Susanna Wesley

PARTINGS. 165
brothers and sisters, especially to the former, who have
cost you great sums in their education both before and
since they went to the University. Neither have you
stopped here, but have showed your pity to your
mother and me in a very liberal manner, wherein your
wife joined with you, when you did not overmuch
abound yourselves, and have even done noble charities to
my
children's children. Now what should I be if I
did not endeavour to make you easy to the utmost of
my power, especially when I know that neither of you
have your health at London. ... As for your aged
and infirm mother, as soon as I drop she must turn out
unless you succeed me, which, if you do, and she survives
me, I know you
'11
immediately take her then to
your own house, or rather continue her there, where
your wife and you will nourish her till we meet again
in heaven and ; you will be a guide and a stay to the
rest of the family."
Samuel, however, was not to be persuaded ;
he kne\*
that, wherever he lived, his home would be open to his
mother if she ever needed it, and was not at all inclined
to bury himself in Lincolnshire. The subject was
dropped for a little while, and supplanted by a new
and engrossing interest in the now small Epworth
circle. This was the engagement and marriage of
Mary, or " Moll," the deformed daughter, who was
called
' '
by Charles the Patient Grizzle " of the family.
Her husband was John Whitelamb, who was originally
a poor boy in a small charity school at Wroote. Mr.
Wesley observed that his mental abilities were considerable,
and he must have written a good legible
hand, for he was taken into the house at Epworth to
transcribe the Rector's ponderous work on the Book of
Job, and even to illustrate it with drawings of maps