covenant with God; and it was, as usual, a very solemn opportunity.
John Wesley Journal of John Wesley
"SIR,-l have been seriously asked, 'From what motive did you publish your Calm Address to the American Colonies?'
"I seriously answer, not to get money. Had that been my motive I should have swelled it into a shilling pamphlet and have entered it at Stationers' Hall.
"Not to get preferment for myself or my brother's children. I am a little too old to gape after it for myself: and if my brother or I sought it for them, we have only to show them to the world.
"Not to please any man living, high or low. I know mankind too well. I know they that love you for political service, love you less than their dinner; and they that hate you, hate you worse than the devil.
"Least of all did I write with a view to inflame any: just the contrary. I contributed my mite toward putting out the flame which rages all over the land. This I have more opportunity of observing than any other man in England. I see with pain to what a height this already rises, in every part of the nation. And I see many pouring oil into the flame, by crying out, 'How unjustly, how cruelly, the King is using the poor Americans who are only contending for their liberty and for their legal privileges!'
"Now there is no possible way to put out this flame, or hinder its rising higher and higher, but to show that the Americans are not used either cruelly or unjustly; that they are not injured at all, seeing they are not contending for liberty (this they had, even in its full, extent, both civil and religious); neither for any legal privileges; for they enjoy all that their charters grant. But what they contend for is the illegal privilege of being exempt from parliamentary taxation. A privilege this which no charter ever gave to any American colony yet; which no charter can give, unless it be confirmed both by King, Lords, and Commons; which, in fact, our colonies never had; which they never claimed till the present reign: and probably they would not have claimed it now had they not been incited thereto by letters from England. One of these was read, according to the desire of the writer, not only at the Continental Congress, but likewise in many congregations throughout the Combined Provinces. It advised them to seize upon all the King's officers and exhorted them, 'Stand valiantly, only for six months, and in that time there will be such commotions in England that you may have your own terms.'
"This being the real state of the question, without any coloring or aggravation, what impartial man can either blame the King or commend the Americans?
"With this view, to quench the fire by laying the blame where it was due, the Calm Address was written.
"Sir, I am, "Your humble servant, "John Wesley."
Preaching from the Stocks
1776. January 1.—About eighteen hundred of us met together in London in order to renew our covenant with God; and it was, as usual, a very solemn opportunity.
Sunday, 14.--As I was going to West Street Chapel, one of the chaise springs suddenly snapped asunder; but the horses instantly stepping, I stepped out without the least inconvenience.
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At all my vacant hours in this and the following week, I endeavored to finish the Concise History of England. I am sensible it must give offense, as in many parts I am quite singular; particularly with regard to those injured characters, Richard III and Mary Queen of Scots. But I must speak as I think; although I am still waiting for, and willing to receive, better information.
Tuesday, April 30.--in the evening I preached in a kind of square at Colne, to a multitude of people, all drinking in the Word. I scarcely ever saw a congregation wherein men, women, and children stood in such a posture; and this in the town wherein, thirty years ago, no Methodist could show his head! The first that preached here was John Jane, who was innocently riding through the town when the zealous mob pulled him off his horse and put him in the stocks. He seized the opportunity and vehemently exhorted them "to flee from the wrath to come."
Wednesday, May 1.—I set out early and the next afternoon reached Whitehaven; and my chaise horses were no worse for traveling nearly a hundred and ten miles in two days.
In traveling through Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Westmoreland, and Cumberland, I diligently made two inquiries: the first was concerning the increase or decrease of the people; the second, concerning the increase or decrease of trade. As to the latter, it is, within these two last years, amazingly increased; in several branches in such a manner as has not been known in the memory of man: such is the fruit of the entire civil and religious liberty which all England now enjoys! And as to the former, not only in every city and large town, but in every village and hamlet, there is no decrease, but a very large and swift increase. One sign of this is the swarms of little children which we see in every place. Which, then, shall we most admire, the ignorance or confidence of those that affirm population decreases in England? I doubt not but it increases fully as fast as in any province of North America.
"A Very Extraordinary Genius"
Monday, 6.--After preaching at Cockermouth and Wigton, I went on to Carlisle and preached to a very serious congregation. Here I saw a very extraordinary genius, a man blind from four years of age, who could wind worsted, weave flowered plush on an engine and loom of his own making; who wove his own name in plush, and made his own clothes and his own tools of every sort. Some years ago, being shut up in the organloft 34 at church, he felt every part of it and afterward made an organ for himself which, judges say, is an exceedingly good one. He then taught himself to play upon it psalm tunes, anthems, voluntaries, or anything which he heard. I heard him play several tunes with great accuracy, and a complex voluntary. I suppose all Europe can hardly produce such another instance. His name is Joseph Strong. But what is he the better for all this if he is still "without God in the world"?
Friday, 17.--l reached Aberdeen in good time. Saturday, 18. I read over Dr. Johnson's Tour to the Western Isles. It is a very curious book, written with admirable sense and, I think, great fidelity;
34 Correct
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although, in some respects, he is thought to bear hard on the nation, which I am satisfied he never intended.
Monday, 20.--I preached about eleven at Old Meldrum, but could not reach Banff till nearly seven in the evening. I went directly to the Parade and proclaimed to a listening multitude "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." All behaved well but a few gentry, whom I rebuked openly, and they stood corrected.
Neat and Elegant Banff
Banff is one of the neatest and most elegant towns that I have seen in Scotland. It is pleasantly situated on the side of a hill, sloping from the sea, though close to it; it is sufficiently sheltered from the sharpest winds. The streets are straight and broad. I believe it may be esteemed the fifth, if not the fourth, town in the kingdom. The county, quite from Banff to Keith, is the best peopled of any I have seen in Scotland. This is chiefly, if not entirely, owing to the late Earl of Findlater. He was indefatigable in doing good, took pains to procure industrious men from all parts and to provide such little settlements for them as enabled them to live with comfort.
About noon I preached at the New Mills, nine miles from Banff, to a large congregation of plain, simple people. As we rode in the afternoon the heat overcame me, so that I was weary and faint before we came to Keith. But I no sooner stood up in the market place than I forgot my weariness, such were the seriousness and attention of the whole congregation, though as numerous as that at Banff. Mr. Gordon, the minister of the parish, invited me to supper and told me his kirk was at my service. A little society is formed here already and is in a fair way of increasing. But they were just now in danger of losing their preaching house, the owner being determined to sell it. I saw but one way to secure it for them, which was to buy it myself. So (who would have thought it?) I bought an estate, consisting of two houses, a yard, a garden, with three acres of good land. But he told me flat, "Sir, I will take no less for it than sixteen pounds ten shillings, to be paid, part now, part at Michaelmas, and the residue next May."
A Town of Beggars
Here Mr. Gordon showed me a great curiosity. Near the top of the opposite hill a new town is built, containing, I suppose, a hundred houses, which is a town of beggars. This, he informed me, was the professed, regular occupation of all the inhabitants. Early in spring they all go out and spread themselves over the kingdom; and in autumn they return and do what is requisite for their wives and children.
Monday, 27.--I paid a visit to St. Andrews, once the largest city in the kingdom. It was eight times as large as it is now, and a place of very great trade; but the sea rushing from the northeast, gradually destroyed the harbor and trade together; in consequence of this, whole streets (that were) are now meadows and gardens. Three broad, straight, handsome streets remain, all pointing at the old cathedral; this, by the ruins, appears to have been above three hundred feet long and
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proportionately broad and high. It seems to have exceeded York Minster, and to have at least equaled any cathedral in England. Another church, afterward used in its stead, bears date 1174. A steeple, standing near the cathedral, is thought to have stood thirteen hundred years.
Wesley Criticizes the Scotch Universities
What is left of St. Leonard's college is only a heap of ruins. Two colleges remain. One of them has a tolerable square; but all the windows are broken, like those of a brothel. We were informed that the students do this before they leave the college. Where are their blessed Governors in the meantime? Are they all fast asleep? The other college is a mean building but has a handsome library newly erected. In the two colleges, we learned, were about seventy students, nearly the same number as at Old Aberdeen. Those at New Aberdeen are not more numerous, neither those at Glasgow. In Edinburgh, I suppose, there are a hundred. So four Universities contain three hundred and ten students! These all come to their several colleges in November and return home in May! So they may study five months in the year and lounge all the rest! Oh, where was the common sense of those who instituted such colleges? In the English colleges, everyone may reside all the year, as all my pupils did; I should have thought myself little better than a highwayman if I had not lectured them every day in the year but Sundays.
Friday, June 28.--I am seventy-three years old and far abler to preach than I was at three-and-twenty. What natural means has God used to produce so wonderful an effect? 1) Continual exercise and change of air, by traveling above four thousand miles in a year; 2) constant rising at four; 3) the ability, if ever I want, to sleep immediately; 4) the never losing a night's sleep in my life; 5) two violent fevers and two deep consumptions. These, it is true, were rough medicines: but they were of admirable service, causing my flesh to come again as the flesh of a little child. May I add, lastly, evenness of temper? I feel and grieve, but, by the grace of God, I fret at nothing. But still "the help that is done upon earth, He doeth it Himself." And this He doeth in answer to many prayers.
Smuggling in Cornwall
Saturday, August 17.--We found Mr. Hoskins, at Cubert (Cornwall), alive, but just tottering over the grave. I preached in the evening on II Corinthians 5:1-4, probably the last sermon he will hear from me. I was afterward inquiring if that scandal of Cornwall, the plundering of wrecked vessels, still subsisted. He said, "As much as ever; only the Methodists will have nothing to do with it. But three months since a vessel was wrecked on the south coast, and the tinners presently seized on all the goods and even broke in pieces a new coach which was on board and carried every scrap of it away." But is there no way to prevent this shameful breach of all the laws both of religion and humanity? Indeed there is. The gentry of Cornwall may totally prevent it whenever they please. Let them only see that the laws be strictly executed upon the next plunderers; and after an example is made of ten of these, the next wreck will be unmolested. Nay, there is a milder way. Let them