hurrying a time for two or three months, as I scarce ever had before; such a mixture of storms and clear sunshine, of huge applause and huge opposition. Indeed the Irish, in general, keep no bounds. I think there is not such another nation in Europe, so

"Impetuous in their love and in their hate."

That any of the Methodist Preachers are alive, is a clear proof of an overruling Providence. For we know not where we are safe. A week or two ago, in a time of perfect peace, twenty people assaulted one of our Preachers, and a few that were riding with him, near Limerick. He asked their Captain, what they intended to do; who calmly answered, "To murder you" and, accordingly, presented a pistol, which snapped twice or thrice. Mr. Fenwick then rode away. The other pursued, and fired after him, but could not overtake him. Three of his companions they left for dead. But some neighbouring Justices of Peace did not take it well: so they procured the cut-throats to be apprehended; and it is supposed they will be in danger of transportation, though murder is a venial sin in Ireland.

How soon poor brother Hogg was snatched away! Why was it not you, rather than he? Because you have more grace to receive, more battles to fight, more victories to gain, first. O let Mrs. Blackwell and you live in earnest! Look through the veil which is between time and eternity!

I am, dear Sir,

J. WESLEY.

"The circumstances of the British nation," says Mr. Jackson, "at the beginning of the year 1756, were such as to excite painful feelings in every pious and patriotic mind." Mr. Whitefield published a stirring "Address to Persons of all Denominations," occasioned by the alarm of an intended invasion. Mr. Charles Wesley reprinted the "Hymns for Times of Trouble," &c., published in 1745, as applicable to the present state of the country; and those on the Earthquake of 1750, to which he added a Hymn for the year 1756.

"Mr. John Wesley advised some of his people to learn the military exercise, that they might be better prepared to defend their country and homes in case of invasion." *

The following letters will throw light on this period of Methodistic history

III.—FROM THE REV. JOHN WESLEY TO MR. BLACKWELL, BANKER, IN LONDON. Marlborough, March 1st, 1756, DEAR SIR,-I hope the inclosed will do; for I have not leisure to alter it any more.

To make professions does not belong to me: it is quite foreign to my character. Let those who mean nothing, talk like Goneril and Regan in King Lear. By God's help, I will do what a good subject ought, Wishing Mrs. Black well and you all health of soul and body,

I am, dear Sir,

Your affectionate servant,

JOHN WESLEY.t

* See Jackson's abridged edition of the Life of the Rev. Charles Wesley, pp. 275-278.

+ See Life of Charles Wesley, vol. ii., pp. 95-99.

Inclosure, as copied by Mr. Blackwell.

SIR,-A few days since, Mr. Whitefield and I desired a friend to ask your advice, to whom it would be proper to make an offer of raising a company of volunteers, for His Majesty's service. We apprehended the number would be about five hundred. Finding Mr. Whitefield has since been persuaded that such an offer is premature, I am constrained to make the following, independently of him :-To raise, for His Majesty's service, at least two hundred volunteers, to be supported by contributions among themselves; and to be ready, in case of invasion, to act for a year, if needed so long, at His Majesty's pleasure: only within . miles of London.

If this be acceptable to His Majesty, they beg to have arms out of the Tower, giving the usual security for their return; and some of His Majesty's Sergeants to instruct them in the military exercise.

I am now hastening to Bristol, on account of the election, concerning which I wrote to my brother last week. But if my return to London would be of any service, you may command, Sir,

To the Honourable James West, Esq.

Your obedient servant,

JOHN WESLEY.*

EXTRACT FROM THE REV. JOHN WESLEY'S JOURNAL. MARCH 3d, 1756.—I found Bristol all in a flame; voters and non-voters being ready to tear each other in pieces. I had not recovered my voice, so as either to preach or speak to the whole society. But I desired those members who were freemen to meet me by themselves: whom I mildly and lovingly informed how they ought to act in this hour of temptation. And I believe the far greater part of them received and profited by the advice.t

IV. FROM THE REV. JOHN WESLEY TO MR. BLACK WELL.

Bristol, March 4th, 1756. DEAR SIR,-If the election of Mr. Spenser be a thing of any conse quence, then it was extremely ill-judged to prevent his coming down. He ought to have been here at all hazards, if he were not very dangerously ill. His absence will probably turn the scale; and if the Jacobites gain one member now, they will have two the next time. Whereas there is reason to believe, had Mr. Spenser appeared, there would have been no opposition.

Last night I desired all the freemen of our society to meet me after preaching, and enlarged a little upon His Majesty's character, and the reasons we had to spare no pains in his service. I believe all who had been wavering were fully convinced. But some had absolutely promised to vote for Mr. Smith; it having been confidently reported, that both the candidates were equally acceptable to His Majesty.

The whole city is in confusion. O what a pity there could not be some way of managing elections of every sort, without this embittering Englishmen against Englishmen, and kindling fires which cannot be quenched in many years!

Wishing Mrs. Blackwell and you the peace which the world cannot give, I remain, dear Sir,

Yours most affectionately,

To Mr. Blackwell, Banker, in London.

* Wesley's Works, vol. xvi., p. 295, second edition, 1782. +Ibid., vol. ii., p. 356, third edition.

JOHN WESLEY.

EXTRACT FROM THE REV. JOHN WESLEY'S JOURNAL.

MONDAY, May 5th, 1760.-After preaching in the market-place at Belfast, to a people who care for none of these things, we rode on, with a furious east wind right in our face, to Carrickfergus, where I willingly accepted of an invitation from a merchant in the town, Mr. Cobham, to lodge at his house: the rather, when I understood that Mr. Cavenac, the French Lieutenant-General, was still there. I now received a very particular account of what had been lately transacted here. Mrs. Cobham said, "My daughter came running in, and said, 'Mamma, there are three Indiamen come into the bay, and I suppose my brothers are come in them.' (Who had been in the East Indies for some time.) An hour after she came in again, and cried, 'O mamma, they say they are Frenchmen; and they are landing; and their guns glitter in the sun.'' Mr. Cavenac informed me, that Mr. Thurot had received a thousand men out of the King's Guards, with orders to land in the north of Ireland, at the same time that Monsieur Conflans landed in the south: that a storm drove him up to Bergen, in Norway, from whence he could not get out, till his ships were much damaged, and his provisions consumed; nor could he there procure a supply at any price: that another storm drove him to 66 degrees north latitude; from whence he did not get back to Carrick-bay till all on board were almost famished, having only an ounce of bread per man daily : that they then landed merely to procure provisions. I asked, "Is it true, that you had a design to burn the town?" He cried out, "Jesu, Maria! We never had such a thought! To burn, to destroy, cannot enter into the heart or head of a good man."

After they had landed, (Mrs. Cobham and others informed me,) they divided into two bodies. One of these marched up to the east gate, the other to the north. Twelve soldiers and a Corporal were there on the wall, who fired upon them when they came near. Immediately General Flaubert fell, having his leg broke by a musket-ball. The next in command, a young Marquis, then led them on. When the English had fired four rounds, having no more ammunition, they retired, and the French entered the town, and at the market-place met those who had come in at the east gate. When they had joined, they marched up to the castle, (though the English there, who were an hundred and sixty-two in number, kept a constant fire,) the gate of which was not barred, so that the Marquis thrust it open and went in. Just then he was shot dead. Mr. Cavenac immediately took his place, and drew up his men again. The English then desired a parley, and articled to furnish them with provisions in six hours. But they could not perform it, there being little in the town. On this Mr. Cavenac sent for Mr. Cobham, and desired him to go up to Belfast and procure them, leaving his wife with the General, as an hostage for his return. But the poor Frenchmen could not stay for this. At the time prefixed, they began to serve themselves with meat and drink; having been in such want, that they were glad to eat raw oats to sustain nature. They accordingly took all the food they could find, with some linen and wearing-apparel. But they neither hurt nor affronted man, woman, or child, nor did any mischief for mischief's sake; though they were sufficiently provoked; for many of the inhabitants affronted them without fear or wit, cursed them to their face, and even took up pokers, or other things, to strike them.

While Mrs. Cobham was with the General, a little, plain-dressed man

came in, to whom they all showed a particular respect. It struck into her mind, Is not this Mr. Thurot? Which was soon confirmed. She said to him, "Sir, you seem much fatigued. Will you step to my house and refresh yourself?" He readily accepted the offer. She prepared a little veal, of which he ate moderately, and drank three glasses of small warm punch; after which he told her, "I have not taken any food before, nor slept, for eight-and-forty hours." She asked, "Sir, will you please to take a little rest now?" Observing he started, she added, "I will answer, life for life, that none shall hurt you under my roof." He said, "Madam, I believe you: I accept the offer." He desired that two of his men might lie on the floor by the bed-side, slept about six hours, and then, returning her many thanks, went aboard his ship.

Five days he was kept in the Bay by contrary winds. When he sailed, he took the Mayor of Carrick, and another gentleman, as hostages for the delivery of the French prisoners. The next morning, as he was walking the deck, he frequently started, without any visible cause, stepped short, and said, "I shall die to-day." A while after he said, to one of the English, "Sir, I see three ships: pray take my glass, and tell me freely what you think they are." He looked some time, and said, “I think they are English; and I guess they are about forty-gun ships." He called his officers, and said, "Our ships are too foul to fight at a distance: we must board them." Accordingly, when they came up, after a short fire, he ran up close to Captain Elliott; and Captain Scordeck, with his four-andtwenty Hussars, immediately leaped on board. Almost instantly, nine of them lay dead; on which he was so enraged, that he rushed forward with his sabre among the English, who seized his arms, and carried him away. Meantime, his men that were left retired into their own ship. Thurot, seeing this, cried out, "Why should we throw away the lives of the poor men?" and ordered to strike the colours. A man going up to do this, was shot dead, as was likewise a second; and before a third could do it, Mr. Thurot himself was shot through the heart. So fell a brave man: giving yet another proof, that "there is no counsel or strength against the Lord." *

VI.-FROM THE REV. JOHN WESLEY TO MR. EBENEZER BLACKWELL.

Carrickfergus, May 7th, 1760. DEAR SIR,-I can now give you a clear and full account of the late proceedings of the French here; as I now lodge at Mr. Cobham's, under the same roof with M. Cavenac, the French Lieutenant-General. When the people here saw three large ships, about ten in the morning, anchor near the town, they took it for granted they were English, till about eleven the French began landing their men. The first party came to the north gate between twelve and one. Twelve soldiers planted on the wall (there were one hundred and sixty in the town) fired on them as they advanced, wounded the General, and killed several. But when they had fired four rounds, having no more ammunition, they were obliged to retire. The French then entered the town, (at the same time that another party entered at the east end of it,) keeping a steady fire up the street, till they came near the castle. The English then fired hotly from the gate and walls,

* Wesley's Works, 12mo. edit., vol. ii., pp. 508–511. See also Wesley's Journal, May 5th, 1760, vol. iii., pp. 432-435; and May 6th, 1760, vol. iv., p. 2. Works, 2d edit., 1809.

killed their second General, (who had burst open the gate, and gone in sword in hand,) with upwards of fourscore men; but having no more cartridges, nor any man that knew how to make them, they thought it best to capitulate. They agreed to furnish such a quantity of provisions in six hours, on condition the French should not plunder. But they began immediately to serve themselves with meat and drink; having been in such pressing want, that, before they landed, the men were glad to eat raw oats, to sustain nature; and some hours after, no provisions being brought, they took all they could find, with a good deal of linen and wearing apparel, chiefly from the houses where the inhabitants were run away. But they neither hurt nor affronted man, woman, or child, nor did any mischief for mischief's sake; though many of the inhabitants affronted them, cursed them to their face, and even took up pokers or other things to strike them.

I have had much conversation with M. Cavenac, who speaks Latin pretty readily. He is a Lieutenant-Colonel in the King's Guards, and a Knight of the Order of St. Louis. (Indeed, all the soldiers were picked men, draughted out of the Guards, and more like officers than common men.) I found him not only a very sensible man, but throughly instructed even in heart-religion. I asked him, if it was true that they had a design to burn Carrick and Belfast. (After one General was killed, and the other wounded, the command had devolved upon him.) He cried out, "Jesu, Maria! we never had such a thought. To burn, to destroy, cannot enter into the head or the heart of a good man.” One would think the French King sent these men on purpose to show what officers he has in his army. I hope there are some such in the English army; but I never found them yet.

I am, dear Sir,

Your affectionate servant,
JOHN WESLEY,

To Mr. Blackwell, Banker, in London.

VII. FROM THE REV. JOHN WESLEY TO MR. BLACKWELL.

Dublin, July 28th, 1762.

DEAR SIR,-It was seven or eight weeks before I could prevail upon any of our brethren in England to let me know whether "Mr. Blackwell, an eminent banker, died at his house in Lewisham," or not. John Maddern was the first who occasionally told me, he was alive. Now, a messenger of good news should be rewarded. But what can be done for this poor man, in truth, I cannot tell. He hinted at a distance, as if he would be much obliged, if I would be bound for his behaviour. But how could I be bound for a thousand pounds, who am not worth a groat? I could not, therefore, but advise him to give up the thought of being a banker's clerk, as I see no manner of probability of his procuring such sureties as are requisite. Indeed, I heartily wish he was in any way of business, as he is capable of almost anything.

The people in this kingdom have been frightened sufficiently by the sickness and by the levellers, whose design undoubtedly was deep laid, and extended to the whole kingdom. But they broke out too soon. Nothing should have appeared till a French or Spanish squadron came. The nation is not now in the same state as it was in 1641. Then there were not four thousand soldiers in the kingdom: now there are near twenty thousand, I hope you and yours have escaped the general disorder, or have found it