stuff, except a little old iron, my wife and I being scorched with the flames, and all of us very narrowly escaping with life. This, by God's help, I built again, digging up the old foundations and laying new ones: it cost me above £400, little or nothing of the old materials being left; besides new furniture from top to bottom; for we had now very little more than what Adam and Eve had when they first set up house-keeping. I then planted the two fronts of my house with wall-fruit the second time, as I had done the old, for the former all perished by the fire. I have before set mulberries in my garden, which bear plentifully, as lately cherries, pears, &c., and in the adjoining croft walnuts, and am planting more every day. And this I solemnly declare, not with any manner of view, or so much as hopes, that any of mine should enjoy any of the fruit of my labor, when I have so long since outlived all my friends; but my prospect was for some unknown person, that I might do what became me, and leave the living better than I found it.

"And yet I might own I could not help wishing, as 'twas natural, that all my care and charge might not be utterly sunk and lost to my family, but that some of them might be the better for it; though yet I despaired of it for the reason above mentioned, till some time since the best of my parishioners pressed me earnestly to try if I could do anything in it: though all I can do is to resign it to you; which I am ready frankly and gladly to do; scorning to make any conditions, for I know you better.

"I commend this affair, and you and yours, to God, as becomes your affectionate father,

"S. WESLEY.”

Strong characters' will have enemies. Mr. S. Wesley, jun., had such; and that he treated them with contempt, not silent, his works show but his uprightness, steady friendship, benevolence, and charity, even those enemies confessed. In those times party ran, or rather raged, high. Those who loved him were persecuted; and he manfully espoused their cause, and shared their reproach.

His high-church principles may have amounted to bigotry, but never to intolerance; for there were many among the Dissenters whom he cordially esteemed, and with

whom he lived in habits of friendship. See his poem "On the Death of a Female Friend, a Dissenter from the Church of England." By this piece he appears displeased rather with the doctrines of unconditional reprobation and election; and especially as held by those who considered all others in a state of the utmost danger who did not hold their creed, and who thought sour godliness a test of saving grace. Such persons he certainly met with; and such he points out in the following lines of the abovementioned poem :

Wretches of every glimpse of day afraid,

Souls under cloaks, and minds in masquerade :
As if each look display'd its owner's fate;
And all that smiled were seal'd for reprobate;
As awkward sourness were a sign of grace;
And sure election blest an ugly face:

As if hell-fire were always placed in view,
Ordain'd for all men but the gloomy few.

He knew that hypocrisy and fanaticism had mingled themselves with pure religion, in days comparatively recent; he was afraid of their revival. It was this fear that caused him to oppose his brothers as he did, when he found them going so far out of the beaten path of Church regularity. Had it pleased God to spare his life but a little longer, the reader may naturally suppose, from the evidence that has been already adduced, that he would have thought and spoken differently both of their manner of preaching, and the success of their ministry. We have already seen from indisputable evidence, that in these respects, as well as in reference to the doctrine they preached, his mind was considerably changed before he died; and that he died not only in "the faith which had been common to all Christians in all ages," but in that faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which he had, not a hypothetical hope, but an assurance of his personal and eternal salvation. This subject has already been discussed. Several of his poems, written to his sisters, will be found in the memoirs of their lives: and some more of his letters in the Life of his brother John.

For a due character of his poetic excellence, see Mr. Pitt's ode "To the unknown author of the BATTLE OF THE SEXES."

Mr. Samuel Wesley lies buried in Tiverton church-yard, with the following inscription on his grave-stone:

Here lye interred

The remains of the Rev. Mr. SAMUEL WESLEY, A. M.

Some time student of Christ Church, Oxon:

A

man, for his uncommon wit and learning,

For the benevolence of his temper,

And simplicity of manners,

Deservedly beloved and esteemed by all :
An excellent preacher :

But whose best sermon

Was the constant example of an edifying life.

So continually and zealously employed
In acts of beneficence and charity,
That he truly followed

His blessed Master's example
In going about doing good:

Of such scrupulous integrity,

That he declined occasions of advancement in the world
Through fear of being involved in dangerous compliances;
And avoided the usual ways to preferment
As studiously as many others seek them.

Therefore, after a life spent

In the laborious employment of teaching youth,
First for near twenty years

As one of the ushers in Westminster School,
Afterward for seven years

As head master of the free-school at Tiverton,
He resigned his soul to God

November 6th, 1739, in the 49th year of his age.

MISS SUSANNAH WESLEY, THE FIRST.

MR. S. WESLEY had two daughters named Susannah. The first, who was certainly his eldest female child, was born at South Ormsby, in 1691. In the register of South Ormsby, her baptism is entered thus:-"Susannah, the daughter of Samuel Wesley, Clerk, and Susannah his wife, was baptized the 31st of March, 1691. Wesley, Rector." She died when about two years of age, as I learn from the following entry in the same church: "Susannah, daughter of Samuel Wesley, and Susannah his wife, was buried April 17, 1693."

Samuel

MISS EMILIA WESLEY-MRS. HARPER.

Or Emily Wesley little is known: she seems to have been the eldest of the seven daughters of the rector of Epworth, who survived their father, and came to woman's estate. She was born at South Ormsby, and was baptized in the church of that village, by her father, then its rector, Jan. 13, 1692, the entry being still extant in the church register, and signed, "Samuel Wesley, rector." She is reported to have been the favorite daughter of her mother, (though this has been disputed in favor of Patty,) and to have had strong sense, much wit, a prodigious memory, and a talent for poetry. She was a good classical scholar, and wrote a beautiful hand. I have not been able positively to ascertain any of her poetical compositions, as no verses remain to which her name is affixed.

The following lines, describing Mr. John Wesley, are said to be hers; and the late Miss Wesley, who gave them to me, was of opinion that she was the author, though her name is not affixed; and for this opinion she gave me this reason, that "Emily Wesley was known to have written some encomiastic verses upon her brother John."

WRITTEN UNDER A PORTRAIT OF JOHN WESLEY, M. A. "His eyes diffuse a venerable grace:

And charity itself is in his face.

Humble and meek, learn'd, pious, prudent, just,

Of good report, and faithful to his trust:

Vigilant, sober, watchful of his charge,

Who feeds his sheep, and doth their folds enlarge."

She married an apothecary at Epworth, of the name of Harper, who left her a young widow. What proportion the intellect of Mr. Harper bore to that of his wife, we know not; but in politics they were ill-suited, as he was a violent whig, and she an unbending tory.

Her mother took much pains for the improvement of her mind, and the welfare of her soul, as may be seen by a manuscript still preserved, consisting of sixty 4to. pages, entitled, "A Religious Conference between M. and E. ;” with this motto, "I write unto you, little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you,' Gal. iv, 19. May what is sown in weakness be

raised in power! Written for the use of my children, 1711-12." See p. 375. Indorsed by Mr. John Wesley as follows, "My Mother's Conference with her Daughter."

A letter of hers to her brother John, dated February 16, 1750, has already been inserted at the conclusion of the account of the disturbances in the parsonage house at Epworth it proves that Jeffrey continued his operations at least thirty-four or thirty-five years after he retired from Epworth.

It appears, from the education given to Miss Emily, and some others of her sisters, that their parents designed them for governesses. About the year 1730 Emily became teacher at the boarding school of a Mrs. Taylor, in Lincoln, where, though she had the whole care of the school, she was not well used, and was worse paid. Having borne this usage as long as reason would dictate forbearance, she laid the case before her brothers, with a resolution to set up school on her own account at Gainsborough. She had their approbation; gave Mrs. Taylor warning, and went to Gainsborough, where she continued at least till 1735, as she was there at the time of her father's death.

Several of these particulars we learn from the following letter, written to her brother John, when she had made up her mind to leave Lincoln, and go to Gainsborough:

"DEAREST BROTHER,-Your last letter comforted and settled my mind wonderfully. O continue to talk to me of the reasonableness of resignation to the divine will, to enable me to bear cheerfully the ills of life, the lot appointed me; and never to suffer grief so far to prevail, as to injure my health, or long to cloud the natural cheerfulness of my temper. I had writ long since, but had a mind to see first how my small affairs would be settled; and now can assure you, that at lady-day I leave Lincoln certainly. You was of opinion, you may remember, that my leaving Mrs. Taylor would not only prove prejudicial to her affairs, (and so far all the town agrees with you,) but would be a great affliction to her. I own I thought so too; but we both were a little mistaken. She received the news of my going with an indifference I did not expect. Never was such a teacher, as I may justly say I have been, so foolishly lost, so unnecessarily disobliged. Had she paid my