Wesley Corpus

In my scraps of time this week I read over that wonderful poem, “Fingal.” If it is genuine, if it is really extant (as many assure me it is) in the Erse language, it is an amazing proof of a genius in those barbarous times, little inferior to Homer or Virgill Mon. 20.--A friend showed me the apartments in the Castle, the residence of the Lord-Lieutenant. The Duke of Bedford made a noble addition to the lodgings, which are now both grand and convenient. But the furniture surprised me not a 288 REv. J. wesLEY’s [July, 1767. little: It is by no means equal to the building. In England, many gentlemen of five hundred a year would be utterly ashamed of it. Tues. 21.--I received an account of a young woman, the substance of which was as follows: “KATHERINE MURRAY was born February 2, 1729, at Carrick-on-Suir. She feared God from a child, and abstained from lying and speaking bad words. When about thirteen, she stole some twigs of gooseberry-bushes from a neighbour, and planted them in her father's garden. Imme diately she felt she had sinned, knew she deserved hell, and feared it would be her portion. She began praying three times a day; but, notwithstanding, her sin followed her every where. Day and night it was before her, till, after some time, that conviction gradually wore off. “In the year 1749, her sister heard the Methodists, so called. She was soon convinced of sin, joined the society, and advised her to do so too. But hearing one named that was in it, she was filled with disdain: ‘What I meet with such a man as that !” Yet not long after, she was convinced that the sins of her own heart, pride and passion in particular, were as abominable in the sight of God, as the sins of that man or any other. This conviction was exceeding sharp. She could no longer despise any, but only cry out, day and night, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’ “In February she went to hear Mr. Reeves. He preached on part of the hundred-and-third Psalm. She was now more deeply than ever convinced of heart-sin, of unbelief in particular; and had such a sight of the excellency of faith, that she determined to seek it with all her heart.