peared, and in 1866 a new and enlarged ed. was _pub._ His _Elementary
Spelling Book_ is believed to have attained a circulation of 70,000,000
copies. He also _pub._ _A Philosophical and Practical Grammar of the
English Language_ (1807), and many other works.

WELLS, CHARLES JEREMIAH (1800?-1879).--Poet, _b._ in London, where he
practised as a solicitor, _pub._ in 1822 _Stories after Nature_, written
in poetic prose, which attracted no attention, and a biblical drama,
_Joseph and his Brethren_ (1824), which had an almost similar fate until
D.G. Rossetti called attention to it in 1863, giving it a high meed of
praise. In 1874, stung by want of appreciation, he had burned his
manuscripts of plays and poems; but on the new interest excited in his
_Joseph_ he added some new scenes. In his later years he lived in France.
_Joseph and his Brethren_ ed. in the World's Classics, 1909.

WENDOVER, ROGER DE (_d._ 1236).--Chronicler, a monk of St. Albans, became
Prior of Belvoir, from which he was deposed for extravagance, but was
recalled to St. Albans, where he _d._ He wrote _Flores Historiarum_
(Flowers of History), a history of the world in 2 books, the first from
the creation to the incarnation, the second to the reign of Henry III.,
his own time. The latter is of value as a contemporary authority, and is
an impartial and manly account of his own period.

WESLEY, CHARLES (1707-1788).--Hymn-writer, younger brother of John W.
(_q.v._), was _b._ at Epworth, and _ed._ at Westminster School and Oxf.
He was all his life closely associated with his elder and greater
brother, one of whose most loyal helpers he was, though not agreeing with
him in all points. His chief fame is founded upon his hymns, of which he
is said to have written the almost incredible number of 6500, many of
them among the finest in the language. They include "Jesus, Lover of my
Soul," "Love Divine all Loves excelling," "Come, oh Thou Traveller
Unknown," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," and "Come, let us join our
Friends above."

WESLEY, JOHN (1703-1791).--Theological writer, diarist, and founder of
Methodism, was the second surviving _s._ of the Rev. Samuel W., Rector of
Epworth, Lincolnshire. The name was also written Westley and Wellesley,
and the family appears to be the same as that to which the Duke of
Wellington and his brother the Marquis Wellesley belonged. W. was _ed._
at the Charterhouse and at Oxf., and was ordained deacon in 1725, and
priest i