Wesley Corpus

ing at Purfleet, to apeople thatwere all alive. Wednesday, 7. Iwent on to Colchester ; and on Friday, 9, returned to London. Mon. 12.-Desiring to help some that were in pressing want, butnot having any money left, I believed it was not improper, in such a case, to desire help from God. A few hours after, one from whom I expected nothing less, put ten pounds into myhands. Wed. 21.-Beingvehemently accused, by awell-meaning man, of very many things, particularly of covetousness and uncourt- cousness , I referred the matter to three of our brethren. Truly [March,1784, in these articles, " I know nothing by myself. But he that judgeth me is the Lord." Sat. 24. I beganvisiting the classes in the town and country. Sunday,25. I preached in the afternoon in St. George's, South- wark ; a very large and commodious church. Thursday, FEB- RUARY 4. I went down to Nottingham, and preached a charity sermon for the General Hospital. The next day I returned to London. In the following week I visited the country societies. Saturday, 14. I desired all our Preachers to meet, and consider thoroughly the proposal of sending Missionaries to the East Indies. After the matter had been fully considered, we were unanimous in our judgment, that we have no call thither yet, no invitation, no providential opening of any kind. Thur. 19.-I spent an agreeable hourwith the modern Han- nibal, Pascal Paoli; probably the most accomplished General that is now in the world. He is of a middle size, thin, well- shaped, genteel, and has something extremely striking in his countenance. How much happier is he now,with his moderate pension, than he was in the midst of his victories ! On Saturday, having a leisure hour, I made an end of that strange book, " Orlando Furioso." Ariosto had doubtless an uncommon genius, and subsequent poets have been greatly indebted to him : Yet it is hard to say,whichwas the most out ofhis senses, the hero or the poet. He has not the least regard even to probability ; his marvellous transcends all conception. Astolpho's shield and horn, and voyage to the moon, the lance that unhorses every one, the all-penetrating sword, and I know not how many impenetrable helmets and coats of mail,-leaves transformed into ships, and into leaves again, stones turned into horses, and again into stones, are such monstrous fictions