“I have heard of cases like to his; I have been reading of revivals, as some call such an awakening as has taken place through Mr. Wesley's preaching, and every one of them has been followed by the appearance of men not unlike Dick Pritchard in temper--men who lose themselves in their zeal--get out of their depth--become seized by an ambition to teach others before they themselves have got through the primer.” “For me, I call to mind naught but the magic men of Egypt,” said Jake Pullsford. “They were able to do by their traffic with the Evil One all that Moses did by miracle. I always had my doubts about the power that Dick Pritchard professed--finding water by the help of his wand of hazel--as 'twere a wizard's wand--maybe the staves of the Egyptian sorcerers were of hazel--I shouldn't wonder. And now he falls into a trance and says he sees a vision, equalling himself to St. John at Patmos! For myself I say that I never knew of a truly godly man falling into a trance. My grandfather--you are old enough to remember him, farmer?” “I mind him well--pretty stiff at a bargain up to the end,” said the farmer with a side nod of acquiescence. “We be talking of the same man,” resumed the miller. “Well, I say that he told me of one such mystical vision seer that came from Dorset in his young days, and he saw so many things that he was at last tried for sorcery and burnt in the marketplace. Ah, those were the days when men wasn't allowed by law to go so far as they do now-a-days. Why, 'tis only rarely that we hear of a witch burning in these times.” Wesley held up his hand. “I had my misgivings in regard to Pritchard from the first,” he said. “And when I got news that he had been causing you trouble I felt that he had indeed been an agent of the Evil One. But now--God forbid that I should judge him in haste. I scarce know what to think about him. I have heard of holy men falling into trances and afterwards saying things that were profitable to hear. I am in doubt. I must pray for guidance.” “The man is to be pitied,” said Mr. Hartwell. “You heard the uplifted way he talked at the last--like a fool full of his own conceit? Have you heard yet, Mr. Wesley, what an effect his prediction has had upon the country?” “I heard naught of it until I had entered the parlour at the inn where I dined to-day, but I think I heard enough to allow of my forming some notion of the way his prediction was received. Some were jocular over it, a few grave, and a large number ribald.”