it more necessary to submit to the advice of such as they had reason to think much wiser than themselves, was, the anger that a worthy gentleman* conceived at his son, who was the chief promoter of their design, having writ to him in the following terms :-" You cannot conceive what a noise that 'ridiculous' society, that you have engaged in, has made here.† Besides the particulars of the great follies of it at Oxford, which, to my great concern, I have often heard repeated, it gave me sensible trouble to hear that you were noted for going into the villages about Holt, entering into poor people's houses, calling their children together, teaching them their prayers and catechism, and giving them a shilling at your departure." Our society, said the young gentleman,‡ might easily have borne the reproach of being accounted "ridiculous" for a practice so laudable and inoffensive as this, had it not been the sentiment of a worthy gentleman, the father of a person greatly respected by us both for his own and his son's sake. But it behoved us, continued he, to proceed in the most wary and prudent manner, when joined to an authority so venerable as his own,§ he added as follows in his letter:-"I could not," says he, "but advise with a wise, learned, and pious Clergyman. He told me, that he had known the worst of consequences arise from such blind zeal, and plainly satisfied me, that it was a thorough mistake of true piety and religion. He concluded with saying that you was young, as yet; and that your judgment was not come to its maturity. But that, as your judgment improved, and on the good advice of a true friend, you would see the error of the way you was in; and think (as he does) that you may walk uprightly, and safely, without endeavouring to out-do all the good Bishops, Clergy, and other pious good men of the present and past ages.”

"You see, Sir," said he, when he read me this, "we have no great merit to attribute to ourselves on the score of our circumspection, which was in a manner forced upon us by the united censures of two so considerable persons, and that soon after our setting out." He told me with great concern and mingled resignation, that it had pleased God to deprive them of the gentleman to whom this letter was directed, and who was the original of their design;|| and spoke with great honour of him, and humility of themselves; wishing that they were as deserving as he, of some of those titles that were, though in raillery, bestowed upon them; and they should be well content, he said, that their life too should be counted madness, and their end thought to be without honour. "But the truth is," continued he, "our title to holiness stands upon much less stable foundations, as you will perceive when you reflect upon the ground of this wonderful outcry, which I have made you acquainted with, and which we are far from thinking, comes up to our duty, much less entitles us to reckon upon as works of supererogation, as our opponents lay at our door."

I told him that the world might perhaps have conceived the greater prejudice against them, for want of knowing what he had so kindly acquainted me with; and that I thought they should, in order to remove objections, and the occasion of ill-will, condescend to set forth their

* Richard Morgan, Esq., of Dublin.

"This wonderful outcry, it seems, England is not wide enough to contain." (Wesley's Works, 3d edit., vol. i., p. 6.)

Mr. John Wesley. Their entire number only amounted to four. (Jackson's Life of Charles Wesley.)

§ Richard Morgan, Esq. See Moore's Life of Wesley, vol. i., p. 187.

HMr. William Morgan, who died August 26th, 1732. See the Rev. Samuel Wesley's poem on his death, Wesley's Works, 3d edit., vol. i., p. 15.

designs and motives to some of their most learned and candid opponents, who, being once set right, might influence others to think as favourably of them and their conduct as I did.

He said, they had not been wanting in this: for that, when they found the clamour increase against them, that they might show what little ground there was for it, they thought it proper to propose to their friends, and opponents, equally, as they had opportunity, these, or the like questions, which I got him to give me in writing, as they explain their conduct, and the reasons of it, more particularly than has been hitherto mentioned.

I. Whether it does not concern all men, of all conditions, to imitate Him, as much as they can, who "went about doing good?"

Whether all Christians are not concerned in that command, "While we have time, let us do good unto all men?"

Whether we shall not be the more happy hereafter, the more good we do now?

Whether we can be happy at all hereafter, unless we have, according to our power, "fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited those that are sick, and in prison," and made all those actions subservient to a higher purpose, even the saving of souls from death?

Whether it be not our bounden duty always to remember, that He did more for us than we can do for Him, who assures us, "Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me?"

II. Whether, upon these considerations, we may not try to do good to our acquaintance? In particular:

Whether we may not try to convince them of the necessity of being Christians?

Whether of the consequent necessity of being scholars?

Whether of the necessity of method and industry, in order to either learning or virtue ?

Whether we may not try to persuade them to confirm and increase their industry by communicating as often as they can?

Whether we may not mention to them the authors, whom we conceive to have wrote best on these subjects?

Whether we may not assist them, as we are able, from time to time, to form resolutions upon what they read in these authors, and to execute them with steadiness and perseverance?

III. Whether, upon the considerations above-mentioned, we may not try to do good to them that are hungry, naked, or sick? In particular: Whether, if we know any necessitous family, we may not give them a little food, clothes, or physic, as they most want?

Whether we may not give them, if they can read, a Bible, CommonPrayer book, and Whole Duty of Man?

Whether we may not, now and then, inquire how they have used them; explain what they do not understand; and enforce what they do?

Whether we may not enforce upon them, more especially, the necessity of private prayer, and of frequenting the church, and the sacrament? Whether we may not contribute what little we are able, toward having their children clothed, and taught to read?

Whether we may not take care, that they be taught their Catechism, and short prayers for morning and evening?*

*This was the Rev. John Wesley's first publication.

Lastly. Whether, upon the considerations above-mentioned, we may not try to do good to those that are in prison? In particular:

Whether we may not release such well-disposed persons as remain in prison for small sums?

Whether we may not lend small sums to those that are of any trade, that they may procure themselves tools and materials to work with?

Whether we may not give those, who appear to want it most, a little money, or clothes, or physic?

Whether we may not supply as many as are serious enough to read them, with a Bible, and the Whole Duty of Man?

Whether we may not, as we have opportunity, explain and enforce them, especially with regard to public and private prayer, and the sacrament ?*

He said, "They never met with any person who answered any of these questions in the negative; but that they found several, who, on this explanation, and expostulations thereupon, increased their little stock of money for the prisoners, by subscribing somewhat quarterly towards it. Nor did they find any one who entertained the least doubt of its being lawful to appropriate to this use that time and money, which might otherwise have been expended on the more fashionable diversions of the place. So that," concluded he, "the more persons we proposed our design to, the more we were confirmed in the belief of its innocence; and the more determined we were, of consequence, to pursue it, notwithstanding the ridicule and derision wherewith we were more and more loaded."

(To be concluded in our next.)

NOTES OF A JOURNEY FROM CORNHILL TO GRAND

CAIRO.

JEWS AT RHODES.

THERE was a Greek Papa, a noble figure with a flowing and venerable white beard, who had been living on bread and water for I don't know how many years, in order to save a little money to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. There were several families of Jewish Rabbies, who celebrated their "feast of tabernacles" on board; their chief men performing worship twice or thrice a day, dressed in their pontifical habits, and bound with phylacteries; and there were Turks, who had their own ceremonies and usages, and wisely kept aloof from their neighbours of Israel. The dirt of these children of captivity exceeds all possibility of description. Ambassadors from our Hebrews descended at Rhodes to buy provisions; and it was curious to see their dealings. There was our venerable Rabbi, who, robed in white and silver, and bending over his book at the morning service, looked like a Patriarch, and whom I saw chaffering about a fowl with a brother Rhodian Israelite. How they fought over the body of that lean animal! The street swarmed with Jews; goggling eyes looked out from the old carved casements; hooked noses issued from the low, antique doors; Jew boys, driving donkeys; Hebrew mothers, nursing children; dusky, tawdry, ragged young beauties, and most venerable grey-bearded fathers, were all gathered round about the affair of the hen! And at the same time that our Rabbi was arranging the price of it, his children were

* Wesley's Works, 3d edit., vol. i., pp. 9-11.

instructed to procure bundles of green branches to decorate the ship during their feast.

RHODES.

The chivalrous relics at Rhodes are very superb. I know of no buildings whose stately and picturesque aspect seems to correspond better with one's notions of their proud founders. The towers and gates are warlike and strong, but beautiful and aristocratic: you see that they must have been high-bred gentlemen who built them. The edifices appear in almost as perfect a condition as when they were in the occupation of the noble Knights of St. John; and they have this advantage over modern fortifications, that they are a thousand times more picturesque. Ancient war condescended to ornament itself, and built fine carved castles and vaulted gates: whereas, to judge from Gibraltar and Malta, nothing can be less romantic than the modern military architecture, which sternly regards the fighting, without in the least heeding the war-paint. Some of the huge artillery, with which the place was defended, still lies in the bastions; and the touch-holes of the guns are preserved by being covered with rusty old corslets, worn by defenders of the fort three hundred years ago. The Turks, who battered down chivalry, seemed to be waiting their turn of destruction now. In walking through Rhodes, one is strangely affected by witnessing the signs of this double decay. For instance, in the streets of the Knights, you see noble houses, surmounted by noble escutcheons of superb Knights, who lived there, and quarrelled, and murdered the Turks.

.....Now the famous house is let to a shabby merchant, who has his little beggarly shop in the bazaar; to a small officer, who ekes out his wretched pension by swindling, and who gets his pay in bad coin. Mahometanism pays in pewter now, in place of silver and gold..........All the town of Rhodes has this appearance of decay and ruin, except a few Consuls' houses, planted on the sea-side, here and there, with bright flags flaunting in the sun; fresh paint, English crockery, shining mahogany, &c.; so many emblems of the new prosperity of their trade, while the old inhabitants were going to wreck; the fine church of St. John, converted into a mosque, is a ruined church, with a ruined mosque inside; the fortifications are mouldering away, as much as time will let them. There was considerable bustle and stir about the little port; but it was a bustle of people who looked for the most part to be beggars; and I saw no shop in the bazaar that seemed to have the value of a pedlar's pack.............We went out upon the lines of fortification, through an ancient gate and guardhouse, where once a chapel probably stood, and of which the roofs were richly carved and gilded. A ragged squad of Turkish soldiers lolled about the gate now a couple of boys on a donkey; a grinning slave on a mule ; a pair of women flapping along in yellow papooshes; a basket-maker sitting under an antique carved portal, and chanting or howling as he platted his osiers; a peaceful well of water, at which Knights' chargers had drunk, and at which the double-boyed donkey was now refreshing himself; would have made a pretty picture for a sentimental artist.......... The astonishing brightness and clearness of the sky under which the island seemed to bask, struck me as surpassing anything I had seen; not even at Cadiz, or the Piræus, had I seen sands so yellow, or water so magnificently blue........................ It really seemed as if everybody was to have a sort of sober cheerfulness, and must yield to indolence under this charming atmosphere. I went into the court-yard by the sea-shore, (where a few lazy ships were lying, with no one on board,) and found it was the prison of the place. The door was as

wide open as Westminster Hall. Some prisoners, one or two soldiers and functionaries, and some prisoners' wives, were lolling under an arcade by a fountain; other criminals were strolling about here and there, their chains clinking quite cheerfully; and they and the guards and officials came up chatting quite friendly together, and gazed languidly over the portfolio, as I was endeavouring to get the likeness of one or two of these comfortable malefactors. One old and wrinkled she-criminal, whom I had selected on account of the peculiar hideousness of her countenance, covered it up with a dirty cloth, at which there was a general roar of laughter among this good-humoured auditory of cut-throats, pick pockets, and policemen. The only symptoms of a prison about the place was a door, across which a couple of sentinels were stretched, yawning; while within lay three freshly-caught pirates, chained by the leg. They had committed some murders of a very late date, and were awaiting sentence; but their wives were allowed to communicate freely with them; and it seemed to me that if half-a-dozen friends would set them free, and they themselves had energy enough to move, the sentinels would be a great deal too lazy to walk after them.

JAFFA.

On the 3d of October, our cable rushed with a huge rattle into the blue sea before Jaffa, at a distance of considerably more than a mile of the town, which lay before us very clear, with the flags of the Consuls flaring in the bright sky, and making a cheerful and hospitable show. The houses a great heap of sun-baked stones, surmounted here and there by minarets and countless little whitewashed domes; a few date-trees spread out their fan-like heads over those dull-looking buildings; long sands stretched away on either side, with low, purple hills behind them. We could see specks of camels crawling over these yellow plains; and those persons who were about to land, had the leisure to behold the sea-spray flashing over the sands, and over a heap of black rocks, which lie before the entry to the town.

ALEXANDRIA.

I had been preparing myself overnight, by the help of a cigar and a moonlight contemplation on deck, for sensations on landing in Egypt. I was ready to yield myself up with solemnity to the mystic grandeur of the scene of initiation. Pompey's pillar must stand like a mountain, in a yellow plain, surrounded by a grove of obelisks, as tall as palm-trees. Placid sphinxes, brooding o'er the Nile; mighty Memnonian countenances calm; had revealed Egypt to me in a sonnet of Tennyson's, and I was ready to gaze on it with pyramidal wonder and hieroglyphic awe. The landing-quay at Alexandria is like the dock-yard quay at Portsmouth : with a few score of brown faces scattered among the population. There are slop-sellers, dealers in marine-stores, bottled-porter shops, seamen lolling about; flies and cabs are plying for hire; and a yelling chorus of donkey-boys, shrieking, "Ride, Sir!-donkey, Sir!-I say, Sir!" in excellent English, dispel all romantic notions. The placid sphinxes, brooding o'er the Nile, disappeared with that shriek of the donkey-boys. You might be as well impressed with Wapping, as with your first step on Egyptian

soil.

THE NILE.

Towards evening, we arrived at the town of Atfeh; half land, half houses, half palm-trees, with swarms of half-naked people crowding the