April 22. 1854.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



367 



LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 1854. 

 WHITEFIELD AND KENNINGTON COMMON. 



Your correspondent the Rev. W. Sparrow 

 Simpson (Vol. ix., p. 295.) has given some in- 

 teresting little notes respecting the past history 

 of Kennington Common. Other notes might be 

 added, and which should not be overlooked in a 

 record of events connected with a spot whose as- 

 sociations and whose name are about to pass away 

 for ever. After all, it is a righteous act, a noble 

 deed, a benevolent mission, that gives a kind of 

 immortality to a locality. It was here that the 

 ever memorable George Whitefield proclaimed in 

 an earnest voice, and with an earnest look, the 

 gospel of Jesus Christ to multitudes of his fellow- 

 creatures. He was wonderfully endowed by God 

 for his great work, and the evidence of his vast 

 success is to be found in the fact that immense 

 numbers flocked from all parts to listen to the 

 tidings which he had to deliver. He had audiences 

 on Kennington Common amounting to ten, twenty, 

 and thirty thousand people, great numbers of 

 whom were savingly impressed by his message. 

 He melted their hearts, and sent them away, re- 

 flecting on the great problems of man's history, 

 and on the dignity and destiny of the human 

 mind. Take the following from his published 

 diary, which is now scarce, and not much known : 



"Sunday, April 29, 1731. At five in the evening 

 •went and preached at Kennington Common, about two 

 miles from London, where upwards of 20,000 people 

 were supposed to be present. The wind being for me, 

 it carried the voice to the extretnest part of the au- 

 dience. All stood attentive, and joined in the Psalm 

 and Lord's Prayer so regularly, that I scarce ever 

 preached with more quietness in any church. Many 

 were much affected. " 



"Sunday, May 6, 1731. At six in the evening 

 preached at Kennington ; but such a sight I never saw 

 before. Some supposed there were above 30,000 or 

 40,000 people, and near fourscore coaches, besides great 

 numbers of horses ; and there was such an awful silence 

 amongst them, and the Word of God came with such 

 power, that all seemed pleasingly surprised. I con- 

 tinued my discourse for an hour and a half." 



" Sunday, July 22, 1739. Went to St. Paul's and 

 received the blessed Sacrament, and preached in the 

 evening at Kennington Common to about 30,000 

 hearers. God gave me great power." 



"Friday, August 3, 1739. Having spent the day 

 in completing my affairs (about to embark for 

 America), and taking leave of my dear friends, I 

 preached in the evening to near 20,000 at Kennington 

 Common. I chose to discourse on St. Paul's parting 

 speech to the elders at Ephesus, at which the people 

 were exceedingly affected, and almost prevented my 

 making any application. Many tears were shed when 

 I talked of leaving them. I concluded all with a suit- 



able hymn, but could scarce get to the coach for the 

 people thronging me, to take me by the hand, and 

 give me a parting blessing." 



Let those who have a deep sympathy with the 

 great and good, who have served their age with 

 exalted devotion and burning zeal, remember that 

 on that very spot which is now called Kennington 

 Park, this extraordinary man lifted up his powerful 

 voice, and with commanding attitude, with the 

 tenderest affection, with persuasive tones, and 

 with thrilling appeals, proclaimed the " glorious 

 gospel of the blessed God " to multitudes of the 

 human family. He preached as in the light, and 

 on the borders of the eternal world. It is such 

 facts as these that will enhance in mind and me- 

 mory the interest of such a spot. The philosophy 

 of Whitefield's life has yet to be written. 



H. M. Bealbt. 



North Brixton. 



ANACHRONISMS. 



Mr. Thackeray makes another trip in the 

 present (April) number of The Newcornes. Clive 

 writes a letter dated "May 1, 183-," which is at 

 once answered by Pendennis, who sends him " an 

 extract from Bagham's article on the Royal Aca- 

 demy," and Mr. Thackeray makes the critic ask, 

 " Why have we no picture of the sovereign and 

 her august consort from Smee's brush ? " To 

 which it may be answered, " Because, even if the 

 ' 183- ' represents the time of Victoria's reign, her 

 Majesty did not take unto herself an ' august con- 

 sort' until Feb. 10, 1840." It may also be ob- 

 served, that in all the illustrations to Mr. Thacke- 

 ray's delightful story, Mr. Doyle has clothed the 

 dramatis persona in the dresses of the present 

 day. A notable example of this occurs at p. 75., 

 in his clever sketch of Mrs. Newcome's At Home, 

 " a small early party " given in the year 1833, the 

 date being determined by a very simple act of 

 mental arithmetic, since the author informs us that 

 the colonel went to the party in the mufti-coat 

 " sent him out by Messrs. Stultz to India in the 

 year 1821," and which he had " been in the habit 

 of considering a splendid coat for twelve years 

 past." The anachronism on Mr. Doyle's part is 

 probably intentional. Indeed, he only follows the 

 example which Mr. Thackeray had justified in 

 these words : 



" It was the author's intention, faithful to history, to 

 depict all the characters of this tale in their proper 

 costumes, as they wore them at the commencement of 

 the century. But, when I remember the appearance 

 of people in those days, and that an officer and lady 

 were actually habited like this [here follows one of 

 Mr. Thackeray's graphic sketches], I have not the 

 heart to disfigure my heroes and heroines by costumes 

 so hideous; and have, on the contrary, engaged a 



