Wesley Corpus

were much persuaded God will yet be entreated. Thur. 12.-I revised a volume of Latin Poems, wrote by a gentleman of Denmark. I was surprised. Most of the verses are not unworthy of the Augustan age. Among the rest, there is a translation of two of Mr. Pope's Epistles, line for line. And yet, in language, not only as pure as Virgil's, but as elegant too. Tues. JANUARY 2, 1776.-Being pressed to pay a visit to our brethren at Bristol, some ofwhom had been a little unsettled by the patriots, so called, I set out early ; but the roads were so heavy, that I could not get thither till night. I came just time enough, not to see, but to bury, poor Mr. Hall, my brother- in-law, who died on Wednesday morning; I trust in peace ; for God had given him deep repentance. Such another monu- ment of divine mercy, considering how low he had fallen, and fromwhat height of holiness, I have not seen, no, not in seventy years ! I had designed to visit him in the morning ; but he did not stay for my coming. It is enough, if, after all his wander- ings, we meet again in Abraham's bosom. JANUARY 1, 1776-.About eighteen hundred of us met together in London, in order to renew our covenant with God; and it was, as usual, a very solemn opportunity. Tues. 2.-I set out for Bristol. Between London and Bristol, I read over that elegant trifle, " The Correspondence between Theodosius and Constantia." I observed only one sentiment which I could not receive, that "youth is the only possible time for friendship ; because every one has at first a natural store of sincerity and benevolence ; but as in process of time men find every one to be false and self-interested, they conform to them more and more, till, in riper years, they have neither truth nor benevolence left." Perhaps it may be so with all that know not God; but they that do, escape " the corrup- tion that is in the world;" and increase both in sincerity and in benevolence, as they grow in the knowledge of Christ. Sat. 6.-I returned to London ; and I returnedjust intime ; for on Sunday, 7, the severe frost set in, accompanied with so deep a snow, as made even the high road impassable. For