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To Mary (Goldhawk/Vazeille) Wesley (October 27, 1758)
To Mary (Goldhawk/Vazeille)
Wesley
Colchester
October 27, 1758
My Dear Love,
John Wesley
October 27, 1758
My Dear Love,
I had a pleasant ride to Ingatestone
1Orig., 'Ingotstone';
Ingatestone and Maldon are both in
Essex.
in the coach. I then took horse and came to
Maldon by dinnertime. Between ten and eleven this morning we
set out from Maldon, and in three hours found honest
brother Arvin here. If I
find no particular reason to alter my design, I purpose going on toward
Norwich on Monday.
You obliged me on Tuesday afternoon by inviting my sister Hall
to drink tea with you; and likewise by leaving Betty Duchesne with me till she had said what she had to say. My dear, this is the way (as I have often told you) to secure a person's affections:
Let all his ways be unconfined,
And clap your padlock on his mind.
3The concluding couplet
of Matthew Prior, 'An English Padlock', changing
'her' to 'his'.
Believe me, there is no other way; leave every one to his own conscience. For why am I judged, says St. Paul, of another’s conscience ?
4See
1 Cor. 10:29
.
Every one must give an account of himself to God. And even if a man
acts contrary to good conscience, can you reclaim him by violent methods? Vain
thought!
By force beasts act, and are by force restrained;
The human mind by gentle means is gained.
5Matthew Prior, 'Solomon', Book II, ll.
257–58.
Either by gentle means or by none at all. Or if there be an exception, if a rod be for a fool's back ,
6See
Prov. 14:3
.
the wife is not the person who is to use it towards her husband.
If it please God to bring me safe to Norwich, I hope to have a letter from you there. Peace be with your spirit. I am,
Your affectionate husband,John Wesley
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Entry Title: To Mary (Goldhawk/Vazeille) Wesley (October 27, 1758)
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