John Wesley’s diary, 1757

I breakfasted at Dumfries and spent an hour with a poor backslider of London, who had been for some years settled there. We then rode through an uncommonly Pleasant…

We rode on to Glasgow; a mile short of which we met Mr. Gillies, riding out to meet us. In the evening the tent (so they call a covered pulpit) was Placed in the…

At seven the congregation was increased, and earnest attention sat on every face. In the afternoon we walked to the college and saw the new library, with the…

l walked through all parts of the old cathedral, a very large and once beautiful structure; I think, more lofty than that at Canterbury and nearly the same length…

Today, Douglas, the play which has made so much noise, was put into my hands. I was astonished to find it is one of the finest tragedies I have ever read. What pity…

l found myself much out of order, till the flux stopped at once, without any medicine. But being still weak, and the sun shining extremely hot, I was afraid I…

l proclaimed the love of Christ to sinners, in the market place at Morpeth. Thence we rode to Placey. The society of colliers here may be a pattern to all the…

In the evening I preached at Sunderland. I then met the society and told them plainly that none could stay with us unless he would part with all sin; particularly,…

In the evening and the following morning I preached at Chester-on-the-Strate. Observing some very fine, but not very modest, pictures in the parlor where we supped,…

I received a strange account from Edward Bennet's eldest daughter: On Tuesday, the twelfth of this month, I told my husband in the morning, 'I desire you will not…

I took a walk in the Charterhouse. I wondered that all the squares and buildings, and especially the schoolboys, looked so little. But this is easily accounted for.…

I. T. preached at five. I could scarcely have believed if I had not heard it that few men of learning write so correctly as an unlearned tinner speaks extempore.…

l rode on to Illogan, but not to the house where I used to preach; indeed his wife promised Mr. P., before he died, that she would always receive the preachers; but…

We rode to the Land's End. I know no natural curiosity like this. The vast ragged stones rise on every side, when you are near the point of land, with green turf…

I preached at St. Just at nine. At one, the congregation in Morva stood on a sloping ground, rank above rank, as in a theater. Many of them bewailed their want of…

After an hour with a few friends in Truro, I rode forward to Grampound, a mean, inconsiderable, dirty village. However, it is a borough townl Between twelve and one…

I rode to Mevagissey, which lies on the south sea, just opposite to Port Isaac on the north. When I was here last, we had no place in the town; I could only preach…

At half-hour after twelve I preached once more and took my leave of them. All the time I stayed the wind blew from the sea so that no boat could stir out. By this…

At two I preached in St. Stephen's, near a lone house, on the side of a barren mountain; but neither the house nor the court could contain the people; so we went…

l preached about noon at Bath, and in the evening at Escot, near Lavington.

In my return, a man met me near Hannam and told me the schoolhouse at Kingswood had burned down. I felt not one moment's pain, knowing that God does all things…

I was shown Dr. Taylor's new meetinghouse, perhaps the most elegant one in Europe. It is eight-square, built of the finest brick, with sixteen sash-windows below,…

A man had spoken to me the last week as I was going through Thetford, and desired me to preach at Lakenheath, near Mildenhall, in Suffolk. I now purposed so to do…