Wesley Corpus

Being much concerned for the poor parishioners of Haworth, who hear and hear, and are no more affected than stones, I spoke to them in the most cutting manner I could. May God apply it to their hearts | On Monday and Tuesday I preached at Bingley and Bradford; and Wednesday, 4, rode to Halifax. Here I had an opportunity of inquiring thoroughly into a very extraordi nary case. On January 26, 1760, a young woman of two and-twenty, felt, in the evening, an uncommon coldness at her feet. Presently after she was seized with convulsions. The disorder from that time attended her, more or less, every day, in spite of all the medicines which were administered by the most skilful Physicians. One of her fits began a little before we went in. At first she fell back in her chair, seemingly senseless, and wrought (like one strangled) in her breast and throat. In two or three minutes she sprung up, turned round many times, then dropped down, and began beating her head against the stone floor. Quickly she started up, leaped right upwards many times; then ran to and fro with an hundred odd gesticulations. She beat herself on the head, tore her hair, and attempted to run into the fire. Being put into a chair, she spoke a good deal, but not articulately. She was convulsed again from head to foot; and afterwards said wildly, “Where am I? Who are these? I want my father. I will go to my father.” In about an hour she came to her senses. I should have imagined the Physicians would have sup posed all this to be counterfeit. But it seems one and all thought that could not be, as she could have no motive to feign, since she gained nothing thereby, living upon the fruit of her own and her father’s labour. And many of the circumstances could not be accounted for, upon that suppo sition. Such were her tears, her foaming at the mouth, her tearing her hair, striking herself, and beating her head against the stones; her strong convulsions; and what none can well 404 REv. J. wesDEY’s [July, 1770. conceive unless he saw it, the change of her countenance, which was horrid and dreadful, yea, diabolical, as long as the fits were upon her, but was remarkably pretty and agreeable, as soon as she came to herself.