Wesley Corpus

We were unwilling to part with her, but seeing the pain she was in, could not wish it should con tinue; and so gave her up to God. I sat up with her that night, and the next day, June 7, she fell asleep.” Monday, 31, and the following days, I visited the societies near London. Friday, NoveMBER 4. In the afternoon John Downes (who had preached with us many years) was saying, “I feel such a love to the people at West-Street, that I could be content to die with them. I do not find myself very well; but I must be with them this evening.” He went thither, and began preaching, on, “Come unto me, ye that are weary and heavy-laden.” After speaking ten or twelve minutes, he sunk down, and spake no more, till his spirit returned to God. I suppose he was by mature full as great a genius as Sir Isaac Newton. I will mention but two or three instances of it:--When he was at school, learning Algebra, he came one day to his master, and said, “Sir, I can prove this proposi tion a better way than it is proved in the book.” His master thought it could not be; but upon trial, acknowledged it to be so. Some time after, his father sent him to Newcastle with a clock, which was to be mended. He observed the clockmaker's tools, and the manner how he took it in pieces, and put it together again; and when he came home, first made himself tools, and then made a clock, which went as true as any in the town. I suppose such strength of genius as this, has scarce been known in Europe before. Another proof of it was this:--Thirty years ago, while I was shaving, he was whittling the top of a stick: I asked, “What Nov. 1774.] JOURNAL. 35 are you doing?” He answered, “I am taking your face, which I intend to engrave on a copper-plate.” Accordingly, without any instruction, he first made himself tools, and then engraved the plate. The second picture which he engraved, was that which was prefixed to the “Notes upon the New Testament.” Such another instance, I suppose, not all England, or perhaps Europe, can produce.