1853, in the Russo-Turkish struggle for the Danube — on the flank of the combatant powers, ready to come in and turn the scale which way she chose. Does it follow that she would readily join the league formed avowedly to humiliate in turn her own humiliator? Does it follow even that indecision would once more keep her in suspicious neutrality, ready to strike in and complete the ruin of Germany at the first sounds of disaster or even check of those legions that had hitherto known nothing but unbroken success? Far from it, as we believe. Happily for the world's peace, however feared and disliked Germany and her chancellor may be, there is little, as has been already briefly shown, in the sentiment towards them to recall the deadly hatred raised by the first empire. Russia can feel none of this. Austria certainly does not feel it as yet. It would require a repetition of Napoleon's mistakes to raise against Germany's rulers a new war of independence. Happy they, if by avoiding such crimes as that too lightly meditated three months since, they seek the truest protection of the newly-formed empire in such a just and moderate policy as shall find them friends in peace, and take from the unnatural alliance they dread all the reasonable excuse which would sanction and strengthen it with the approval of the world.
THE LIFE AND JOURNALS OF JOHN WESLEY.[1]
Southey's "Life of Wesley" is one of the most interesting biographies in the language. It is the work of a thoroughly honest man, of a great master of English, and of a writer who, as far as conscientious diligence could make him, was well acquainted with his subject. There was much, however, in the extraordinary movement which owed its origin to Wesley with which Southey was scarcely competent to deal, and we meet sometimes with observations curiously inconsistent with the author's character as an orthodox Christian and sound Churchman. But the "Life" loses nothing of its charm from faults like these; and Coleridge, who in his notes on the work pointed out Southey's errors of judgment, has declared that the volumes were oftener in his hands than any other in his "ragged book-regiment." "How many and many an hour of self-oblivion," he adds, "do I owe to this 'Life of Wesley;' and how often have I argued with it, questioned, remonstrated, been peevish, and asked pardon — then again listened, and cried, 'Right!' 'Excellent!' — and in yet heavier hours entreated it, as it were, to continue talking to me — for that I heard and listened, and was soothed, though I could make no reply."
Wesley's remarkable career, and the marvellous work which he achieved, have afforded a fruitful field of discussion from his own day to the present. He was a dogmatist, a controversialist, a theologian of untiring energy, who loved his least-important opinion better than his best friend; a man of undaunted courage, of acute though not of profound intellect; an enthusiast, as every man must be who achieves great results in the face of great opposition; and he possessed the power, common to all born rulers, of attracting every one who came within his influence. As an orator he was surpassed by Whitefield, but in intellectual strength, in breadth of culture, in administrative skill, Wesley was beyond comparison superior to his friend. In any department of life demanding vast energy and organizing power Wesley would have achieved success, and though his chief gifts lay in action, there are indications that he might, had he pleased, have attained a considerable reputation as a man of letters. Methodism, it may be observed, has produced no literature of abiding value. A few of Charles Wesley's hymns take rank, indeed, with the best in the language, and are likely to form a permanent portion of our hymnody, but beyond these we know of nothing amidst the vast number of publications issued by this body which has an interest for readers who do not belong to it. Books of a devotional character have been issued from the Methodist press by hundreds and by thousands, and are probably read by Wesleyans; but even of books like these we do not know one which, like the "Holy Living" of Taylor, the "Saint's Rest" of Baxter, or the splendid allegory of Bunyan, has obtained universal recognition. Wesley himself was a prolific writer. He appears always to have had some work on hand, and what he began he was certain to complete. Although during a great part of his life he travelled from four to five thousand miles yearly on horseback or in a carriage, and generally preached twice every day, his brain and pen were far from idle. He made use of
- ↑ The Works of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A. Vols. 1-4, "The Journal." John Mason.
