the Life of Sir William Penn, a wise and good man. But
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
June 1786 escape, is still in being; and brought to my mind that whole train of occurrences, wherein the hand of God was so eminently seen.
Thur. 25.—About nine I preached at Mousehole, where there is now one of the liveliest societies in Cornwall.
Hence we went to the Land's-end, in order to which we clambered down the rocks, to the very edge of the water; and I cannot think but the sea has gained some hundred yards since I was here forty years ago.
Wesley Visits the House of Lords 1786. Mon. Jan. 9.—At leisure hours this week, I read the Life of Sir William Penn, a wise and good man.
But Iwas much surprised at what he relates concerning his first wife; who lived, I suppose, fifty years, and said a little before her death, ''I bless God, I never did anything wrong in my life! " Was she then ever convinced of sin ?
And if not, could she be saved on any other footing than a heathen?
Tues. 24.—I was desired to go and hear the King deliver his speech in the House of Lords.
But how agreeably was I surprised!
He pronounced every word with exact propriety.
JI much doubt whether there be any other king in Europe, that is so just and natural a speaker.
Wed. June 28.—I entered into the eighty-third year of my age.
Iam a wonder to myself.
It is now twelve years since I have felt any such sensation as weariness.
I am never tired (such is the goodness of God!) either with writing, preaching, or travelling. One natural cause undoubtedly is, my continual exercise and change of air.
How the latter contributes to health I know not; but certainly it does.
Ocr. 1786 BUILDING EXTRAORDINARY
The remainder of this Journal was not published in Wesley's lifetime and was not revised by him.
The MS. was 'so ill written as to be scarcely legible."
Tues. Sept. 26.—Reached London.
I now applied myself in earnest to the writing of Mr. Fletcher's Life, having procured the best materials I could.
To this I dedicated all the time I could spare, till November, from five in the morning till eight at night.
These are my studying hours ; I cannot write longer in a day without hurting my eyes.
Wesley Visits Hatfield House Mon. Oct. 2.—I went to Chatham, and had much comfort with the loving, serious congregation in the evening, as well as at fivein the morning.
Tuesday, 3.
We then ran down, with a fair, pleasant wind, to Sheerness.
The preaching-house here is now finished, but by means never heard of.
The building was undertaken a few months since, by a little handful of men, without any probable means of finishing it.
But God so moved the hearts of the people in the dock, that even those who do not pretend to any religion, carpenters, shipwrights, labourers, ran up, at all their vacant hours, and worked with all their might, without any pay.
By this means a large square house was soon elegantly finished, both within and without; and it is the neatest building, next to the new chapel in London, of any in the south of England.
Thurs. r9.—I returned to London.
In this journey I had a full sight of Lord Salisbury's seat, at Hatfield.
The park is delightful.
Both the fronts of the house are very handsome, though antique.
The hall, the assemblyroom, and the gallery are grand and beautiful.
The