Wesley Center Online
November 1787
Nov. 1, Thur.-I gave a fair reading to Dr. Gerard's Essay on Taste.[1] I should have wondered, but that I had read his Plan of Education, wherein he advises to read Logic last. Such an advice could never have been given but by one that knew nothing about it. Indeed, he has hardly a clear idea of anything. Hence it was natural for him to produce this strange performance, wherein he talks prettily, but quite wide of the mark, stumbling at first setting out; for genius is no more invention than it is sense or memory
Nov. 1, Thursday
4 Prayed, read, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, read Gerard; 10.30 cart; 12 at home, letters; 2 dinner, together; 4 prayed, read; 6 tea, Mark iv. 3, Gerard; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Fri. 2.-I set out early, and about noon preached at Barnet to a small, serious congregation. I then went on to London.
Sat. 3.-I had a long conversation with Mr. Clulow,[2] on that execrable Act called the Conventicle Act. After consulting the Act of Toleration with that of the fourteenth of Queen Anne, we were both clearly convinced that it was the safest way to license all our chapels, and all our travelling preachers, not as Dissenters, but simply ‘preachers of the gospel’; and that no Justice, or bench of Justices, has any authority to refuse licensing either the house or the preachers.
Sun. 4. - The congregation at the new chapel was far larger than usual, and the number of communicants was so great that I was obliged to consecrate thrice.
Mon. 5.-In my way to Dorking I read Mr. Duff’s[3] Essay on Genius. It is, beyond all comparison, deeper and more judicious than Dr. G[erard’s] ‘Essay on that subject. If the doctor had seen it (which one can hardly doubt),[4] it is a wonder he would publish his Essay.
Friday 2
4 Prayed, tea, conversed, prayer; 5.30 chaise; 10 Hatfield; 10.30 chaise; 12 Barnet, Heb, ii. I, dinner, chaise; 4 at home, Mag.; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6 Committee; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Saturday 3
4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, on business; 11 Mr. Clulo[w’s]; 12 Test[ament]; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2.30 letters, prayed; 5 tea, conversed; 6 prayers, Col. iii. 1-4, communion; 8 supper, Pen[ ry], on business; 9.30.
Sunday 4
4 Prayed, Journal, letters; 8 the preachers; 9.30 prayers, Phil. i, 9, etc.! communion; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2 sleep, letters; 3 the leaders, prayed, tea; 5 Lu xx. 35; 6.15 society, lovefeast, supper,
prayer; 9.30.
Monday 5
4 Prayed, I Pet. iii. 10-14 ! select society, tea, on business; 8 chaise, tea; 1 Dorking; 2 dinner, Mag., prayed, tea; 6 Matt. xxii. 37! communion; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Yet I cannot approve of his method. Why does he not first define his term, that we may know what he is talking about? I doubt, because his own idea of it was not clear; for genius is not imagination, any more than it is invention. If we mean by it a quality of the soul, it is, in its widest acceptation, an extraordinary capacity, either for some particular art or science, or for all; for whatever may be undertaken. So Euclid had a genius for mathematics; Tully for oratory; Aristotle and Lord Bacon had a universal genius, applicable to everything.
The congregation was, as usual, large and serious. But there is no increase in the society. So that we have profited nothing by having our service in the church-hours, which some imagined would have done wonders. I do not know that it has done more good anywhere in England; in Scotland I believe it has.
Tues. 6.-I preached about noon at Mitcham. We preached here many years ago for some time; but, despairing of doing any good there, totally left the place. A year or two ago a spark fell upon it, which is now kindled into a flame. So that the work of God is more lively here than in any society near London.[5] I found more life than I expected in the evening among the poor people at Wandsworth, who have been long swallowed up in the cares of this world. But, as they have a little more business, so they have more ease for their souls, and seemed determined to recover the ground they had lost.
Tuesday 6
4 Prayed, Mag.; 6 Matt. xxii. 39! class; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, chaise; 11 Mitcham, Mag.; 12 Heb. viii. 25, class, dinner, chaise; 4.30 Wandsw[orth], tea, prayed; 6 Eph. ii. 8, class, supper, prayer; 9.30.
Wednesday 7
4 Prayed, Mag.; 6 Heb. x. 36, tea, within, chaise; 9 at Mr. Holbr[ook’s], 9 tea, conversed; 10 Mag.; 2
dinner; 3 Mag.; 5 tea, prayed; 6 Heb. viii. 10; 7 class; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Thursday 8
4 Prayed, Mag.; 6 Heb. ii. I, Mag., tea, prayer, chaise; 9 Lambe[th], Mag.; 3 at Mr. El[-], dinner, conversed; 5 Lamb[eth], tea, prayed, letters; 6.30 Psa. xxxi. I, class, supper, prayer; 9.30.
Fri. 9.[6]-A friend offering to bear my expenses, I set out in the evening, and on Saturday the 10th dined at Nottingham. The preaching-house[7] (one of the most elegant in England) was pretty well filled in the evening.
Sun. 11.-At ten we had a lovely congregation, and a very numerous one in the afternoon. But I believe the house would hardly contain one half of those that came to it. I preached a charity sermon for the Infirmary, which was the design of my coming. This is not a County Infirmary, but is open to all England, yea, to all the world; and everything about it is so neat, so convenient, and so well ordered that I have seen none like it in the three kingdoms.
Mon. 12.-In the afternoon we took coach again, and on Tuesday returned to London.
Friday 9
4 Prayed, letters; 6 Heb. ii. I, prayer, letters; 8 tea, conversed, leaders; 12.30 dinner, letters; 2.30 at home, letters; 5 tea, prayed, letters; 7 supper; 8 the coach; 9.30 sleep.
Saturday 10
4 Together, sleep, [Nor]th[ampto]n, tea, coach; 3 Nott[ingha]m, at sister Thompson’s; 3.30 dinner, read narrative, prayed; 5 tea, conversed, read; 6.30 2 Cor. v. 19, etc. ; 7.30 read; 8 supper, conversed,
prayer; 9.30.
Gen. ix. 25.
Sunday 11
5 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, Mag.; 10 read prayers, Matt, xxii. 21, communion; 2 dinner,
sleep, prayed, within; 4 tea; 5 1 Cor. xiii. 1! society! supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Monday 12
4.30 Prayed; 6 Mark iv. 3, letter; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, Mag., visited, 1 dinner, within, prayer; 2.30 Mag., prayed, tea; 5 post coach, together; 9 Lelc[este]r, supper; 9.45 coach, sleep.
Thur. 15.-Even at Poplar I found a remarkable revival of the work of God. I never saw the preaching-house so filled before; and the power of the Lord seemed to rest on many of the hearers.
Sun. 18.-We had, as usual, a large congregation and a comfortable opportunity at Spitalfields.
Mon. 19.[8]-I began the unpleasing work of visiting the classes. I still, continue to do this in London and Bristol, as well as in Cork and Dublin. With the other societies, their respective Assistants supply my lack of service.
Tuesday 13
4 Together, sleep; 9 Dunstable, tea, together; 9.45 coach, read Trial! 2 at home, dinner, on business; 4 prayed, tea, writ narrative; 6.45 Mr. Cole, supper, prayer; 9.30.
Wednesday 14
5 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters, writ narrative; 10.30 chaise, Poplar; 12 Heb. ix. 27,
class; 2 dinner, conversed, coach, 4 Stratford, tea; 6 Acts xxvi. 24! class, supper, prayer; 9.45.
Thursday 15
4 Prayed, writ Preface; 7.30 prayer, tea, conversed; 9 at home, writ narrative; 1 dinner, prayer, Testam[ent]; 4 conversed, chaise, Red[riff], [Rotherhithe], tea, conversed; 6 2 Cor. v. 19, class, at Mr. Crok[-]; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Friday 16
4 Played, Mag.; 8 tea, Mag.; 11 letters ; 1.15 at Mr. Dornf[ord’s], letter, dinner, letter; 4 class; 4.30 at P. Liev[re], tea, conversed; 6 Psa. xxxiii. I, class; 8.30 at sister Phil[l]ips’s, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Saturday 17
4 Prayed, letters, Preface; 8 tea, conversed, letters; 1 dinner, within; 2 chaise; 3.15 at home, within to many, visited, tea; 6 prayers, I Tim. vi. 20! communion, supper, Pen[ry] on business; 9.45.
Sunday 18
4 Prayed, letters, Sp[italfield]s; 9.30 prayers, Jo. xi. 48! communion; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2.15 sleep, letter; 3 the leaders, tea, prayed; 5 prayers, 2 Tim. i. 7! supper, prayer; 9.30.
Monday 19
4 Prayed, Gen. ix. 25, select society, class; 8 tea, class; 1 dinner, conversed, class; 4.30 tea, class, read prayers, 2 Tim. ii. 19! class, society; 8.30 supper, prayer; 9.45.
Sun. 25.-I preached two charity sermons at West Street,[9] in behalf of our poor children. Herein I endeavoured to warn them, and all that bring them up, against that English sin, ungodliness; that reproach of our nation, wherein we excel all the inhabitants of the earth.
Tuesday 20
4 Prayed, class, tea, class; 1 dinner; 2 class; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 prayers, 2 Tim. iii. 4! the leaders, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Wednesday 21
4.30 Prayed, letter; 6 class, tea, class; 1 dinner, within; 2 class; 4.30 writ narrative, tea, conversed, prayer; 6.30 sermon; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Thursday 22
4 Prayed, writ narrative; 6 class, tea, class, cipher] *; 1 dinner, conversed; 2 class; 5 at Jo[hn] Riley, tea, conversed; 6 prayed, prayers, 2 Tim. iii. 5 ; 8 the leaders, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Friday 23
4 Prayed, letters; 6 class, tea, class, writ narrative; 10.30 Longlane; 11 class, at brother Wo[o]ll [e]y[’s], dinner, conversed; 2 class; 4.30 at brother Stonehill’s; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 the Committee; 8 at T[homas] R[ankin’s], supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Saturday 24[10]
4 Prayed; 8 tea, conversed, letters; 12.30 on business; 1 dinner, conversed; 2.30 writ narrative, prayed; 4.30 at brother Trigg’s, tea, conversed; 6 prayers, Gen. ix. 25, communion; 8 supper, Pen[ry],
on business; 9.30.
Sunday 25
4 Prayed, letters; 8 Chapel [West Street]; 9.30 prayers, Psa. xiv. 11 communion; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 3 the leaders; 3.30 prayers, Psa. xiv. I, tea, society, writ narrative; 8 supper, conversed,
prayer; 9.30.
Monday 26
4 Prayed, Heb. xiii. 22! select society; 7 class; 8 tea; 9 class; 12 select society; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2 class; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 prayers, Heb. ii. 3, supper; 7.30 the bands; 9.30.
Thur.29.-I preached at Mr. Edwards’s[11] in Lambeth. Bow wonderfully does God fit people for their work! Here Mrs. Edwards, a person of no extraordinary natural abilities, teaches near a hundred children, and keeps them in as good, if not better, order than most school-mistresses in the kingdom!
Fri. 30.-I met the Committee,[12] to consider the state of our temporal circumstances. We are still running backward. Some way must be found to make our income answer our expenses.
Tuesday 27
4 Prayed, Heb. ii. I, class, tea, class; 1 at brother Bower’s, dinner, conversed; 2 class; 5 Westminster, tea, conversed, class; 6.15 Heb. ii. I, coach; 8.30 the Chapel, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Wednesday 28
4 Prayed, S. Bran[n]; 6 class, tea, class; 1 dinner, within, prayer; 3 at home, on business; 5 prayed, tea,
conversed; 6 prayers, Heb. iv. 13! communion, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Thursday 29
4 Prayed, Test[ament]; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, on business; 2 A. Ja., [cipher] *, Test[ament], prayed, tea, letters; 6.30 prayers, Test[ament], lsai. v. 6, the bands, prayer; 9.30.
Friday 30
4 Prayed, Test[ament]; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, Test[ament]; 1 dinner, prayer; 2.15 coach, at home, writ narrative, tea, prayed; 6 Committee; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.
Psa. xiv. I, Rom. xiii. 13.
[1] Dr. Alexander Gerard, professor of Moral Philosophy, and afterwards of Divinity, in the University of Aberdeen. The Essay on Taste was first published in 1759, and gained a prize. It is described as a truly philosophical treatise. He also wrote the Essay on Genius. Wesley published his own Thoughts upon Taste in 1780.
[2] His legal adviser, who signed the Deed of Declaration and witnessed Wesley’s will.
[3] Rev. W Duff’s Essay on Original Genius and its various modes of Exertion and the Fine Arts, particularly in Poetry Published 1767 (W.H.S vol. iv. P. 237). Wesley published his own Thoughts on Genius on Nay, 8, 1787 (Works, vol. xiii. p 477). In this he criticizes Duff’s Essay.
[4] Wesley overlooked the fact that Dr. Gerard's Essay was published eight years before that of Dr. Duff.
[5] The Mitcham Methodists were now worshipping at the house of William Cave, a shoemaker, at the S. W. corner of the Cricket Green, at the beginning of the Broadway. See Meth. Rec. Feb. 25, 1909; also below, Dec. 1, 1789.
[6] He wrote from near London to Adam Clarke (Works, vol. xiii. p. 102).
[7] Hockley Chapel. See Harwood’s Meth in Nottingham, p. 61. Wesley, it has been pointed out by the Rev. George Lester (see W.H.S, vol. v. pp. 163-9), did not preach a special hospital sermon in St. Mary’s Church, but two in Hockley Chapel, the first (April 4, 1783) bring ing a collection of £7 9s. 1¼d., and the second (Sunday, the 11th-see text),
£14 6s. 10¾ d.
[8] On the 21st he wrote from London to Adam Clarke and Mr. De Jersey advising in a difficult case: ‘Law is the last and the worst means, though it is sometimes necessary’ (Dunn’s Life of Clarke, p. 53).
[9] See Telford’s Two West End Chapels, p. 72.
[10] On Nov. 24 he wrote to Mr. Thomas Funnell on ‘that execrable trade’-the slave-trade (Works, vol. xii. p. 507); and to Alex. Suter, Aberdeen, on 'the folly of sending cassocks to Scotland,’ &c. (new ed. Wesley Letters).
[11]See above, vol. vi. p. 218; also an anonymous pamphlet published by Henry Hindley, Oakley Street, Lambeth, 1885 (W.H.S. vol. v. p. 65).
[12] Of City Road Chapel.