It has been already stated, that this was a novel, written by Mr.
Brooke, and originally published, in five vols., in 1766, with the
title, “The Fool of Quality.” Dr. Adam Clarke once stated, that Mr.
Brooke’s nephew declared to him, that, “with the exception of a few
touches of colouring, everything in the book was founded in fact--even
the very incidents were facts.”[381] This might be so; but still the
colouring made the work a fiction; and that an old evangelist, like
Wesley, bordering on fourscore years of age, should revise, abridge,
publish, and circulate a novel, has always been a perplexity to a
certain section of Wesley’s admirers. John Easton, one of his
itinerants, belonged to these. After John had very freely condemned
the conduct of his great leader, Wesley proposed to him the following
interrogations in reference to three of the personages in this
remarkable book.
_Wesley._--“Did you read Vindex, John?”
_Easton._--“Yes, sir.”
_W._--“Did you _laugh_, John?”
_E._--“No, sir.”
_W._--“Did you read Damon and Pythias, John?”
_E._--“Yes, sir.”
_W._--“Did you _cry_, John?”
_E._--“No, sir.”
_W._, lifting up his eyes, and clasping his hands, exclaimed:
“O earth--earth--earth!”[382]
Whatever may be thought and said on the general subject of novels and
novel reading, all must admit, that “Henry, Earl Moreland,” is one of
the most unexceptionable ever published. Wesley writes:
“I recommend it as the most excellent in its kind, that I have
seen, either in the English or any other language. The lowest
excellence therein is the style, which is not only pure in the
highest degree, not only clear and proper, every word being
used in its true genuine meaning, but frequently beautiful and
elegant, and, where there is room for it, truly sublime. But
what is of far greater value is the admirable sense, which is
conveyed herein: as it sets forth in full view most of the
important truths, which are revealed in the oracles of God. And
these are not only well illustrated, but also proved in an
easy, natural manner: so that the thinking reader is taught,
without any trouble, the most essential doctrines of religion.
“But the greatest excellence of all in this treatise is, that
it continually strikes at the heart. It perpetually aims at
inspiring and increasing every right affection. And it does
this, not by dry, dull, tedious precepts, but by the liveliest
examples that can be conceived: by setting before your eyes one
of the most beautiful pictures, that was ever drawn in the
world. The strokes of this are so delicately fine, the touches
so easy, natural, and affecting, that I know not who can survey
it with tearless eyes, unless he has a heart of stone. I
recommend it, therefore, to all those who are already, or
desire to be, lovers of God and man.”
The whole of this is strictly accurate; and if this is not enough to
justify Wesley in the eyes of faultfinders, like _earthy_ John Easton,
the task of doing so must be abandoned as a hopeless one. Besides, it
may be added, that, if Wesley sinned, his successors copied his
example; for, twenty-two years after Wesley’s death, the conference
book-room published a fourth edition of the novel which Wesley first
published in 1780.
4. “A Collection of Hymns for the use of the People called
Methodists.” 12mo, 520 pages.
Up to this period, the hymns and the books used in Methodist
congregations had been endlessly varying; now Wesley issued a book
which, with slight alterations, has been used from that time to this;
and prefixed the preface which has been read by millions; and from
which, therefore, we must content ourselves with quoting only the
concluding hint, which is far more needed now than even when first
published.
“Many gentlemen have done my brother and me (though without
naming us) the honour to reprint many of our hymns. Now they
are perfectly welcome so to do, provided they print them just
as they are. But I desire they would not attempt to mend them;
for they really are not able. None of them is able to mend
either the sense or the verse. Therefore, I must beg of them
one of these two favours: either to let them stand just as they
are, to take them for better for worse; or to add the true
reading in the margin, or at the bottom of the page; that we
may no longer be accountable either for the nonsense or for the
doggerel of other men.”
5. Wesley’s only other publication, in 1780, was his _Arminian
Magazine_, 8vo, 683 pages.[383] The work contains Goodwin’s Paraphrase
on Romans ix.; an extract from Bird’s “Fate and Destiny, inconsistent
with Christianity;” lives of Armelle Nicolas and Gregory Lopes; short
accounts of Thomas Lee, Alexander Mather, John Haime, Thomas Mitchell,
Thomas Taylor, Thomas Hanson, Thomas Hanby, and John Mason. There are
about fifty valuable letters; and about seventy poetic pieces. Also
Wesley’s “Thought on Necessity,” and “Thoughts upon Taste.”
To enlarge concerning these is superfluous. The volume was quite equal
to the former ones; though Wesley confesses, that the portraits were
not yet such as he desired; and declares, that he will have better, or
none at all.