Emilia Wesley (Mrs. Harper)
Of Emily Wesley little is known: she seems to have been the eldest of the seven daughters of the Rector of Epworth, who survived their father, and came to woman’s estate. She was probably born either at South Ormsby or Epworth: but most likely at the former place. She is reported to have been the favourite daughter of her mother, (though this has been disputed in favour of Patty;) and to have had strong sense, much wit, a prodigious memory, and a talent for Poetry. She was a good classical Scholar, and wrote a beautiful hand. I have not been able to ascertain any of her Poetical compositions, as no verses remain, to which her name is affixed.
She married an Apothecary at Epworth of the name of Har£er? who left her a young widow. What proportion the intellect of Mr-Harper bore to that of his wife we know not: but in Politics they were ill suited, as he was a violent Whig, and she an unbending Tory.
A Letter of hers to her brother John, dated February l6th, 1750, has already been inserted at the conclusion of the account of the Disturbances in the Parsonage-House at Epworth: it proves that Jeffrey continued his operations at least thirty-four or thirty-five years after he retired from Epworth.
It appears from the education given to Miss Emily, and some others of her sisters, that their Parents designed them for Governesses. About the year 1730, Emily became teacher at the Boarding School of a Mrs. Taylor in Lincoln, where, though she had the whole care of the School, she was not well used, and was worse paid. Having borne this usage as long as reason would dictate forbearance, she laid the case before her Brothers, with a resolution to set up School on her own account at Gainsborough. She had their approbation; gave Mrs. Taylor warninjr, and went to Gainsborough; where she continued at least till 1735, as she was there at the time of her Father’s death.
Several of these particulars we learn from the following Letter written to her brother John, when she had made up her mind to leave Lincoln, and go to Gainsborough.
“Dearest Brother, “Your last “Letter comforted and settled my mind wonderfully.
0 continue to talk to me of the reasonableness of resignation to the Divine Will, to enable me to bear cheerfully the ills of life, the lot appointed me; and never to suffer grief so far to prevail, as to injure my health, or long to cloud the natural cheerfulness of my temper.
1 had writ long since, but had a mind to see first how my small affairs would be settled; and now can assure you that at Lady-day I leave Lincoln certainly. You was of opinion, you may remember, that my leaving Mrs. Taylor would not only prove prejudicial to her affairs, (and so far all the town agrees with you,) but would be a great affliction to her. I own I thought so too: but we both were a little mistaken. She received the news of my going with an indifference I did not expect. Never was such a Teacher, as I may justly saw I have been, so foolishly lost, so unnecessarily disobliged. Had she paid my last years wages but the day before Martinmas, I still had staid: instead of that, she has received one hundred and twenty pounds within these three months, and yet never would spare one six or seven pounds for me, which ] am sure no Teacher will ever bear. The jest is, she fancies I never knew of any money she received; when, alas, she can never have one five pounds but I know of it. I have so satisfied brother Sam, that he wishes me good success at Gainsbro’, and says he can no longer oppose my resolution; which pleases me much, for I would gladly live civilly with Mm, and friendly with you.
u I have a fairer prospect at Gainsbro’ even than I could hope for; my greatest difficulty will be want of money at my first entrance. 1 shall furnish my School with canvass, worsteds, silks, &c. &c. and am much afraid of being dipt in debt at first: but God’s will be done! Troubles of that kind are what I have been used to. AVill you lend me the other 31., which you designed for me at Lady-Day; it would help me much: you will if you can, I am sure, — for so would I do by you. I am half-starved with cold, which hinders me from writing longer. Emery is no better. Mrs. Taylor and Kitty give their service. Pray send soon to me. Kez is gone home for good and all. I am knitting Bro. Charles a fine purse j — pray my love to him.
I am, dear Brother,
Your loving Sister and constant Friend,
Emilia Wesley.’’
As Mrs. Harper makes no mention of her husband in her Lettei to Mr. Wesley in 1750, it is likely he was dead before that time, She had one child, whom she calls Tetty: but whether she survived her Mother we do not know.
Mrs. Harper is represented as a fine woman; of a noble, yet affable countenance, and of a kind and affectionate disposition. She was left without property: but in her widowhood, for many years till her death, she was maintained entirely by her Brothers, and lived at the Preachers’ house adjoining to the Chapel in West Street, Seven Dials, London.
Mr. John Wesley has been stated by some of his Biographers to have had no family affections. This is any thing but truth: almost the whole family were cast upon his care after his Father’s death; and were wholly, kindly, and affectionately, supported by him. A proof of his kindness is seen in the case of Mrs. Harper. She had a maid to whom she was greatly attached. This woman also Mr. Wesley supported, that she might attend upon her mistress, though there was a regular servant whose business it was to wait on the family in that house.
Before Mrs. Harper became a resident in the Preachers’ House at West Street, she was a constant attendant on the ministry of her brothers at the Old Foundry, by which she considerably profited. After she came to West Street her privileges became greater, as her opportunities of attending the means of grace were multiplied; and for this attendance she had every facility, as the apartments of the family opened into the Chapel from the first floor; and by throwing up some sashes that separated the house and the Chapel, behind the pulpit, every convenience was afforded for hearing, without the trouble of ever going out of doors. In this comfortable retreat, in the very bosom of the Church, Mrs. Harper terminated her earthly existence at a very advanced age, sometime between the years 1770 and 1772.
Though she survived the major part of her incomparable memory, which was much impaired previously to her death, yet her peculiarly benevolent and even temper never forsook her. That her mind was highly cultivated, and her taste exquisite, we have some proof in the assertion of her brother, Mr. John Wesley. u My Sister Harper was the best reader of Milton 1 ever heard.” The Life of such a woman must have furnished innumerable anecdotes of the most instructive kind: but, alas I for want of a Collector, they have been borne away long since on the gale that never returns, and buried in the viewless regions of endless oblivion.
The following nervous Lines, addressed to her some time before her marriage, were written by her sister, Mrs. Wright: —
My fortunes often bid me flee
So light a thing as Poetry:
But stronger inclination draws,
To follow Wit and Nature’s laws. — Virtue, Form, and Wit, in thee
Move in perfect harmony:
For thee my tuneful voice I’ll raise,
For thee compose my softest lays;
My youthful muse shall take her flight,
And crown thy beauteous head with radiant beams of light.
True Wit and sprightly Genius shine
In every turn, in every line: — To these, O skilful Nine, annex
The native sweetness of my sex;
And that peculiar talent let me shew
Which Providence divine doth oft bestow
On spirits that are high, with fortunes that are low.
Thy virtues and thy graces all,
How simple, free, and natural!
Thy graceful form with pleasure I survey;
It charms the eye, — the heart, away. — Malicious Fortune did repine,
To grant her gifts to worth like thine!
To all thy outward majesty and grace,
To all the blooming features of thy face,
To all the heavenly sweetness of thy mind,
A noble, generous, equal soul is joined,
By reason polished, and by arts refined.
Thy even steady eye can see
Dame Fortune smile, or frown, at thee;
At every varied change can say, It moves not me!
Fortune has.fixed thee in a place
Debarred of Wisdom, Wit, and Grace.
High births and Virtue equally they scorn,
As asses dull on dunghills born:
Impervious as the stones, their heads are found;
Their rage and hatred stedfast as the ground.
With these unpolished wights thy youthful days
Glide slow and dull, and Nature’s lamp decays:
Oh what a lamp is hid, ‘midst such a sordid race!
But tho’ thy briliant virtues are obscured,
And in a noxious irksome den immur’d;
My numbers shall thy trophies rear,
And lovely as she is, my Emily appear.
Still thy transcendent praise I will rehearse,
And form this faint description into verse;
And when the Poet’s head lies low in clay,
Thy name shall shine in worlds which never can decay,
Wroote was the place of which Mrs. Wright speaks so degradingly; and on which her brother Samuel wrote a mock Heroic Poem, which he inscribed to his Sister Hetty. The Parsonage-house at that place he thus describes: —
The House is good, and strong, and clean.
Tho’ there no battlements are seen,
But humble roof of thatch, I ween,
Low rooms from rain to cover.
Where safe from poverty, (sore ill!)
All may live happy if they will,
As any that St. James’s fill,
Th’ Escurial, or the Louvre,
What happiness! then to be driven
Where powers of savi?ig may be given!
To hope for unmolested heaven
While here on earth — too soon
But this is certain, if you’re wise,
Wroote is the seat of Paradise,
As much as any place that lies
On earth beside the moon is.
Tis true no fairy lands are there;
No spring to flourish all the year;
JVo bushes that perfumes will bear,
Flow’rs, fruits, together springing
Where Phcebus, with perpetual beams,
Glitters from gently gliding streams,
And Nymphs are lull’d to pleasing dreams
By Philomela singing.
There was scarcely a bush in the place”; for Wroote was situated in the Low Levels of Lincolnshire, and often covered with water, and the produce of the ground swept away!