I79T' MEMOIRS OF JOHN W3SLEY. 27, 



this circumftance it is apparent, that it has a primary 

 as well as a fecundary meaning: It is real as well as 

 allu/ivc. This fire liappened when Mr. Wefley was 

 about fix years old. 



In the year 171 3, he was entered a fcholar at tho 

 charter-houfe in London, where he continued fevea 

 years under the tuition of the celebrated Dr. Walker, 

 and of the Rev. Andrew Tooke, author of " The Pan- 

 theon." Being elected to Lincoln college, Oxford, he 

 became a fellow of that college about the year 1725, 

 took the degree of Mafter of Arts in 1726, and was 

 joint tutor with the Rev. Dr. Hutchins, the reftor. He 

 difcovered, verv early, an elegant turn for poetr}' : 

 Some of his gayer poetical elFufions are proofs of a live- 

 ly fancy, and a fine claffical tafte ; and fome tranfla- 

 tions from the Latin poets, while at college, are allow- 

 ed to have great merit. He had early a llrong impref- 

 fion, like Count Zinzendorf, of his defignation to fome 

 extraordinary worlc. This impreffion received addi- 

 tional force from fome domeflic incidents ; all which 

 his a<ElIve fancy turned to his own account. His won- 

 derful prefervation, already noticed, naturally tended 

 to cherilh the idea of his being defigned by providence 

 to accomplilh fome purpofe or other, that was out of 

 the ordinary courfe of human events. The late Rev. 

 Samuel Badcock, in a letter inferted in the Bibliotheca 

 Topographica Britannica, No. XX. fays, " There 

 were fome ftrange phcsnomena perceived at the parfo- 

 nage at Epworth, and fome uncommon noifes heard 

 there from time to time, which he was very curious ia 

 examining into, and very particular in relating. I 

 have little doubt that he confidered himfelf the chief 

 obje61 erf this wonderful vifitation. Indeed his father's 

 credulity was in fome degree aflefted by it ; fince he 

 collefted ail the evidences that tended to confirm the 

 ftory, arranged theni with fcrupulous exa<Slnefs, in a 

 manufcript confiding of feveral Qieets, and which is ftill 

 in being. I know not what became of the Chcvfl of 



