Wesley Corpus

To Mary Bishop Date: HAVERFORDWEST, August 18, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR MISS BISHOP, - From the time I heard you were rejected by Lady Huntingdon, I have had a tender regard for you, and a strong hope that, without regard to the wisdom or spirit or customs of the world, you would (as those at Publow did once) Square your useful life below By reason and by grace. Hitherto you have not at all deceived my hope, and I am persuaded you never will. In some of the young ones you will undoubtedly find your labor has not been in vain. What they will be one cannot judge yet; therefore Solomon's advice is good, - 'In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper.' It seems God Himself has already decided the question concerning dancing. He hath shown His approbation of your conduct by sending those children to you again. If dancing be not evil in itself, yet it leads young women to numberless evils. And the hazard of these on the one side seems far to overbalance the little inconveniences on the other. Therefore thus much may certainly be said, You have chosen the more excellent way. I would recommend very few novels to young persons, for fear they should be too desirous of more. Mr. Brooke wrote one more (besides the Earl of Moreland), The History of the Human Heart. I think it is well worth reading; though it is not equal to his former production. The want of novels may be supplied by well-chosen histories; such as, The Concise History of England, The Concise History of the Church, Rollin's Ancient History, Hooke's Roman History (the only impartial one extant), and a few more. For the elder and more sensible children, Malebranche's Search after Truth is an excellent French book. Perhaps you might add Locke's Essay on the Human Understanding, with the Remarks in the Arminian Magazine. I had forgotten that beautiful book The Travels of Cyrus, whether in French or English. On the 28th instant I hope to be at Bristol, and not long after at Keynsham. - I always am, my dear Miss Bishop, Your affectionate friend and brother.