Wesley Corpus

Neither does the of merit.” Pope, if Father Walsh says true. (8) “You hold sinless per “So does the Pope.” I fection.” deny that. How do you prove it? (9.) “You hold, that sins I hold no such thing; and are only infirmities.” you know it well. (10) “You distinguish Not so; I abhor the dis between venial and mortal tinction. sins.” Now, let every man of understanding judge, whether Father Walsh did not speak the very truth. 51. “This pamphlet was finished, when I was told, that Mr. W. had lately a very remarkable dream, which awakened him out of a sound sleep. This dream he communicated to his society. It was in substance as follows:--A big, rough inan came to him, and gave him a violent blow upon the arm with a red-hot iron. “Now, the interpretation thereof I conceive to be as follows:-- “(1.) The big, rough man is Mr. Hill: (2.) The bar of iron” (red-hot 1) “is Logica Wesleiensis: (3.) The blow denotes the shock which Mr. John will receive by the said pamphlet: (4.) His being awakened out of a sound sleep, signifies there is yet hope, that he will, some time or other, come to the right use of his spiritual faculties.” (Page 61.) Pretty, and well devised ! And though it is true I never had any such dream since I was born, yet I am obliged to the inventor of it; and that on many accounts. I am obliged to him, (1.) For sending against me only a big, rough man; it might have been a lion or a bear: (2.) For directing the bar of iron only to my arm; it might have been my poor skull: (3.) For letting the big man give me only one blow; had he repeated it, I had been slain outright: And, (4.) For hoping I shall, some time or other, come to the right use of my spiritual faculties. 52. Perhaps Mr. Hill may expect that I should make him some return for the favour of his heroic poem: But Certes I have, for many days, Sent my poetic herd to graze. And had I not, I should have been utterly unable to present him with a parallel. Yet, upon reflection, I believe I can; although I own it is rather of the lyric than the heroic kind.