Wesley Corpus

Saturday, 12. I received but a melancholy account of the state of things here. The congregations were nearly as usual; but the society which, when I was here before, consisted of above an hundred and sixty members, was now shrunk to about fifty. Such is the fruit of a single Preacher’s staying a whole year in one place | together with the labours of good Mr. Townshend. Sun. 13.--At seven I preached in the chapel taken by Lady Glenorchy, which stands at a great distance from ours, in the most honourable part of the city. Between twelve and one I preached in the High-School yard, it being too stormy to preach on the Castle-Hill. A little before six I preached in our chapel, crowded above and below; but I doubt, with little effect: Exceeding few seemed to feel what they heard. Mon. 14.--After ten years' inquiry, I have learned what are the Highlands of Scotland. Some told me, “The High lands begin when you cross the Tay;” others, “when you cross the North Esk;” and others, “when you cross the river Spey:” But all of them missed the mark. For the truth of the matter is, the Highlands are bounded by no river at all, but by Carns, or heaps of stones laid in a row, south-west and north-east, from sea to sea. These formerly divided the kingdom of the Picts from that of the Caledonians, which included all the country north of the Carns; several whereof are still remaining. It takes in Argyleshire, most of Perthshire, Murrayshire, with all the north-west counties. This is called the Highlands, because a considerable part of it (though not the whole) is mountainous. But it is not more mountainous than North-Wales, nor than many parts of England and Ireland: Nor do I believe it has any mountain higher than Snowdon hill, or the Skiddaw in Cumberland. Talking Erse, therefore, is not the thing that distinguishes these from the Lowlands. Neither is this or that river; both the Tay, the Esk, and the Spey running through the Highlands, not south of them. Thur. 17.--At five in the morning I took a solemn leave of our friends at Edinburgh. About eight I preached at Musselburgh, and found some hope, there will be a blessing in the remnant. In the evening I preached in the new House at Dunbar, the cheerfullest in the kingdom. Friday, 18.