Susanna Wesley (d. 1742), the mother of 19 children, one of whom was John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism, knew the importance of food in shaping the character of her children. This is evident in the following quotation taken from her letter of June 24, 1732, to hen son, John, in which she described how the Wesley children were brought up.As soon as they were grown pretty strong they were confined to three meals a day. At dinner their little table and chairs were set by ours, where they could be overlooked; and they were suffered to eat and drink (small beer) as much as they would; but not to call for anything. If they wanted aught, they used to whisper to the maid that attended them, who came and spake to me; and as soon as they could handle a knife and fork they were set to our table. They were never suffered to choose their meat, but always made to eat such things as were provided for the family.Mornings they had always spoon-meat; sometimes at nights. But whatever they had, they were never permitted to eat at those meals, of more than one thing; and of that sparingly enough. Drinking or eating between meals was never allowed, unless in case of sickness; which seldom happened. Nor were they suffered to go into the kitchen to ask anything of the servants, when they were at meat: if it was known they did, they were certainly beat, and the servants severely reprimanded....
展开▼
