My brother Wesley had designed to have surprised us, and had travelled under a feigned name from London to Gainsborough; but there, sending his man for guide out to the Isle the next day, the man told one that keeps our market his master’s name, and that he was going to see his brother, which was the minister at Epworth.  The man he informed met with Molly in the market about an hour before my brother got thither.  She, full of news, hastened home and told us her uncle Wesley was coming to see us; but we could hardly believe her.  ’Twas odd to observe how all the town took the alarm and were upon the gaze, as if some great prince had been about to make his entry.  He rode directly to John Dawson’s [this refers to a local inn]:  but we had soon notice of his arrival, and sent John Brown with an invitation to our house.  He expressed some displeasure at his servant for letting us know of his coming:  for he intended to have sent for Mr. Wesley to dine with him at Dawson’s and then come to visit us in the afternoon.  However, he soon followed John home, where we were all ready to receive him with great satisfaction.

His behaviour among us was perfectly civil and obliging.  He spake little to the children the first day, being employed (as he afterwards told them) in observing their carriage and seeing how he liked them:  afterwards he was very free, and expressed great kindness to them all.

He was strangely scandalised at the poverty of our furniture, and much more at the meanness of the children’s habit.  He always talked more freely with your sisters of our circumstances than with me; and told them he wondered what his brother had done with his income, for ’twas visible he had not spent it in furnishing his house, or clothing his family.

We had a little talk together sometimes, but it was not often we could hold a private conference, and he was very shy of speaking anything relating to the children before your father, or indeed of any other matter.  I informed him, as far as I handsomely could, of our losses, etc., for I was afraid that he should think I was about to beg of him; but the girls, I believe, told him everything they could think on.

He was particularly pleased with Patty; and one morning, before Mr. Wesley came down, he asked me if I was willing to let Patty go and stay a year or two with him at London?  “Sister,” says he, “I have endeavoured already to make one of your children easy while she lives, and if you please to trust Patty with me, I will endeavour to make her so too.”  Whatever others may think, I thought this a generous offer, and the more so, because he had done so much for Sukey and Hetty.  I expressed my gratitude as well as I could, and would have had him speak with your father, but he would not himself—­he left that to me; nor did he ever mention it to Mr. Wesley till the evening before he left us.