OCT. 1, Friday             

4 Prayed, Journal, letters; 8.30 on business, conversed; 9 prayer; 10.30 visited some; 1 prayer, communion; 3 dinner, conversed, visited some; 5.15 tea, prayed, sermon, supper; 8.30 Matt. xiii. 31, 32; 10 coffee, sermon, prayer; 12.30.

 

Saturday 2

 

6 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, letters; 11 visited some; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2.30 [cipher],* writ narrative, prayed; 3.30 visited many, tea, conversed; 6 I Cor. xiii. 8, etc.! Pen[ry], at Mr. Ca[stleman’s], supper, conversed; 9 prayed, on business; 9.30 Dream!

 

- It pleased God once more to pour out His Spirit on the family at Kingswood. Many of the children were much affected. I talked particularly with some who desired to partake of the Lord’s Supper. They did so the next morning. Afterwards I spent a little time with all the children; and easily observed an uncommon awe resting upon them all. In the evening we renewed our covenant with God in the New Room at Bristol. It was supposed we had a thousand communi­cants; and I believe none went empty away.

 

Sunday 3[1]

 

4 Prayed, letters; 7.30 chaise, at the School, tea, conversed; 9 Deut. xxix. 10! communion! 11 the servants, the children! chaise, at home, on business; 1 dinner, conversed, sleep; 3 prayed; 4 tea, conversed; 4.30 Eph. iv. 1-3! the Covenant! 9 on business, supper, prayer; 10.

 

Monday 4

 

4 On business, prayed, tea; 4 chaise; 6.30 Bath, tea; 7 chaise, [cipher] *; 10.30 Devizes; 11 within, Lu. xv. 7! at Mr. Bail[ey]’s, dinner, conversed; 1 chaise; 5.30 at Mr. Giffo[rd’s], tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 2 Cor. vi. I! society, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

- I set out for London. About eleven I preached at the Devizes; and in the evening at Sarum. A grievous stumbling-block was lately thrown, in the way of this poor people. A young gentlewoman, after being deeply convinced of sin, found peace with God in a glorious manner. She was unspeakably happy; but, not long after, suddenly fell into black despair, and afterwards into melancholy madness, where­in she continued about two years. Here was an occasion of offence for them that sought occasion, which they took care to improve.

 

Tuesday 5

 

4 Prayed; 5 Heb. xiii. 22! Sermon; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 sermon; 12.30 garden; 1 dinner, conversed; 2 prayed; 5 Phil. iv. 7! chaise, Stockbr[idge], tea, chaise; II [sic] Winton [Winchester]; 2 sermon; 3 visited some; 4.30 prayed, tea; 6.30 Lu. xii. 7! Society; 8.30 supper; 9 prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 6

 

4 Winton [Winchester], Jo. iv. 24! dinner; 12.45 chaise; 5.15 Po[rtsmouth] Common, tea, conversed; 6 prayed; 6.30 Matt. v. 47! society! supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

- About eleven I preached at Winchester; and in the evening at Portsmouth Common. Those who could not get in at first made a little noise; but in a short time all was quiet.

 

Thur. 7. - I crossed over to the Isle of Wight.[2]  In the afternoon I preached at Newtown, once the largest town in the Isle; but now not having six houses together[3]. In the evening all the ministers and most of the gentry at Newport attended the preaching. Who hath warned them to flee from the wrath to come? Oh may many ‘bring forth fruit with patience’!

 

Thursday 7

 

4 Prayed, Gal. v. i! on business, tea, conversed; 7.30 boat; 9 Wo[otton] bridge; 9 walk; 9.30 chaise; 10 Newp[ort], visited; 11 at Mr. Clark’s, sermon; 12 dinner; 12.30 chaise, Newto[wn], Matt. xi. 28, chaise, tea, prayed; 6.30 Acts xxi. 26! supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

 Fri. 8.- We returned to Portsmouth Common; and Saturday the 9^th to London.

 

Friday 8

 

4 Prayed, Rev. xiv. I, etc.! sermon, tea; 7.30 chaise, Wride [Ryde]; 9.30 boat; 11.30 at Point, walk, read narrative; 1 Point, dinner; 2 Matt. xxii. 4! walk; 3.30 on business; 4 prayed, tea, within; 6.30 2 Cor. xi. 14, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 9

 

1.30 Tea; 2 chaise; 8.45 Godalming, tea, conversed; 9.30 chaise, Walsh; 11.45 Cohham [Cobham], brother Duplex; 1 dinner, coach; 5 at     home, on business, tea, prayed, supper, letters, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sunday 10

 

4 Prayed, hymns, walk, Chapel, the preachers; 9.30 prayers, Psa. 1. 12, communion; 1 dinner, conversed, Charles; 2.30 sleep, the leaders, hymns, tea, conversed, prayer; 5 prayers, Psa. 1. 23, society, hymns, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 11

 

4 Prayed, I Pet. i. 1-9, select society; 7 hymns; 8 at T[homas] R[ankin], tea, conversed, prayer; 9 hymns; 12 on business, garden; 1.30 at brother Tod., dinner, within, prayer, hymns; 4 visited, tea, conversed, prayed, hymns; 8 supper, conversed, prayer;      [cipher] *

 

Tuesday 12

 

4 Prayed, hymns; 8 at T[homas] R[ankin], tea, prayer, hymns; 12 on business, within; 1dinner, hymns; 4 prayed, tea, conversed; 5.30 on business, prayed; 6.30 prayers, I Pet. i. 9! the leaders; 8.30 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 13[4]

 

4 Prayed, I Pet. i. 10-15, Tunes, tea, prayer, letters; 10 Tunes; 1.15 dinner, conversed, prayer, letters; 4.30 visited; 5 tea, prayer, prayed;     6 letters; 8 supper, within, prayer; 9.15.

 

Mon. 18. - I set out for Oxfordshire; and in the evening preached at Wallingford.

 

Tue. 19. - I spent an hour at Lord Harcourt’s seat, near Nuneham[5]; one of the pleasantest spots I have seen.  It stands on a gently rising hill, and commands a most delightful prospect. The rooms are not so grand as some, but elegant in the highest degree. So is also the front of the house, and what is called the flower-garden-a small enclosure, surrounded by lofty trees, and filled with all the beauties that nature and art can give. The house at Oxford was thoroughly filled, and students as well as townsmen were deeply serious.

 

Thursday 14

 

4 Prayed, letters; 7 on business, prayer, tea, conversed, writ narrative; 1 dinner, conversed, sermon, hymns; 4 writ narrative; 4.30 visited, tea, within! prayer; 6 prayed, prayers; 1 Pet, i. 16, the bands; supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 15[6]

 

4 Prayed, sermon, letters; 12 the females, letters; 1.30 prayer; 2.30, dinner, conversed; 3 letters; 5 visited, tea, prayer; 6 prayed, letter; 7.45 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 16

 

4.15 Prayed, hymns; 8 tea, prayer; 9 hymns; 12 walk with Charles; 1 dinner, prayer; 1.30 on business; 3 read, prayed; 4.30 visited some, tea, conversed; 6.15 letters, supper, Pen[ry], on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 17

 

4.15 Prayed, read narrative; 8 Sp[italfiel]ds; 9.30 prayers, Dan. iii., com­munion; 1 at brother Kemp’s, dinner, within; 2 sleep, letter, prayed, tea; 5 prayers, Gal. vi. 10, society, read narrative; 8 supper, con­versed, prayer; 9.15.

 

Monday 18

 

3.30 on business; 4 chaise, Brentf[ord], tea; 6.15 chaise; 9.15 Maidenhead, tea; 10 walk, chaise, read Walsh; 2 Wall[ingfor]d, dinner; 3 Walsh, prayed; 5 tea, conversed; 6 Gen. xxii. 1, 2! society; 8 at Mr. Ludg., supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 19

 

4.30 III, prayed; 6 Lu. xii. 7! tea, conversed; 7.30 chaise; 9 Nuneham, walk, chaise; 12 Oxon, at brother Wickin’s, writ Sh-; 1 dinner, Sh[-]; 3 [cipher] *, prayed; 4 walk, tea, conversed; 6 Acts xi. 26! lovefeast, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thur. 21.-I preached at Witney on ‘As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.’ We had a large congregation at five in the morning; at twelve I met the children, and was pleased to find that the impression which was made on them by the storm last year is not yet worn out; and the whole society, still double to what it was, appears to be much in earnest.

 

After preaching in the evening I met the select society, and found many of them who for several years have lost nothing of what they had received, but do still love God with all their heart; and, in consequence, ‘rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks.’

 

Fri. 22.-I preached at High Wycombe about noon, and in the afternoon went on to London.

 

Wednesday 20

 

4 Prayed, Mag.; 6 Rom. xiii. 11, etc., Mag. ; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, walk; 10 chaise; 12 Witn[ey], Mag.; 2 dinner, Mag. ;4 walk, Mag., prayed; 5 tea, conversed; 6 Matt. viii. I3! society, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 21

 

4 Prayed, Isa. lix. 12! Journal; 8 tea, conversed, Journal, Mag.; 12 the children; 1 Mag.; 2 dinner, Mag.; 4 prayed, walk; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 I Cor. xiii. I, etc.; 7.30 select society, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 22

 

4 Prayed, 1 Cor. xiii. 8 etc.! chaise, Oxon, tea; 8 chaise,; 10: Tet[s-] wor[th]; 11 tea, conversed; 11.45 chaise; 12.30 Wycombe, Mag.; 1.30 dinner, conversed; 2.30 Journal; 3.30 Mag., prayed, tea, con­versed; 6 Jo. iv. 24! society, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.45.

 

Saturday 23

 

4 Prayed; 5 Phil. iv. 7! tea; 6.30 chaise; 11.30 at home, letters; 1.30 dinner, conversed, letters; 3 hymns; 5 tea, writ class; 7 prayed, supper, Pen[ry], on business; 9.30. .

 

Sun. 24. - I preached at Shadwell church, which was ex­ceedingly crowded with rich and poor, who all seemed to receive the truth in love. In the evening I took coach, and the next evening preached at Norwich[7]. 

 

Sunday 24

 

4 Prayed, hymns, walk; 8 Chapel; 9.30 prayers, Matt. xxii. 13, com­munion; 1 dinner, conversed, visited; 2.30 coach; 3 Shadwell; prayers, Lu. x. 42! tea, conversed; 6 writ narrative, society; 7.30 on business, supper, prayer; 9 coach; 10 sleep.

 

Monday 25

 

6 Newma[rke]t, tea, coach, read Corsica [probably Boswell’s Corsica, in anticipation of his conversation with Pascal Paoli on Nov. 6], together; 1.45 Norwich; 2 walk; 2.15 coach, dinner, prayer, walk; 4.30 prayed, tea, conversed; 6 Gen. xxii. 1, 2! 7.30 writ narrative; 8.15 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 26

 

4.30 Prayed, Lu. xii. 7, letters; 8 tea, within, prayer; 9 letters; 10 walk, chaise; 12.30 Loddon; 1 dinner, conversed, chaise, Hos. xiv. 4, chaise, letters; 4 prayed, chaise, tea; 5 conversed, prayer; 6 I Cor. xiii. I! chaise, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 27[8] 

 

4 Prayed, Heb. ix. 27! letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 chaise; 12 Ha[discoe], dinner, Heb. vii. 25, chaise, Yarm[outh], tea, prayed; 6 Jo. iv. 24! Supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 28

 

4 Prayed, Ro. xiii. 11, Journal, read narrative; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 walk, chaise; 11.15 Lowestoff, read Reynol; 1 dinner, conversed; 2.30 sermon; 4 prayed, tea, conversed; 6 Matt. viii. I3! society, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 29

 

4 Prayed, sermon; 6 Psa. Ixxiv. 12, sermon; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 sermon; 12 walk, visited; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2 sermon; 3 letters, tea, prayers; 6 I Jo. iv. 19; 7 communion, supper, con­versed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Afterwards I advised the people to go away in silence[9]; and they did so. Neither man nor woman spoke till they were out of the house. The following days I visited the other societies in the circuit, and on Tuesday, NOVEMBER 2, returned to London.

 

Saturday 30

 

4.15 Isa. lix. 1, 2; tea, conversed, prayer, on business; 7 chaise, Cove, tea, I Cor. i. 30; 10 chaise; 12 Loddon, dinner, conversed, prayer; 1.15 chaise; 3.45 at home, on business, tea, conversed; 6 prayed; 6.30 Matt. Iv. 10, society, supper, prayer; 10.30.

 

Sunday 31

 

4.15 Prayed, letters; 7 communion; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters; 12.30 dinner, conversed, Eph. vi. II, etc.; 3 sleep; 3.15 I Cor. xiii. I, etc.! letters; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayed; 6 Col. i. 9, 10; 7.45 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

---

 

[1] He wrote from Bristol to Alex. Suter, I then stationed at Dundee, instructing him to, ‘strike out into new places, and to visit the society from house to house’. There is no danger of riots anywhere in Scotland, Dr Coke and his companions are nearly half way over the Atlantic- ‘although I dreamed . . . at two o’clock this morning that he came to me with a calm and placid countenance but exceeding pale and his hair all wet’ (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[2] It was terrible winter. On this day, Oct 7, the first snow fell, the last on April 3, 1785. The extreme cold weather lasted five months and twenty-one days, and, with intervals, the earth was covered with frost and snow. See Arm Mag-, 1799, p. 158. The severe weather hastened the end of Vincent Perronet. It Was probably to this journey Henry Moore's anecdote (Life of Wesley vol. i. p. 143) belongs:

 

When Mr. Wesley was upwards of eighty, he said to me (after he, had travelled from Portsmouth to Cobham, in Surrey, Which he reached before one o'clock), ‘We should lose no time; we have not, like the patriarchs, seven or eight hundred years to play with.  

 

[3] See above, vol. vi. p. 453.

 

[4] He wrote from London to Mr. Rodda, of Birmingham; and to an unnamed itinerant out of health and sorely tempted, to whom be advises ‘four weeks of rest, nettle tea, the best bracer in the world, or elixir of vitriol (ten drops in a glass of water), He thinks temptation is purely preter­natural.’ This little letter is a type of scores of letters written to sick preachers. He cares for them body and soul (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[5] Nuneham Courtney. George Simon, the second Earl, succeeded in 1777. Mason, Walpole, and Whitehead praised the charms of Nuneham, especially its grounds which were laid out partly by ‘Capability Brown’ and partly by Mason the poet. The design of the house was admired for its simple dignity.

 

[6] On the 15th he wrote one of his fine letters to William Black, urging fellowship between societies in the North and those in the South under Francis Asbury, (Tyerman’s Life of Wesley, vol. iii, p, 453). 

 

[7] At the Conference of 1784 Charles Atmore was appointed to Colne. After going the round of his new circuit-no mean task- he paid a visit to his old friends in Norfolk, where he helped the preachers to reunite and restore the societies, and where he again met Wesley.

 

[8] He wrote from near Norwich to Miss Baker, also to Mrs. Dorothea Johnson (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[9] These repeated counsels in various places show how th e properties due to the house of God were in his mind