Wesley Corpus

The house is neat and handsome, but not magnificent; and is elegantly, but not splen didly, furnished. The domain is beautifully laid out in meadow ground, sprinkled with trees; on one side of which is a long hill covered with a shrubbery, cut into serpentine walks. On each side of the shrubbery is a straight walk, commanding a beautiful prospect. Since this Primate came, the town wears another face: He has repaired and beautified the cathedral, built a row of meat houses for the Choral-Vicars, erected a public Library and an Infirmary, procured the Free-School to be rebuilt of the size of a little College, and a new-built horse-barrack, together 180 REv. J. wesley’s [June, 1778. with a considerable number of convenient and handsome houses; so that Armagh is at length rising out of its ruins into a large and populous city. So much good may any man of a large fortune do, if he lays it out to the best advantage 1 Tues. 23.--I went on to Tanderagee, one of the pleasantest towns in Ireland. As it was a fair, calm evening, I had designed to preach in the avenue to the Castle; but being desired to preach in the court-yard, I took my place under a tall spreading tree, in the midst of a numerous congregation, who were still as night. There could not be devised a more pleasing scene: The clear sky, the setting sun, the surround ing woods, the plain, unaffected people, were just suitable to the subject, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Wed. 24.--For exactly two months, we have had only two days without rain. In the evening I preached in the same lovely place. I dined, supped, and lodged at Dr. Lesley's, the Rector; a well-bred, sensible, and I believe a pious man. We had family prayers before supper, which he read with admirable propriety and devotion; and I know not that I have spent a more agreeable evening since I came into the kingdom. Thur. 25.-I walked round Dr. Lesley’s domain : A plea santer spot I never saw. It lies on the top of a fruitful hill, at a small distance from the town; and commands the whole view of a lovely country, east, west, north, and south; and it is laid out with the finest taste imaginable.