Wesley Corpus

day, 12. I walked through Mr. Bolton's curious works. He has carried every thing which he takes in hand to a high degree of perfection, and employs in the house about five hundred men, women, and children. His gardens, running along the side ofa hill, are delightful indeed ; having alarge piece of water at the bottom, in which are two well-wooded islands. If faithand love dwell here, then there maybe happiness too. Otherwise allthese beautiful things are as unsatisfactory as straws andfeathers. Sat. 13. I spentan hourinHagley-Park ; I suppose inferior to few, if any, in England. But we were straitened for time. To take a proper view of it, would require five or six hours. Afterwards I went to the Leasowes, a farm so called, four or five miles from Hagley. I never was so surprised. I have seen nothing in all England to be comparedwith it. It is beautiful and elegant all over. There is nothing grand, nothing costly ; no temples, so called ; no statues ; (except two or three, which hadbetter have been spared;) but such walks, such shades, such hills and dales, such lawns, such artless cascades, such waving woods, with water intermixed, as exceed all imagination ! On the upper side, from the openings of a shady walk, is a most beautiful and extensive prospect. And allthis is comprised in the compass of three miles ! I doubt if it be exceeded by any thing in Europe. The father of Mr. Shenstone was a gentleman-farmer, who This bred him at the University, and left him a small estate. he wholly laid out in improving the Leasowes, living in hopes ofgreat preferment, grounded on the promises ofmanyrichand great friends. But nothing was performed, till he died at forty- eight; probably of a broken heart ! Sun. 14. I heard a sermon in theoldchurch, at Birmingham, which the Preacher uttered with great vehemence against these " hairbrained, itinerant enthusiasts." Buthe totally missed his mark; having not the least conception ofthe persons whom he undertook to describe. Mon. 15. Leaving Birmingham early in the morning, I Aug. 1782.] preached at nine in alarge school-room at Coventry. About noon I preached to a multitude of people, in the brick-yard, at Bedworth. A few of them seemed to be much affected. In the evening I preached at Hinckley, one of the civilest towns I have seen.