Matthew Wesley, Surgeon

We have already seen that the Rev. John Wesley, ejected from the vicarage of Whitchurch in Dorsetshire, of whom I have lately spoken, is said to have had a numerous family. But the names of Matthew and Samuel only are come down to us. Whether the others died young, or survived their father, we are not informed: but it is most likely that the rest died in infancy; as not even the name of any of them is ever mentioned.

Matthew, after the example of his grandfather Bartholomew, studied physic, and settled in London; after having travelled over the greatest part of Europe for his improvement. He is reported to have been eminent and singularly useful, and is said to have made a large fortune by his medical practice.

It is not likely that his father could have given him an academic education. But as he taught a school for the support of his family, for which he appears to have been well qualified, no doubt his sons, particularly Matthew, who was the eldest, had the rudiments of a clasof mr. wesley’s ancestors.

sical education from himself, as he was at the death of his father abou ten or twelve years of age. And it is very likely that he might have obtained additional instruction at the free school in Dorchester, and in some of the Dissenting academies, as we know his brother Samuel did.

Though Matthew be generally styled a physician, yet we do not know that he ever graduated, or studied in any university, unless it were in a foreign one; and this is not improbable, as, from a passage in the following letter from Mrs. Wesley it appears that Mr. M.Wesley had tried all the spas in Europe, both in Germany and else where. Former times were not so nice in distinctions as the present; surgeons, apothecaries, and medical practitioners of all sorts, were generally termed physicians or doctors: the latter was the most usual title; and this Matthew Wesley might have had by common courtesy, or he might have had it by right. But it is most likely that he had it by courtesy, as he is not styled physician, M. D.y nor even doctor, in the verses addressed to his memory by the person who signs himself Sylvius, in the very year in which he died. Besides, he is not termed doctor in any of the family letters which have come under my notice. This at present is a matter of little consequence, and cannot now be determined. The whole family of the Wesleys were blest with a genius that surmounted all difficulties: opposition and unfavourable circumstances only served as a stimulus to industry and enterprize; and they ever rose the higher in proportion to the causes which tended to depress them. This is the grand characteristic of all the branches of this family with whom we are acquainted; and we may safely infer it was the case with the rest.

Mr. M. Wesley resided and practised chiefly in London. In the year 1731 he visited his brother’s family at Epworth. This visit is described by Mrs. Wesley in a letter to her son John, who was then at Oxford; and as it contains some curious particulars, I shall lay it before the Reader.

“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 out for a guide into 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, lohich was minister of Epworth. The man he informed met with Molly in the market about an hour before my brother got thither. She, full of the 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, <md were upon the gaze, as if some great prince had been about to make his entry. He rode directly to John Dawson’s (the 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 scandalized 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 to me; and told them he wondered what his brother had done with his in come, 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 any thing 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, &c. for I was afraid that he should think I was about to beg of him: but the girls (with whom he had many private discourses) I believe told him every thing 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 hav|phad him speak to 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.

“He always behaved himself very decently at family prayers, and in your father’s absence said grace for us before and after meat. Nor did he ever interrupt our privacy: but went into his own chamber when we went into our’s.

“He staid from Thursday to the Wednesday after; then he left ns to go to Scarborough; from whence he returned the Saturday se’nnight after, intending to stay with us a few days; but finding your sisters gone the day before to Lincoln, he would leave us on Sunday morning, for he said he might see the girls before they set forward for London. He overtook them at Lincoln; and had Mrs. Taylor, Emily, Kezzy, with the rest, to supper with him at the Angel. On Monday they breakfasted with him; then they parted expecting to see him no more till they came to London: but on Wednesday he sent his man to invite them to supper at night. On Thursday he invited them to dinner, at night to supper, and on Friday morning to breakfast; when he took his leave of them and rode for London. They got into town on Saturday about noon; and that evening Patty writ me an account of her journey.

“Before Mr. Wesley went to Scarborough I informed him of what I knew of Mr. Morgan’s case. When he came back he told me that ‘he had tried the Spa at Scarborough, and could assure me that it far excelled all the spas in Europe, for he had been at them all, both in Germany and elsewhere; that at Scarborough there were two springs, as he was informed, close together, which flowed into one basin; the one a chalybeate, the other a purging water; and he did not believe there was the like in any part of the world.’ Says he, ‘If that gentlemen you told me of could by any means be gotten thither, though his age is the most dangerous time in life for his distemper, yet I am of opinion those waters would cure him.’ I thought good to tell you this, that you might if you please inform Mr. Morgan of it, if it is proper.

“Dear Jackey, I can’t stay now to talk about Hetty and Patty; but this — I hope better of both than some others do. I pray God to bless you. Adieu.

“July 12,1731, S. W.”

There does not appear to have been much intimacy between Matthew Wesley and his brother Samuel. Though Mr. Matthew Wesley was no zealot, yet the religious change of his brother did not, I am led to think, please him; and hence a distance was naturally occasioned between the two brothers. Mr. Matthew Wesley was also a careful ceconomist, got his wealth with difficulty, and knowing little of the troubles of a family could ill judge of domestic expenses upon a large scale.

It was most probably just after the visit mentioned above that he wrote a severe and caustic letter to his brother, accusing him of bad ceconomy, and of not making provision for his large family; and indirectly blaming him for having become a married man.

This severe letter Mr. S. Wesley answers in a sort of serio-jocose style, and amply vindicates the whole of his conduct against what he calls the imputation of his ill husbandry.

Of the letter of Mr. Matthew only an extract remains in the handwriting of his brother Samuel. I shall give it here, and refer the reader for Mr. S. Wesley’s defence to the memoirs which I have collected of his life. The letter, which is without date, begins thus: —

“The same record which assures us an infidel cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven, also asserts in the consequence that a worse than an infidel can never do it. It likewise describes the character of such an one, — He provides not for his own, especially those of his own house.

“You have a numerous offspring; you have had a long time, a plentiful estate; great and generous benefactions; and have made no provision for those of your own house, who can have nothing in view at your exit but distress. This I think a black account; let the cause be folly, or vanity, or ungovernable appetites. I hope Providence has restored you again to give you time to settle this balance, which shocks me to think of. To this end I must advise you to be frequent in your perusal of Father Beveridge on repentance, and Dr. Tillotson on Restitution: for it is not saying, Lord, Lord! will bring us to the kingdom of heaven, but doing justice to all our fellow-creatures; and not a poetical imagination that we do so. A serious consideration of these things, and suitable actions, I doubt not, will qualify you to meet me where sorrow shall be no more, which is the highest hope and expectation of your’s, &c.”

This language is too severe, even had the occasion generally justified the critique. Had Mr. S. Wesley imitated the conduct of his brother Matthew, John and Charles Wesley had probably never been born; — and who can say that the great light which they were the instruments in the hand of God of pouring out upon the land and spreading among the nations of the earth had ever been diffused by any other means? The straits and difficulties of the other branch of this family were circumstances which, in the order of God, helped to turn the minds of those eminent reformers to that ceconomy and dis~ cipline which in process of time they introduced into the Methodist societies, for which those societies are remarkable, and by which they are distinguished to the present day.

Men should be aware how they arraign the dispensations and ordinances of Divine Providence. It is not good for man to be alone — therefore God instituted marriage. He who marries does well: and it is only in the case of a general persecution of the Church that he who does not marry does better.

Surgeon Wesley is extinct! Samuel, his brother, still lives in his natural and spiritual progeny. God has crowned him with honour: and it is with difficulty that the name of his brother has been rescued from oblivion.

Mr. M. Wesley was, however, a good and excellent man in his way: but appears to have been little acquainted with the heart, the feelings, the joys, and sorrows, of a parent.

We know more of the character of Surgeon Wesley from some lines to his memory written by Mrs. Wright, than from any other source.

From these we learn that he was a man of a truly benevolent mind, — had much learning and information, — greatly excelled in his own profession, particularly in all feminine cases, — was a good judge and lover of poetry, — was useful to his brother Samuel’s large family, — was the particular patron, friend, and support of his niece Mehetable, — and that he was adorned with every art and grace, and saved from the fear of death. He breathed his last, leaning on her bosom, some time in the year 1737-

I shall insert the verses so honourable both to the uncle and his niece. They are written in the purest spirit of poetry, friendship and feeling; and appeared first in the Christian Magazine, Vol. III. p. 284. Clio is her assumed poetic name; Varro that of her uncle. —

How can the muse attempt the string,

Forsaken by he r guardian power?
Ah me! that she survives to sing

Her friend and patron now no more!
Yet private grief she might suppress,

Since Clio bears no selfish mind;
But oh! she mourns to wild excess,

The friend and patron of mankind.

Alas! the sovereign healing art,

Which rescued thousands from the grave,
Unaided left the gentlest heart,

Nor could its skilful master save.
Who shall the helpless sex sustain,

Now Varro’s lenient hand is gone?
Which knew so well to softenpain,

And ward all dangers but its own.

His darling muse, his Clio dear,

Whom first his favour raised to fame;

His gentle voice vouchsafe! to cheer,

His art upheld her tender frame:
Pale envy durst not shew her teeth,

Above contempt she gaily shone,
Chief favourite I till the hand of death

Endanger’d both, by striking one.

Perceiving well, devoid of fear,

His latest fatal conflict nigh;
Reclined on her he held most dear,

Whose breast received his parting sigh;
With every art and grace adorned,

By man admired, by heaven approved-Good Varro died, — applauded, mourn ‘d,

And honoufdby the Muse he loved.

In the last line, Mrs. Wright seems to refer to some verses on the death of her uncle, written by other hands.

I have met with one copy, which was published in June, 1737, in Vol. VII. of the Gentleman’s Magazine. And as that work is very scarce, and the verses known to few persons, I shall insert them as a testimony to the worth of a man who appears from all accounts to have been learned, skilful, humane, modest, and pious.

Verses on the death of Mr. Matthew Wesley.

When vulgar funerals trail their pomp along,

We idly stand amidst the gazing throng.

Perhaps such trite reflections rise,” Alas!

“How weak the human frame! all flesh is grass,

“A bubble frail! a shade that swiftly flies;

“A flower that opes at morn, at evening dies!”

No farther we the serious thought pursue,

Than the slight inf’rence, “we must follow too’”

But if the fatal final hour remove
To Death’s black shades a relative we love,
Or chosen friend, in pressures fully tried,
A faithful guardian, counsellor, and guide;
More awfid thoughts are by the stroke imprest;
And the wise aims of Providence confest.

“Can righteous heaven” (thus right we argue then,
“Regardless view such signal worth in men?
” Their virtue and their piety disown?
“And shall they be to dark oblivion thrown *
” O, no! most truly Scripture strains attest,
“For such remains an everlasting rest.”
Undoubted, in the sacred books appears,
A future state assigned thflbugh endless years.
And still we find, to what these lights revestf
Our calm unbiass’d reason sets her seal.

As here the sun with his prolific rays,
The blooms and verdures of the globe displays;
So God the sun, that heavenly region gilds,
Spreads endless riches o’er its blissful fields.
And surely as that Sun shall ever shine,
Those endless treasures, Wesley, all are thine!

Whate’er with lavish fancy poets feign
Of bowery scenes and an Elysian plain,
Where everlasting zephyrs waft perfume,
Fruits ever ripen, flowers for ever bloom;
Those fruits and flowers, which on the borders grow
Of living streams, where waves of nectar flow;
Where happy guests on rosy beds recline,
And press from heavenly grapes immortal wine,
Whate’er the surer Scripture-page displays
Of golden wreaths, inchas’d with starry rays,
Which crown the blest; the shining robes they wear.
The shouts they utter, and the palms they bear,
The angel songs which swells the concert high,
And all the immortal music of the sky!
These strong, these bright ideas are too faint
The joys ineffable of heaven to paint.

Thus while thy drooping friends surround thy urn;
We meditate thy bliss, and cease to mourn;
Recite the virtues of thy life below,
Till we with zealous emulation glow:
Resolve like thine our future life to frame,
To make each social useful grace our aim;
To propagate true knowledge, void of guile,
To combat craft, whose schemes the truth defile:
To cheer the afflicted, the deprest to raise.
And modest icorth to fortify with praise.

‘Twas thus, if small to match with great we dare,
A mortal’s virtue with a God’s compare;
‘Twas thus the Saviour of the world exprest
The Life Divine, in human semblance drest;
Spotless in act, unwearied ill to chase,
And arduous for the weal of human race.

Sylvius.

We shall meet with this author again, when we come to the account of Mrs. Wright, the Clio of her uncle Matthew. I cannot find that Mr. Matthew Wesley left any papers behind him. He must have died when far advanced in life. It appears that his father was a married man, and had a family in 1662; and it is probable that Matthew, who was his eldest son, jnight have been born about the year 1660, and as the verses on his death were inserted in the Gentleman’s Magazine in the month of June 1737? in which year he certainly died, he must have been, at his death, about seventy-six or seventy-seven years of age.

I have before supposed that both he and his brother Samuel might have had the rudiments of a classical education from their father, though they were both young at the time of his death, the former probably ten or ttvelve, the latter eight or nine years of age. But there was such an aptitude to learn, and such a power of comprehension in all the Wesley family, that at ten or twelve years of age they had acquired as much as most others have done when they have arrived at sixteen. We shall meet proofs of this as we proceed in the history of this family.

It is most likely that Matthew continued with the Non-conformists till his death; as we find no intimation that he left their communion. But as he seems to have taken no part in the political and polemical disputes which divided and tortured the people of that day, he was thought by several to be indifferent to all forms of religion. “Had this been so,” says Miss Wesley, in a letter now before me, “I should hardly have supposed that such good parents as my grandfather and grandmother would have entrusted him with their darling daughter, [Martha.] He had Hetty before. Martha often told me she never had reason to believe it, as he approved her habit of going regularly to morning prayers at church, and was exemplarily moral in his words and actions, esteeming religion, but never talking of its mysteries. Silence on the subject in that age, where controversy was frequent, might give rise to the suspicion that he was sceptically inclined, especially in a family jealous for its spirituality.”

Patty lived long with him, and was used by him with the greatest tenderness: but she complained that he was not decidedly religious, though he was strictly moral in his conduct, and highly esteemed piety in others. See a letter of her’s to her brother John, in the Memoirs of her Life.

There is an excellent saying of his recorded by Mrs. S. Wesley in a letter to her son John in 1735, which should not be omitted: — “Never let any man know that you have heard what he has said against you. It may be he spake on misinformation, or was in a passion, or did it in a weak compliance with the company; perhaps he has changed his mind, and is sorry for having done it, and may continue friendly to you. But if he finds that you are acquainted with what he has said, he will conclude you cannot forgive him, and upon that supposition will become your enemy.”

I have heard that Mr. Surgeon Wesley had a son who was educated at Oxford, but shortened his life by intemperance: but of any of mr. wesley’s ancestors.

other part of his family I have heard nothing; nor do I know whether the above information be correct, as he appears rather as a bachelor in the scanty memoirs I have been able to glean up of hisr life.