TH

HE fubjects of which they treat, the characters of the principal agents, and the just claims of the public to be made acquainted with the actions and opinions of remarkable perfons, are fufficient authorities for the appearance of thefe memoirs.

For fome reafons, of which it is not neceffary to inform our readers, as well as others, which it may be proper to mention, the author had long determined, at a fit opportunity, to write the life of Mr Wesley. It was more than probable, fuch a life would not be overlooked. Some one would be certain to undertake

a

it: and confidering the colour of his most intimate connections, and the unlimited deference, with which, in this circle, it has been the fafhion to regard him, a danger was apprehended, left the public fhould be misinformed, either by the fuppreffion of fome important facts, or by a partial and inaccurate relation.

-This apprehenfion was a powerful incentive to the prefent work; and occafioned an adventure not wholly deftitute of difficulty or of danger. There muft neceffarily be a degree of difficulty in the delineation of characters replete with light and fhade; diftinguished by great virtues, and fullied by frange peculiarities and there is always fome danger, that is, fome critical danger in the difcuffion of topics,

in which fo many, from different principles, are interested.

To paint fuch portraits to the life, and yet generally to pleafe, were too arduous a task. But nothing can be an excufe for mifreprefentation. All that can, or ought to be done in fuch a cafe, is to draw a likeness, not flatteringly difgufting, nor exaggerated to deformity, but as nearly as poffible, a juft tranfcript of truth and nature. And this, with whatever fuccefs, is attempted in the following fheets.

It could anfwer no valuable purpofe, to inform the public of the tedious labours of hunting for information through a variety of publications, in which a continual famenefs of incidents, and confequently of fentiment and expref

fion, and the neceffity of tracing dates, thinly fcattered through a multitude of pages, confiderably increased the difficulty. It is of more importance to acquaint them, that the authorities referred to in the narrative, are Mr Wesley's writings in general, particularly the fermons, the journals, and his controverfial pieces and laft, though not least, is a correfpondence between the family of the Wefleys and others, from 1724 to 1739, which had lain neglected for many years, and was communicated by a grandchild of Mr Samuel Wesley to Mr Badcock, by him to a literary friend, and by this gentleman to a near relation of the Author; who begs leave to add, that all this had been infufficient for his purpose, had he not long cultivated