To Mrs. Harper (Emilia Wesley) NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE:, June 30, 1743. DEAR EMLY, Once, I think, I told you my mind freely before; I am constrained to do so once again. You say, 'From the time of my coming to London till last Christmas you would not do me the least kindness.' Do I dream, or you Whose house were you in for three months and upwards By whose money were you sustained It is a poor case that I am forced to mention these things. But 'I would not take you lodgings in fifteen weeks.' No, nor should I have done in fifteen years. I never once imagined that you expected me to do this! Shall I leave the Word of God to serve tables You should know I have quite other things to mind; temporal things I shall mind less and less. 'When I was removed, you never concerned yourself about me.' That is not the fact. What my brother does I do. Besides, I myself spoke to you abundance of times before Christmas last. 'When I was at preaching, you would scarce speak to me.' Yes; at least as much as to my sister Wright, or indeed as I did to any else at those times. 'I impute all your unkindness to one principle you hold that natural affection is a great weakness, if not a sin.' What is this principle I hold That natural affection is a sin or that adultery is a virtue or that Mahomet was a prophet of God and that Jesus Christ was a son of Belial You may as well impute all these principles to me as one. I hold one just as much as the other. O Emmy, never let that idle, senseless accusation come out of your mouth.

Do you hold that principle, 'that we ought to be just (i.e. pay our debts) before we are merciful' If I held it, I should not give one shilling for these two years either to you or any other. And, indeed, I have for some time stayed my hand; so that I give next to nothing, except what I give to my relations. And I am often in doubt with regard to that, not whether natural affection be not a sin, but whether it ought to supersede common justice. You know nothing of my temporal circumstances and the straits I am in almost continually; so that, were it not for the reputation of my great riches, I could not stand one week. I have now done with myself, and have only a few words concerning you. You are of all creatures the most unthankful to God and man. I stand amazed at you. How little have you profited under such means of improvement! Surely, whenever your eyes are opened, whenever you see your own tempers, with the advantages you have enjoyed, you will make no scruple to pronounce yourself (whores and murderers not excepted) the very chief of sinners. I am, c.