Letter

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 133 DDCW/5/90
  • Former Reference
      GB 135 DDCW/5/90
      GB 133 Folio entitled Letters of the Revd. C. Wesley, page 90
  • Dates of Creation
      26 Dec [1755]

Scope and Content

From Westminster to S W. 'The Lord is with us as a truth'. This morning he preached on St Stephen, and urged on his congregation his example in praying for his murderers. Charles himself felt at the time that he could love his worst enemy. How happy and safe they would be if they were incapable of feeling resentment. Charles wishes that someone would injure either him or a friend, so that he could feel sorrow and pity for the offender - 'my peace has too long laid at another's mercy' [Mary Wesley].

[John] Jones returns on January 10 with [Wesley] Hall and several other [pupils?]. That is also the day of Charles's reunion with Sarah [in Bristol?].

If the marriage [of Mary Degge and Lord Robert Manners, a son of the Duke of Rutland] is on New Years Day, Charles hopes to set off for Dornford on January 6, and after resting there for two days, arrive in Charles Street [Bristol] by Saturday evening.

Friday night [26 December 1755]

Today he had dinner with Mrs Ross, who sends her greetings. Dr [Ross] also is well, as is their fine son. It would almost be worthwhile for Sarah to visit [London], just to see the boy.

Sarah should keep all Farley's newspapers, until Charles arrives.

All Sarah's letters have been received.

They must not 'despair yet of setting my bro right & thro him the preachers'.

Charles feels that [Mary] Degge does not lack the will to help them.

Sarah should visit 'my bro to affront him. The danger lies the other way, but I shall neither affront nor be affronted'.

He wasted another half hour yesterday in vain enquiries about Leicester Fields. Today [?Elizabeth] Waller rejoiced 'yt I could not find yr bro & dissuades my further attempting it; because WE MUST NECESSARILY QUARREL he says IF WE MEET. The return of his past proposal to me we will not now dispute'.

[The rest of the letter is missing]

Notes

  • Publication Record: Quoted extensively by Thomas Jackson in The Journal of the Rev. Charles Wesley (1849), Volume 2, p.203-204.
  • Wesley Hall was Charles Wesley's nephew through his sister Martha and her husband Westley Hall. After the break-up of Martha's marriage, Charles and John Wesley assumed responsibility for their nephew's education. The boy displayed academic promise but died before reaching adulthood. Source: Rylands Wesley Family papers.

Note

Notes

  • Publication Record: Quoted extensively by Thomas Jackson in The Journal of the Rev. Charles Wesley (1849), Volume 2, p.203-204.
  • Wesley Hall was Charles Wesley's nephew through his sister Martha and her husband Westley Hall. After the break-up of Martha's marriage, Charles and John Wesley assumed responsibility for their nephew's education. The boy displayed academic promise but died before reaching adulthood. Source: Rylands Wesley Family papers.