feeling to his young brothers and to her motherin-law. Samuel, junior, was as fond of writing rhyme as his father had been before him, and doubtless he described the nut-brown maiden of his choice as eloquently in his letters home as in the lines which describe her as one who

"Made her little wisdom go Further than wiser women do;"

or more at length when he says:

“Her hair and skin are as the Berry, brown;
Soft is her smile, and graceful is her frown;
Her stature low, 't is something less than mine;
Her shape, though good, not exquisitely fine.
Though round her hazel eyes some sadness lies,
Their sprightly glances can sometimes surprise.
But greater beauties to her mind belong:

Well can she speak, and wisely hold her tongue.
In her, plain sense and humble sweetness meet:
Though gay, religious; and though young, discreet.
Such is the maid, if I can judge aright,

If love or favor hinder not my sight.

Perhaps you'll ask me how so well I know?
I've studied her, and I'll confess it, too.

I've sought each inmost failing to explore ;

Though still the more I sought, I liked the more.
Oh, to see my Nutty smiling,

Time with amorous talk beguiling,

Love, her every action gracing,

Arms still open for embracing,

Looks to mutual bliss inviting,
Eyes delighted and delighting,
Spotless innocence preventing
After-grief and sad repenting;
Neither doubting, both believing,
Transport causing and receiving;
Both with equal ardor moving,
Dearly loved, and truly loving.
Long may both enjoy the pleasure

Without guilt and without measure!”

Only two children were born to the young couple, the former of whom was named Samuel, after his father and grandfather. Being the first grandchild, he was thought a great deal of, and much grief was felt when he died shortly before what would have been his twenty-first birthday. The daughter was a great favorite with her uncles, and attached herself especially to Charles Wesley. She was known in the family as "Phil."

IO

CHAPTER XI.

THE SUPERNATURAL NOISES.

THE subject of supernatural manifestations is one on which mortals must agree to differ. One half of humanity refuses to give credence to anything but what it can see and handle, and regards those who believe in spiritual influences of any kind as the dupes and votaries of degrading superstition; while the other half has a deeply rooted, if indefinable, faith in second sight, mysterious intuitions, and communications from the unseen. The Apostles' Creed contains a sentence which is frequently interpreted as embodying belief in some kind of intercourse between the dead and the living, and even between those who, though absent from each other in the body, are present in the spirit, when it states, "I believe in the Communion of Saints." In this Mrs. Wesley had a firm faith, having been heard by her son John, during her widowhood, to say that she was often as fully persuaded of her deceased husband's presence with her as if she could see him with her bodily

eyes. Her sons, inheriting her temperament to the full, always found an irresistible attraction in the subject; John invariably preached on it with great exaltation on All Saints Day, and declared that he was sometimes so vividly aware of the presence of those he loved who had crossed the dark river before him, that he had turned round expecting to see them; and any one acquainted with Charles Wesley's hymns must observe that they are frequently instinct with the same faith.

Persons who see signs and visions, and hear sounds inaudible to others, are always highly strung, sensitive, and emotional. They are almost invariably individuals who, from choice or necessity, are extremely abstemious (not to say underfed), and in whom the veil of flesh is thin, while the mental and spiritual faculties are abnormally developed. This description applied to all the Wesleys, so that they were exactly the kind of people to accept and believe in occult influences.

The first impression produced on Mrs. Wesley's mind by the extraordinary noises which were heard at Epworth Rectory, in December, 1716, when only herself, her husband, and her daughters were at home, was that they betokened that death or some calamity had be

fallen one or other of the absent boys. Charles, by this time, was at Westminster School, though only eight years old, Samuel having sent for him, considering that he could best relieve the family burdens by undertaking the maintenance and education of his youngest brother. Little Charles was a plucky boy, and remarkably ready with his fists; and perhaps, mother-like, Mrs. Wesley was always anxious lest harm should come to him. In after days, and when assured of the safety of her own children, she connected the first noises with the death of her brother in India, who ceased to be heard of about that time. But as the sounds continued during many years, and were, in fact, audible to some of the family throughout life, they must have applied to many occurrences, if, indeed, they were of the nature attributed to them by the hearers. The first account of the disturbances was written by Mrs. Wesley herself to her son Samuel, and it was at his request that his sisters and father also recorded what they had themselves experienced. Mrs. Wesley's letter is very circumstantial:

JANUARY 12, 1716-17.

DEAR SAM,This evening we were agreeably surprised with your packet, which brought the welcome news of your being alive, after we had been in the