Wesley Corpus

An Estimate of the Manners of the Present Times Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 11 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- 2. We allow likewise the abundant increase of luxury, both in meat, drink, dress, and furniture. What an amazing profu sion of food do we see, not only at a Nobleman's table, but at an ordinary city entertainment; suppose of the Shoemakers’ or Tailors’ Company | What variety of wines, instead of the good, home-brewed ale, used by our forefathers! What luxury of apparel, changing like the moon, in the city and country, as well as at Court ! What superfluity of expensive furniture glitters in all our great men's houses ! And luxury naturally increases sloth, unfitting us for exercise either of body or mind. Sloth, on the other hand, by destroying the appetite, leads to still farther luxury. And how many does a regular kind of luxury betray at last into gluttony and drunkenness; yea, and lewdness too of every kind; which indeed is hardly separable from them ! 3. But allowing all these things, still this is not a true estimate of the present manners of the English nation. For whatever is the characteristic of a nation, is, First, universal, found in all the individuals of it, or at least in so very great a majority, that the exceptions are not worth regarding. It is, Secondly, con stant, found not only now and then, but continually, without intermission; and, Thirdly, peculiar to that nation, in contra distinction to all others. But neither luxury nor sloth is either universal or constant in England, much less peculiar to it. 4. Whatever may be the case of many of the Nobility and, Gentry, (the whole body of whom are not a twentieth part of the nation,) it is by no means true, that the English in general, much less universally, are a slothful people. There are not only some Gentlemen, yea, and Noblemen, who are. of the ancient stamp, who are patterns of industry in their calling to all that are round about them, but it is undeniable that a vast majority of the middle and lower ranks of people are diligently employed from morning to night, and from the beginning to the end of the year.