Wesley Corpus

to observe that I did not see things quite so clear with my left eye as with my right ; all objects appeared a little browner to that eye. I began next to find some difficulty in reading asmall printby candle-light. Ayear after, I found it in reading such a print by day-light. In winter, 1786, I could notwell read our four-shilling hymn-book, unless with a large candle ; the next year I could not read letters, if wrote with a small or bad hand. Last winter a pearl appeared on my left eye, the sight of which grew exceeding dim. The right eye seems unaltered ; only I am agreat deal nearer-sighted than ever I was. Thus are " those that look out at the windows darkened ; " one of the marks of old age. But I bless God," the grashopper is " not " aburden." I am still capable of travelling ; and mymemory is much the same as ever it was ; and so, I think, is my understanding. This week I dedicated to the reading over my brother's works. They are short poems on the Psalms, the four Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles. Some are bad ; some mean ; some most excellently good: They give the true sense of Scripture, always in good English, generally in good verse ; many of them are equal to most, if not to any, he ever wrote ; but some still savour ofthat poisonous mysticism,with which we were both not a little tainted before we went to America. This gave a gloomy cast, first to his mind, and thentomany of his verses : This made him frequently describe religion as a melancholy thing : This so Jan. 1789. | often sounded in his ears, " To the desert ! " and strongly per- suaded in favour of solitude. Thur. 25.-(Being Christmas-Day.) We began the service, as usual, at four in the new chapel. Notwithstanding the severe frost which had now lasted a month, the congregation wasuncom- monly large. I preached here again in the evening ; about eleven, in the chapel at West-Street. This was a comfortable day, aswere also the two following. Sun. 28. I preached at Allhallows church, on those words in the Service, " His commandments are not grievous." The congregation was exceeding large, and seemed to taste the good word.