Wesley Corpus

To Walter Churchey Date: CORK, May 4. 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- My DEAR BROTHER, -- I am afraid Henry Floyd's estate is unsaleable, unless he can find the writing, for I cannot. I shall not be in London before October at soonest; but if Henry Moore will revise the copy, [Moore was at City Road, near to the printer of Churchey's Poems. See letters of March 3 and May 25 to him.] he will do almost as well as me. I hope the beginning of the work is in the press, else the book will not be printed off before Michaelmas. I wonder you do not understand mankind better, especially those wretches the great vulgar. If two in three of your subscribers stand to their word, it will be strange indeed. It was a deadly step not to secure half the money at the time of subscription. I receive the whole. I have now about sixty guineas, and hope to receive as many more. But where have you lived that you have found so many generous men It is strange that you should know more of them than I do. I am utterly against printing above five hundred copies. [Wesley's prudence and business sagacity contrast favorably with the lawyer's. See letters of Jan. 27 and May 25 to him.] If you and I between us can procure four hundred subscriptions, it is all we can expect. -- I am, in haste, Your affectionate brother.