lodged in the new house at London.
How many more nights have I to spend there ?
1780.
Sun. Jan. 23.—In the evening I retired to Lewisham, to prepare matter (who would believe it) for a monthly magazine.
Friday, February 4, being the national fast, I preached first at the new chapel, and then at St. Peter's Cornhill.
What a difference in the congregation!
Yet out of these stones God can raise up children to Abraham.
Wesley at the German Settlement Mon. April 17.—I left Leeds in one of the roughest mornings I have ever seen.
We had rain, hail, snow, and wind, in abundance.
About nine I preached at Bramley; between one and two at Pudsey.
Afterwards I walked to Fulneck, the German settlement. Mr. Moore showed us the house, chapel, hall, lodging-rooms, the apartments of the widows, the single men, and single women. He showed us likewise the workshops of various
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
May 1780 kinds, with the shops for grocery, drapery, mercery, hardware, &c., with which, as well as with bread from their bakehouse, they furnish the adjacent country.
I see not what but the mighty power of God can hinder them from acquiring millions; as they, 1. Buy all materials with ready money at the best hand; 2. Have above a hundred young men, above fifty young women, many widows, and above a hundred married persons; all of whom are employed from morning to night, without any intermission, in various kinds of manufactures, not for journeymen's wages, but for no wages at all, save a little very plain food and raiment: as they have.
3. A quick sale for all their goods, and sell them all for ready money.
But can they lay up treasure on earth, and at the same time lay up treasure in heaven ?
Sat. May 20.—I took one more walk through Holyrood-house, the mansion of ancient kings.
But how melancholy an appearance does it make now!
The stately rooms are dirty as stables; the colours of the tapestry are quite faded ; several of the pictures are cut and defaced.
The roof of the royal chapel is fallen in; and the bones of James the Fifth, and the once beautiful
Lord Darnley, are scattered about like those of sheep or oxen.
Such is human greatness!
Is not "a living dog better than a dead lion ?"
Sun. 21.—The rain hindered me from preaching at noon upon the Castle-hill.
In the evening the house was well filled, and I was enabled to speak strong words,
But I am not a preacher for the people of Edinburgh.
Tues. 23.—A gentleman took me to see Roslyncastle, eight miles from Edinburgh.
It is now all in ruins, only a small dwelling-house is built on one part of it.
The situation of it is exceeeding fine, on the side of a steep mountain, hanging over a river, from which
Junz 1780 WESLEY AND ROSLYN CHAPEL
another mountain rises, equally steep, and clothed with wood.
Ata little distance is the chapel, which is in perfect preservation, both within and without.
I should never have thought it had belonged to any one less than a sovereign prince! the inside being far more elegantly wrought with variety of Scripture histories in stone-work, than I believe can be found again in Scotland; perhaps not in all England.
The Bishop of Durham's Tapestry Wed. 31.—I went to Mr. Parker's, at Shincliff, near
Durham.
The congregation being far too large to get into the house, I stood near his door.
It seemed as if the whole village were ready to receive the truth in the love thereof.
Perhaps their earnestness may provoke the people of Durham to jealousy.
In the afternoon we took a view of the castle at Durham, the residence of the bishop. The situation is wonderfully fine, surrounded by the river, and commanding all the country ; and many of the apartments are large and stately; but the furniture is mean beyond imagination!
I know not where I have seen such in a gentleman's house, or a man of five hundred a year, except that of the Lord Lieutenant in Dublin.
In the largest chambers, the tapestry is quite faded ; beside that, it is coarse and ill-judged.
Take but one instance :—In Jacob's vision you see, on the one side, a little paltry ladder, and an angel climbing it, in the attitude of a chimney-sweeper ; and on the other side Jacob staring at him, from under a large silver-laced hat.
Mon. June 5 (York).—An arch news-writer published a paragraph to-day, probably designed for wit, concerning the large pension which the famous Wesley received for defending the king. This so increased the congregation
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
Junz 1780 in the evening, that scores were obliged to go away.
And God applied that word to many hearts, "I will not destroy the city for ten's sake ?"
Mon. 12.—-About eleven I preached at Newton-uponTrent, to a large and very genteel congregation. Thence we went to Newark; but our friends were divided as to the place where I should preach.
At length they found a convenient place, covered on three sides, and on the fourth open to the street.
It contained two or three thousand people well, who appeared to hear as for life.
Only one big man, exceeding drunk, was very noisy and turbulent, till his wife seized him by the collar, gave him two or three hearty boxes on the ear, and dragged him away like a calf.
But, at length, he got out of her hands, crept in among the people, and stood as quiet as a lamb.
Wesley on " Boston Stump"
Fri. 16.—We went on to Boston, the largest town in the county, except Lincoln.
From the top of the steeple (which I suppose is by far the highest tower in the kingdom) we had a view not only of all the town, but of all the adjacent country.
Formerly this town was in the fens ; but the fens are vanished away: great part of them is turned into pasture, and part into arable land.
At six the house contained the congregation, all of whom behaved in the most decent manner.
Wed. 28.—I went to Sheffield: but the house was not ready ; so I preached in the square.
I can hardly think I am entered this day into the seventy-eighth year of my age.
By the blessing of God, I am just the same as when I entered the twenty-eighth.
This hath God wrought, chiefly by my constant exercise, my rising early, and preaching morning and evening.
Ocr. 1780 THE DUKE OF DORSET'S SEAT
Mon. Sept. 11.—As I drew near Bath, I wondered what had drawn such a multitude of people together, till
I learnt, that one of the members for the city had given an ox to be roasted whole.
But their sport was sadly interrupted by heavy rain, which sent them home faster than they came; many of whom dropped in at our chapel, where I suppose they never had been before.
Wesley at Sevenoaks Mon. Oct. 16.—I went to Tunbridge-wells, and preached to a serious congregation, on Rev. xx. 12.
Tuesday, 17.
I came back to Sevenoaks, and in the afternoon walked over to the Duke of Dorset's seat.
The park is the pleasantest I ever saw ; the trees are so elegantly disposed.
The house, which is at least two hundred years old, is immensely large.
It consists of two squares, considerably bigger than the two quadrangles in Lincoln college.
I believe we were shown above thirty rooms, beside the hall, the chapels, and three galleries.
The pictures are innumerable; I think, four times as many as in the castle at Blenheim.
Into one of the galleries opens the king's bedchamber, ornamented above all the rest.
The bed-curtains are cloth-of-gold; and so richly wrought, that it requires some strength to draw them.
The tables, the chairs, the frames of the lookingglasses, are all plated over with silver.
The tapestry, representing the whole history of Nebuchadnezzar, is as fresh as if newly woven, But the bed-curtains are exceeding dirty, and look more like copper than gold.
The silver on the tables, chairs, and glass, looks as dull as lead.
And, to complete all, King Nebuchadnezzar among the beasts, together with his eagle's claws, has a large crown upon his head, and is clothed in scarlet and gold.
4.30
WESLEY'S JOURNAL __ Dic. 1780
Wesley Visits Lord George in the Tower Sat. Dec. 16 (London).—Having a second message from Lord George Gordon, earnestly desiring to see me,
I wrote a line to Lord Stormont, who, on Monday, 18, sent me a warrant to see him.
On Tuesday, 19, I spent an hour with him, at his apartment in the Tower.
Our conversation turned upon Popery and religion. He seemed to be well acquainted with the Bible; and had abundance of other books, enough to furnish a study.
I was agreeably surprised to find he did not complain of any person or thing; and cannot but hope, his confinement will take a right turn, and prove a lasting blessing to him.
Fri. 22,—At the desire of some of my friends, I accompanied them to the British Museum.
What an immense field is here for curiosity to range in!
One large room is filled from top to bottom with things brought from Otaheite; two or three more with things dug out of the ruins of Herculaneum!
Seven huge apartments are filled with curious books; five with manuscripts ; two with fossils of all serts, and the rest with various animals.
But what account will a man give to the Judge of quick and dead for a life spent in collecting all these ?
Sun. 24.—Desiring to make the most of this solemn day, I preached early in the morning at the new chapel; at ten and four I preached at West-street ; and in the evening met the society at each end of the town.
Fri. 29,—I saw the indictment of the Grand Jury against Lord George Gordon.
I stood aghast!
What a shocking insult upon truth and common sense!
But it is the usual form.
The more is the shame.
Why will