Wesley Corpus

To his Brother Charles Date: LONDON, February 12, 1767. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1767) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BROTHER,--What I mean is, Bishop Lowth is sometimes hypercritical and finds fault where there is none. Yet doubtless his is the best English Grammar that is extant. [In June 1770 Wesley 'looked over Dr. Priestley's English Grammar. I wonder he would publish it after Bishop Lowth's' (Journal, v. 370).] I never saw Hermes; the author of it is a rooted Deist. I won't complain of the preaching too often at Bath. Pray do you take two things upon yourself: (1) Let punctual notice be given on Sunday, March 8, in the chapel [See Journal, v. 198.] of my preaching there on Tuesday evening, March 10. (2) That notice be given at Bristol on the same Sunday of my preaching at the New Room on Wednesday the 11th, at seven in the evening, and afterwards meeting the Society, at which I desire all who can to be present. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I purpose meeting the classes. Pray take care that Brother Henderson [Richard Henderson, then Assistant at Bristol.] wants nothing. Sickness is an expensive thing. You are not yet (nor probably I) aware of pickthanks. [Pickthank, 'one who picks a thank--i.e. one who curries favour with another, especially by informing against someone else' (New Eng. Dic.). See 1 Henry IV. 111. ii. 22 - 5:Yet such extenuation let me beg,/As, in reproof of many tales devised/(Which oft the ear of greatness needs must hear)/By smiling pickthanks and base news mongers. ] Such were those who told you I 'did not pray for you by name in public.' And they are liars into the bargain, unless they are deaf. . The voice of one who truly loves God surely is-- 'Tis worse than death my God to love And not my God alone. Such an one is certainly 'as much athirst for sanctification as he once was for justification.' You remember this used to be one of your constant questions. It is not now. Therefore you are altered in your sentiments. And, unless we come to an explanation, we shall inevitably contradict each other. But this ought not to be in any wise, if it can possibly be avoided. [See letter of Jan. 27.]