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says, "We have always been hitherto straitened for time. It was now resolved for the future we will allow nine or ten days for each Conference; that everything relative to the carrying on of the work of God may be maturely considered." On the ninth day after their assembling, he says, "We concluded the Conference in much peace and love." Charles retired from the Conference to weep, and John to rejoice. One was full of constitutional fear, the other of gracious hope. Charles's gloom was doubtless increased by disease. His sufferings at this time were great, and his symptoms alarming. For a considerable time he was under a necessity of living upon dry toast. While he was in a very uncertain state of health, suspended between life and death, he said, in a letter to his eldest son, "My father I have heard say, God had shown him he should have all his nineteen children about him in heaven. I have the same blessed hope for my eight. His blessing be upon you all!"

CHAPTER XXIV.

Or the eight children whom Mrs. Wesley presented to her husband, and whom he declared his earnest expectation of meeting in heaven, five died in their infancy.

The other

three survived both their parents. The bereaved mother

sacredly preserved a lock of hair belonging to each of those tres-ven in who were taken to an early rest. These touching relics, all

neatly folded up, and labelled by herself, lie before the writer portal!

of this narrative.

John, their first-born, concerning whom some notices have

been already given, died of the small-pox, Jan. 7th, 1753-4, aged one year, four months, and seventeen days.

Martha Maria died on Friday, July 25th, 1755, aged one month and two days.

Susanna, so called after her honoured grandmother, the wife of the Rector of Epworth, died on Easter-Sunday, April 11th, 1761, aged eleven months.

Selina, who doubtless received her name from respect for the Countess of Huntingdon, died Oct. 11th, 1764, aged five weeks.

John James died on Tuesday, July 5th, 1768, aged seven months.

When this fifth death among her children occurred, Mrs. Wesley was deeply distressed, and earnestly besought the Lord, if it were his will, that she might be spared the pain of following another of them to the grave. Her request was granted, and her sons Charles and Samuel, with her daughter Sarah, who were then young, lived to a good old age.

The sons are well known to have been eminently distinguished by musical genius and talent, the early developement of which excited general surprise. Their father watched with deep interest the bent and capabilities of their minds, and kept notes of their boyish history, which he placed in the hands of the Honourable Daines Barrington, a friend of the family; who published the account in his quarto volume of

:

"Miscellanies," in the year 1781. The following notices are copied from Mr. Charles Wesley's private papers, which contain several particulars that were never before published :"Charles was born at Bristol, Dec. 11th, 1757. He was two years and three quarters old/when I first observed his Imeni! strong inclination to music. He then surprised me by playing a tune on the harpsichord, readily, and in just time. Soon after he played several, whatever his mother sung, or whatever he heard in the streets.

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"From his birth she used to quiet and amuse him with the harpsichord; but he would not suffer her to play with one hand only, taking the other, and putting it to the keys, before he could speak. When he played himself she used to tie him up by his back-string to the chair, for fear of his falling. Whatever tune it was, he always put a true bass to it. From the beginning he played without study or hesitation, and, as the masters told me, perfectly well.

"Mr. Broadrip, organist at Bristol, heard him in petticoats, and foretold he would one day make a great player.

"Whenever he was called to play to a stranger, he would ask, in a word of his own, 'Is he a musicker?' and if answered, 'Yes,' he played with the greatest readiness.

"He always played with spirit. There was something in his manner above a child, which struck the hearers, learned or unlearned.

"At four years old I carried him with me to London. Mr. Beard was the first that confirmed Mr. Broadrip's judgment of him, and kindly offered his interest with Dr. Boyce, to get him admitted among the King's boys. But I had then no thoughts of bringing him up a musician.

"A gentleman carried him next to Mr. Stanley, who expressed much pleasure and surprise at hearing him, and declared he had never met one of his age with so strong a propensity to music. The gentleman told us, he never before believed what Handel used to tell him of himself, and his own love of music, in his childhood.

"Mr. Madan presented my son to Mr. Worgan, who was extremely kind, and, as I then thought, partial to him. He told us, he would prove an eminent master, if he was not taken off by other studies. Mr. Worgan frequently entertained him with the harpsichord. Charles was greatly taken

with his bold, full manner of playing, and seemed even then to catch a spark of his fire.

"At our return to Bristol we left him to ramble on till he was near six: then we gave him Mr. Rooke for a master : a man of no name, but very good-natured, who let him run on ad libitum, whilst he sat by, more to observe than to control him.

"Mr. Rogers, the oldest organist in Bristol, was one of his first friends. He often set him on his knee, and made him play to him, declaring he was more delighted in hearing him than himself.

"I always saw the importance (if he was to be a musician) of placing him under the best master that could be got, and also one who was an admirer of Handel; as my son preferred him to all the world. But I saw no likelihood of my being able to procure him the first master, as well as the most excellent music, and other necessary means of acquiring so costly an art.

"I think it was at our next journey to London, that Lady Gertrude Hotham heard him with much satisfaction, and made him a present of all her music. Mrs. Rich had before given him Handel's songs, and Mr. Beard, Purcell's, with Scarlatti's Lessons. Sir Charles Hotham was particularly kind, promised him an organ, and that he should never want any means or encouragement in his art. But he went abroad soon after, and was thence translated to the heavenly country.

"With him Charles lost all hope and prospect of a patron and benefactor. Nevertheless he went on, with the assistance of nature only, and his two favourite authors, Handel and Corelli, till he was ten years old. Then Mr. Rogers told me, 'it was high time to put him in trammels;' and soon after, Mr. Granville, at Bath, an old friend of Handel, sent for him. After hearing him play, he charged him to have nothing to do with any great master, 'who will utterly spoil you,' he added, ' and destroy anything that is original in you. Study Handel's Lessons, till perfect in them. The only man in London who can teach you them is Kelway; but he will not, neither for love nor money.'

"Soon after we went up to town. Charles, notwithstanding Mr. Granville's caution, had a strong curiosity to hear

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the principal masters there. I wanted their judgment and advice for him. Through Mr. Bromfield's recommendation, he first heard Mr. Keeble, (a great harmonist and lover of Handel,) and his favourite pupil, Mr. Burton. Then he played to them. Mr. Burton said, he had a very brilliant finger: Mr. Keeble, that he ought to be encouraged by all lovers of music; yet he must not expect it, because he was not born in Italy. He advised him to pursue his studies in Latin, &c., till fourteen, and then apply himself in earnest to harmony.

"Mr. Arnold treated him with great affection; said he would soon surpass the professors; and advised him not to confine himself to any one author, or style, but to study and adopt what was excellent in all.

"Dr. Arne's counsel was the same with Mr. Keeble's: to stay till he was fourteen, and then give himself up to the strictest master he could get.

"Vinto confessed that he wanted nothing but an Italian master.

"G, urged by Mr. Madan, at last acknowledged that 'the boy played well,' and was for sending him to Bologna, or Paris, for education!

"They all agreed in this, that he was marked by nature for a musician, and ought to cultivate his talent. Yet still I mistrusted them, as well as myself, till Mr. Bromfield carried us to Mr. Kelway. His judgment was decisive, and expressed in more than words; for he invited Charles to come to him, whenever he was in London, and promised to give him all the assistance in his power.

"He began with teaching him Handel's Lessons; then his own Sonatas, and Scarlatti, and Geminiani. For near two years he instructed him gratis, and with such commendations as are not fit for me to repeat.

He often played,

"Mr. Worgan continued his kindness. and sang over to him, whole oratorios. So did Mr. Battishil. Mr. Kelway played over the Messiah, on purpose to teach him the time and manner of Handel. He received great encouragement from Mr. Savage. Mr. Arnold was another father to him. Mr. Worgan gave him many lessons in thorough-bass, and composition. Mr. Smith's curiosity drew him to Mr. Kelway's, to hear his scholar, whom he bade go

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