Wesley Corpus

I rode by Shoreham to Sevenoaks. In the little journeys which I have lately taken, I have thought much on the huge encomiums which have been for many ages bestowed on a country life. How have all the learned world cried out, O.fortunati nimium, sua si bona norint Agricolae : * *Too happy, if their happiness they knew ! Nov. 1766.] JOURNAL. 269 But, after all, what a flat contradiction is this to universal experience! See that little house, under the wood, by the river side | There is rural life in perfection. How happy then is the farmer that lives there ! Let us take a detail of his happiness. He rises with, or before, the sun, calls his servants, looks to his swine and cows, then to his stables and barns. He sees to the ploughing and sowing his ground, in winter or in spring. In summer and autumn he hurries and sweats among his mowers and reapers. And where is his happiness in the mean time? Which of these employments do we envy? Or do we envy the delicate repast that succeeds, which the poet so languishes for ?-- O quando faba, Pythagorae cognata, simulque Uncta satis pingui ponentur oluscula lardo / “O the happiness of eating beans well greased with fat bacon / Nay, and cabbage too !”--Was Horace in his senses when he talked thus, or the servile herd of his imitators? Our eyes and ears may convince us there is not a less happy body of men in all England than the country farmers. In general, their life is supremely dull; and it is usually unhappy too. For of all people in the kingdom, they are most discontented; seldom satisfied either with God Or man. Mon. 10.--I set out early for Northampton. But before we came to Luton, James Glasbrook met me, and informed me that he had given notice of my preaching every day, at one place or another, in Bedfordshire. Upon reflection, we thought it best for Mr. Blackwell to go to Northampton, and for me to keep the appointments which had been made. So I preached in Luton at two, and in the evening at Sundon. Tuesday, 1f.