Wesley Corpus

“ The children were always put into a regular method of living, in such things as they were capable of, from their birth; as in dressing, undress ing, changing their linen, &c. The first quarter commonly passes in sleep. After that, they were, if possible, laid into their cradles awake, and rocked to sleep ; and so they were kept rocking till it was time for chem to awake. This was done to bring them to a regular course of sleeping; which at first was three hours.in the morning, and three in the afternoon: afterward two hours, till they needed none at all. When turned a year old, (and some before,) they were taught to fear the rod, and to cry softly; by which means they escaped abundance of correction ‘ a : : Aug. 1742.] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. ; 263 they might otherwise have had; and that most odious noise of the crying of children was rarely heard in the house; but the family usually lived in as much quietness, as if there had not been a child among them. “As soon as they were grown pretty strong, they were confined to three meals a day. At dinner their little table and chairs were set by ours, where they could be overlooked ; and they were suffered to eat and drink (small beer) as much as they would; but not to call for any thing. If they wanted aught, they used to whisper to the maid which attended them, who came and spake to me; and as soon as they could handle a «nife and fork, they were set to our table. They were never suffered to choose their meat, but always made to eat such things as were provided for the family. Mornings they had always spoon meat; sometimes at nights. But whatever they had, they were never permitted to eat, at those meals, of more than one thing; and of that sparingly enough. Drinking or eating between meals was never allowed, unless in case of sickness; which seldom happened. Nor were they suffered to go, into the kitchen to ask any thing of the servants, when they were at meat; if it was known they did, they were certainly beat, and the servants severely reprimanded.