This three-volume account of the life of John Wesley
(1703-1791) was published in the year of his death. Written by John
Hampson (c.1753-1819), a Church of England clergyman and former
Methodist preacher, the work also contains a thorough review of Wesley's
writings and a history of Methodism. Hampson's excellent overview of
contemporary assessments of the preacher is more balanced than John
Whitehead's two-volume Life of the Rev. John Wesley (1793-1796), which has
also been reissued in this series.
Volume 1 explores Wesley's lineage and early life,
including his journey to America in 1735 and his conversion in 1738.
This volume also contains short chapters on his brothers Samuel and
Charles. Drawing on a wide range of sources, the work remains important
for its informed appraisal of this religious movement and its founder.