a concert of my nephews. But I was a little out of my
Aprit 1781
FIRE IN CITY ROAD
not the Parliament remove this scandal from our nation ?
Sat. 30.—Waking between one and two in the morning, I observed a bright light shine upon the chapel.
I easily concluded there was a fire near; probably in the adjoining timber-yard.
If so, I knew it would soon lay us in ashes. I first called all the family to prayer ; then going out, we found the fire about a hundred yards off, and had broke out while the wind was south.
But a sailor cried out, '"* Avast! Avast! the wind is turned in a moment!"
So it did, to the west, while we were at prayer, and so drove the flame from us.
We then thankfully returned, and I rested well the residue of the night.
1781.
Thur. Jan. 25.—I spent an agreeable hour at a concert of my nephews.
But I was a little out of my element among lords and ladies.
I love plain music and plain company best.
A Rough Voyage Mon. April 9.—Desiring to be in Ireland as soon as possible, I hastened to Liverpool, and found a ship ready to sail; but the wind was contrary, till on Thursday morning, the captain came in haste, and told us, the wind was come quite fair.
So Mr. Floyd, Snowden, Joseph Bradford, and I, with two of our sisters, went on board.
But scarce were we out at sea, when the wind turned quite foul, and rose higher and higher.
In an hour I was so affected, as I had not been for forty years before.
For two days I could not swallow the quantity of a pea of anything solid, and very little of any liquid.
I was bruised and sore from head to foot, and ill able to turn me on the bed.
All Friday, the storm increasing, the sea of conse-
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
Aprit 1781 quence was rougher and rougher.
Early on Saturday morning, the hatches were closed, which, together with the violent motion, made our horses so turbulent, that I was afraid we must have killed them, lest they should damage the ship.
Mrs. S. now crept to me, threw her arms over me, and said, '"'O Sir, we will die together !"
We had by this time three feet water in the hold, though it was an exceeding light vessel.
Meantime we were furiously driving on a lee-shore ; and when the captain cried, '' Helm-a-lee," she would not obey the helm.
I called our brethren to prayers; and we found free access to the throne of grace. Soon after we got, I know not how, into Holyhead harbour, after being sufficiently buffeted by the winds and waves for two days and two nights.
The more I considered, the more I was convinced, it was not the will of God I should go to Ireland at this time.
So we went into the stage-coach without delay, and the next evening came to Chester.
I now considered in what place I could spend a few days to the greatest advantage.
I soon thought of the Isle of Man, and those parts of Wales which I could not well see in my ordinary course.
I judged it would be best to begin with the latter. So, after a day or two's rest, on Wednesday, 18, I set out for Brecon, purposing to take Whitchurch (where I had not been for many years) and Shrewsbury inmy way.
At noon I preached in Whitchurch, to a numerous and very serious audience ; in the evening at Shrewsbury; where, seeing the earnestness of the people, I agreed to stay another day.
Not knowing the best way from hence to Brecon, I thought well to go round by Worcester.
I took Broseley in my way, and thereby had a view of the iron bridge over the Severn: I suppose the first and the only one in Europe.
It will not soon be imitated.
May 1781 MELANCHOLY ST. DAVID'S
Tues. May 1.—I rode to St. David's, seventeen measured miles from Haverford. I was surprised to find all the land, for the last nine or ten miles, so fruitful and well cultivated.
What a difference is there between the westermost parts of England, and the westermost parts of Wales! the former (the west of Cornwall), so barren and wild ; the latter, so fruitful and well-improved.
But the town itself is a melancholy spectacle.
I saw but one tolerable good house in it. The rest were miserable huts indeed.
I do not remember so mean a town even in Ireland.
The cathedral has been a large and stately fabric, far superior to any other in Wales.
But a great part of it is fallen down already; and the rest is hastening into ruin: one blessed fruit (among many) of bishops residing at a distance from their see.
Here are the tombs and effigies of many ancient worthies: Owen Tudor in particular.
But the zealous Cromwellians broke off their noses, hands, and feet; and defaced them as much as possible.
But what had the Tudors done to them?
Why, they were progenitors of Kings.
In the Isle of Man Wed. 30.—I embarked on board the packet-boat, for the Isle of Man. We hada 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
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
June 1781 congregation; all of whom, except a few children, and two or three giddy young women, were seriously attentive.
Sat. 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."
I believe the word carried conviction into the hearts of nearly all that heard it. Afterwards 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 noon-day heat, where they had a few trees to shade them.
Preaching at Peel June 3.—(Being Whitsunday.) I preached in the market-place again about nine, to a still larger congregation than before, on, '*I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ."
How few of the genteel hearers could say so!
About four in the afternoon, I preached at Barewle, on the mountains, to a larger congregation than that in the morning.
The rain began soon after I began preaching; but ceased in a few minutes. I preached on,
'' They were all filled with the Holy Ghost"; and showed in what sense this belongs to us and to our children.
Between six and seven I preached on the sea-shore at Peel, to the largest congregation I have seen in the island ; even the society nearly filled the house.
I soon found what spirit they were of. Hardly in England (unless perhaps at Bolton) have I found so plain, so earnest, so simple a people.
Mon. 4.—We had such a congregation at five, as
June 1781
GOOD MANX SINGERS
might have been expected on a Sunday evening.
We then rode through and over the mountains to Beergarrow ; where I enforced, on an artless, loving congregation, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink."
A few miles from thence, we came to Bishop'scourt, where good Bishop Wilson resided near threescore years. There is something venerable, though not magnificent,in the ancient palace; and it is undoubtedly situated in one of the pleasantest spots of the whole island.
Tues. 5.—In the afternoon we rode through a pleasant and fruitful country to Ramsay, about as large as Peel, and more regularly built. The rain was again suspended while I preached to well nigh all the town; but I saw no inattentive hearers.
An Ideal Circuit Wed. 6.—This morning we rode through the most woody, and far the pleasantest, part of the island ; —a range of fruitful land, lying at the foot of the mountains, from Ramsay, through Sulby, to Kirkmichael.
Here we stopped to look at the plain tombstones of those two good men, Bishop Wilson and Bishop Hildesley ; whose remains are deposited, side by side, at the east end of the church.
We had scarce reached Peel before the rain increased; but here the preaching-house contained all that could come.
Afterwards, Mr. Crook desired me to meet the singers.
I was agreeably surprised.
I have not heard better singing either at Bristol or London.
Many, both men and women, have admirable voices ; and they sing with good judgment.
Who would have expected this in the Isle of Man?
Thur. 7.—I met our little body of Preachers.
They were two-and-twenty in all.
I never saw in England so
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
June 1781 many stout, well-looking Preachers together.
If their spirit be answerable to their look, I know not what can stand before them.
In the afternoon I rode over to Dawby, and preached to a very large and very serious congregation.
Fri. 8.—Having now visited the island round, east, south, north, and west, I was thoroughly convinced that we have no such circuit as this, either in England, Scotland, or Ireland.
It is shut up from the world; and, having little trade, is visited by scarce any strangers.
Here are no Papists, no Dissenters of any kind, no Calvinists, no disputers.
Here is no opposition, either from the Governor (a mild, humane man), from the bishop
(a good man), or from the bulk of the clergy.
One or two of them did oppose for a time; but they seem now to understand better.
So that we have now rather too little, than too much reproach; the scandal of the cross being, for the present, ceased.
The natives are a plain, artless, simple people; unpolished, that is, unpolluted ; few of them are rich or genteel; the far greater part moderately poor; and most of the strangers that settle among them are men that have seen affliction.
The Local Preachers are men of faith and love, knit together in one mind and one judgment. They speak either Manx or English, and follow a regular plan, which the assistant gives them monthly.
The isle is supposed to have thirty thousand inhabitants.
Allowing half of them to be adults, and our societies to contain one or two and twenty hundred members, what a fair proportion is this! What has been seen like this, in any part either of Great Britain or Ireland ?
Sat. 9.—We would willingly have set sail; but the strong north-east wind prevented us.
Monday, 11.