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 give pain to those who believe the Bible, and diversion to those who do not.

Mon. 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.

Mon. 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 exceeding plain to the bigots on both sides. May God write it on their hearts!

Mon. Dec. 6. I went to Canterbury in the stage-coach, 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 complexion should be an infidel? I returned to London Friday, 10th, 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."

Fri. 17. Meeting with a celebrated book, a volume of Captain

Cook's Voyages, I sat down to read it with huge expectation. But how was I disappointed! I observed, 1. Things absolutely incredible: ແ 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 degrees 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, akin to his man Friday.

Saturday, 25th, 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 Watch-night.

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 twelvemonth it was grown near as large as a hen's egg. Being then at Edinburgh, Dr. Hamilton insisted on my having the advice of Dr. Gregory and Munro. They immediately saw it was a hydrocele, and advised me, as soon as I came to London, to aim at a radical cure, which they judged might be effected in about sixteen days. When I came to London, I consulted Mr. Wathen. He advised me, I. "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.

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.

Wed. 5. I was as perfectly easy, as if no operation had been performed.

Tues. 12. I began at the east end of the town to visit the So ciety 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.

Sun. 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?

Mon. 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 welldrawn picture.

Fri. 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 dou ing 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." She asked, "Where are you going?" She cheerfully answered, "To my Jesus, to be sure!" and spoke no more.

Saturday, 29th, 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."

Mon. 14. In my way to Dorking, I gave another reading to the "Life of Anna Maria Schurman;" perhaps a woman of the strong

est understanding that the world ever saw. And she was likewise deeply devoted to God. So was also Antoniette 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, Madame 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 O 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!

Sun. 6. In the evening I went to Brentford, and on Monday to Newbury.

Tues. 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."

Sat. 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 increased therein.

Tues. 15. I began my northern journey, and went by Stroud, Gloucester, and Tewksbury, to Worcester.

Thur. 17. I preached in the Town-hall at Evesham, to a numerous and serious congregation.

Fri. 18. I returned to Worcester. The Society here continues walking together in love, and are not moved by all the efforts of those, who would fain teach them another Gospel. I was much comforted by their steadfastness and simplicity. Thus let them silence the ignorance of foolish men!

Sat. 19. In the evening I preached at Birmingham, and at eight

in the morning. At noon I preached on Bramwick-Heath, and the room being far too small, stood in Mr. Wiley's court-yard, notwithstanding the keen north-east wind. At Wednesbury likewise I was constrained by the multitude of people to preach abroad in the evening. I strongly enforced upon them the Apostle's. words, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ?" If we do not go on to perfection, how shall we escape lukewarmness, Antinomianism, hell-fire ?

Mon. 21. I preached, at nine, in Darlaston, and, about noon, at Wolverhampton. Here I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Fletcher, and we took sweet counsel together.

Tues. 22. At five I explained that important truth, that God trieth us every moment, weighs all our thoughts, words, and actions, and is pleased, or displeased with us according to our works. I see more and more clearly, that there is a great gulf fixed between us and all those who, by denying this, sap the very foundation both of inward and outward holiness.

At ten I preached at Dudley, and in the afternoon spent some time in viewing Mr. Bolton's works, wonderfully ingenious, but the greater part of them wonderfully useless.

Wed. 23. I preached at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and Thursday, the 24th, went to Markfield. The church was quickly filled. I preached from those words in the Second Lesson," Lazarus, come forth!" In the evening I preached at Leicester. Here likewise the people "walk in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost."

Sun. 27. About noon I preached at Stapleford, six miles west from Nottingham. I stood in a meadow, because no house could contain the congregation. But it was nothing to that at Nottingham-Cross in the evening; the largest I have seen for many years, except at Gwenap.

.

Mon 28. About noon I preached at Donnington. It was a showery day, but the showers were suspended during the preaching. In the evening I preached at Derby, and had the satisfaction to observe an unusual seriousness in the congregation. Careless as they used to be, they seemed at length to know the day of their visitation.

Tues. 29. About ten I preached in the Market-place at Ashburn, to a large and tolerably serious congregation. And some, I believe, felt the word of God quick and powerful, while I enforced, "God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent."

dinner we went on to Newcastle-under-Line, (that is the proper