'Extract of a letter for[sic] [The letter is actually signed by Graves, so Seward must have made a mistake in transcribing it] Mr [Charles Caspar] Graves. Yesterday Mrs Esson fell into a violent and terrible fit – she has been subject to them ever since her husband’s death and many people have died without showing such extreme convulsions. O, how easily can death come upon people. How long is it that they might have been worse than dead – have devils run away with their souls. God grant wisdom that they may consider their end. Let God teach them to number their days.'
Graves’ friends tell him that he talks in too mystical a fashion. 'God forbid I should & give me righteousness & discretion in all my words; The same complaints they have against the Mr Westleys [John and Charles Wesley], the reason for that I suppose is, because they are experienced Christians, & speak much of the experimental part, which to be sure is like as ye whole doctrine of Christ relating to it, mysticism to ye natural man; for he discerneth not the things of the spirit of God. The most piercing bodily eye cannot see a spirit because of the dissonancy betwixt the object and visible faculty, so the natural carnal man, though he have the greatest share of reason, be his natural parts never so good, & tho he be arrived at the pitch of morality, cannot know the things of faith, because there is no habitude or suitable proportion between them and his faculties.'