HISTORY

OF

JOHN WESLEY'S

COAT:

SHOWING BY WHOM IT HAS BEEN WORN, AND HOW

RICHARDSON AND SON, LONDON, DUBLIN, AND DERBY.

1851.

110. d. 456.

PREFACE.

The plan of the following history is found in Dean Swift's "Tale of a Tub;" his language has been used as much as possible, because of its truly English style. Many plans were previously suggested to the mind relative to the position assumed by Methodism; the daring front with which it appeared, and the features it put on. On looking at the subject, it was found, the countenance of John Wesley was changed for a huge mask. After a closer view, instead of the little unassuming Reformer of the 18th century, there was a stuffed Guy, after the fashion of the Guildhall Gog and Magog. The dress of this figure was anything but the dress of the original. Upon examination, a close resemblance was seen between it and the costume of modern Italy. The Dean's "Tale" at once came into the mind. Being somewhat acquainted with it, the following history was soon made out.

Before this narrative was written, it was determined to present to the public-not gratis-an historical, philosophical, metaphorical discourse, on the town and country houses of the heroes of the following story. How the town residence was decorated with architectural skill, to keep up appearances with the world; how the most was made of a little space, for plantations to hide the family mansion from the public view, and the way this house became mortgaged to a certain lord. How tickets were sold at the porter's gates, and admirers of the grounds admitted on the walks. How foxes increased on the country estates; the methods adopted to preserve the game, and get the best sent up to town. How poachers frequented the grounds, worried the foxes, got into the preserves, killed the game, and carried all they shot clean off.

But such a work would be too deep for modern intelligence. It could only be read fasting. Such a tax would be too great for ordinary constitutions. Importations of intellectualisms must be many and frequent first, with Germanised English, cut and shaped to English lips, mouths

and throats. Popular Educations, Tracts and Essays for the Times, Latter and Early Day Pamphlets, church decorations, with lighted candles, wooden crosses, singing boys, and surplices. Popes' bulls, or briefs, Cardinals' red stockings, foreign bishops' pastorals, winking images, limbs of saints, never known or enquired after, and such like specimens of high and low art, must become far more general before such a production would be received with any benefit to the reader or writer, printer or publisher.

Such being the case, I determined to creep into a nook of Dean Swift's skull, and with the aid of his preservers, as the reader will perceive, look out through his eyes, and speak through his mouth, except at times, to give the Dean a little breathing time, I speak through my own. In this way we stand related to each other, by taking turn and turn about.

A great similarity will be seen in ecclesiastical systems presided over by one man. The one man system ever has been, and in the present state of human nature, can only continue by a process of tyranny Elevate a man above his fellows, and as soon as he can get the chance he will use big words, and back them with his authority, little or great as the case may be, whether Pope or Patriarch, Cardinal or Archbishop, Bishop or President. The one man system, in ecclesiastical matters, has had its time; the longest day is past, and each succeeding will get less, until the shortest

comes.

The characters introduced into the following narrative, must not be taken, even by the sour and ill-natured, as referring to private individuals, but to embodied representations connected with a public body in the commonwealth. If persons come before the world with certain names, and occupy places which command public attention, their names and actions are their own, not the historian of their deeds. Such individuals cannot but be pleased when called by their right names, and satisfied when their exploits are described.

Events are recorded as they took place, if a different history be desired, the case is clear, the parties concerned have only to change their hand, and alter their movements for the future.

The best of men are often badly represented in their descendants. The purest systems, after a time, become the

*

most corrupted. These corruptions begin at the worst part of the body, get to the weakest, † and in the end reach to the extremities The entire body becomes diseased Το effect a remedy, in this case, requires the most powerful physic, provided the constitution can bear it; if not, then death is the only relief. The sick man wracked with pain, not knowing how soon his breath may leave him, does not waste time in looking at the physician, or stop to ask a number of questions about the contents of the mixture in his hand. He has no time nor will for such things; in the hope of relief he swallows the dose, and composes himself, with the hope of speedy recovery. Desperate cases are to be treated as such. Hercules, to purge the stables of Augias, changed the course of a river. The skill of Esculapius restored many persons to life. Hippocrates delivered Athens from a dreadful pestilence, for which he received a golden crown. Many said Galen performed his cures by magic, and derived his knowledge. from enchantments. Celsus' book of medicine is in every medical school in Europe. Abernethy once recommended a gentleman, who by some mistake had, when drinking in the dark, swallowed a mouse, to go home and swallow the cat, since puss is such a mouser. It is said a doctor prescribed hot beef steaks for a lady troubled with worms. She had fasted many days; the steaks were not to be eaten but to be smelt, and accordingly the worms followed the scent. Physic has done the world much service. Doctors practice their own method on their patients, and mix for them the medicine to be taken. The physician called in to practise on the desperate case before the reader, is allegory, and the physic prescribed is satire. For the mixture to operate, it must be taken and taken according to direction, otherwise the skill of the doctor will be defeated, and death will assuredly come.

• Heart.

↑ Head.

Hands and feet. The hands which do the work and make provision for the constitution

For a thing to take, or be taken, it should be well timed; hence we have Wesley's Pills and Purgations. See the motto on the title-page of the Conference pamphlet of 1849.