The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-11-14
wEsLEY AND HIs WIFE.

The Great Preacher Figuring as an OBJ |
jector in His Marital Relations.
Great men are not always fortunate
in their wives. Here is letter written |
by John Wesley to his wife, which q
correspondent has brought to light
John Wesley was married in February,
1851, to Mrs. Mary Vazille,, 'a mer-
chants widow in Threadneedle street,"
who possessed fortune of about $780,
600, secured to herself and her four
children. He was forty-eight, she forty
one. His biographer, the Rev. L. Tyer-
man, says. of their marriage that it
''was, in high degree. an act Of folly;
and, properly enough, to the end of
of life. both Of them were made to suf-
fer serious penalty"
CoLEEoRD, October 20 1759.-DedT Molly
! viii tell you simply and plainly the
s tRnss w wsh Il dislike nOt AM bS1 Hsp wSsrS
was. / dislike your showing any one my let
ters and private papers without my leave.
This never did any Good yet, either to you or
me, or any one. 1t only shaTpens and emDit-
ters your own Spirit And the same Eject II
naturally has upon Others. The same as 1t
would have upon me, put That tP{ the Grace 0o
Good. 1t can never bring me nearer, tho it
may drive me further on. And should you
do as you so often threaten me, then the mat
ter is over. know what have to do. In
all this you are fighting against yourseli
You are frustrating your own purpose, II
you want me to love you. You take Just the the
another. It cannot be: Love can only be
won by softness: Foul means avatl nothing.
a y d3d ~, say ,aed IF thev AZ not none
Will Then you have only to say This EVIL
Il Of the Lord: am Clay in his hand"
own Honse:p mot being az liberty to invite evef,
my nearest Relations so much as 10 Drink q
dish of Tea without disobeyIng you. / dis
Ike The being myself P rho,n l n Any my
watched continually so that no Person can
go in or out, but such as have your Good
Leave. dislike, 4, The being but prisoner
1t large, even when 1 go abroad, inasmuch
as you are highly Disguised If / do not give
you an Account Of every place go to and
like (, The not being safe inmy own House.
My House is not my Castle. can not call
even my Study, even my Bureau my own.
They are liable to be plundered every day.
You say, n plumber you OF noting but Pa
pers.s am not sure of that. How 10 II pos
slble should? Imiss money, too, and he
that will steal q Pin will steal Pound. But
were it so, a Scholars Papers are his Treas
ure; My Journal In particular. "But took
only such papers IS relate TO Sarah Ryan
and 6aran CrObDy. TnaC Is not Iru0s WAT
are Mr.. Landey's Letters to Them? Besides,
you have taken Parts of my Journal which
relate to neither one nor the Other. dis
s bsv ar q IVY Yo 20
all that in you lies to make their Lives q
Burden to them. You brow-beat, harass,
speak to me. You treat them with such
Haughtiness, Sternness, Sourness, Surliness,
Ill-nature, as neverwere known in any House
of mine for near dozen years. You forget
hFaQdfnR
Language as befts none but q Fishwife.
i DISLIKE, Your talking against me behind
every Hour Of the Day; making my Faults
(real or supposed the Standing Topic Of
your Conversation. dislike, 8, Your Bland-
Son know S sSe false Such are o g Sns
few days back) 'sThatI beat YOU" Which you
told James Burgis. That rode to Klngswood
RiEby; and that / required You. INV when en- we 1s
were first married, mover to sit in my prea-
enoe without my leave. Which you told
stood 70 it befors my face. / dislike, .,
your common Custom OF saying things
not true. To. instance only in two
"Mr. vazsliia learnt spanish in a FortnIght.S
You told Mr.. Fry MRS. Ellison was the
author as to my Intrigue In Georgia" You
thing; YOU never charged her with it." You
also told her 'srhat had laid Plot to serve
You as eusannah was served by the two
LAlucFSs ulbukGt ~, your 6Ntf6mC, I'M
measurable bitterness to all who endeavor
20 defend my Character las my Brother
Joseph Jones, Clayton Carthyl, breaking out
even into foul, unmannerly Language; such
IS ought not to defile n Gentlewoman's lips,
IL she did not believe one Word of the Bible.
And now; Molly, what would any one ad,
wise you TO, that has a real Concern for your
HappinessY Certainly, !, To show, read,
touch those Letters no more; If you did not
restore them to their proper owner: 2, To
allow me the command OF my own House,
with free Leave TO invite thither whom I
please; d To allow me my Liberty there
Lot or Hindrance: 4, To let me 20 where
pleasefand to whom please, without giving
an Account to any: 3, To assure me,yOu will
take no more Of my Papers, nor anything OF
mine, without my Consent: 8, To treat all
the servants where you are whether you
like them or mott with Courtesy and HUI
iRSs mani and not SPEAK you speak e. alb to
and Good manners: 7, TO speak no evil of
mo behind my back; 8, Never to accuse me
falsely; 8, To be extremely cautious OF say
ing anything that is not strictly true, both as
to the Matter and Manner; and, 10, 10 avoid
all Bitternness of Expression. till you can
avoid all bitterness OF Spirit
These are the Adyices, which / now give
you In the Fear or God, and in tender Love
to Your Soul. Nor can ] give you Stronger
Proof that am, your affectlonate husband.
JOHN WESLEY.
Mary's life ended ten years before
her husbands. She died in 1881, after
having made him miserable for thirty
years. Wesley survived her, living to
the ripe age of lightweight. In a
worldly way he had gained nothing by
his marriage. 1t lost him his fellow
ship at Oxford and at least temporarily
alienated his brother Charles and his
wife.-M 7. Critic.