Nov. 1, Monday

 

4 Prayed, Psa. Ixxiv. 12, sermon; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 Mr. K., sermon; 9.30 sermon; 12.15 walk; 1at Dr. Hunt's, dinner, within; 2.30 letters, sermon, prayed; 4.30 tea, conversed; 5 Eph. ii. 8, Charles; 6 Acts xi. 26, the leaders, supper; 10 diligence.

 

Tuesday 2

 

6 Within, Corsica; 7 tea, dil[igence]; 2.30 at home, dinner, on business,            chaise; 4 Deptf[ord], class, tea, class; 6.30 Matt. viii. 13, society;       8 at sister P[-]’s, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 3[1]

 

5 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, prayer, conversed, letters; 1.30 at Mr. Dornf[ord’s], dinner, conversed, prayer; 3 letters; 5 tea, conversed, prayer, prayed, letters; 8 supper, together, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 4

 

4 Prayed: 5 sermon; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 letters, sermon; 1 dinner, within, prayer; 2.30 chaise; 3 visited; 3.30 at T[homas] Rankin’s, sermon, prayed; 5 tea, conversed, prayer; 6 sermon; 8 at home, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Fri. 5. - We had a solemn watch-night.

 

Sat. 6.- I was an hour or two in conversation with that truly great man, Pascal Paoli, who is a tall, well-made, graceful man, about sixty years of age; but he does not look to be above forty. He appears to have a real regard for the public good, and much of the fear of God. He has a strong understanding, and seemed to be acquainted with every branch of polite literature. On my saying he had met with much the same treatment with that of an ancient lover of his country, Hannibal, he im­mediately answered, ‘But I have never yet met with a King of Bithynia.[2]’

 

Mon. 8. - This week I visited the societies near London – a       very heavy but necessary work.

 

Friday 5

 

4 Prayed, writ narrative; 8 sermon, letters; 12 the females; 1 within to Jo[hn] A[tlay?]; 1.30 prayer, dinner, prayer; 3 writ sermon, visited; 5 tea, conversed; 6 prayed, letters, sermon, supper; 8.30 Cor. xi. 14, coffee, prayer; 12.30.

 

Saturday 6

 

7 Prayed; 8 tea, letters, within; 11 chaise [sic], the chaise, P[ascal] Paoli! 2 dinner, conversed, prayer; 3.30.chaise; 4 letters, S.P.! 5 tea, con­versed, prayer, prayed, letters; 8 supper, Pen[ry], on business, [cipher] *; 9.30.

 

Sunday 7[3]

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 the preachers; 9.30 prayers, Heb. xiii. 17! com­munion, at Ja[mes] Ham[pson]; 2 dinner, conversed; 2.30 sleep, prayed, tea; 5 prayers, Prov iii. 17! society, supper, conversed; 9 prayer; 9.15.

 

Monday 8

 

4 Prayed, I Pet. i. 1-4, select society; 7 at brother Raw’s, tea, class; 10.30 on business; 11 class; 12      select society; 1.30 dinner, class; 5.30 tea, conversed, prayer; 6.30 prayers, I Thes. iv. 7;  

 

supper, the bands; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 9

 

4 Prayed, I Pet. i. 1-5, class; 7 tea, class; 1 at brother Bow[e]rs’; dinner, conversed,; 2 class, visited, class, tea; 6.15 Matt. viii. 13! 8.30 supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 10

 

4 Prayed, letters; 6 class, tea, class; 12 letters, walk; 1 dinner, conversed, letters; 3 Mr.Osbaldiston, conversed; 4 chaise; 5.15 Brentf[ord], tea, conversed; 6 Matt. viii. 13! class, at Mr. Holbr[ook’s], supper,        conversed, prayer; 10.15.    

 

Thursday 11 

 

4 Prayed; 5 I Cor. x. 13! writ society; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, on business; 10 chaise; 11.45 Lambeth; I Pet. i. 24, class; 2 dinner, conversed, writ narrative; 4.15 chaise; 5.15 Wandsw[orth], tea, within; 6 Psa. cxlvi. 4-5, class, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 12

 

4 Prayed, writ narrative; 6 at Mr. Bark[er’s], tea, conversed, prayer; 7 chaise; 8.15 at home; letters; 11 chaise; 11.45 Bow, writ narrative, Gal. iii. 22, class, dinner; 2 chaise; 4.45 Hadley; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6 Jo. iv. 24! class; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 13

 

4 Prayed, Mag., tea, prayer, in talk, chaise; 9.30 letters; 12. 15 dinner,  prayer;1 visited, on business; 2.30 letters, prayed; 4.30 walk, at brother Trigg’s, tea, conversed; 6 prayers, I Tim. i. 5! 7 communion, supper, Pen[ry], on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 14

 

4 Prayed, letters, chaise, the preachers, prayed; 9.30 prayers, 2 Cor. xi. 14! communion; 1 dinner, conversed; 2 sleep, prayed, the leaders; 3.30 prayers, Jo. vi. 28, [-], tea, society, Charles; 6.30 society, love­feast; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 15

 

4 Prayed, I Pet. i. 14-19,select society; 7 [-], tea, class; 1 dinner; 2 visited, class; 5 tea, conversed, class; 6 prayers, 1 Tim. iv; 8! society; 8 Charles, supper, conversed, prayer, on business; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 16

 

4 Prayed, on business; 6 class, tea, class; 1 dinner, conversed; 2 class 4 [-] on business; 5 writ narrative, prayed; 6.30 prayers, I Pet i. 18-20! the leaders, supper; 9 prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 17

 

4 Prayed, on business; 6 class, tea, class; 1 at brother Kemp’s, dinner; 2           class; 5 at sister Mackril’s, tea, within; 5.30 letters, prayed; 8 supper conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thur. 18.-I visited two persons in Newgate, who were under sentence of death. They seemed to be in an excellent temper, calmly resigned to the will of God. But how much stress can be reasonably laid on such impressions it is hard to say; so often have 1 known them vanish away as soon as ever the expectation of death was removed.

 

Sat. 20.-At three in the morning two or three men broke into our house[4] through the kitchen window. Thence they came up into the parlour, and broke open Mr. Moore’s bureau, where they found two or three pounds. The night before I had prevented his leaving there seventy pounds, which he had just received. They next broke open the cupboard, and took away some silver spoons. Just at this time the alarum, which Mr. Moore, by mistake, had set for half-past three (instead of four), went off, as it usually did, with a thundering noise. At this the thieves ran away with all speed, though their work was not half done, and the whole damage which we sustained scarce amounted to six pounds.

 

Thursday 18

 

4 Prayed, letters; 6 class, tea, class; 12 Newgate; 1.30 dinner; 2.30 sleep, letter, prayed; 4 chaise, Highgate, tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30  Acts xi. 26, class, Mag., supper, prayer; 10.

 

Friday 19

 

3.30 Drest, on business; 4.30 chaise, at home, on business; 6 class; 1 dinner, at brother Par[-]; 2 class, tea; 4.45 walk; 5.45 Hi[gh]­b[ury] Place [John Horton, one of the executors to Wesley’s will, lived in Highbury Place, see above, vol. vi. p. 460], tea, conversed, visited! 7 prayed, Mag.; 8.30 supper, conversed, prayer; 10.

 

Saturday 20

 

4 Prayed; 5 walk; 6 at home, class! Walk; 7 class, tea, class; 1 dinner; 2 class; 4.30 tea, conversed; 

 

        6 prayers, I Pet. i. 17, society, the leaders, Charles, I Tim. i. 5, 4, 8; I Pet. i. 18; 8.30 supper, on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 21

 

4 Prayed, on business, letters; 8 Sp[italfields]; 9.30 prayers, 1 Pet. i. 18! communion, at brother Dup[lex]; 2 dinner, conversed, sleep; 3 the leaders; 4 tea, within; 5 prayers, Rev. iii. 5! society; 7.30 supper, on business, prayer, [-], read [cipher] *; 9.30.

 

Mon. 22.-I preached at Northampton; and on Tuesday the 23rd at Whittlebury[5]. Here my servant[6] was seized with a fever, attended with eruptions all over, as big as pepper-corns. I took knowledge of the prick-heat, as we called it in Georgia, termed by Dr. Heberden the nettle-rash, and assured him he would be well in four-and-twenty hours. He was so; and drove us on to Banbury; where, on Wednesday the 24th, I met with a hearty welcome from Mr. George, formerly a member of the London society. The Presbyterian minister offering me the use of his meeting, I willingly accepted his offer. It was, I believe, capable of containing near as many people as the chapel at West Street; but it would not near contain the congregation. And God uttered His voice, yea, and that a mighty voice neither the sorrow nor the joy which was felt that night will quickly be forgotten.

 

Thur. 25.-I desired the people would sit below in the morning, supposing not many would be present; but I was much mistaken; notwithstanding the darkness and rain, the

 

Monday 22

 

3 On business, tea; 4 chaise, Barnet, tea, chaise, Hockley, chaise; 1.45.Newport [Pagnell], dinner; 3.15 chaise; 6 Northamp[ton], tea, conversed; 7 Jo. iv. 24! supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 23

 

4 Prayed, Mag.; 6 I Cor. x. 13! conversed, Mag., tea, conversed, prayer; 9 chaise; 12.30 Whittleb[ur]y, sermon; 1.30 dinner, conversed, sermon; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayer; 5.30 prayed; 6.30 Matt. viii. 13! supper, conversed, prayer, Rich[ar]d! 9.30.

 

Wednesday 24

 

4 Prayed, sermon; 6 Lu. xx. 34! sermon, tea, prayer; 8 chaise; 10.15 Brackl[ey]; 11 tea, society, chaise; 1.45 Banbury, within; 2 dinner, sermon; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayer; 5.30 prayed; 6.30 

 

        Isai. iv. 7! 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 25

 

4 Prayed, sermon; 6 Rom. xii. 1! chaise; 9.15 Brackl[ ey], tea, conversed; 9.30 2 Cor. viii. 9! chaise; 1 Towc[ester], dinner, sermon; 4 prayed, tea, conversed; 6 I Pet. iv. 18! sermon, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

 ­

 

house was filled both above and below; and never did I see a people who appeared more ready prepared for the Lord. Returning through Brackley[7], I was informed that notice had been given of my preaching there at nine in the town-hall: so I began without delay. The congregation was large and attentive, but seemed to understand me no more than if I had been talking Greek; but the society seemed alive to God, and striving to enter in at the strait gate.

 

In the evening I preached at poor, dead Towcester. But is not God able to raise the dead? There was a considerable shaking among the dry bones. And who knows but these dry bones may live?

 

Fri. 26.-I returned to London[8].

 

Sun. 28.-I preached a charity sermon at St. Paul’s, Covent Garden[9]. It is the largest and best-constructed parish church that I have preached in for several years, yet some hundreds were obliged to go away, not being able to get in. I strongly enforced the necessity of that humble, gentle, patient love which is the very essence of true religion.

 

Friday 26

 

2.45 On business, tea; 4 chaise, Brickhill [near Fenny Stratford], tea, conversed, chaise, Redburn [near St. Albans]; 12 dinner; 12.30 chaise; 5 at home, tea, prayed, letters; 8.30 supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 27

 

4 Prayed, letters, tea, letters; 12 garden; 1 at G. Clark’s, dinner, prayer] 2 letters; 4.15 prayed, walk, at brother Tr[-]’s, tea, conversed, prayer, prayed; 6 prayers, Heb. iii. 15, communion; 8 supper

 

        conversed, on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 28

 

Prayed, letters, walk, Chapel; 9.30 prayers, I Pet. i. 18! Communion dinner, conversed, prayer; 2 sleep, prayed; 3.30 Covent Garden, prayers, I Cor. xiii. I, etc., Charles, society; 7 letters; 8 supper, prayer, on business; 9.30.

 

­Mon. 29.-In the evening I preached at Hinxworth, in Miss Harvey’s new house[10].

 

Tues. 30.-I visited my old friends at Bedford, but found Mr. Hill was gone to rest, and Mr. Parker[11] was just quivering on the verge of life. However, I rejoiced to find him clearly possessed of that perfect love which he had so long opposed.

 

Monday 29

 

3.30 Prayed; 4 chaise; 7.15 tea, chaise; 1 Hinxwor[th], within, writ society; 2 dinner, within; 3 writ society; 5 tea, prayed, society; 6.30 Jer. viii. 22; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 30

 

4 Prayed, writ to John Ha.; 8 the children, tea, conversed; 9 writ society; 1 dinner, conversed; 2 chaise; 5 Bedf[ord], at brother Eagle’s, tea, conversed; 6 Jo. iv. 24! society, supper, conversed; 9 prayer; 9.30.

 

Rev. iii. 5; Heb. xiii. 17.

---

 

[1] On Nov. 3 be wrote from near London to John Mason, then in Devon (Works, vol. xii. p. 454); on the same day to Miss Patty Chapman (Works ,vol. xiii. p. 90); on the 4th from London to Henry Moore in Dublin: ‘If James Rogers and you keep to the Church still, a few, I doubt not, will follow your example, We made,’ he adds, ‘just allowance enough for leaving the Church at the last Conference’ (Tyerman’s Life of Wesley, vol. iii. p. 454).

 

[2] See above, vol. v. p. 342, also vol. vi. P.477, where he is described as of middle size. Dr. Johnson said that the Corsican had the loftiest port of any man he had ever seen. He was then fifty-eight years old. Other writers give proof of his ready wit; see Forster's Life of Goldsmith, p. 409. A few years before his death Hannibal took refuge from the Romans with the King of Bithynia. T. Quintius Flamin­inus was despatched to the court of Prusias to demand the surrender of the fugitive. Hannibal, to avoid falling into the hands of his enemies, took poison. See Dict. of Greek and Roman Biog. vol. ii. P.340. This explains the allusion in the text. Hannah More said that Paoli spoke no language with purity. ‘He will not talk in English, and his French is mixed with Italian.’

 

[3] He wrote to Mrs. Crosby on the marriage of good women-which he encouraged-to good men. (Works, vol. xii. p. 357.)

 

[4] In City Road. Henry Moore was then stationed in London, and resided in Wesley's house.

 

[5] He visited Mrs. Henson at Whittlebury, who had earnestly desired to see him. But when he came she could say little. His words and prayers, however, were a great comfort to her. She died a few days after his visit. See Arm. Mag. 1785, p. 249.

 

[6] See above, vol. vi. p. 505, where we learn that his Christian name was Richard, and below (Diary).

 

[7] He was here again in 1790, and was then entertained by Samuel Burman, who was ostracized for his Methodism and compelled to leave the town. The name, if not the actual family, would recall to Wesley's mind his early Oxford days when he and Burman so frequently break­fasted together, afterwards reading to­gether. See First Oxford Diary, above vol. i. p. 59.   

 

[8] On Nov. 27 he wrote to Mrs. Johnson. See new ed. Wesley Letters.

 

[9] On the west side of the Market. Many celebrities are buried there. The incumbent at this time was Richard Bullock, D.D. 

 

[10] This was one of the chapels which Miss Harvey built at her own expense. See above, vol. vi. p.  

 

   362.

 

[11] He had been mayor of Bedford, and was a local preacher. Sir Frederick Howard, of Bedford, thought that John Hill, who was landlord of the Rose, High Street (1783), might be the man referred to in the text. He added that Parker was a corn and flour dealer. For an account of Parker's death see Arm. Mag. 1785, p. 624. He was the first Methodist mayor. The society first met in his house-Angel Street (now Harpur Street). The first Methodist preaching place was Parker's corn-loft, over the famous pigstye. For other particulars of this remarkable man, and of the early Moravianism and subsequent Method­ism of Bedford, see above, vol. iv. pp. 84 -6, 201, and 358; also W.H.S. vols. ii. p. 123, and iii. pp. 133, 135; and Life of C. of Huntingdon, vol. i. P.245.