was once a prospect of doing much good; but it has almost vanished away. Calvinism breaking in upon them, has torn the infant society in pieces. I did all I could to heal the breach, both in public and private; and, having recovered a few, I left them all in peace, and went on to Norwich on Wednesday.

Friday 5, I preached at noon to the warm congregation at Loddon, and in the evening to the cold one at Yarmouth. I know there is nothing too hard for God: else I should go thither no more. Monday 8, I found the society at Lakenheath was entirely vanished away. I joined them together once more, and they seriously promised to keep together. If they do, I shall endeavour to see them again, if not, I have better work.

Tuesday 9, I preached at Bury, and on Wednesday at Colchester, where I spent a day or two with much satisfaction, among a poor, loving, simple-hearted people. I returned to London on Friday, and was fully employed in visiting the classes from that time to Saturday the 20th.

In my late journey, I read over "Dr. Lee's Sophron." He is both a learned and a sensible man: yet, I judge, his book will hardly come to a second impression, for these very obvious reasons: 1, His language is generally rough and unpleasing; frequently so obscure, that one cannot pick out the meaning of a sentence, without reading it twice or thrice over: 2, His periods are intolerably long, beyond' all sense and reason; one period often containing ten or twenty, and sometimes thirty lines. 3, When he makes a pertinent remark, he knows not when to have done with it, but spins it out, without any pity to the reader. 4, Many of his remarks, like those of his master, Mr. Hutchinson, are utterly strained and unnatural: such as to give pain to those who believe the Bible, and diversion to those who do not.

Monday 22, I set out for Sussex, and found abundance of people willing to hear the good word: at Rye in particular. And they do many things gladly; but they will not part with the accursed thing, smuggling: so, I fear, with

regard to these, our labour will be in vain. Monday 29, I went to Gravesend, on Tuesday to Chatham, and on Wednesday to Sheerness, over that whimsical ferry, where. footmen and horses pay nothing, but every carriage four shillings! I was pleasing myself that I had seen one fair day at Sheerness; but that pleasure was soon over: 'we had rain enough in the evening; however, the house was crowded sufficiently. I spoke exceedingly plain to the bigots on both sides. May God write it on their hearts!!

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Monday, December 6, I went to Canterbury in the stagecoach, and by the way read "Lord Herbert's Life," written by himself, the author of the first System of Deism, that ever was published in England. Was there ever so wild a knight-errant as this? Compared to him, Don Quixote was a sober man. Who can wonder, that a man of such a complexion should be an infidel? I returned to London, Friday 10, with Captain Hinderson of Chatham, who informed us, "Being off the Kentish coast, on Wednesday morning last, I found my ship had been so damaged by the storm, which still continued, that she could not long keep above water: so we got into the boat, twelve in all, though with little hope of making the shore. A ship passing by, we made all the signals we could; but they took no notice. A second passed near: we made signals and called; but they would not stay for us. A third put out their boat, took us up, and set us safe on shore."

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Friday 17, Meeting with a celebrated book, a volume of "Captain Cook's Voyages," I sat down to read it with great expectation: but how was I disappointed. I observed, 1, Things absolutely incredible: "A nation without any curiosity and, what is stranger still," (I fear, related-with no good design) "without any sense of shame! men and women coupling together in the face of the sun, and in the sight of scores of people! men whose skin, cheeks, and lips are white as milk." Hume or Voltaire might believe this; but I cannot. I observed, 2, Things absolutely impossible. To instance in one, for a specimen. A native of Otaheite is said to understand the language of an island

eleven hundred miles distant from it in latitude; besides I know not how many hundreds in longitude: so that I cannot but rank this narrative with that of Robinson Crusoe ; and account Tupia to be, in several respects, a-kin to his man Friday.

Saturday 25, And on the following days, we had many happy opportunities of celebrating the solemn feast-days, according to the design of their institution. We concluded the year with a fast-day, closed with a solemn watchnight.

Tuesday, January 4, 1774, Three or four years ago, a stumbling horse threw me forward on the pummel of the saddle: I felt a good deal of pain; but it soon went off, and I thought of it no more. Some months after, I observed testiculum alterum altero duplo majorem esse. I consulted a physician he told me, it was a common case, and did not imply any disease at all. In May twelve-month it was grown nearly as large as an hen's egg. Being then at Edinburgh, Dr. Hamilton insisted on my having the advice of Doctors Gregory and Monro. They immediately saw it was an hydrocele, and advised me, as soon as I came to London, to aim at a radical cure, which they judged might be affected in about sixteen days. When I came to London, I consulted Mr. Wathen: he advised me, 1, "Not to think of a radical cure, which could not be hoped for, without my lying in one posture fifteen or sixteen days: and he did not know whether this might not give a wound to my constitution, which I should never recover. 2, To do nothing while I continued easy." And this advice I was determined to take.

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Last month the swelling was often painful: so on this day Mr. Wathen performed the operation, and drew off something more than half a pint of a thin, yellow, transparent water with this came out (to his no small surprise) a pearl of the size of a small shot; which he supposed might be one cause of the disorder, by occasioning a conflux of humours to the part. Wednesday 5, I was as perfectly easy as if no operation had been performed.

Tuesday 12, I began at the east end of the town to visit the society from house to house. I know no branch of the pastoral office, which is of greater importance than this: but it is so grievous to flesh and blood, that I can prevail on few, even of our preachers, to undertake it.

Sunday 23, Mr. Pentecross assisted me at the chapel. O! what a curse upon the poor sons of men is the confusion of opinions! Worse, by many degrees, than the curse of Babel, the confusion of tongues. What but this could prevent this amiable young man from joining heart and hand with us? Monday 24, I was desired by Mrs. Wright of New York to let her take my effigy in wax-work. She has that of Mr. Whitefield and many others; but none of them, I think, comes up to a well drawn picture.

Friday 28, I buried the remains of that venerable mother in Israel, Bilhah Aspernell. She found peace with God in 1738, and soon after, purity of heart. From that time she walked in the light of God's countenance, day and night, without the least intermission. She was always in pain, yet always rejoicing, and going about doing good. Her desire was, that she might not live to be useless: and God granted her desire. On Sunday evening she met her class, as usual: the next day she sent for her old fellow-traveller, Sarah Clay, and said to her, "Sally, I am going." Sarah asked, "Where are you going?" She cheerfully answered, "To my Jesus, to be sure!" and spoke no more.

Saturday 29, And several times in the following week, I had much conversation with Ralph Mather, a devoted young man, but almost driven out of his senses by mystic divinity if he escapes out of this specious snare of the devil, he will be an instrument of much good.

Thursday, February 10, I was desired by that affectionate man, Mr. P., to give him a sermon at Chelsea. Every corner of the room was thoroughly crowded; and all but two or three gentlewomen (so called) were deeply serious, while I strongly enforced, Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life.

Monday 14, In my way to Darking, I gave another

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reading to the "Life of Anna Maria Schurman: " perhaps a woman of the strongest understanding that the world ever saw: and she was likewise deeply devoted to God. So was also Antoinette Bourignon; nearly her equal in sense, though not in learning; and equally devoted to God. In many things there was a surprising resemblance between them, particularly in severity of temper, leading them to separate from all the world, whom they seemed to give up to the devil without remorse; only with this difference: Madam Bourignon believed there were absolutely no children of God, but her and her three or four associates: Anna Schurman believed there were almost none, but her and her little community. No wonder that the world returned their love, by persecuting them in every country.

Thursday, March 3, I preached at L-: but, oh! what a change is there! The society is shrunk to five or six members, and probably will soon shrink into nothing: and the family is not even a shadow of that, which was, for some years, a pattern to all the kingdom.

Sunday 6, In the evening I went to Brentford, and on Monday to Newbury. Tuesday 8, coming to Chippenham, I was informed, that the floods had made the road by Marshfield impassable: so I went round by Bath, and came to Bristol, just as my brother was giving out the hymn; and in time to beseech a crowded audience, Not to receive the grace of God in vain.

Saturday 12, I went over to Kingswood, and put an end to some little misunderstandings which had crept into the family. At this I rejoiced; but I was grieved to find, that Ralph Mather's falling into Mysticism and Quakerism, had well nigh put an end to that uncommon awakening which he had before occasioned among the children: but the next day I found the little maids at Publow, who found peace by his means, had retained all the life which they had received, and had, indeed, increased therein.

Tuesday 15, I began my northern journey, and went by Stroud, Gloucester, and Tewksbury, to Worcester. Thursday 17, I preached in the town-hall at Evesham, to a VOL. V.

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