Table Cover

18th-19th century

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Oval dark blue jasper medallion with white relief of Cupid with the club of Hercules
St. Leopold with the Architectural Plans for Klosterneuburg near Vienna, Mariazell foundry, cast iron
Octagonal tri-color jasper (lilac, dark blue, and white) cameo with white relief of a Nymph Playing Cymbals
Oval black basalt medallion with relief profile portrait of Wesley (1703-1790) facing right, Founder of English methodism; the second son of Samuel Wesley, rector of Epworth. Educated at Charterhouse and Christ Church, Oxford. He showed great promise as a student, and developed a strong religious fervour after reading Law's Serious Call. He formed an association with other students of the college who held similar views, in their devotions and from the punctiliousness of the members demeanour, they became to be called 'methodists' by the wits of the university. Among the circle, apart from Wesley, was George Whitfield who was to acquire almost equal celebrity at the time. Wesley went to the American colony of Virginia and preached among the Indians. In 1738 he returned to London and began to preach, drawing large crowds. He then went to Bristol to become a field preacher in successiopn to Whitfield. He would usually travel 4,500 miles a year or a total of 225,000 miles in his lifetime delivering sermons from 2 to 4 hours long.