(1806) A Portraiture Of Quakerism Volume 1

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a42fafi">

A

PORTRAITURE

of

QUAKERISM.

TAKEN FROM A VIEW OF THE

EDUCATION AND

DISCIPLINE,

SOCIAL MANNERS, CIVIL

AND POLITICAL ECONOMY,

RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES AND

CHARACTER, OF THE

J>cricrp of

f rtentJ^

Br THOMAS CLARKSON,

M.

A.

AUTHOR OF SEVERAL ESSAYS ON THE SLAVE TRADE.

VOL.

I.

3£cttKCodu PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL STANSBURY, NO. Ill, WATER-STREET.

18C6.

JODTHWICK AND HARDCASTiE, PRINTERS.

b

CONTENTS OF

THE

FIRST VOLUME.

Introduction, page

ill

Prefatory Arrangements and Remarks, p.

.

xxvii

MORAL EDUCATION. CHAPTER

I.

—

Amusements distinguishable into useful and hurtful specif ed and forbidden, p

CHAPTER

— —Forbidden

favourable

to

—

history of the origin

39

as beloxv the dignity of the intellect of

his christian character,

m.-— As producing

Sect,

—

44

p

an excitement of

religious impressions

this excitement,

35

II.

Sect. i. Games of chance forbidden of some of these,

Sect. ii. man, and of

the latter

—

the passions, un-

historical anecdotes

of

47

p

Sect. iv. As tending to produce, by the introduction of habits of gaming, an alteration in the moral character, p. 55

CHAPTER Sect.

i.

—Music forbidden—instrumental —

but greatly abused its

the use

abuse at the present day,

Sect.

III.

ii.

— Quakers

it

innocent in itself

almost inseparable

from 59

cannot learn instrumental on the usual nor consider it as a source of moral

motives of the "world

dt

p

of

—

X J ?j

fh

—

—

CONTENTS.

iV

improvemrrt. or of solid comfort fulthat,

indulgediris

ij

it

duty of religious retirement,

Sect. Hi. of its u. tnental to

—but are fear*

mind

to the

would- interfere with the Christian

64

p

^Quakers canrot learn vocal, because, on account ti<

motive powers,

man

its

/->

it is

tendency

capable of becoming oeiri-

to this, as ai coverable

analysis of different'vhssis of songs, p* t

— The

....

by an

C9

preceding the arguments of the early Quaker::-— but the r.exv state of music has produced other-

S£cT. iv

these explained,

—

— 75

p

Sect. v. An objection stated to the different arguments of the 79 Quakers on this subject their reply, p

—

CHAPTER

IV.

— — The Theatre —and of and progre £

Sect.

forbidden

i.

its state

Sect. as to

ii.

hori history of

its

origin

83

?,

— Manner of

the. drama, chjectedto

personates the characters of others reform vice, p

it

hi. —

by the Quakers

—and

as

it

—

professes

89

—

drama objected to as they hold Contents of Sf.ct. and xveaken the sinews cf moral* out fake sentiments ity,

Sect.

—

&2

p

—

Theatre considered by the "Quakers to be injurious s him for the pleahappiness of man, as it a

iv.

to the

the

sures of religion,

Sect. v.

— To

qualifies

Sect. vi.

97

p

be injurious to the happiness of ruin, as

him for domestic enjoyments, p.

— Opinions

of the early

it

...

Christians on

this

101 sub-

106

ject,p

CHAPTER Sect,

dis-

Dancing forbidden

i

—

V.

light in

which

this subject

—

has

fakers been viewed both by the ancients and the moderns principally object to it, where it is connected with public assemblie-

— they conceive

volous levity, titans,

p.

.

it

productive, in this case, of a frithe evil pas-

and of an excitement of many of *

1Ji

6

CONTENTS.

V

—

These arguments of the ^takers, on dancing, exSect. ii. amined in three supposed cases put to a moral philosopher,

p

11

—

These arguments farther elucidated by a display Sect. hi. 122 of the JBull-rooom, p

CHAPTER Novels forbidden —

VI.

considered by the Quakers as producing art a romantic spirit and a pervertaffectation of knozvkdge ed morality, p. 129

—

—

CHAPTER Sect.

i.

—Diversions of

—

—

general thoughtupon tiiis subject sentiments of some of our best law of the Quakers concerning it, p. . . 137

—

lessness

poets

VII.

the field forbidden

— Sect. hi. — Examined by

Sect. ii. Consistency of this law exam hied by the moralitu, which is inculcated by the Old Testament, p, . . 143

—

the morality of the New these employments, if resorted to as diversion?., pronounced, in both cases, to be a breach of a moral law, 149 p

CHAPTER

VIII.

Objections to the preceding system, xvhich includes these different prohibitions, as a system of moral education, p. . 154

CHAPTER

—Reply of —Farther

Sect.

i.

Sect.

ii.

the

Quakers

IX.

to these objections,

reply of the Qita&ers on the

ject^

p.

161

same sub167

DISCIPLINE.

CHAPTER

— of —Manner of

Sect.

i.

Sf.ct.

ii.

Outlines

the discipline

I.

of the Quakers, p.

the administration

of this

discipline,

175

184

— CONTENTS.

vi

— Charges brought — answer — The of of — Pennsylvania, example

Sect. hi. tion

of

against the administra-

usually

to these

observations in

it

Sect. iv.

principles

190

charges, p.

this discipline applicable to

the

larger societies, or to the criminal codes of . 195 in beautifid p.

discipline states

CHAPTER

II.

Monthly court or meeting of the Quakers for the purposes of nature and manner of the business transtheir discipline

—

acted there,

„205

p

CHAPTER

III.

Quarterly court or meeting for the same purposes-filature 21 & and manner of the business there, p

CHAPTER

IV.

—

Annual court or meeting for tlie same purposes nature and manner of the business there —striking peculiarities in this manner—character of this discipline or government, p. 221

CHAPTER

V.

—nature

of disowning as a 236

Excommunication or disowning punishment, p

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. CHAPTER Sect.

i.

—Dress—extravagance of —

I.

the dress

of

the fifteenth

and sixteenth centuries plain manner in which the grave and religious were then habited the Quakers sprang out of

these,

—

241

p

Quakers carried ivith them Sect. n. extravagance of their neiv society

—

their plain dresses into

the

world continuing,

—

at they defined the objects of dress as a Christian people hence their prelength incorporated it into their discipline sent dress is only a less deviation from that of their ances-

—

tors,

than that of other people, p.

.

.

.

249

CONTENTS.

vii

hi.—Objections

of the world to the Qiutker-dresi examined a comparison between the language of Quakerism and of Christianity on this subject opinion of

Sect,

—

these

—

the early Christians upon

it,

p.

.

CHAPTER Furniture

—

the

257"

.

.

II.

—reasons

Qiiakers use plain furniture

their singularities in this respect, p.

CHAPTER

.

.

for 268

III.

—Language— Qiiakers have connnon — of Thou for Tou— reasons for — 273 of many learned men concerning — Various made— Sect. —and of honour — reasons for changes, p. of285 — days names of Sect. hi.—Another — reasons fir change—various neiv and altered the

Sect. i. guage change

lan-

this

sub.Aitution

opinions

it,

as in

other alterations

ii.

titles

ad-

these

dress

the

as in the

alteration

....

the month..

this

phrases also introduced, p.

—

Sect. iv. Objections by the world against . . . Thou fur Tou, p.

...

—Against of —Against Sect. of months, —Advantages and Sect. Sect. v.

that

titles

that

vi.

p.

.

.

the

.

.

names of the days and . . . 309

disadvantages of these alterations

vii.

.

CHAPTER Address—common personal address forbidden — no

.

.

.

gestures or worldly ceremonies of in favour cf royalty

—

reasons against the disuse of these, p.

CHAPTER Manners and kers' houses

—

—

.

320

V.

hospitality

their conversation

subjects

.

and freedom in Quamore limited than that of of conversation examined in our towns

conversation

—

314

IV.

exception

and in

of

296

of address and honour, 300

by the Quaker language, p.

others

291

the alteration

the metropolis

—

—

extraordinary circumstance that takes place occasionally in the company of the Quakers, p. 328

CONTENTS,

viii

CHAPTER

VI-

—

Customs before meah ancients made an oblation to Vesta— moderns have substituted grace account of a Quaker-

— .......

grace, p*

CHAPTER

342

VII.

—

Qtiakers never drink healths or Customs' at and after meals various reasons for their disuse of these customs toasts and seldom allow women to retire after dinner and leave the

—

— Quakers a

men drinking

sober people, p>

—

.

-

350

INTRODUCTION.

MOTIVES FOR THE UNDERTAKING— ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF QUAKERS GEORGE FOX, THE FOUNDER OF THE SOCIETY SHORT HISTORY OF HIS LIFE.

—

Jf

—

ROM the year

1787,

when

I

began to devote

my

labours to the abolition of the slave trade, I was

thrown frequently called

it

among

company of

this subject.

Indeed they had plac-

the articles of their religious discipline.

Their houses were of course open to of the kingdom. their living

the people,

These people had been then long

Quakers.

unanimous upon ed

into the

Hence

I

came

to a

me

in

all

parts

knowledge of

manners, which no other person,

who was

not a Quaker, could have easily obtained.

As

soon as

I

or at least of so

became possessed of

much

of

it,

this

as to feel that

knowledge, it

was con-

siderable, I conceived a desire of writing their \

moral

INTRODUCTION.

j i

history.

I

believed I should be able to exhibit to the

rest of the world

many

excellent customs, of

they were ignorant, but which

them

to

know.

I believed too, that I

fording to the Quakers themselves, utility,

by

letting

reflection of their sire,

them

see, as

it

own images.

which

might be useful

it

should be

some

were

to af-

lessons of

in a glass, the

I felt also a great

de-

amidst these considerations, to do them justice

for ignorance

;

and prejudice had invented many ex-

pressions concerning them, to the detriment of their character,

which

to suppose, during

be

conduct never gave

their

my

all

me

intercourse with them, to

true.

Nor was might

I without the belief, that

afford entertainment to

as every

body knows,

reigners do,

from

adopt a singular

differ

their

mode

many.

such a history

The Quakers,

more than even many

of language.

Their domestic

They have renounced

ceremonies, which

other christians, in

all

or other, have retained.

the other islanders

by

They

ences are great and striking. that those,

who were

character,

might be

ples,

religious

some form

are distinguished

their dress.

fo-

They

own countrymen.

customs are peculiar.

all

reason

These

from

differ-

And I thought therefore

curious in the developcment of gratified in

knowing

the princi-

which produced such numerous exceptions from

the general practices of the world.

INTRODUCTION. But though

I

these sentiments

tti

had conceived from the operation of

upon my mind,

as long ago as I have

a strong desire to write the moral history of

stated,

the Quakers, yet

my incessant occupations on the sub

ject of the slave-trade,

and indisposition of body

after-

wards, in consequence of the great mental exertions necessary in such a cause, prevented ing

my

length these causes of prevention

But when,

ceased. I

At

design.

me from attempt-

after this,

the subject recurred,

did not seem to have the industry and perseverance,

though

I

had

still

the inclination

Time, however, continued

taking.

at length I

my work much

two

years, that,

longer,

I

by

forcibly struck

were not

might not

to put

my

hand

who was

to

be as

ever to give a

count of them.

It is

live to

begin

little

if I

Quakers

known For

I

to their

I did

not

and satisfactory ac-

true indeed, that there are works, a certain portion of

and an abstract of their religious princi-

might be collected

living

full

by Quakers, from which

their history, ples,

were to de-

to the task, the

fellow-citizens, as they are at present.

written

parti-

another, namely, that,

would probably continue

see

if I

till

This consideration operated upon me. But

it at all.

was

to steal on,

began to be apprehensive, but more

cularly within the last lay

for the under-

left,

;

but none, from whence their

manners could be taken.

It is true also that

others, of other religious denominations,

have written

INTRODUCTION.

iv

concerning them

mentioned them

my

knowledge, has given a correct

It

would be tedious to dwell on the

account of them.

Mosheim, or of Formey, or of Hume, or on

those to be found in publications.

stance of that

my

It

many

modern

periodical(c)

familiar intercourse with the

And

history.

of the

seemed, therefore, from the circum-

devolved upon

it

have

in the course of their respective writ-

ings, not one, to

errors of

who

but of those authors,

;

I

me

particularly to write their

was the more confirmed

ion, because, in looking forward, I

foresee the time

when any

Quakers,

in

my opin-

was never able

other cause

would

to

equally,

with that of the slave-trade, bring any other person,

who was

not of the societv, into such habits of friend-

ship with the Quakers, as that he should obtain an

equal degree of knowledge concerning them with

By

self.

this

new

consideration I was

dinarily stimulated, It is

and

I

began

not improbable but

my

it

•

(a)

I

Puritans.

will lean,

liberal spirit,

or

work

more than I

it

will

be a

ought to

do not pretend to

be utterly able to divest myself of all

must except Dr. Toulmin's

One

or-

some may imagine from

do, in favour of the Quakers. say, that I shall

more than

work.

the account already given, that this partial one, or that

my-

revision of Neal's history of the

two publications have appeared

since, written, in a

but they are confined principally to the religious principles

of the Quakers-.

INTRODUCTION. undue

which

influence,

may have produced, when

sed,

work of

y

towards

their attention

me

or that I shall be utterly unbias-

consider them as fellow-labourers in the

I

the abolition of the slave-trade

;

for if others

had put their shoulders to the wheel equally with them

on the occasion, one of the greatest causes of human misery, and moral

was ever known

evil, that

world, had been long ago annihilated, nor can ceal, that I

have a regard for men, of whom

feature in their character, that,

brought to argue upon

given

by

am

to moral justice,

traits in their

others, but

had

and there had been but

But though

me, and on account of the good

moral character,

I

am

not so

as to be blind to their imperfections.

of itself a pure system, and,

if

all,

who profess

it,

and

their frailties

lay

open

but I

;

from

and imperfections,

to them,

wherever

this I shall do, not

so,

Quakerism

are not Quakers.

tion therefore of their practice

much

is

followed closely, will

lead towards purity and perfection

And

for if this

;

confessedly partial to the Quakers on account of

their hospitality to

that

a just

in exalted stations, policy

public wickedness in the world.

little

I

way

by men

it is

con-

they reason

political subjects,

of reasoning had been adopted

particularly

I

whenever they can be

upon principle, and not upon consequences

mode

in the

their profession, I shall

I believe

because

I

know well The deviauniformly

them

to exist.

wish to avoid the

INTRODUCTION.

vi

charge of partiality, but from a

duty to do

The

that

belief,

society, of

which

I

am

name

the

is

my

to speak, are called (b)

Quakers by the world, but are known

by

it

it.

to each other

of friends, a beautiful appellation, and

which man, under the

characteristic of the relation,

ought uniformly to bear to

christian dispensation,

man.

The Founder

He was

was George Fox

of the society

born of "honest and

sufficient parents," at

Drayton

in Leicestershire, in the year 1624.

put out,

when young, according

who was

to a man,

dealt in wool,

But

it

own

account,

shoe-maker by trade, and who

and followed grazing, and sold

appears from William Penn,

member that

a

to his

He was

cattle."

who became

of the society, and was acquainted with

a

him

he principally followed the country-part of his

master's business.

He

took a great delight in sheep,

" an employment," says Penn, "that very well suited his

mind

its

solitude,

in

some

respects, both for

its

and was a just figure of his

innocency and after ministry

and service." In his youth he manifested a seriousness of not usual in persons of his age.

(b) Justice

spirit,

This seriousness

Bennet of Derby gave the society the name of Quakers

the year 1650, because the founder of

it

in

ordered him, and those present

with him, to tremble at the word of the Lord.

INTRODUCTION. grew upon him, and as

it

vii

encreased he encouraged

it,

so that in the year 1643, or in the twentieth year of

he conceived himself,

his age,

in

consequence of the

awful impression he had received, to be called upon to separate himself

from the world, and

to devote

himself to religion.

At

this

time the Church of England, as a Protes-

tant church,

were not

had been established; and many, who

satisfied

with the settlement of it, had formed

themselves into different religious sects. a great

number

There was

of persons also in the kingdom,

who

approving neither of the religion of the establishment, nor of that of the different denominations alluded

withdrew

from

the

communion of every

These were ready

church.

to follow

to,

visible

any teacher,

who might inculcate doctrines that coincided with their own apprehensions. Thus far a way lay open among many for a cordial reception of George Fox. But of

those,

who had formed

churches of their own,

it

different

may be

visible

observed,

that

though they were prejudiced, the reformation had not taken place so long, but that they were religious advancement.

Nor had

long, but that thousands were

and stood subject.

in

need of

light

still

alive to

it

taken place so

still

very ignorant,

and informataion on

that

INTRODUCTION.

viii

does not appear, however, that George Fox, for

It

the

ed

first it

to

when he

three years from the time,

conceiv-

be his duty to withdraw from the world, had

He

done any thing as a public minister of the gospel.

had travelled from the year 1643 the counties of

Warwick,

and Bedford, and as

far as

to

1646, through

Leicester, Northampton,

London.

In this interval

he appears to have given himself up to solemn impressions, and to have endeavoured to find out as

ny serious people

as he could, with a

ma-

view of convers-

ing with them on the subject of religion. In 1647 he extended his travels to Derbyshire, and

from thence into Lancashire, but returned to tive country.

He met

with

many

the course of this journey,

his na-

friendly people in

and had many serious

conversations with them, but he never joined in profession with any.

At Duckenfield, however, and

Manchester, he went

among

those,

whom

at

he termed

" the professors of religion," and according to his " he

and declared

own

expressions,

truth

among them." Of these some were convinced

staid a while

but others were enraged, being startled trine of perfection.

we

find

At Broughton

him attending

a

at his

doc-

in Leicestershire,

meeting of the Baptists,

at

which many of other denominations were present.

Here he spoke publicly and convinced many. this

he went back to the county of Nottingham.

After

And

INTRODUCTION.

ix

here a report having gone abroad, that he was an extraordinary

came

ple,

young man, many, both

far

and peo-

priests

and near to see him.

In 1648 he confined his movements to a few coun-

we

In this year

ties.

character.

him becoming

find

a public

In Nottinghamshire he delivered himself

meetings, consisting either

in public at three different

of priests and professors, as he calls them, or professors and people.

company of

great

expounding the

In Warwickshire he

met with a

who were

praying and

professors,

scriptures,

discoursed largely, and the hearers

and

tion,

Here he

in the fields. fell

into conten-

In Leicestershire he attended

so parted.

another meeting, consisting of Church people, Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists,

publicly again.

This meeting was held

The persons present discoursed and tions

where he spoke

were propounded,

in a church.

reasoned.

Ques-

and answers followed.

An

answer given by George Fox, in which he stated that

" the church was the that

it

pillar

did not consist of a

old house,

made up

of living stones,

and ground of

mixed

truth,

and

multitude, or of an

of lime, stones, and wood, but

living

members, and

a

spiritual

household, of which Christ was the head," set them all

on

fire.

The clergyman

left

the pulpit, the peo-

ple their pews, and the meeting separated.

Fox, however, went afterwards VOL.

1.

B

to an Inn,

George where he

INTRODUCTION.

x

argued with priests and professors of parting from thence, he took

up

his

all

De-

sorts.

abode

for

some

time in the vale of Beevor, where he preached Re-

He

pentance, and convinced many. into Nottinghamshire,

then returned

and passed from thence into

Derbyshire, in both which counties his doctrines spread.

And,

after this,

warning Justices of the Peace,

as he travelled along, to

wicked men vale of

to

amend

Beevor again.

do

he came into the

In this vale

it

own

sion from divine authority,

it

to

and notoriously

their lives,

ceived, according to his

on his mind,

justice,

was

that

account, his commis-

by means cf impressions

consequence of which he conceived

in

be discovered to him,

among

other things, that

he was " to turn the people from darkness light."

By

he re-

this

time he had converted

to the

many hund-

reds to his opinions, and divers meetings of Friends, to use his

The

own expression, "had been then gathered."

year 1649 was ushered in by

He was employed and justices to do fulfil

justice,

and

in

warning persons to

the duties of their respective stations in

it

On

life.

of all his years of suffering. that,

coming

town of Nottingham, and seeing the

great church, he there.

first

happened on a Sunday morning,

in sight of the

labours.

occasionally in writing to judges

This year was the

For

new

felt

an impression on his mind to go

hearing a part of the sermon, he was so

INTRODUCTION.

xi

struck with what he supposed to be the erroneous doctrine

it

contained, that he could not help publicly

contradicting

it.

For

this interruption of the service

At

he was seized, and afterwards confined in prison. Mansfield again, as he was declaring his

ous opinions

the people

in the church,

own

fell

religi-

upon him

and beat and bruised him, and put him afterwards

At Market Bosworth he was stoned and

the stocks.

At

driven out of the place.

Chesterfield he address-

ed both the clergyman and the people, but they ried

him

before the mayor,

at night, at

in

who

detained

which unseasonable time the

him

till

officers

carlate

and

watchmen put him out of the town.

And here

I

would observe, before

I

proceed to the

occurrences of another year, that there believe that

duct at

in

having interrupted the service of the church I

have stated to have been the

occasion of his imprisonment.

ed any one of

his actions,

circumstances called suffering for

it

either

it

right,

forth,

if

he believ-

he repeated

it,

as

though he was sure of

from the magistrates or the peo-

But he never repeated

wards,

For

with which the world had

been offended, to have been

ple.

reason to

George Fox disapproved of his own con-

Nottingham, which

iirst

is

this,

when any occasion of

but he always

after-

religious controversy

occurred in any of the churches, where his travels

lay,

INTRODUCTION.

xii

uniformly suspended his observations,

till

the service

was over.

George Fox spent almost year, that

is,

the whole of the next

of the year 1650, in confinement in Der-

by Prison. In 1651, to have

when he was

been

set at liberty,

in the least disheartened

he had received mere, or

he seems not

by the treatment

at the different places before

mentioned, but to have resumed his travels, and to

have held religious meetings, as he went along.

had even the boldness to go he imagined to

it

to

be his duty, and, with his shoes in the streets,

on the market- dav, a woe against

continued also to

because

into Litchfield,

pronounce with an audible voice

this

He

visit the

that citv.

off

and

He

churches, as he journeyed,

in the time of divine service,

and to address the priests

and the people publicly, as he saw occasion, but not, as I observed before,

over.

It

till

he believed the service to be

does not appear, however, that he suffered

any interruption upon these occasions, in the course of the present year, except at York-Minster as he

was beginning to preach

hurried out of

it,

after the

where,

sermon, he was

and thrown down the steps by the

congregation, which was then breaking up. t$

;

It ap-

pears that he had been generally well received in the

county of York, and that he had convinced many.

INTRODUCTION. In the year 1652, shires of

after

was opened

his future steps,

who were

At

the top of this he appre-

him, whither he was to direct

to

and that he saw a great host of people,

be converted by him

to

in-

Here, in the course of his journey/he

ascended Pendle-Hill. it

having passed through the

Nottingham and Lincoln, he came again

to Yorkshire.

hended

xiii

in the

course of his j

From

ministry.

this

time

we may

having received his commission his

own mind. For

in the vale of

full

him

as

and complete

in

consider

Beevor he conceived

himself to have been informed of the various doctrines,

which

it

became

his

duty to teach, and, on this

occasion, to have had an insight of the places where

he was to spread them.

To which

go over I

his

life,

even in the concise way,

have hitherto attempted

this introduction into a

from

it,

volume.

would be I

this great period of his ministry,

pel,

to swell

shall therefore,

make

following simple statement concerning

He

in

only the

it.

continued his labours, as a minister of the gos-

and even preached, within two days of

During

this

parts of the

his death.

time he had settled meetings in most

kingdom, and had given

to these the

foundation of that beautiful system of discipline, which I shall explain in this

the

Quakers

at the

volume, and which exists among

present day.

INTRODUCTION.

xiv

He

had travelled over England,

He

Wales.

ed

He had visited the and America. He had extend-

had been

West- Indies,

British

in Ireland.

his travels to Holland,

He had

and part of Germany.

written, in this interval,

books, and had addressed

felt

mind, which convinced him, that

do

several religious

kings, princes,

letters to

magistrates, and people, as he

to

and

Scotland,

impressions on his it

become

his duty

it.

He had experienced also, He had

bodily sufferings.

during

this interval, great

been long and repeatedly

The state

confined in different gaols of the kingdom.

of the gaols, in these times,

is

not easily to be con-

at

Launceston in Corn-

ceived.

That of Doomsdale

wall, has

never been exceeded for

filth

and

pestilential

noisomeness, nor those of Lancaster and Scarboroughcastles for

exposure to the inclemency of the elements.

In the two

latter

for the rain

upon

he was scarcely ever diy for two years;

used to beat into them, and to run down

the floor.

This exposure to the severity of the

weather occasioned his body and limbs to be benumbed,

and to swell to a painful

ation,

by injuring

size,

his health,

and

for future

sufferings during the remainder of his

With

laid the

occasional

life.

respect to the religious doctrines,

George Fox inculcated during

found-

his ministry,

it

which is

not

necessary to speak of them here, as they will be detail-

INTRODUCTION. ed

in their

proper places.

I

must observe, however,

upon many

that he laid a stress

xv

which the world

things,

considered to be of little moment, but which his

fol-

lowers thought to be entirely worthy of his spiritual

He forbade

calling.

all

modes and gestures, which

the

are used as tokens of obeisance, or flattery, or honour,

He

among men.

insisted

He

speech or language.

He

of music.

declaimed against

all

sorts

protested against the exhibitions of the

and many of the accustomary diversions of

theatre,

The

the times. all

on the necessity of plain

early Quakers,

who

these points, were considered

the world upside that they

down

;

for acting

by some

him

in

as turning

but they contended in reply,

were only restoring

tive state

followed

it

to its

pure and primi-

and that they had more weighty arguments

;

up

to their principles in these respects, than

condemning them

others had for

But whatever were

for so doing.

the doctrines, whether civil, or

moral, or religious, which George

Fox promulgated,

he believed that he had a divine commission for teaching them, and that he was to be the Christianity

;

that

is,

that

restorer

he was to bring people from

Jewish ceremonies and Pagan-fables, with which

been intermixed, and religion

know

which was

not

how

also

of

it

had

from worldly customs, to a

to consist of spiritual feeling.

I

the world will receive the idea, that he

conceived himself to have had a revelation for these

INTRODUCTION.

xvi

But nothing

purposes. people,

is

more usual than

who have succeeded

in

for pious

any ordinary work of

goodness, to say, that they were providentially led to it,

and

expression

this

But

Christians to be accurate.

the difference between a into a course of virtues

man

men may be

and successful

minds.

Bufwhat

led

by

?

to have

But

if

upon such occa-

pious men would

any ordinary case of virtue, with success, George

many

who

led, or acted

if it

follow

upon, in

had been crowned equal reason

from the success that attended his own par-

For

it.

at a

he had been called upon to

very early age he had confuted

of the professors of religion in public disputa-

tions.

people. left

in

their

believe themselves

Fox would have had

ticular undertaking, that

engage

upon

are these internal impressions, but

been thus providentially

to believe,

we admit

if

the impressions

the dictates of an internal voice to those

them

and his

action,

For

it.

providentially led

must be

sions, they

cannot always find

I

being providentially led

having an internal revelation for that

among

usually considered

is

He

had converted magistrates,

Of

the clergymen of those times

valuable livings, and followed him.

tieth year

priests,

he had seen no

spreading, as ministers, his

and

some had

In his

thir-

less than sixty persons,

own

doctrines.

and other circumstances which might be

would doubtless operate powerfully upon him

These, related,

to

make

INTRODUCTION. him

was a chosen

believe, that he

to these considerations

was not engaged

in

it

xvii

Now,

vessel.

if

be added, that George Fox

any particular or

partial

cause of

benevolence, or mercy, or justice, but wholly and exclusively in a religious and spiritual work, and that it

was the

of

all

his religious doctrines, that the

of God, -where

spirit

them

first

men were

in their spiritual concerns,

obedient to

it,

guided

he must have believed

himself, on the consideration of his unparalleled success, to have

been providentially

or to have had

led,

an internal or spiritual commission for the cause,

which he had undertaken.

But

this belief

was not confined

followers believed in his

to himself.

commission

His

They had

also.

seen, like himself, the extraordinary success of his

ministry.

They acknowledged

the

same

monitions, or revelations of the same itual

concerns.

They had been

cent and blameless the

life.

internal ad-

spirit,

witnesses of his inno-

There were

individuals in

kingdom, who had publicly professed

At an

prophecies concerning him.

in spir-

sights

and

early age he

had

been reported, in some parts of the country, as a

who had

youth,

a discerning spirit.

abroad, that he had healed

many

been sick of various diseases. cies

had come true

in

heard them delivered. VOL.

1.

It

had gone

persons,

Some

who had

of his prophe-

the lifetime of those,

who had

His followers too had seen C

INTRODUCTION.

x^ in

many, who had come purposely hend him, depart

to molest

and appre

power had been providentially broken.

who had been

seen others,

and

quietly, as if their anger

-

their

They had

his chief persecutors,

ei-

ther falling into misfortunes, or dying a miserable or

They had

an untimely death. cast into prison,

means of lief

him

frequently

but always getting out again by

From

his innocence.

was universal among them,

was of divine authority no other

therefore in

seen

these causes the bethat his

commission

and they looked upon him

;

light,

than that of a teacher,

who

had been sent to them from heaven.

George Fox was size.

He

is

person above the ordinary

described by William Penn as a " lusty

He w as r

person."

in his

graceful in his countenance.

eye was particularly piercing,

who were

He

so that

some of those,

disputing with him, were unable to bear

was, in short, manly, dignified, and

in his aspect

it.

commanding

and appearance.

In his manner of living he was temperate. sparingly.

His

He avoided,

except medicinally,

He all

ate

strong

drink.

Notwithstanding the great exercise he was accus-

tomed

to take,

he allowed himself but

In his outward

without

affectation.

little

sleep.

demeanour he was modest, and

He

possessed a certain gravity

of manners, but he was nevertheless affable, and courteous, and civil

beyond the usual forms of breeding-.

;

INTRODUCTION,

xi*

In his disposition he was meek, and tender, and

He was

compassionate.

in his

any exception, and,

kind to the poor, without

own society,

tion of that attention towards them,

laid the founda-

which the world

remarks as an honour to the Quaker-character present day.

But

at the

the poor were not the only persons,

He

for

whom, he manifested an affectionate

felt

and sympathized wherever humamity could be

terested. ital

concern.

in-

He wrote to the judges on the subject of cap-

punishments, warning them not to take away the

On

lives of persons for theft.

was deeply intent

the coast of Cornwall he

distressed at finding the inhabitants, .more

upon plundering the wrecks of vessels

driven upon their shores,

and miserable mariners,

that

were

than upon saving the poor

who were

clinging to

them

and he bore his public testimony against this practice,

by sending letters to ill

all

the clergymen and magistrates

the parishes, bordering

upon the

sea,

ing them for their unchristian conduct. Indies also he exhorted those, ings, to their

be merciful to their

freedom

in

due time.

who

In the West-

attended his meet-

slaves,

He

and reprov-

and to give them

considered these as

belonging to their families, and that religious intruction

was due

to these, as the branches of them, for

whom one day or other a solemn account. tian exhortations

milies only,

they would be required to give

Happy had

it

been,

had been attended

whom

to,

if these

or

if

chris-

those

fa-

he thus seriously addressed, had

INTRODUCTION.

xx

continued to be true Quakers

for they

;

would have

example, which would have proved to the rest

set an

of the islanders, and the world at large, that the impolicy

is

not less than the wickedness of oppression.

Thus was George Fox probably the

first

who

person,

No-

publicly declared against this species of slavery.

thing in short, that could be deplored by humanity,

seems

when

to have escaped his eye

;

and

his benevolence,

excited, appears to have suffered

in its progress

no interruption

by the obstacles, which bigotry would

have thrown in the way of many, difference of a persons country,

on account of the

or of his colour, or

of his sect.

He was patient under his own sufferings. To those, who smote

his right cheek,

he offered his

left;

the true spirit of Christianity, he indulged

rough expression towards them

he would never have hurt any of them,

them

in his

He was

no rancour

He made use

against the worst of his oppressors. casionally of a

and, in

if

;

oc-

but

he had had

power.

possessed the most undaunted courage

afraid of

no earthly power.

He was

;:

for

he

never de-

terred from going to meetings for worship, though he

knew

the officers

his person.

would be there, who were

to seize

In his personal conversations with Oli-

ver Cromwell, or in his letters to

him

in his letters to the parliament, or to

as protector, or

king Charles the

INTRODUCTION.

xxi

second, or to any other personage, he discovered his

usual boldness of character, and never

of any degrading

But

by means

dignity as a man.

flattery, his

his perseverance

lost,

was equal to

his courage

;

for

he was no sooner out of goal, than he repeated thevery believing

acts,

them

to

When

been confined.

meeting-houses by the

which he had

right, for

he was forced also out of the officers

of justice, he preached

In short, he was never hindered

very doors.

at the

be

but by sickness, or imprisonments, from persevering in his religious pursuits.

With held

it

respect to his word, he

was known

to

have

so sacred, that the judges frequently dismissed

him without

bail,

on

his bare

promise that he would

be forth coming on a given day.

On these occasions,

he used always to qualify his promise by the expression,

" if the Lord permit."

Of the

integrity of his

own character,

he was so scrupulously tenacious, that, have been sometimes

acknowledgements,

set at liberty

he would

as a christian,

when he might

by making

make none,

trifling

least

it

should imply a conviction, that he had been confined for that

cular,

which was wrong

;

and, at one time in parti-

king Charles the second was so touched with

the hardship of his case, that he offered to discharge

him from clined

it

prison

on the

by

a pardon.

idea, that, as

But George Fox de-

pardon implied

guilt, his

INTRODUCTION.

xxii

innocence would be called in question by his accept

ance of

The

it.

king, however, replied, that " be

need not scruple being released by a pardon, a

man who was

And

he lay in goal,

But till,

still

upon

he chose to decline

it.

a trial of the errors in

was discharged

his indictment, he

many

had had a par-

as innocent as a child,

don granted him."

for

in an

honourable

way.

As

a minister of the gospel, he

was singularly emi-

He had a wonderful gift He was particular!}' scriptures.

in

nent.

preaching

Here

it

but he excelled most

;

was, that he

as possessing the

ever beheld.

is

expounding the

impressive in his in prayer.

described by William Penn,

most awful and reverend frame he

His presence, says the same author, ex-

pressed " a religious majesty."

That there must

have been something more than usually striking either in his manner, or in his language, or in his arguments,

or in

all

of

them combined, or

spoke "

that he

in "the 'i.

demonstration of the spirit and with power,"

warranted

in

erful effects

it

him was

are

pronouncing from the general and powproduced.

In the year 1648,

had but once before spoken of

we

at Mansfield, at the

then, as in the days

in public,

end of

of

it

to have

was observed

his prayer,

the apostles,

house was shaken where they xvere."

manner he appears

when he " that

when

the

In the same

gone on, making a deep

INTRODUCTION.

xxiii.

impression upon his hearers, whenever he was fully

and

Many

fairly heard.

before, in

clergymen, as

observed

I

consequence of his powerful preaching,

gave up their livings

;

and constables,

who

the meetings, in order to apprehend him, selves disarmed,

so that they

attended

them-

felt

went away without

attempting to secure his person.

As to

his

that there

life,

it

was innocent.

were persons, high

It is

true indeed,

in civil offices,

who, be-

cause he addressed the people in public, considered

him

as a disturber of the peace.

But none of these

ever pretended to cast a stain on his moral character.

He was

considered both by friends and enemies, as

irreproachable in his

Such was the

He was

ism.

thirteenth of

character of the founder of Quaker-

born

in July

November

He

year of his age.

word

life.

1624, and died on the

1690, in the sixty-seventh

had separated himself from the

in order to attend to serious things, as I observ-

ed before,

at the

age of nineteen, so that he had de-

voted himself to the exercises and services of religion for

no

less a period than

forty-eight years.

A few

hours before his death, upon some friends asking him

how he found himself, "

is well.

The

" and over death answer was

full

he replied " never heed.

All

seed or power of God reigns over itself,

blessed be the Lord."

all,

This

of courage, and corresponded with

INTRODUCTION.

xxiv that courage,

ing life.

own

It

which had been conspicuous

in

him dur-

contained an evidence, as manifested in his

feelings, of the tranquillity

mind, and

that the

been vanquished

power and

in

himself.

and happiness of terrors of death It

shewed

his

had

also the

and of his confidence.

"

He

ground of

his courage

" was

of assurance," says William Penn, " that

full

" he had triumphed over death, and so much " even

to the last, that death appeared to

worth notice or mention." life,

Thus he

so,

him hardly

departed this

affording an instance of the truth of those

words

of the psalmist, " Behold the upright, for the end of that

man

is

peace."

PREFATORY ARRANGEMENTS AND

REMARKS.

PREFATORY ARRANGEMENTS AND

REMARKS.

— —

A HIGH PROFESSION QUAKERS GENERALLY A MORAL PEOPLE VARIOUS CAUSES OF THIS MORALITY OF CHARACTER—'THEIR MORAL EDUCATION, WHICH IS ONE OF THEM, THE FIRST SUBJECT FOR CONSIDERATION THIS EDUCATION UNIVERSAL AMONG THEM ITS ORIGIN-r-THE PROHIBITIONS BELONGING TO IT CHIEFLY TO BE CONSIDERED.

QUAKERISM,

ALLOWED TO BE

—

VjrEORGE FOX left after left,

what

his death, any definition of Quakerism.

however, is

never gave, while living, nor

his journal

behind him, and he

of equal importance, his example.

He left

Combin-

ing these with the sentiments and practice of the early

Quakers, kerism

Fox

is,

I

may

state,

in a

or at least what

intended

it

few words, what Qua-

we may suppose George

to be.

Quakerism may he defined to be an attempt, under the divine influence, at practical Christianity as far as \t

can he carried.

Those, who profess

it,

consider

PREFATORY ARRANGEMENTS.

xxviii

themselves bound to regulate their opinions, words,

and even outward demeanour, by

actions,

and by

bound

They

Christianity alone.

to give

men, however litate, in

up such of

general, or generally approved, as miletter

or the spirit of

Hence they mix but little with

the gospel.

may be

less

liable

Hence George Fox made

members of

his

own

to

society

the world,

imbibe

a distinction

ferent appellations of Friends,

They

consider themselves

the customs, or fashions of

any manner, against the

that they

Christianity,

its

spirit.

between the

and others, by the

dif-

and People of the world.

consider themselves also under an obligation to

follow virtue, not ordinarily, but even ta the death.

For they profess never ence, and therefore,

to

make

a sacrifice of consci-

any ordinances of

if

man

are

enjoined them, which they think to be contrary to the divine will, they believe

but rather,

after the

it

right not to

submit to them,

example of the apostles and

pri-

mitive christians, to suffer any loss, penalty, or in-

convenience, which

This then, of

(c)

in a

Quakerism.

may

few words, It

them

result to

is,

as

is

for so doing.

a general definition

we

see, a

most

strict

profession of practical virtue under the direction of

(c) I

wish to be understood,

in writing this

account, that will be applicable to

all

work, that

I

can give no

under the name of Quakers.

My

account will comprehend the general practice, or thai which ought to

be the practice of those, who profess Quakerism,

PREFATORY ARRANGEMENTS. Christianity,

firmities of

and such

human

surround

daily fulfil.

it,

consider the in.

nature, and the temptations that

it

must be exceedingly

But, whatever

the way,

when we

as,

xxix

difficulties

may

difficult to

have

lain

in

or however, on account of the necessary

weakness of human nature, the best individuals among the

Quakers maj^ have

excellence,

fallen

below the pattern of

which they have copied, nothing

true, than that the result has been, that the society, as a body,

more

is

whole

have obtained from their country-

men, the character of a moral people. If the reader

the moral sirous of

be a lover of

virtue,

and anxious

improvement of mankind, he

will

for

be de-

knowing what means the Quakers have used

to have preserved, for a

hundred and

fifty

years, this

desirable reputation in the world. If

we were

Quakers

to put the question to the

themselves for their

own

opinion upon

I can anticipate their reply.

I believe

it,

They would

attribute

any morality, they might be supposed to have,

to the

Supreme Being, whose will having been discovered by

means of the scriptures, and of

upon the mind, when

it

religious impressions

has been calm, and

still,

and

abstracted from the world, they have endeavoured to

obey.

But

there

is

no doubt,

that

we may

add,

Auxiliary causes of this morality, and such as the

Quakers themselves would allow

to have

had

their

PREFATORY ARRANGEMENTS.

xxx

share in producing

The second

The

under the same influence.

may be

of these

first

it,

moral education.

called their

The

their discipline.

third

may be

said

to consist of those domestic, or other customs,

which

are peculiar to them, as a society of christians.

The

fourth of their peculiar tenets there are

many

of

In

religion.

circumstances, interwoven into the

constitution of the society of the Quakers,

which has a

fact,

separate effect, and

each of

of which have a

all

combined tendency, towards the production of moral character.

These auxiliary causes

I shall consider

In the course of this explanation the

in their turn.

if

reader will see, that, sort to the

same means

obtain the

same

other people were to re r

as the Quakers, they

reputation, or that

not so stubborn, but that

it

examining the

as

tial,

to begin with his youth, or, if

usual, in

human

would

nature

is

will yield to a given force.

But

it is

and explain

it

life

of an individr

has been eminent,

to begin with the education he has received, so I shall fix

upon the

first

of the auxiliary causes

I

have men-

tioned, or the moral education of the Quakers, as the

subject for the

Of it is

this

first

division of

moral education

universal

among

It

are

matters not,

of young persons

may

observe here, that

the society, or that

where the individuals Quakers.

I

my work.

may

be,

considered

how

it

to

obtains

be true

various the tempers

who come under

it,

they

PREFATORY ARRANGEMENTS, must submit to

Nor does

it.

the disposition, or the

to

it

what may be

signify

whim, and

must submit

parents, they

it

xxxi

caprice of their

alike.

The Quakers mo-

believe that they have discovered that system of rality,

which

that they

Christianity prescribes;

and therefore

can give no dispensation to their members,

under any circumstances whatever, to deviate from

The

if.

origin of this system, as a standard of education

in the society, is as follows.

When the first Quakers met in union, they consisted From

that

time to the present, there has always been, as

we

of religious or spiritually minded men.

may Many

imagine, a succession of such in the society. of these, at their great meetings, which have

been annual since those days, have delivered sentiments on various interesting points.

their

These sen-

timents were regularly printed, in the form of yearly epistles,

and distributed among Quaker

Extracts, in process of time, were

and arranged under

these advices relate to

conduct.

(d)

"

and published in

(d) Advices.

comprehend important

subjects.

Now They

customs, manners, fashions, conversation,

They

contain of course recommendations.

and suggest prohibitions,

" the

made from them,

different heads,

under the name of

one book,

families.

The Book

is intitled

to the society, as rules ofgnid-

"Extracts from the minutes made, and from

advices given, at the yearly Meeting of the Quakers in London,

since

-

its first

Institution."

PREFATORY ARRANGEMENTS.

xxxii

ance : and as they came from spiritually minded

supposed to have had a

occasions, they are

on solemn

Hence Quaker

spiritual origin.

men

parents

manage

their

youth according to these recommendations and prohibitions,

and hence

this

book of extracts

from which

ly called)

portion of

my

(for so

it is

usual-

have obtained a considerable

I

knowledge on

forms the

this subject,

basis of the moral Education of the Society.

Of the

am are

contents of this book, I shall notice, while I

treating

of a

upon

Education

nature.

by recommendations,

by both

which are

recommendatory, but those,

of a prohibitory either

not those rules which

this subject,

conjoined.

where there

is

or

by

is

regulated

prohibitions,

The former

or

relate to things,

a wish that youth should conform to

them, but where a

trifling deviation

from them would

not be considered as an act of delinquency publicly reprehensible.

The latter

to things,

where any com-

The

pliance with

them becomes

Quakers,

consequence of the vast power they have

©ver their

in

members by means

a great stress prohibitions,

many

a positive offence.

upon the

latter.

They

when duly watched and

consider their

enforced, as so

barriers against vice or preservatives

Hence they

are the grand

component

moral education, and hence

them

of their discipline, lay

in the chapters,

this subject.

of virtue.

parts of their

I shall chiefly consider

which are now

to follow

upon

Moral Education THE QUAKERS,

VOL.

1.

MORAL EDUCATION OF THE QUAKERS.

CHAP. Moral Education of

I.

the Quakers

—amusements

neces-

sary for youth — Quakers

distinguish between the

useful and tlw hurtful— the

latter specified

and for^

bidden.

VV HEN the blooming spring sheds abroad nign influence, created nature.

man

feels

The aged man

himself refreshed.

seasons, and rolls

to slacken,

former

But

is

circulates to

more

be diffused,

freely,

in his

enlivened, and the sick

Good But

round

be-

equally with the rest of

seems

life

countenances succeed. its

it

The blood

and a new current of veins.

feels

its

spirits

man

and cheerful

as the year changes in

to its end, the tide seems,

and the current of feeling

to return to its

level.

this is not the case

whole year

to

them

is a

with the young.

The

kind of perpetual spring.

MORAL EDUCATION.

36

Their blood runs briskly throughout. are kept almost constantly alive

Their

spirits

and as the cares of

;

the world occasion no drawback, they feel a perpetual disposition to cheerfulness

and

position seems to be universal in them. to be

felt

by us

all

;

that

is,

This

to mirth. It

dis-

seems too

by

the spring, enjoyed

youth, seems to operate as spring to maturer age.

The

sprightly and smiling looks of children, their

shrill, lively,

and cheerful voices,

hilarating sports,

all

their varied

and ex-

these "are interwoven with the

other objects of our senses, and have an imperceptible,

though an undoubted influence, fulness of our minds. risters

in

adding to the cheer-

Take away

the beautiful cho-

from the woods, and those, who

live in the

country, would but half enjoy the spring.

means of any unparalleled

So,

by

if

pestilence, the children of

a certain growth were to be swept away, and

we were

to lose this infantile link in the chain of age, those,

who were

left

behind, would find the creation dull, or

experience an interruption in the cheerfulness of their feelings,

The

till

the former were successively restored.

bodies, as well as the

minds of children,

quire exercise for their growth tion is thus lively

:

and as

re-

their disposi-

and sportive, such exercises, as are

amusing, are necessary, and such amusements, on account of the length of the spring which they enjoy

must be expected to be

long,

a

MORAL EDUCATION. The Quakers, though

57

they are esteemed an austere

people, are sensible of these wants or necessities of

youth.

They

allow their children most of the sports

or exercises of the body, and most of the

amusements

or exercises of the mind, which other children of the island enjoy

men

are to

;

but as children are to become men, and

become moral

characters, they

bounds should be drawn, or

that

believe

that an unlimitted

permission to follow every recreation would be hurtful.

The Quakers interfere

on

therefore have thought

this subject,

and to draw the

it

proper to

line

between

those amusements, which they consider to be salutary,

They

and those, which they consider to be hurtful. have accordingly struck out of the general

list

of these

such, and such only, as, by being likely to endanger their morality,

ness,

would be

likely to interrupt the useful-

and the happiness, of

their lives.

Among the

bodily exercises, dancing, and the diversions of the field, sic,

have been proscribed

novels, the theatre,

;

and

among all

the mental,

games of chance, of

every description, have been forbidden. the principal prohibitions,

made on

mu-

These are

which the Quakers have

the subject of their moral education.

They

were suggested, most of them, by George Fox, but were brought

by

into the discipline, at different times,

his successors.

MORAL EDUCATION.

as

I shall

now

consider each of these prohibitions se-

parately,

and

I shall

Quakers themselves tians,

them.

give give,

they have thought

all

the reasons,

why, it

which the

as a society of Chris-

right to issue

and enforce

MORAL EDUCATION. CHAP.

II.....SECT.

I.

— Quakers forbid amusements— concerns

Games of chance other similar

—and

39

and

cards, dice,

also,

certain transactions in the stocks

in lotteries

— they

for-

bid also all wagers, and speculations by a monied

—

stake

the peculiar wisdom of the latter prohibition^

as collected from the history of the origin

of the amusements of

WiHEN we

of some

the times.

consider the depravity of heart, and

the misery and ruin, that are frequently connected with

gaming,

woulel be strange indeed,

it

as highly professing Christians, to extirpate

it

No people, tual

measures

from

their

in fact,

if

the Quakers,

had not endeavoured

own body.

have taken more or more

for its suppression.

effec-

They have

games of chance, and of

scribed the use of

all

games of

are connected with chance in

manner. ingy and

skill, that

Hence all

the

proall

any

cards, dice, horse-racing, cock -fig]it

amusements, which come under

this

definition, are forbidden.

But

as there are certain transactions, independently

of these amusements, which are equally connected

MORAL

40

EDUCATION".

with hazard, and which individuals might convert into the

means of moral depravity and temporal

ruin,

they have forbidden these also, by including them

under the appellation of gaming.

Of

this description are

which

all

Quakers

concerns in the lottery, from

are advised to refrain.

clude the purchase of tickets, and

These

in-

insurance upon

all

the same.

In transactions of this kind there is always a monied stake, is

and the issue

is

dependent upon chance. There

of course the same fascinating stimulus as in cards,

The mind

or dice, arising from the hope of gain. also

must be equally

and the same with other

Buying and

dom

is,

consequences, in the event of

members of the

of the

under the

obtain better security, or

society

more permanent advantages, is

allowable.

any were to make a practice of buying or after

buy

idea, that they are likely to

such a transfer of their property

tice

loss.

under particular circumstances, discouraged

into the stocks,

week

;

selling in the public stocks of the king-

Where any

also.

fear

may be produced,

state of desperation

fatal

hope and

agitated between

But

if

selling,

week, upon speculation only, such a prac-

would come under the denomination of gaming.

In this case, like the preceding,

money would be

is

it

the object in view

would be hazardous

;

and,, if the

;

evident, that that the issue

stake or deposit

MORAL EDUCATION. were of great importance, the

41

tranquillity of the

might be equally disturbed, and many temporal

mind

suffer-

ings might follow.

The Quakers

have thought

principle, to forbid the

it

right,

upon the same

custom of laying wagers upon

any occasion whatever, or of reaping advantage from any doubtful event, by a previous agreement upon a

monied

This prohibition, however,

stake.

record, like the former, but

No

law.

is

is

not on

observed as a traditional

Quaker-parent would suffer his child, nor

Quaker- schoolmaster the children entrusted to his care, nor

member

any

amusements of

another, to be concerned in

without a suitable reproof.

this kind,

By means of these prohibitions, which are enforced, in a great measure,

by

the discipline, the

Quakers

have put a stop to gaming more effectually than others-,

but particularly by means of the has shewn us, that

we

cannot always place a reliance

on a mere prohibition of any employment,

For history

latter.

as a cure for

particular

amusement

gaming, because any pas-

time or employment, however innocent in

be made an instrument

or

for its designs.

itself,

may

There are

few customs, however harmless, which avarice cannot convert into the means of rapine on the one hand,

and of

distress

Many

on the

of the games, which are

such pernicious Vol.

i,

other.

new

effects to individuals,

F

in use with

were not

for-

MORAL EDUCATION.

4E

merly the instruments of private ruin.

was

originally instituted with a

Horse-racing

view of promoting

better breed of horses for the services of this principle

emolument

was continued.

it

The

by-standers were

They were not interested

victor himself

of public applause.

garlands, the testimonies

But the

hold of the custom, and turned

which was

in the vic-

was remunerated, not with

money, but with crowns and

sion,

man. Upon

afforded no private

The

to any individual.

only spectators. tory.

It

a

spirit it

of gaming got

into a private diver-

to afford the opportunity of a private

prize*

Cock-fighting, as

we

learn

from iElian, was

insti-

tuted by the Athenians, immediately after their victo-

ry over the Persians, to perpetuate the

memory

of the

event, and to stimulate the courage of the youth of

Greece

in the defence of their

own freedom

,

and

it

was continued upon the same

principle, or as a public

institution for a public good.

But

seized

it,

as

it

and continued Cards, that

has done the custom of horse-racing, it

for a private gain.

is,

European

cards, were, as

agreed, of an harmless origin.

France,

was

chondriasis.

the spirit of avarice

particularly

While

to his

mind.

afflicted

with the

in this disoredred state,

From

are

Charles the sixth, of

his subjects invented them, to give variety of

ment

all

hypoone of

amuse-

the court they passed into

MORAL EDUCATION. And here the same

private families.

upon them, and, with

fastened

them, as

were, to

it

much these little man disease were

own

avaricious spirit

cruel talons, clawed

its

purposes, not caring

how

instruments of cheerfulness in hu-

converted into instruments for the

human

extension of

its

43

pain.

In the same manner as the

of

spirit

gaming has

seized upon these different institutions and amuse-

ments of

antiquity,

new and

nal to

tainty, that

it

and turned them from their

destructive uses, so there

will not seize

upon

have been innocently resorted

amusements, even

would be no cure enough, as

fertile

fix

upon another.

were forbidden,

it

if it

fast as

one custom

And if

all

would be

the

air,

and the

which may

brain of is

still fertile

snail,

cer-

prohibition of

man

is

prohibited, to

the games,

vent others for the same purposes. flies in

no

could be enforced,

The

for the evil.

is

and prostitute them

The mere

equally with the former. particular

to,

others,

origi-

now

in use,

enough

The

that crawls

to,

in-

bird that

upon the

ground, have not escaped the notice of the gamester,

but have been made, each of them, subservient to his

The wisdom, therefore,

pursuits.

making

it

to

no member

of the Quakers, ia

be considered as a law of the society, that is

to lay wagers, or reap advantage

from

any doubtful event, by a previous agreement upon a

monied

stake,

is

particularly

conspicuous.

For,

MORAL EDUCATION.

44

whenever

it

can be enforced,

cure for gaming.

it

must be an

For we have no

idea,

effectual

how

a

man

can gratify his desire of gain by means of any of the

amusements of chance,

he can make no monied

if

arrangements about their issue.

SECT.

The first argument for

II.

the prohibition

of similar amusements, by

of

the Quakers,

they are below the dignity of the

X.

is

intellect

and of his moral and christian character

of Addison on

cards,

and that

of man,

—-sentiments

this subject.

HE reasons, which the Quakers give for the pro

hibition of cards,

nature, to the erally

they It

and of amusements of a similar

members of

their

own

society, are gen-

such as are given by other Christians, though

make use of one, which is

peculiar to themselves.

has been often observed, that the

ment

-

is

word amuse,

proper to characterize the employments of

children, but that the

word

utility is

the only one pro-

per to characterize the employment of men.

MORAL EDUCATION. The

4$

argument of the Quakers, on

first

sub-

this

complexion, similar to that of the obser-

ject, is of a

For when they consider man,

vation just mentioned.

as a reasonable being, they are of opinion, that his

And when they con-

occupations should be rational. sider

him

as

ligion, they

the Christian re-

expect that his conduct should be manly,

and

serious,

making a profession of

dignified.

those in question,

But

all

such amusements, as

resorted to for the filling

if

his vacant hours, they conceive to

up of

be unworthy of his

and to be below the dignity of his Christian

intellect,

character.

They ral

believe also,

being, that

interest, to

it is

aim

his duty, as

at the

Now one

racter.

when they consider man as

is

mo-

unquestionably his

improvement of

his moral cha-

of the foundations, on which this

improvement must be knowledge

it is

a

raised,

is

only slowly acquired.

or the time for the acquisition of

it,

But

knowledge.

And human

life,

but short.

It

is

does not appear, therefore, in the judgment of the

Quakers, that a person can have

ments of object,

this sort, if

which

will

piness, or to the

Upon

only observe,

he be bent upon obtaining that

be most conducive to his true hap-

end of

this first lest

much time for amuse-

his existence here.

argument of the Quakers it

I shall

should be thought singular, that

•sentiments of a similar import are to

be found

in au-

MORAL EDUCATION.

46

of a different religious denomination, and of

thors,

acknowledged judgment and merit.

Addison, in one

of his excellent chapters on the proper employment of life,

has the following observation

says he, that I

:

"

would propose to fill up our time should

be innocent and useful diversions. think

it is

The next method, I

must confess

I

below reasonable creatures, to be altogether

conversant in such diversions, as are merely innocent,

and have nothing there

is

no hurt

in

ing has even thus

determine

:

else to

them.

much

but I think

recommend them, but

that

Whether any kind of gamto say for itself I shall not it

is

very wonderful to see

persons of the best sense passing a dozen hours together in shuffling and dividing a pack of cards, with

no other conversation, but what

is

made up of

a few

game-phrases, and no other ideas, but those of red or black

spots

Would

not a

ranged together in different figures.

man

complaining that

laugh to hear any one of this species life is

short ?"

MORAL EDUCATION, SECT.

47

III. 4

Cards on account of the manner

which they are

in

generally used, produce an excitement sions

—historical anecdotes

of

this

of

the pas-

excitement

—

this

excitement another cause of their prohibition by the

Quakers, because their notions,

it

unfits the mind, according to

for the reception of

religious impres-

sions.

JL

HE Quakers are not so superstitious as to imagine

that there

can be any

evil in

stractedly as cards, or in

cards, considered ab-

some of

the other amuse-

ments, that have been mentioned.

The

red or the

black images on their surfaces can neither pollute the fingers,

nor the minds, of those -who handle themv

They may be moved about, and

dealt in various ways,

and no objectionable consequences may follow. They

may be

used, and this innocently, to construct the

They may be

similitudes of things* to exhibit devices,

which may be productive of harm-

less mirth.

The

pend

upon the manner of

solely

are used for a

trial

arranged, so as

evil,

of

connected with them,

skill,

and

their use.

for this

will de-

If they

purpose only,

MORAL EDUCATION.

48

they will be less dangerous, than where they are used for a similar

mer

case,

temper, batant

with a monied stake.

trial,

however, they

for, in the

In the for-

may be made

to ruffle the

very midst of victory, the com-

may experience

In the latter case, the

defeat.

loss of victory will be

accompanied by a pecuniary

and two causes, instead of one, of the excite-

loss,

ment of

the passions, will operate at once

upon the

mincL It

seldom happens, and

it is

either that children, or that satisfied

much

to

more mature

trials

of

skill.

A monied

stake

proposed, as the object to be obtained. attachment of a monied victory to cards frequently of evil. It

It

is

usually

This general is

productive

generates often improper

feel-

gives birth to uneasiness and impatience,

while the contest

is in

doubt, and not unfrequently to

anger and resentment, when

But

persons, are

with amusements of thiskind,so as to use them

simply as

ings.

be lamented,

it is

over.

the passions, which are thus excited

among

youth, are excited also, but worked up to greater mischief,

where grown up persons follow these amuse-

ments imprudently, than where children are concerned.

For though

are called forth

A boy,

avarice,

among

children, they subside sooner.

though he loses

stake , suffers nothing

and impatience, and anger,

his

all

when he

loses his

from the idea of having impaired

MORAL means of

the

EDUCATION".

his future comfort,

and independence.

His next week's allowance, or the next set

him

who

will

little gift,

But when a grown up person,

right again.

is settled in

4$

the world,

is

led

on by these

fasci-

nating amusements, so as to lose that which would be

of importance to his present comfort, but cularly to the happiness of his future

life,

more partithe case

is

The same passions, which harrass

materially altered.

the one, will harrass the other, but the effec's will be

widely different.

I

have been told that persons have

been so agitated before the playing of the card,

was

that

have

to decide their destiny, that large drops of sweat fallen

from then

though they Mere under

faces,

Now, what must have been the state of their minds, when the card in question proved no bodily exertions.

decisive of their loss ?

have fled. either all

Reason must unquestionably

And it must have

by fury or

wonderful,

if

despair.

been succeeded instantly

It

would not have been

at

persons in such a state were to have

lost their senses, or, if

unable to contain themselves,

they were immediately to have vented their enraged feelings either

upon themselves, or upon

were the authors, or the spectators, of It is

of the that

others,

who

their loss.

not necessary to have recourse to the theory

human mind,

would be

to anticipate the consequences,

likely to result to

grown up persons

from such an extreme excitement of the VOL. i. g

passions,

MORAL EDUCATION.

50

History has given a melancholy picture of these, as they have been observable

among

different nations of

the world.

The

ancient Germans, according to Tacitus, play-

ed to such desperat on,

that,

thing else, they staked the the event of bad fortune,

:

r

when they had

lost

every

personal liberty, and, in

became the

slaves of the

winners. •

D'Israeli, in his curiosities of literature, has given

us the following account. little

" Dice, says he, and that

pugnacious anima], the cock, are the chief

in-

struments employed by the numerous nations of the east, to agitate their

to

minds, and ruin their fortunes,

which the Chinese, who are desperate gamesters,

When

add the use of cards.

all

other property

is

played away, the Asiatic gambler does not scruple to stake his wife, or his child, on the cast of a dye, or

on the strength and courage of a martial still

unsuccessful, the

last

venture

is

is

carried

The Sumatrans are addicted to the

A strong spirit of play characterizes the

use of dice.

Malayan.

After having resigned every thing to the.

good fortune of the winner, he state of desperation.

He

is

reduced to a horrid

then loosens a certain lock

of hair, which indicates war and destruction to

meets.

If

himself.

" In the island of Ceylon, cock-fighting to a great height.

bird.

He

intoxicates

all

he

himself with opium, and

MORAL EDUCATION. working himself

to a

ever this lock

is

of frenzy, he bites and

fit

who comes

every one,

in his

To

But

way.

seen flowing,

the person, and to destroy

"

51

him

soon as

lawful to

is

it

as

kills

fire at

as soon as possible.

discharge their gambling debts, the Siamese possessions, their families, and at length

sell their

The Chinese

themselves.

play night and day,

till

they have lost all they are worth, and then they usually

go and hang themselves. islands of the Pacific

In the newly discovered

Ocean, they venture even

which they hold as invaluable

hatchets,

on running matches.

We saw a

their

acquisitions,

man, says Cooke,

in his last voyage, beating his breast

and tearing

his

hair in the violence of rage, for having lost three

hatchets at one of these races, and

which he had pur-

chased with nearly half of his property."

But

it is

not necessary to go beyond our own counCivilized as

try for a confirmation of these evils.

are

beyond

all

the people

we

who have been mentioned,

and living where the Christian religion

we have

the misfortune to see our

engaged

in

similar pursuits,

is

professed,

own countrymen

and equally to the

dis-

turbance of the tranquillity of their minds, and equally to their

own

ruin.

their personal liberty,

They

cannot,

it is

true, stake

because they can neither

themselves, nor be held as slaves.

But we

see

sell

them

staking their comfort, and aH their prospects in

life.

MORAL EDUCATION.

5fc

We see them driven into a multitude of crimes. We see

them

How

suffering in a variety of ways.

has duelling, with

all

legitimate offspring of

its

often

horrible effects, been the

gaming

!

have proceeded from the same

How many suicides source How many !

persons in consequence of a violation of the laws,

come

occasioned solely by gaming, have

minious and untimely ends

Thus

!

appears that gaming, wherever

it

to igno-

practised to excess, whether

it

has been

by cards, or by

dice, or

by other instruments, or whether among nations ized or barbarous, or whether in ancient or times, has been accompanied with the

civil-

modern

most

violent

excitement of the passions, so as to have driven votaries to desperation, rality

and

It is

its

and to have ruined their mo-

their happiness.

upon the excitement of the

must have

passions,

which

risen to a furious height, before such des-

perate actions as those,

which have been

specified,

could have commenced, that the Quakers have found-

ed their second argument

for the prohibition of

games

Of chance, or of any amusements or transactions, con-

nected with a monied stake. cipal tenets, as will

It is

one of then prin-

be diffusively shewn

in a future

volume, that the supreme Creator of the universe affords a certain portion of his

own

spirit,

emanation of the pure" principle, to

all

or a certain his rational

MORAL EDUCATION.

53

creatures, for the regulation of their spiritual ion-

They

cerns.

believe, therefore, that stillness ind

and of body, are necessaryfor

quietness, both of spirit

them, as

far as

For how

these can be obtained.

(an

a

man, whose earthly passions are uppermost, bein

a

fit

state to receive, or a

habits be in a

man

of noisr and turbulat

state to attend to, the spiritual al.

fit

Hence one of

monitions of this pure influence ? first

points in the education of the Quakers

tend to the subjugation of the will

every perverse passion be checked

to

;

;

to a

take care

tha;

and that the crea

Hence Quakei

ture be rendered calm and passive.

children are rebuked for

is

tie

expressions of anger,

all

ai

tending to raise those feelings, which oight to be sup-

A raising

pressed.

bounds

is

even of their voices beyond due

discouraged, as leading to

They

of their minds.

are taught to

tie

disturbance in the

rise

morn-

ing in quietness, to go about their orqnary occupations with quietness,

beds.

Educated

and to

in this

retire in quietness to their

manner, we seldom see a

noisy or an irascible Quaker. tion is universal at

home.

It is

among

the Quakers,

tt

adopted in their schools

and

practical philanthropist,

was

at

Ackworth, which

the Quakers,

This khd of educa-

is

is

adopted

The

great

John Howird, when he

the great pullic school of

was so struck with thequie\ deportment

of the children there, that he mentioned itwith appro.

MORAL EDUCATION.

34

batbn in his work on Lazarettos, and gave to the pullic

some of

its

rules, as

models

for imitation in

that this

pure principle^

otler seminaries.

3ut

if

the

Quakers believe

wlen attendee

to, is

an

infallible

reigious or spiritual concerns

;

guide to them in their if

they believe that its

irfluences are best discovered in the quietness

sience of their senses vith a

sate

;

view it

oi"

must

;

if,

and

moreover, they educate

producing such a calm and tranquil

oe obvious, that they can never allow

dther to their children, or to those of maturer years,

he use of an} of the games of chance, because these, in

account of their peculiar nature, are so productive

pf

sudden

fluctuations of hope,

and

and disappoiitment, that they are

fear,

and joy,

calculated,-

more

than any oth
man

passions

MORAL EDUCATION

SECT.

Another- cause in, theij

alter the

of

moral character

—

of nature

his essay on

their

members

amusements,

is,

— they

—

rally ruin the

—

occasion

these habits

men

to be-

observations by hartley

man.

why

the

Quakers do not

al-

the use of cards, and of similar

that, if

indulged

duce habits of gaming, which,

It is in

that, if indulged

dishonest— cruel— and disturbers

x\NOTHER reason, low

is,

maij produce habits ofgamhig

the oyjder

from

IV.

their prohibition

come avaricious

of

55

if

in,

they

may

pro-

once formed, gene-

moral character.

the nature of cards, that chance should have

the greatest share in the production of victory, and there stake.

is,

as

I

have observed before, usually a monied

But where chance

is

concerned, neither vic-

tory nor defeat can be equally distributed

among

combatants.

If a person wins, he feels himself

to proceed.

The amusement

the

urged

also points out to

him

the possibility of a sudden acquisition of fortune

without the application of industry.

does not despair.

He

still

If

he

loses,

he

perseveres in the contest,

MORAL EDUCATION.

56

amusement

for the

of repairing his

points out to

loss.

him

In short, there

hope upon these occasions.

It

about during the contest.

Cards,

amusements of

the

the possibility

is

no end of

is

always hovering therefore,

same nature, by holding up pros-

pects of pecuniary acquisitions on the one hand,

of repairing losses, that

on the

and

may

arise

and

on any occasion,

other, have a direct tendency to

produce habits

of gaming.

Now

Quakers consider these habits

the

others, the

most pernicious

;

as, of all

for they usually

change

the disposition of a man, and luin his moral character.

From

generous-hearted they

make him

avaricious.

The

covetousness too, which they introduce as

were

into his nature, is of a kind, that

ordinarily injurious.

dy, as

it

It

brings corruption upon the mind.

own

personal convenience, but will

night,

more than

brings disease upon the bo-

gamesters regard neither their

own

is

it

Habitual

health, sit

nor their

up night after

though under bodily indisposition,

at play,

if

they can only grasp the object of their pursuit.

From

a just and equitable they often render him a

dishonest person.

known, the

lie

unwary

Professed gamesters,

in wait for the :

is

well

young, the ignorant, and

and they do not

dulent practices to secure

it

hesitate to adopt frau-

them

as their prey.

In-

MORAL EDUCATION.

57

toxication has been also frequently resorted to for the

same purpose.

From humane and

merciful they change

hard hearted and barbarous.

have compassion for neither

him

into

Habitual gamesters

men

The

nor brutes.

former they can ruin and leave destitute, without the

sympathy of a

tear.

The

they can oppress to

latter

powers of their declin-

death, calculating the various

ing strength, and their capability of enduring pain.

They

convert

him from an

orderly to a disorderly

being, and to a disturber of the order of the universe.

Professed gamesters sacrifice every thing,

without

distinction, to their wants, not caring if the order of

nature, or

They

if

the very ends of creation, be reversed.

turn day into night, and night into

force animated nature into situations for

never destined.

They

lay their

innocent and useful, and

which

They it

was

hands upon things

make them noxious.

lay hold of things barbarous,

more barbarous by

da}".

They

and render them

still

their pollutions.

Hartley, in his essay

upon man, has

the following

observation upon gaming.

" The practice of playing skill is it

at

games of chance and

one of the principal amusements of life.

may be thought hard

to

condemn

it

And

as absolutely

unlawful, since there are particular cases of persons, infirm in body and mind, Vol.

i

where H

it

seems requisite to

— MORAL EDUCATION.

5B

draw them out of themselves by

a variety of ideas and

view, which gently engage the attention.

ends

in

But

the reason takes place in very few instances.

The

general motives to play are avarice, joined with

a fraudulent intention explicit or implicit, tion of skill,

and spleen, through the want of some

serious, useful occupation.

ses

from such corrupt

to increase

ostenta-

And

.-sources,

as this practice ari-

so

has a tendency

it

them; and indeed may be considered

an express method of begetting and inculcating interest,

a

ill

will,

man learns

plicitly,

own

to

envy, and the

pursue his

and to rejoice

own

For by gaming

like.

interest solely

at the loss

and ex-

of others, as his

gain, grieve at their gain, as his

own

entirely reversing the order established for social creatures."

as

self-

loss,

thus

by providence

MORAL EDUCATION. CHAP.

Ill

SECT.

59

I.

Music forbidden —general apology for the Quakers on account of their prohibition of so delightful a ence

—

—music

sci-

particularly abused at the present day

-wherein this abuse cofisists

—present use of

it al-

most inseparable from the abuse.

LATO, when he formed what he called his pure re-

JL

public,

would not allow music

George Fox and it

to

his followers

have any place in

were of opinion,

it.

that

could not be admitted in a system of pure Christi-

The modern Quakers have

anity.

their predecessors sic is

on

this subject,

not differed from

and therefore mu-

understood to be prohibited throughout the so-

ciety at the present day. It will

doubtless appear strange that there should

be found people, to object to an art, which of being ing,

made productive of so much

and which,

if it

is

capable

pleasurable feel-

be estimated either by the ex-

tent or the rapidity of its progress, is gaining in the

reputation of the world. that

"

all

that glitters

is

But

it

not gold."

may be observed So

neither

that pleases the ear, perfectly salubrious to the

is all,

mind.

MORAL EDUCATION.

tic

There are few customs, against which some argument or other

man

may

not be advanced

few

:

in short,

which

has not perverted, and where the use has not be-

come,

in

undue measure, connected with the

an

abuse.

Providence gave originally to

He

a perfect world.

and things

Riled

a beautiful

yet

man

has often turned

The

these from their true and original design.

wood on

the surface of the earth he has cut

and the very stone and metal

hewn and

cast,

and worshipped

The

food,

and

with things necessary

it

And

delightful.

man

and converted

in

its

very

down,

bowels he has

into a graven image,

in the place of his beneficent Creator.

which has been given him

for his nourish-

ment, he has frequently converted by his intemperance into the means of injuring his health. that

ble

was designed

to

make

his heart glad

The wine on reasona-

and necessary occasions, he has used often to the

stupefaction of his senses, and the degradation of his

moral character. afforded it

him

The

for his

has frequently

very raiment, which has been

body, he has abused

become

also, so that

a source for the excitement

of his pride. Just so

it

has been, and so

it is,

with music at the

present day.

Music

acts

upon our

senses, and

may be made

productive of a kind of natural delight, for in the

MORAL EDUCATION. same manner

as

we

61

receive,through the organ of the

eve, a kind of involuntary pleasure,

when we look

at

beautiful arrangements, or combinations, or proportions, in nature,

and the pleasure may be said to be nor less invo-

natural, so the pleasure is neither less,

luntary, nor less natural,

which we receive, through

from a combination of sounds

the oro-an of the ear,

flowing in musical progression.

The

latter pleasure,

certain limitations,

tendency of music,

it

I

seems

as. it

seems innocent.

mean

of instrumental,

and tranquillize the passions.

The

It

The

first

to

calm

is

which

ideas,

excites, are of the social, benevolent,

kind.

under

natural, so,

it

and pleasant

leads occasionally to joy, to grief, to ten-

derness, to sympathy, but never to malevolence, in-

For no com-

gratitude, anger, cruelty, or revenge.

bination of musical sounds can be invented,

by which

the latter passions can be excited in the mind, with-

out the intervention of the

But notwithstanding

human

that

voice.

music may be thus made

the

means both of innocent and pleasurable

yet

it

feeling,

has been the misfortune of man, as in other ca-

ses, to

abuse

present age. taught,

is

it,

and never probably more than

For the use of

it,

almost inseparable from

as

it is

its

abuse.

in the

at present

Music

has been so generally cultivated, and to such perfec-

tion, that

it

now

ceases to delight the ear, unless

it

MORAL EDUCATION.


comes from the

fingers of the proficient.

But

great

proficiency cannot be obtained in this science, with-

out great sacrifices of time.

be brought up to troduced to

it,

If }-oung females are to

rather as to a profession, than in-

as a source of occasional innocent re*

it

creation, or if their education is thought

where

most

perfect,

their musical attainments arc the highest,

not

only hours, but even years, must be devoted to the

Such

pursuit. is

obvious, leave less time than

that are tic

a devotion to this one object must,

more

is

proper for others,

The knowledge

important.

it

of domes-

occupations, and the various sorts of knowledge,

that are acquired

by reading, must be abridged,

proportion as this science

And hence,

precision.

is

cultivated to professional

independently of any argu-

ments, which the Quakers

may

must be acknowledged by

advance against

is

the

is

thrown

when young

ther then unnecessary, or as an

amidst the

new

it

this it

females marry,

aside, after all the years that

in its acquisition, as

been spent

And

more to be deprecated, because

frequently happens, that,

music

it,

the sober world to be

chargeable with a criminal waste of time.

waste of time

in

have

an employment,

ei-

employment, which,

cares of a family, they have not

lei-

sure to follow.

Another serious charge may be advanced against music, as

it

is

practised at the present day.

Great

MORAL EDUCATION.

6*3

proficiency, without

which music now ceases

lightful, cannot, as I

have just observed, be made with-

to

be de-

out great application, or the application of some years.

Now all this long application But

all

is

of a sedentary nature

occupations of a sedentary nature are injuri-

ous to the human constitution, and weaken and disorder

it

in time.

But

proportion as the body

in

thus

is

weakened by die sedentary nature of the employment, it is

weakened again by the enervating powers of the art.

Thus mies

the nervous system at once,

and

is

acted

upon by two

ene-

in the course of the long education

necessary for this science, the different disorders of hysteria are produced.

present age, amongst

Hence

whom this

art has

ed to excess, are generally found languid constitution,

the females of the

and to be

to

been

cultivat-

have a weak and

disqualified,

more

than others, from becoming healthy wives, or heal-

thy mothers., or the parents of a healthy progeny.

MORAL EDUCATION.

64

SECT.

Instrumental forbidden the motives

of

II.

— Quakers

the -world

—

it is

cannot learn

not conducive to the

improvement of the moral clmracter

ground of comfort

solid

—a sensual

mind

—

on

it

—

no

affords

—nor of of — remarks of Coxvper true elevation

gratification

and, if encouraged, xvould interfere xvith the duty

recommended by the Quakers, offrequent

religious

retirement.

JL

HE reader must always bear

Quakers should

differ

it

in his

mind,

if

the

from him on any particular

that they set themselves apart as a christian

subject,

community, aiming

at christian perfection

:

that

it is

their wish to educate their children, not as moralists

or as philosophers, but as christians fore,

in

and that there-

;

determining the propriety of a practice, they

will frequently

judge of it by an estimate, very

differ-

ent from that of the world.

The Quakers do is

not deny that instrumental music

capable of exciting delight.

sible

either

of

power or of

its

throw no imputation on abstractly

by

itself

;

its

They its

are not insen-

charms.

innocence,

They

when viewed

but they do not see anything

MORAL EDUCATION in

make

sufficiently useful, to

it

or so

cation,

useful,

which make

considerations,

The Quakers would their families the usual this science.

to

as

an object of edu-

counterbalance other

for its disuse.

think

wrong

it

in the world,

which

which

is

not allowable in the christian system. that

where there

is

is

one of them;

the other, are

Add

to

which

generally cherished, and envy

and vain glory are often excited

art

is

a desire for such reputation, an

emulative disposition

They

to indulge in

motives for the acquisition of

Self- gratification,

and reputation

it

§4

in the pursuit.

are of opinion also, that the learning of

this*

does not tend to promote the most important obof education, the improvement of the mind.

ject

When a person into the

is

taught the use of letters, he

way of acquiring natural,

is

put

historical, religious,

and other branches of knowledge, and of course of

improving his

and moral character.

intellectual

music has no pretensions, kers,

in the opinion of the

to the production of

such an end.

But Qua-

Polybius,

indeed relates, that he could give no solid reason,

why one civilized,

tribe of the

and the others so barbarous, but that the

mer were fond, and But

the Quakers

effect in the

1

for-

the latter were ignorant of music.

would argue,

that if

civilization, this effect

>n the manners, VOL.

Arcadians should have been so

music had any

would be seen

and not in the morals of mankind. I

MORAL

S6

Musical

Italians are

EDUCATION".

esteemed a

and effeminate,

soft

but they are generally reputed a depraved people,

Music, in short, though

it

breathes soft influences,

cannot yet breathe morality into the mind.

do

It

may

but a christian community, in

to soften savages,

the opinion of the Quakers, can admit of no better civilization, than that

which the

spirit

of the supreme

being, and an observance of the pure precepts of Christianity,

can produce.

Music,, again, does not appear to the Quakers to

be the foundation of any solid comfort

may

give spirits for the

but when flag,

the effect of the liquor

and the mind

solid

moment as

is

in life.

It

strong liquor does

3

over, the spirits

is

again torpid.

It

can give no

encouragement nor hope, nor prospects.

It

can afford no anchorage ground, which shall hold the

mind

in a storm.

soned,, beaten

The

early christians, impri-

and persecuted even to death, would

have had but poor consolation, better friend than

hour of

would it

music to have

their distress.

particularly

if

And here

they had not had a relied

I think the

condemn music,

if

could be resorted to in the hour of

much

as

it

mind from

in the

Quakers

they thought

affliction,

would then have a tendency its

upon

in as

to divert the

true and only support.

Music, again, does not appear to them to be pro iuctiveof elevated thoughts,. that

is,

of such thoughts

MORAL EDUCATION. mind

as raise the

to sublime

from the

stracted

human

and the

The most melodious sounds

instruments can make, are from the earth

But nothing can

earthly.

spiritual things, ab-

the temper,

inclinations,

prejudices of the world. that

and

t>?

rise

higher than

its

own

All true elevation therefore can only come,

origin.

in the opinion

of the Quakers, from the divine source

The Quakers music, cannot

seeing no moral utility in

therefore,

make

it

a part of their education.

But

there are other considerations, of a different nature,

which influence them Music,

Even

in the

in the first place,

those

who run

after

same way. is

a sensual gratification.

sacred music, never consi-

der themselves as going to a phce of devotion, but

where, in

full

concert, they

may hear the performance

of the master pieces of the religious compositions,

This attention to

art.

for the sake of the

music,

has been noticed by one of our best poets. " and ten thousand

" Patiently present

at a

sit,

sacred song,

" Commemoratioiwnad, content to hear,

"

O

wonderful effect of music's power,

" Messiah's eulogy

for Handal's sake

!

COWPER

But

the

Quakers

believe, that

all

sensual desire;

should be held in due subordination to the pure principle,

or that sensual pleasures should be discouraged,

moral education.

5A

as

much

as possible, as being

tual feelings,

ment of a

opposed to those

which constitute the only perfect enjoy-

christian.

Music, again,

if it

would be considered

were encouraged

enjoy, in the service of religion.

by the Quakers

members

in the society,

as depriving those of

years of hours of comfort, which they

sidered

spiri-

maturer

now frequently

Retirement

as a christian duty.

is

con-

The

therefore of this society are expected to

wait in silence, not only in their places of worship,

but occasionally chambers,

in their families, or in their private

in the intervals of their daily occupations,

that, in stillness

of heart, and in freedom from the ac-

tive contrivance of their

own

wills,

they

may acquire

both directions and strength for the performance of the duties of opinion, that,

life.

if

The Quakers

instrumental music were admitted as

a gratification in leisure hours, of

many

therefore are of

it

would take the place

of these serious retirements, and

become

ry injurious to their interests and their character christians

veajs

MORAL EDUCATION.

SECT.

Vocal music forbidden

moral than reading

HE

—singing

—

69

in itself

but as vocal music articulates

—some

v.

ideas, ill

no more im-

it'may convey poison to the mind

ideas

songs contrary to Quaker notions of morality

as in hunting songs

—youth

tial

—

make no

o?

in baccanalia?i

selection

— but

—

—

or in mar-

learn all that

fall in their way.

J[T

is

sures

an observation of Lactantius, that the " plea-

we

may

receive through the organ of the ears,

be as injurious as those we receive, through the

He

gan of the eyes."

or-

does not, however, consider

much

be

re-

garded, " because sounds, which proceed from

air,

the effect of instrumental

music

as

to

are soon gone, and they give birth to no sentiments that can be recorded.

sounds from the voice,

Songs, on the other hand, or

may have

an injurious

influ-

ence on the mind."

The Quakers, the

same

church.

in their

view of

distinction as this

They have

sible, to vocal,

this subject,

make

ancient father of the

a stronger objection, if

than to instrumental music.

it

be posInstru-

MORAL EDUCATION.

%0

mental music, though

it is

considered to be produc-

tive of sensual delight, is yet considered as incapable,

on account of its to express

inability to articulate, or its inability

complex

ideas, of

conveying either unjust Vocal, on the

or impure sentiments to the mind. other hand,

is

capable of conveying to

For vocal music

this sort.

it

consists of songs, or of

words musically expressed by the human words

poison of

But

voice.

are the representatives of ideas, and, as far as

these ideas are pure or otherwise, so far

may

vocal

music be rendered innocent or immoral.

The mere

singing,

more immoral than singing

is

it

must be obvious, can be no same song,

the reading, of the

but another

mode

of expressing

it.

The

morality of the action will depend upon the words

which pure,

it

if

may

If the

contain.

the sentiments in

it

words

are just,

in a

and

song are

if it

be the

tendency of these to awaken generous and virtuous sympathies, the song will operate no otherwise than a lesson of morality.

be

And

less serviceable to us,

will a lesson

because

it

is

poetry and musically expressed by the than

when

it is

conveyed to us

if they

false opinions, if

dressed up in

human

in prose?

But

voice, if,

on

song are

in

themselves

inculcate false honour,

if

they lead to

the other hand, the

unchaste,

of morality

words

in a

they suggest sentiments, that have a

tendency to produce depraved

feelings,

then vocal

MORAL EDUCATION.

7u

music, by which these are conveyed in pleasing accents to the ear,

becomes

a destroyer of morals,

cannot therefore be encouraged by any, purity of hea

Now the

t,

as required

by ihe

Quakers are of opinion,

who

and

consider

christian religion.

that the songs of the

world contain a great deal of objectionable matter in these respects; and that if they were to be promiscu-

ously taken

up by

who have no powers

children,

ol

discriminating between the good and the bad, and

who

generally lay hold of

all

that

fall

in their

way,

they would form a system of sentimental maxims, very injurious in their tendency to their moral charac ter.

we were

If

to take a collection of songs as publish-

ed in books, and were to examine these, find that if,

again,

ed

in

such a system might

we were

many

to

be formed. And.

examine the sentiments contain-

of these, by the

Quakers on the

easily

known

sentiments of the

several subjects of each,

iind that, as a highly professing people, tions

than

would

among

Let us, .songs,,

arise aeainst vocal

we

more

should objec-

music anions them

other people* for

which

ing songs.

we should

example, just glance

in the collection

In these

men are

at that class

would be

of

called hunt-

invited to the pleasures

of the chase, as to pleasures of a superior kind.

triumphs over the timid hare are celebrated

The

in these

n

MURAL EDUCATION.

with a kind of enthusiastic joy, and celebrated too as triumphs, worthy of the character of men.

But

even attached to these pursuits. it

will

Glory

is

the Quakers, as

appear in a future chapter, endeavour to pre-

vent their youth from following any of the diversions

of the false

They

field.

consider pleasures as placed on a

foundation, and triumphs as unmanly and in-

glorious,

which are founded on circumstances, con-

They

nected with the sufferings of the brute creation.

cannot therefore approve of songs of this order, be-

cause they consider them as disseminating sentiments that are both unreasonable

Let us

now go

found

in the

lian.

Men

same

are

collection

;

I

which may be

mean

the bacchana-

are invited here to sacrifice frequently at

Joy,

good humour, and

promised to those, who pour out

An

bations in a liberal manner.

wine,

cruel.

to another class,

the shrine of Bacchus. spirits,

and

w hich

their

li-

excessive use of

injures the constitution,

7

fine

and

stupifies

the faculties, instead of being censured in these songs is

sometimes recommended

in

them, as giving to

ture that occasional stimulus, which sary to health.

is

deemed

neces-

Poets too, in their songs, have con-

sidered the day as

made only

for vulgar souls, but the

night for the better sort of people, that they better pursue the pleasures of the bottle.

have gone so

na-

far in their

may

the

Others

songs, as to promise long

MORAL EDUCATION. life

75

who

as a consequence of drinking, while others,

human

confess that

life

may be

means, take care to throw out,

shortened by such as a

that,

thus becomes proportionabiy abridged,

Now

proportionably a merry one.

man's

it is

the

life

rendered

Quakers are

so particularly careful with respect to the use of wine

and spirituous

liquors, that the society are annually

and publicly admonished

to

beware of excess.

Qua-

kers are discouraged from going even to inns but for the

purposes of business and refreshment, and are

admonished longer than

Quakers

to take care, is

stay there

therefore,

no

The

necessary for such purposes.

cannot be supposed to approve of

any of the songs of

mend

that they

this class, as far as they

or promote drunkenness.

And

recom-

they cannot

but consider them as containing sentiments injurious to the morals of their children.

But

let

us examine another class of songs, that

may be found

in the

same

be denominated martial. tenor of these songs ?

They endeavour,

ries.

whether their one,

own

collection.

Now The

what

is

These may generally the

authors celebrate victo-

regardless of the question,

cause be a right or

to excite joy at the events,

it is

wrong

a

their

aim

fre-

quently to rouse the soul to the performance of martial

exploits, as to exploits the fullest of

They

frequently threaten enemies with

Vol.i.

K

human new

glory.

chastise-

MORAL EDUCATION.

74

ments, and revenge.

new

victories,

and breathe the

spirit e-f

But the Quakers consider all wars, whether

offensive or

as against the spirit of the

defensive,

They cannot contemplate

christian religion.

scenes

of victory but with the eye of pity, and the tear of

compassion, for the sufferings of their fellow- crea-

whether countrymen or enemies, and

tures,

devastation of the to attach, nor

human

race.

They

do they give any thing

for the

allow no glory

like

an honour-

able reputation, to the Alexanders, the Caesars, or the

They

heroes either of ancient or modern date.

can-

not therefore approve of songs of this class, because

they conceive them to inculcate sentiments, totally contrary to the mild and peaceful spirit of the christian religion. If

we were

to

examine the collection

farther,

we

might pick out other songs, which might be reckoned of the

class of the

impure.

Among

these will

be

found ideas, so indelicate, that notwithstanding the gloss,

which wit and humour had put over them, the

chaste ear could not but be offended It

must be obvious,

the Quakers, parents, to the It is

ject,

but

all

by

their recital.

in this case also, that not only

persons

filling

the stations of

would be sorry if their children were

to

come

knowledge of some of these. unnecessary to proceed farther upon this sub-

For the reader must be aware

that,

while the

MORAL EDUCATION.

75

Quakers hold such sentiments, they can never patronise

such songs

;

and that

if

those

who

are taught or

allowed to sing, generally lay hold of all the songs that

come

into their

way, that

The Quakers

without selection.

ground hold

"it

promiscuously and

is,

as a christian society,

will

have a strong

who

or as a society,

necessary to be watchful over their words as

well as their actions, for the rejection of vocal music

SECT. IV.

The preceding are

—new

state

strumental

HE

of the early Quaker*

of music has produced new ones

now

leading into

the arguments

censurable for a waste

—

company for

its

—

of time for

connection with vocaL

music

into education, arc

those which were nearly coeval with the society incapability of

music

to

might throw it

in the

way of

itself.

answer moral ends, the

sensuality of the gratification,

impurity

in-

arguments which have hitherto appeared

against the admission of

The

—

the impediments

religious retirement,

might convey to the mind, were

it

the

in the

MORAL EDUCATION.

76

Music

early Quakers.

mouths of the

principally in the hands of those,

was

livelihood of the

who made

Those who followed

art.

time

at that

a

as an

it

accomplishment, or a recreation, were few and these followed

it

But

with moderation.

progress has been immense.

its

whole kingdom. lies

since those days,

It

has traversed the

has got into almost

It

Many

of rank and fortune.

of the middle classes,

in imitation of the higher, have received it

it,

and, as

has undergone a revolution in the extent, so

undergone another is

the fami-

all

learned now,

tion,

in the object of its practice.

has It

not as a source of occasional recrea-

but as a complicated science, w here perfection

is insisted

this

it

new

upon

to

make

it

therefore of

state

worthy of pursuit.

music new arguments

have arisen on the part of the Quakers, which

now concisely detail. The Quakers, in that the learning of

the

first

music, as

In

I shall

place, are of opinion, it is

now

learned, can-

not be admitted by them as a christian society, because, proficiency being

been before observed, employed, than

commanded They

to

is

now it

the object of

as has

would keep them longer

consistent with people,

redeem

it,

who

are

their time.

believe also that

music

in its present state,

has an immediate tendency to leading into the compa-

ny of the world.

In former times,

when music was

MORAL EDUCATION. followed with moderation, panion, or as a friend: tigue,

it

and amusement in

young person

to his

lowing many of the

now, or since

it

was esteemed

com-

solitary hours.

It

drew a

home, and hindered him from folidle diversions

of the times.

It

leads to the

It leads, for its

own

company.

It

making up of fes-

gratification, to the

Now this tendency of

various places of public resort. is

But

new object, it

It leads into

effect.

leads to trials of skill.

leading into public

as a

afforded relaxation after fa-

has been practised with a

produces a different

tive parties.

it

77

considered by the Quakers as a

tendency big with the dissolution of their society.

For they have many customs

to

keep up, which are

The

quite at variance with those of the world.

mer appear to be

steep and difficult as

Those of the world

to

common paths.

more prone

fication than to self-denial,

would

to the

ed

And

in the

discipline

to self-grati-

prefer to walk in

would point

the influence of fashion

same choice.

The

be smooth and easy.

natural inclination of youth,

the latter.

The

for-

liberty too,

which

is

allow-

one case, seems more agreeable than the

imposed

in the other.

Hence

it

has been

found, that in proportion as

young Quakers mix

with the world,

imbibe

tfley generally

weaken themselves as members of

The Quakers

its spirit,

their

and

own body.

again, have an objection to the learn-

ing of instrumental music on account of

its

almost

in-

MORAL EDUCATION.

Za

separable connection with vocal, in consequence of

which,

which the

leads often to the impurity,

it

latter

has been shewn to be capable of conveying to the

mind.

This connection does not circumstance, that those,

arise

who

much from

so

learn to play, generally

Musi-

learn to sing, as from another consideration. cal people,

who have

acquired

sirous of obtaining every as

comes

it

there

is

new

for his

and

new musical

novel.

we know,

The

publication,

The pro-

waits with impatience

politician

morning paper.

Just so

of the

de-

produced where

is

it

discovers anxiety is

with the musical

amateur with respect to a new tune.

many

taste, are

an aim at perfection in this science.

fessed novel reader, for a

skill

This desire

out.

the

Now, though

new compositions come out

for instru-

mental music only, yet others come out entirely as vocal.

These

consist of songs

sung

at

our theatres,

er at our public gardens, or at our other places of public resort, and are afterwards printed with their

music, and exposed to

sale.

The words

of these songs, as well as the music that to them,

Now as

fall

into the

therefore

is

attached

hands of the young amateur.

such songs are not always chaste, or

delicate,

and as they frequently contain such sentiments, as have shewn the Quakers to disapprove, the musician,

if

a

I

young

Quaker, might have his modestey

fre-

MORAL EDUCATION.

79

Kjuently put to the blush, or his delicacy frequently

wounded, or

his morality often

might have no immoral tendency

of

its

in

upon, by

Hence, though instrumental music

their perusal.

have rejected

broken

it,

among

in itself, the

Quakers

other reasons, on account

almost inseparable connection with vocal.

SECT. V. Objection anticipated, that though the arguments, used

by the Quakers rally fair

seems

to

and

in the

preceding chapters, are geneyet an exceptionable one

positive,

have been introduced, by which

to be inculcated,

that the use

abandoned on account of the distinction, this

made by

its

it

appears

of a thing ought

abuse—

to be

explanation

the Quakers,

in the use

of

of

argument.

X PURPOSE distinction,

to stop for a while,

and to make a

which may now become necessary, with

respect to the use of what

may appear

to

be a Quaker-

principle of argument, before I proceed to a

new

sub-

ject. It

may have been

observed by some of my readers,

MORAL EDUCATION.

<

though the Quakers have adduced arguments,

that

which may be considered subjects, to have

as fair

and positive on the

which have come before

us, yet they appear

adduced one, which

is

no

other, than that of

condemning the use of a thing on account of its abuse.

Now

this

mode

of reasoning,

it

exploded by logicians, and reasons, that

if

it,

we should be

among

ether

relinquish customs

obliged to give up

things that are connected with the comforts,

and even with the existence of our

To

be said has been

for this,

we were bound to

in consequence of

many

will

this observation I

lives.

must reply,

that the

Quakers

never recommend an abstinence from any custom,

merely because the use of

Where satisfy

a

simply

its

abuse.

liable to abuse,

they

it.

But where

rally

is

ma}- lead to

themselves with recommending moderation in

the use of

first

custom

it

place,

the abuse of a custom

is either,

in the

necessarily, or, in the second very gene-

connected with the use of it, they generally con-

sider the omission of It is in

it

as morally wise

and prudent.

these two cases only that they apply, or

that,

they lay any stress upon the species of argument described.

This species of argument, under these two tions, they believe to

be tenable

limita-

in christian morals,

and

they entertain this belief upon the following grounds.

MORAL EDUCATION. may be

It

laid

down

of any custom which

and

that

conceive

it it

as a position, that the abuse

innocent in

may become become

to

when

tianity,

is

it

31

itself,

is

an

And

a moral evil.

evil,

they

a moral evil in the eye of Chris-

occasions either the destruction of or the misapplication of

the health of individuals, their time, or the

excitement of their worst passions,

or the loss of their moral character. If therefore the use of

(which

is

the

first

any custom be necessarily

of the two cases) connected with

abuse, and the abuse of

its

it

be the moral

evil des-

cribed, the user or practise:* cannot but incur a certain

degree of

guilt.

This

those uses of things, tion of

first

case will

comprehend

all

which go under the denomina-

gaming.

If again, the use of a

influence of fashion, or

custom be its

own

either

seductive nature, or

any other cause, very generally (which case) connected with

its

through the

is

the second

abuse, and the abuse be also

of the nature supposed, then the user or practiser, the

custom be unnecessary, throws himself wantonly

into danger of evil, contrary to the watchfulness Christianity enjoins in morals; and, if

his

if

own

fault.

he

which

falls, falls

by

This watchfulness against moral dan-

ger the Quakers conceive to be equally incumbent

upon the

christians, as Watchfulness

common

VOL.. 1.

dangers of

life.

upon persons against

If two thirds of JL

all

the

MORAL EDUCATION.

S3

who had

children,

had

pice to play,

would be all

ever gone to the edge of a precifallen

down and been

injured,

it

a necessary prudence in parents to prohibit

such goings

in future.

So they conceive

it

to

be

o lily a necessary prudence in morals, to prohibit

customs, where the use of them

is

connected with a censurable abuse.

comprehend music,

very generally

This case

will

as practised at the present day,

because they believe

it

to be injurious to health, to

occasion a waste of time, to create an emulative disposition,

and

to give an

undue indulgence

to sensual

reeling.

And ment to

as the

Quakers conceive

this species of argu-

to be tenable in christian morals, so they hold

it

be absolutely necessary to be adopted in the educayouth.

tion of sufficient

For grown up persons may have

judgment

a thing and

its

to distinguish

between the use of

They may

discern the boun-

abuse.

daries of each, and enjoy the one, while they avoid

the other.

But youth have no such power of

discrimination.

know water,

Like inexperienced mariners, they

not where to look for the deep and the shallow and, allured

they may, like those

by enchanting circumstances,

who

are reported to have

been

enticed by the voices of the fabulous Syrens, easily

overlook the danger, that assuredly awaits them in their course >

MORAL EDUCATION*

CHAP. IV

The

—

theatre

SECT.

Plato,

—

and the ancient

—particularly immoral

them

I.

the theatre as -well as music

plays respectable in their origin Solon,

3.3

in

abused—

—

but degenerated

moralists against

England

in the

time

of Charles the second—forbidden by Gearge Fox sentiments

of Archbishop

Law — English objectionable

Tillotson

—of

—

JVilliam

plays better than formerly , but

still

—prohibition of George Fox continued

by the Quakers.

XT

is

much

to

be lamented that customs, which

originated in respectable motives,

and which might

have been made productive of innocent pleasure, should have been so perverted in time, that the continuation of

them should be considered

by moral men. in

As we have

seen this to be the case,

some measure, with respect

case with respect to pla)

Dramatic

T

to music, so

the authors of

some of

it is

the

s.

compositions appear

reprehensible origin.

as a grievance

It certainly

to

have had no

was an object with

the earliest plays to

combine

the entertainment with the moral improvement of the

MORAL EDUCATION.

8*

Tragedy was

mind.

which the modern

duced.

till

monody

simply a

first

But the tragedy of

Bacchus.

world,

at

the

ancients,

to

from

derived, did not arise in the

is

the dialogue and the chorus were intro-

Now

was a moral

office.

knows,

as ever}- scholar

the chorus,

They who

filled it,

were loud in

their

recommendations of justice and temperance.

They

inculcated a religious observance of the laws.

They implored punishment on were strenuous

in their

the abandoned.

They

discouragement of vice, and

This

in the promotion of virtue.

being coeval with tragedy

itself,

office therefore,

preserves

it

from the

charge of an immoral origin.

Nor was

which took

corned}",

we

find

it

to have

the writers to attack vice.

afterwards,

In the most ancient

the result of corrupt motives.

comedies,

its rise

been the great object of If a chief citizen

had

acted inconsistently with his character, he was ridi-

culed upon the stage.

His very name was not con-

cealed on the occasion.

In the course of time how-

ever, the writers of dramatic pieces to use the

names of the persons,

to censure.

But we

same great

object, the

find

were forbidden

whom they

them

still

proposed

adhering to the

exposure of vice

;

and they

painted the vicious character frequently so well, that the person

was soon discovered by the audience,

plough disguised by a

fictitious

name.

When new

MORAL EDUCATION. restrictions

were afterwards imposed upon the writers

of such pieces, they produced a

This

edy.

It consisted

The

life.

is

that

new

which obtains

species of

subject, it,

com-

at the present day.

of an imitation of the manners of

belonging to ters,

8$

common

the names, and the characters,

were now

all

of

them

Wri-

feigned.

however, retained their old object of laughing

and of exposing

at folly

Thus

it

vice.

appears that the theatre, as

was employed, inculcated frequently

far as

tragedy

good

lessons

as

of morality, as heathenism could produce, and as

comedy was concerned, remedy,

after the

that

it

became

far as

often the next

more grave and moral

lectures of

the ancient philosophers, against the prevailing excesses of the times-

But though the

theatre professed to

encourage

and to censure vice, yet such a combination

virtue,

of injurious effects was interwoven with the representations fiction

there,

arising

either

upon morals, or from

tion of the rational character

from the influence of the sight of the degrada-

by buffoonery, or from

the tendency of such representations to produce levity

and they,

dissipation,

who were

or from various other causes,

that

the greatest lovers of virtue in those

days, and the most solicitous of improving the moral condition of man, began to consider tive

of

much more

evil

them

than of good.

as produc-

Solon fore-

MORAL EDUCATION.

85

warned Thespis,

saw him

that the effects of

would become

act,

such plays, as he

in time injurious to the

morals of mankind, and he forbade him to act again.

The Athenians, though such performances were afterwards allowed, would never permit any of their judges to

compose

gus,

Who were

a

comedy. The Spartans under Lycurthe most virtuous of

all

the people of

Greece, would not suffer either tragedies or comedies to

be acted

had banished music,

as he

Plato,

at all.

so he banished theatrical exhibitions from his pure

Seneca considered, that vice made insen-

republic. sible

approaches by means of the stage, and that

stole

on the people

Romans,

in their

purer times, considered the stage

who became

morals, that they put to control

But

when

a worse

when

it

state

be de-

under the power of a censor,

it

it

first

time of Charles the second,

appeared in the world, was in

than even in the Grecian or

was ever

was noted

rupt morals, fore,

to

an actor, and so pernicious to

in the

Quakers

If there

times.

Roman was

its effects.

the stage,

the

The

in the disguise of pleasure.

to be so disgraceful, that every

graded,

it

was

a period in

as a christian reformer,

to be behind the

any country,

as the school of profligate in this reign.

Roman and cor-

George Fox

there-

could not be supposed

heathen philosophers, in a case

where morality was concerned.

Accordingly

we

MORAL EDUCATION. find

him

protesting publicly against

such specta-

all

In this protest, he was joined by Robert Bar-

cles.

clay and

William Penn, two of the greatest men of

who

those times,

in their respective publications at-

tacked them with great

These publications

spirit.

shewed the sentiments of the Quakers, body, upon

this subject.

Quaker could be present

And

87

It

as a religious

was understood

amusements of

at

that

no

this sort.

was confirmed by the sentiments and

this idea

advices of several of the most religious

members,

which were delivered on public occasons.

By means

of these publications and advices the subject was

kept

alive,

till it

became

at length incorporated into

The

the religious discipline of the Quakers.

was then

specifically forbidden

annually to be

;

theatre

and an inquiry was

made from thenceforward, whether

any of die members of the society had been found violating the prohibition.

Since the time of Charles the second,

Fox entered sort,

it

must

when George

his protest against exhibitions of this

certainly

be confessed, that an

alteration

has taken place for the better in the constitution of

our plays, and that poison

by means of them,

The

is

not diffused into morals,

to an equal extent, as at that period.

mischief has been considerably circumscribed by

legal inspection,

and,

it is

to

be hoped, by the im-

proved civilization of the times.

But

it

does not

MORAL EDUCATION.

38

appear by any historical testimony

we

have, that a

change has been made, which

all

proportioned

to the quantity of moral light,

among us

which has been diffused Archbishop Tillotson

since that reign.

was of opinion, "

that plays

at

is

might be so framed, and

they might be governed by such rules, as not only to

be innocently to put

some

diverting, follies

but instructive and useful

and vices out of countenance,

which could not perhaps be so decently reproved, nor so

effectually

way."

And

full

exposed or corrected any other

yet he confesses,

" they were so

that,

of profaneness, and that they instilled such bad

principles into the mind,

ought not to have been tolerated

much

a

less in

own

in his

in

day, that they

any

christian nation."

William Law,

an eminent divine of the establishment,

who

lived

declared in one of his publications on

after Tillitson,

the subject of the stage, that see a play in either house,

thoughts,

and

civilized,

passages,

christian religion."

" you could not then

but what abounded with

and language contrary to the

From

the time of William

Law

to the present about forty years have elapsed, and

do not

see,

if

the subject,

we

who

become much Indeed

if

the

we

consult the controversial writers on live

less

among

us,

that the theatre has

objectionable since those days.

names only of our modern plays were

to be collected and published, they

would teach

us.

MORAL EDUCATION. to

&9

augur very unfavourably as to the morality of their

contents.

The Quakers

therefore,

body, have seen no reason,

why

they should differ

on

in opinion from their ancestors

as a religious

this subject

and

:

hence the prohibition which began in former times with respect to the

theatre.,

is

continued by them

at

the present day.

SECT. H.

Theatre forbidden by the Quakers on account of the

manner of the drama character of others

form

—

—-frst,

as

it

personates

secondly, as

it

professes to re-

tlie

vice.

X HE

Quakers have many reasons

to give,

why,

as a society of christians they cannot encourage the

by being present

theatre, shall

not detail

select

all

such only, as

The

first class

relate, to

Vol.

any of its exhibitions.

of them for the reader, I

but

I

shall

think most material to the point.

of arguments comprehends such as

what may be

i-

a+

called the

M

manner of the drama.

MORAL EDUCATION.

90

The Quakers to

its fictitious

object to the

manner of the drama, or

nature, in consequence of

vi

hich

men

personate characters, that are not their own.

This

personification they hold to be injurious to the

man,

who

is

compelled to practise

it.

Not that he

will par-

take of the bad passions, which he personates, but that the trick and trade of representing what he does not

must make him

feel,

at all

times an actor

looks, and words, and actions, will be

And

this evil will

it

also to

life.

be contrary

way, express joy and

may be none

sophisticated.

to the spirit of

For men who personate characters

Christianity. this

and his

be likely to continue with him in

the various changes of his

They hold

all

;

grief,

when

in reality there

They

of these feelings in their hearts.

express noble sentiments,

when

their

in

whole

may

lives

have been remarkable for their meanness, and go ten afterwards and wallow in sensual delights.

of-

They

personate the virtuous character to day, and perhaps

to-morrow

that of the rake,

and, in the latter case,

they utter his profligate sentiments, and speak his profane language. plicity

and

what he tion of utter,

is its

truth.

not.

Now It

Christianity requires

allows no

And

it

man

sim-

to pretend to

requires great circumspec-

followers with respect to what they

because

his idle words,

it

be

makes every man accountable

may for

MORAL EDUCATION. The Quakers

Si that they

therefore are of opinion,

cannot as men, either professing christian tenets, or christian love, encourage others to racters, or to

assume

false

cha-

personate those which are not their

(
own.

They where

where

it it

object also to the manner of the drama, even

For

professes to be a school for morals.

teaches morality,

it

inculcates rather the re-

though

fined -virtue of heathenism, than the strict,

mild discipline of the gospel. to extirpate vice,

it

does

And where

rather

it

by making

lous, than

by making men shun

virtue.

no where

It

by which men

are

it

attempt? it

ridicu-

love of

for the

fixes the deep christian principle,

bound

to avoid

among

it

as sin, but places

rather

upon the

the world, than

upon any

the propriety of the dereliction of loss of reputation

it

it

sense of religious duty.

(e)

Rousseau condemns the stage upon the same

says he, the art of dissimulation

of appearing differently from what a sion without a cause, and of saying#fi if

he really did

—in a

principle.

"

—of assuming- a foreign character, man

really

is

—of

what he docs not

flying- into a

It is,

and pas-

think, as naturally

word of forgetting" himself to personate

others/'*

MORAL EDUCATION.

92

SECT.

III.

Theatre forbidden on account of the internal contents

of the drama

— both

— prospects — and comedy

those

of tragedy

—and

these contents hold out false morals

observations

X HE

of

weaken

of Lord Kaimes upon

next class of arguments

and

of morality

the sinexvs

of

—

the subject.

is

taken from the

internal contents of the drama.

The Quakers mean

that dramatic

compositions

generally contain false sentiments, that Christianity

hold out

morals

,

would disapprove

false

and

prospects;

that they

and other of their pation,

who

;

is,

of course they

that,

that they inculcate false

have a tendency from these,

internal contents, to

promote

and to weaken the sinews of morality

see

them represented upon

Tragedy the drama,

is

such as

dissi-

in those

the stage.

considered by the Quakers, as a part of

where the hero

is

generally a warrior,

and where a portion of human happiness consist of martial glory.

Hence

it

is

and romantic

made

to

considered as

frequently inculcating proud and lofty ys cherishing a fierce

is

sentiments,

spirit, as

encou-

MORAL EDUCATION.

93

raging rival enmities, as holding of no importance the

bond of

man and man.

love and union between

Now as Christianity enjoins humility,

peace, quietness,

brotherly affection, and charity, which latter

is

be bounded by the

Quakers

limits of any country, the

not to

hold as a christian body, that they cannot admit their children to spectacles, which have a tendency to en-

gender a disposition opposite to these.

Comedy

is

considered as holding out prospects,

and inculcating morals, equally

false

and hurtful.

In such compositions, for example, a bad impression is

not uniformly given of a bad character.

frequently accomplishes

punishment.

ends without the merited

its

Indeed treachery and intrigue are often

considered but as jocose occurrences.

modern honour tor,

sulted there.

woven

life.

Vulgar ex-

is

chastity nor delicacy always con-

Impure

allusions are frequently inter-

into the dialogue, so that innocence cannot but

often blush. rals,

laws of

and even swearing are admitted upon the

Neither

stage.

The

are frequently held out to the specta-

as laws that are to influence in

pressions,

Knavery

are

Incidents not very favourable to

sometimes

New

introduced.

characters are produced

to

ledge of which,

the novice

diverted from his

new and

view, in

mo-

dissipated

by the know-

dissipation

is

not

baneful career, but finds

only his scope of dissipation enlarged, and a wider field to

range

in.

To

these hurtful views of things,

MORAL EDUCATION.

94

as arising

from the

which

those,

arise

internal structure, are to

from the extravagant

and the

the ridiculous intrigues,

silly

be added

love-tale s %

buffoonery of

the compositions of the stage.

Now it is

impossible, the Quakers contend, that

these ingredients, which are the component parts of

comic amusements, should not have an injurious influence

upon the mind

that is

If the blush

-and susceptible of impressions. first

the

started

which

upon the cheek of a young person on

hearing of an indecorous or profane sen-

first

and continued

timent,

young and tender

it

to be excited

at length

be so

impudent language of

that the

effectually laid asleep,

awaken

some time

same, should

at repetitions of the

ribaldry can

for

no more,

it

is clear,

that a

victory will have been gained over his moral feelings

and

if he

when

should remember (and what is to hinder him,

the occurrences of the stage are

strong

and accompanied

action,

marked with

with impressive

sccncrv) the language, the sentiments, the incidents, the prospects,

which dramatic pieces have brought

before him, he

may combine

memory, with

his

own

these,

feelings,

as they rise

and incorporate them

imperceptibly into the habits and manners of his life.

Thus,

may lose made

if

to

own

vice be not represented as odious,

he

If buffoonery should

be

his love of virtue.

to please him, he

may

lose the dignity of hi?

MORAL EDUCATION. Love-tales

inind.

imagination.

may produce

Low

characters

If the laws of

cunning.

laws of refined

life,

he

in

may

honour

him a romantic teach

strike

may become

If modes of dissipation strike

moralist.

9f

him low

him

as the

a fashionable

him

as

modes

of pleasure in the estimation of the world, he

abandon himself to these, and become a rake.

may such

may

Thus

representations, in a variety of ways, act

upon the moral

principle,

there, detrimental to his

Lord Kaimes,

in his

and make an innovation

moral character.

elements of criticism, has the

following observations.

" The

among

licentious

its

many

court of

Charles the second,

disorders, engendered a pest,

The English

virulence of which subsists to this day.

comedy, copying the manners of the

the

court,

became

abominably licentious; and continues so with very little

softening.

It is

there an established rule to

deck out the chief characters with every vice fashion

however gross; but

viewed

in a true light,

as

such characters,

would be

in if

disgustful, care is

taken to disguise their deformity under the embellish-

ments of in

wit, sprightliness

mixed company makes a

not

much

capital figure.

It requires-

thought to discover the poisonous influence

of such plays. at last

and good humour, which,

A young man of

from the severity and

figure,

emancipated

restraint of a college

MORAL EDUCATION.

96

education, repairs to the capital disposed to every

The

sort of excess. rite

play-house becomes his favou-

amusement, and he

enchanted with the gaiety

is

and splendour of the chief personages.

The

him

oft*

which

way

vice gives

for

new

by which clared

soon wears

at first,

more

notions,

disgust

to

make

liberal in his opinion,

a sovereign contempt of religion, and a de-

war upon the

maids and

chastity of wives,

widows, are converted from being infamous vices to

be fashionable ally

through

gladly

I listen to

take to prove,

chimerical

!

infection spreads gradu-

How

ranks and becomes universal.

all

would

The

virtues.

that

But

any one,

what

I

who

should under-

have been describing

the dissoluteness of our

of birth will not suffer

me

doubt

to

Harry Wildair has completed

many

is

young men

its reality.

a rake

;

Sir

and in

the suspicious husband, Ranger, the humble imitator

of Sir Harry, has had no slight influence in spreading that character.

What woman,

tinctured with the

play-house morals, would not be the sprightly, the witty,

though dissolute Lady Townley, rather than

the cold, the sober, though virtuous

How

odious ought writers to be

talents they

Lady Grace?

who thus, employ

the

have from their maker most traitorously

against himself,

by endeavouring

disfigure his creatures

!

If the

to

comedies of Congreve

did not rack him with remorse in his

he must have been

lost to all

corrupt and

last

moments,

sense of virtue,"

MORAL EDUCATION,

97

SECT. IV.

The

theatre forbidden

religion

—

this effect arises

accustom individuals their

moral feelings

to

—

light

from

the pleasures

its

tendency

thoughts—

to occasion

to

to

injure

an extraordinary

mind— and from the very nature

excitement of the

of

injurious to the happi-

of man by disqualifying him for

ness

of

— because

the enjoyments which

it

produces.

JTjlS the Quakers consider the theatre to have an injurious effect on the morality of man, so they consi-

der

to have an injurious effect

it

They

believe that

ticularly the

amusements of

on his happiness. this sort,

but par-

comic, unfit the mind for the practical

performance of the christian duties, and that as the

most pure and

substantial happiness, that

experience,

is

they deprive

him of

man

can

derived from a fulfilment of these, so the highest enjoyment of

his nature is capable,

that

is,

which

of the pleasures of re-

ligion.

If a

man were

theatre, if

he went there to learn the moral duties, he

would laugh VOL.

lfc

asked, on entering the door of the

at the

absurdity of the question

N

;

and

if

MORAL EDUCATION.

9&

he would consent

would

and direct answer, he

to give a fair

either reply, that

he went there for amusement,

or to dissipate gloom, or to be

Some

made merry.

one of these expressions would probably characterise

Now

his errand there.

the effect, which the

this

answer would comprise

Quakers

performances of the stage.

attach to the

They

drawing the mind from serious posing

it

But

to levity.

consider

reflection,

comic

them and

as

dis-

they believe that a mind,

gradually accustomed to light thoughts, and placing its

best gratification in light objects,

must be

dis-

qualified in time for the gravity of religious exercise,

and be thus hindered from partaking of the pleasures

which such an exercise must produce.

They are ing, as

was

of opinion also, that such exhibitions, havlately

mentioned, a tendency to weaken the

moral character, must have a similarly injurious

effect.

For what innovations can be made on the human heart, so as to seduce

successively

ment of the

wean

it

it

from innocence,

that will not

both from the love and the enjoy-

christian virtues ?

The Quakers

also believe, that dramatic exhibitions

have a power of vast excitement of the mind.

have no such power, they are insipid. they are injurious.

A person

play in an excited state. to

He

is

all

If they

If they have,

the evening at a

goes home, and goes

bed with his imagination heated, and his passion?

MORAL EDUCATION. roused.

The

next morning he

99

He remem-

rises.

bers what he has seen and heard, the scenery, the

language, the sentiments, the action. in the

The

same excited

He

continues

remainder of the day.

state for the

extravagant passions of distracted lovers,

wanton addresses of mind.

Now it is

actors,

are

still

upon

fresh

the his

contended by the Quakers, that a

person in such an excited

state,

but particularly

if

the

excitement pleases, must be in a very unfavourable of the pure principle, or for

state for the reception

the promotion of the practical duties of religion. is

supposed that

if

any religious book, or

if

It

any part

of the sacred writings, were handed to him in these

moments, he would be incapable of enjoying them and ;

of course, that religious retirement, which implies an

would be

abstraction from the things of the world,

impracticable at such a season.

The Quakers

beiieve also, that the exhibitions of

drama must, from

the

their

own

nature, without any

other consideration, disqualify for the pleasures of religion.

It

was a frequent saying of George Fox,

taken from the apostle Peter, that those in

who

indulged

such pleasures were dead, while they were

that

is,

they were active in their bodies

about briskly

after their

they shewed the

life

were extinct as to

;

alive

they ran

business or their pleasures

of their bodily powers

spiritual feeling.

By

;

;

;

but they

this

he meant

MORAL EDUCATION.

100

that the pleasures of the theatre, lar nature,

were

of religion. ly.

in direct opposition to the pleasures

The former were from

They were

Hence

spirit spiritual.

sures.

life

Hence

But

the latter were from the

there

was no greater

it

differ-

and death, than between these

the

human mind was made

of receiving both at the same time

deeper

the world world-

invented according to the dispositions

and appetites of men.

ence between

and others of a simi-

;

plea-

incapable

and hence the

were to get into the enjoyment of the former,

must become of course

the less qualified

it

enjoyment of the

latter.

for

the

MORAL EDUCATION

101

SECT. V.

—because

injurious to the happiness

disqualifying

him for domestic enjoy-

Theatre forbidden

of man by ments

— Quakers value next —sentiments of Cowper—

to the

these

religion

pleasures

theatre has this

tendency, by weaning gradually from a love

—and has

it

in

the amusements

HE society,

of the

of home

any other of

thaen

"world.

Quakers, ever since the institution of their

have abandoned the diversions of the world.

They have ters.

a greater degree

of

obtained their pleasures from other quar-

Some

of these they have found in one species

But

those,

found

in the

of enjoyment, and others in another.

which they

particularly prize, they have

enjoyment of domestic happiness

;

and these pleasures

they value next to the pleasures of religion.

(f) " Domestic happiness, thou only

Of

Thou She

bliss

Paradise, that has survived the art the

nurse of virtue

fall

—In thine arms

smiles, appearing, as in truth she

(J)

Cowper

is,

MORAL EDUCATION.

102

Heav'n-born, and destin'd to the skies again.

Thou

art not

known, where pleasure

That feeling goddess, with

And wandering eyes,

Of

still

Novelty, her fickle,

is

ador'd,

a zoneless waist

leaning on the

arm

support

frail

For thou art meek and constant, hating change,

And

finding, in the

calm of truth-tried

love,

Joys, that her stormy raptures never yield.

Forsaking thee, what shipwreck have we made

Of

But

if

honour, dignity, and

renown

fair

1"

the Quakers have been accustomed to place

one of the sources of their pleasures

may be supposed

piness, they

to

in

domestic hap-

be jealous of every

thing that appears to them to be likely to interrupt

But they consider dramatic tendency.

These

exhibitions, as having this

exhibitions, under the influence of

plot, dialogue, dress,

music, action, and scenery, par-

They

ticularly fascinate.

is gratified,

homes

ple leave their

who

excite the person,

But

once seen them, to desire them again. tion as this desire

it.

for the

in

has

propor-

or in proportion as peo-

amusements of the

stage,

they lose their relish, and weaken their powers, of the

enjoyment of domestic society

mean

:

that

is,

the

Quakers

to say, that domestic enjoyments, and those of

the theatre,

may become,

same persons

;

in time, incompatible in the

and that the theatre ought, therefore,

to be particularly avoided, as an

enemy,

upon them, and rob them of those

that

may steal

pleasures,

which

MORAL EDUCATION.

103

experience has taught them to value, as I have observ-

ed before, next to the pleasures of

They

a;

religion.

e of opinion also, that dramatic exhibitions

not only tend, of themselves, to make home less agree-

but that they excite a craving for stimulants, and,

able,

above for

teach a dependence

all,

Hence

amusement.

taken off again to

out of their

own

new

upon external objects

the attention of people is

objects of pleasure,

families,

and out of the

which

lie

circle of their

friends. It will

not take

much time to shew, that the Quakers

have not been mistaken in

this point.

It is

usual in fashionable circles, where the theatre larly

not unis

regu-

brought into the rounds of pleasure, for the father

and the mother of a family to go to a play once, or occasionally twice, a

week.

But

it

seldom happens, that

they either go to the same theatre, or that they

Their children are

gether.

under, what

is

at this

when

;

be again sure.

by them

and perhaps once afterwards it is

left at

to-

home,

considered to be, proper care, but they

are probably never seen again

noon

time

sit

till

in the

the next

same day,

more than an even chance,

that they

must

for the gratification of

some new

plea-

left

Now this

separation of fathers from mothers,

and of parents from children, does not augur well of domestic enjoyments or of a love of home.

MORAL EDUCATION.

104

But we

conduct of the parents

will trace the

;

and here we

shall

bosom of

their families,

accustomed amusements

;

how

very soon discover,

wearisome they consider every hour, that the

still

We will get into their company at their own

farther.

houses

,

is

spent in

when deprived

of their

and with what anxiety they

count the time, when they are to be restored to their favourite rounds of pleasure.

culty in judging also

measure of

their

their children.

from

diffi-

conversation,

their

the

thought or their solicitude about

A new play is sure

to claim the ear-

The

capital style, in

attention or discussion.

liest

We shall find no

which an actor performed

his part

on a certain night,

furnishes conversation for an hour.

Observations on

a

new

more

actress perhaps follow.

Such

subjects appear

interesting to such persons, than the innocent

conversation, or playful pranks, of their children.

the latter are noisy, they are often sent out of the as troublesome,

If

room

though the same parents can bear the

stunning plaudits, or the discordant groins and hissings of the audience at the theatre.

time their children grow up, and

In the

mean

in their turn, are in-

troduced by their parents to these amusements, as to places, proper till,

by frequent attendances, they themselves

affection for in

for the dissipation of vacant

time as

home and

little

hours

;

lose an

the domestic duties, and have

regard for their parents, as their parents

MORAL EDUCATION.

105

Marrying

appear to have had for them.

at length,

not for the enjoyment of domestic society, they and

same rounds of pleasure,

their children perpetuate the

and the same sentiments and notions.

To

these instances

by looking

many indeed might be

into the family- histories of those,

added,

who

are

in the habit of frequenting theatres in search of plea-

sure,

by which

it

would appear,

that

such amusements

are not friendly to the cherishing of the domestic duties

and

affections,

but

that,

on the other hand,

in

proportion as they are followed, they tend to sap the

enjoyments of domestic

life.

And

here

it

may be

observed, that of all the amusements, which go to the

making up of

the

round of pleasures, the theatre has

the greatest share in diverting from the pleasures of

home.

For

it

both from the

amusements

it

particularly attracts

nature, contains.

It is also

So

the season, for resort. to pleasure should not

and the

come

and

fascinates,

diversity,

of the

always open, in

that if private invitations in sufficiently

numerous,

or should be broken off by the indisposition of the parties,

who

to supply

give them,

the theatre

any vacancy, that

the round.

Vol.

r.

-Q

may be

is

always ready

occasioned

m

MORAL EDUCATION

K>6

SECT. VI.

Quakers conceive they can sanction no amusements r but

such

minds

—

as

could have originated

exhibitions

—

early christians aban-

doned them on their conversion subject,

— arguments of

as taken

from

HE

Quakers conceive, as a

that the} ought to have nothing to T

the

Tertullian,

Minucius Felix, Cyprian > Lactantius and

J_

christian

of the drama coidd have had,

they believe, no such origin

latter on this

in

christian

others.

society,

do with any amuse-

ments, but such as christians could have invented themselves, or such as christians could have sanctioned,

But they be-

by becoming partakers of them.

lieve that dramatic exhibitions are of

as

men

such a nature

of a christian spirit could never have invented

or encouraged, and that, again, and

if

the world were to begin

were to be peopled by pure

christians,

these exhibitions could never be called into existence there.

This

inference, the

from the nature of a is in

Quakers judge christian

mind.

to

be deducible

A man,

who

the habit, at his leisure hours, of looking into

MORAL EDUCATION. the vast and stupendous

works of

107

creation, of con-

templating the wisdom, goodness, and power of the

fathom the great and magnificent

creator, of trying to

plans of his providence,

ing

all

mankind with

who

is

in the habit of survey-

the philosophy of revealed

gion, of tracing, through the

reli-

same unerring channel,

the uses and objects of their existence,

the design

of their different ranks and situations, the nature of their relative duties

opinion

of*

and the

like,

could never, in the

the Quakers, have either any enjoyment,

or be concerned in the invention, of dramatic exhibi-

To

tions.

a mind, in die habit of taking such an

elevated flight,

it

is

supposed that every thing on the

stage

must look

How

could a person of such a mind be delighted

little,

and childish, and out of place.

with the musical note of a

the attitude of a

fiddler,

dancer, the impassioned grimace of an actor ?

could the intrigue, or the love- sick position please that these

him

?

or

how

tale

How

of the com-

could he have imagined,

could be the component parts of a chris-

tian's joys ?

But to

this inference

is

considered by the Quakers

be confirmed by the practice of the early

These generally had been Pagans. course Pagan dispositions.

amusements, and, among the stage.

But soon

They these,

christians;

They had of followed Pagan

the exhibitions of

after their conversion,

that is,

MORAL EDUCATION.

108

when they had

received

new minds, and when

they

had exercised these on new and sublime subjects, on subjects similar to those described,

or,

when they had received

other words,

rated spirit of christians, they

the regene-

amusements

the

left

or, in

of the stage, notwithstanding that, by this act of singularity in a

sensual age, they were likely to bring

upon

themselves the odium and the reproaches of the world.

But when tre,

the early christians abandoned the thea-

they abandoned

it,

as the

Quakers contend, not

because, leaving Paganism they were to relinquish all

customs

that

were Pagan, but because they saw

T

in their new' religion, or because they

saw

in this

newness of their minds, reasons, which held out such

amusements

to

ed themselves

be inadmissible, while they considerin

the light of christians.

These

reasons are sufficiently displayed by the writers of the second, third, ave alluded to I shall give these,

how

r

christians

by

them

and fourth centuries

to the reader.

He

far the ancient coincide

upon

;

and as they

the Quakers, though never quoted,

this subject

;

will

judge by

with the modern

and how

far

these argu-

ments of antiquity are applicable to modern times.

The

early

Menucius

christians,

Felix,

believed, that

according

to

Tertullian,

Cyprian, Lactantius, and others,

the " motives

for

ments were not of the purest

going to these amusesort.

People went to

MORAL EDUCATION. them without any view of

The motive was

minds.

They

the

lo.»

improvement of

cither to see or to

their

be seen."

considered the manner of the drama as ob-

They

jectionable.

believed "that he

who was

the

author of truth, could never approve of that which

was

and that he, who condemned hypocrisy,

false,

could never approve of him, racter of others

;

and

who

personated the cha-

that those therefore,

who

pre-

tended to be in love, or to be angry, or to grieve,

when none of

those passions existed in their minds,

were guilty of a kind of adultery

in the eyes of tha

Supreme Being."

They

considered their

contents to be noxious.

They " looked upon them

as consistories of immorali-

ty. it

They

did not

affirmed that things were spoken there which

become

were shewn see

to

from

;

there,

and

whom

that,

christians to hear,

which

it

did not

and

that things

become christians

while these things polluted those

they came, they polluted those in time, in

whose sight and hearing they were shewn or spoken."

They

believed also, " that these things not only

polluted the spectators,

but that the representations

of certain characters upon the stage pointed out to

them

the various roads to vice, and inclined

become ed,

the persons,

whom

them

to

they had seen represent-

or to be actors in reality of what they had seen

feigned

upon

the stage."

MORAL EDUCATION.

LiO-

They

believed again, " that dramatic exhibitions

prpduced a frame of mind contrary to should exist in a christian's breast

that,

which

that there

;

was

nothing to be seen upon the stage, that could lead or

encourage him to devotion

;

but, on the other hand,

and fury of the play-house, and the

that the noise

representations there, produced a state of excitement,

man.

that disturbed the internal

Whereas

the spirit

of a christian ought to be calm, and quiet, and composed, to

They

fit it

believed also, " that such promiscuous as-

semblages of to virtue;

there

for the duties of religion."

men and women were

not favourable

for that the sparks of the passions

blown

were

into a flame.

Tertullian,

from

whom some

of the above opinions

are taken, gives an invitation to those

who were

fond

of public spectacles, in nearly the following terms.

Are you

fond,

says he, of the scenic doctrine,

We

have

We can give We can give

you

or of theatrical sights and compositions ? plenty of books for you to read.

works

in

prose and in verse.

apothegms and hymns.

you

fict'tious plots

truths.

We cannot to besure,

or fables, but

give

can give you

We cannot give you strophies, or the winding

dances of the chorus, but ties,

we

you

we

can give you simplici-

or plain and straight forward paths.

of seeing contests or

trials for

victory ?

Are you fond

You

shall see

MORAL EDUCATION. these also, and such as are not

You may

see, in

trivial,

ill

but important-

our christian example, chastity over-

coming immodesty. You may see a death- wound to perfidy. ting the better of cruelty.

faithfulness giving

You may see mercy getYou may see modesty

and delicacy of sentiment overcoming impurity and impudence.

comes us

These

which

are the contests in

christians to

it

be concerned, and where

be-

we

ought to endeavour to receive the prize,"

CHAP.

Jbancing forbidden this subject

V.....SECT.

I.

— Greeks and Romans

— motive on which

differed on

the Greeks encouraged

dancing —motive on -which the moderns encouraged it

—way

in

which the Quakers view

ments which they use against

JlxS

the

it

—

the argu-

it.

Quakers have thought

it

right to prohibit

music, and stage-entertainments, to the society, so they have thought

none of

it

their children

in the latter art.

proper to

prohibit dancing,

being allowed any instruction

MORAL EDUCATION.

H2 It is

remarkable that two of the most civilized na-

two of the wisest men of

tions, as well as

antiquity,

should have differed in their opinions with respect to

The Greeks

dancing.

considered

an honourable employment

;

it

as a wise

and most of the nations

therefore under that appellation inserted

The name

system of education.

and

it

into their

of dancer was so

honourable, as to be given to some of their gods. Statues are recorded to have been erected to good

Socrates

dancers.

is

said to have

so much, as to have learnt

it

on the other hand, was but It

admired dancing

n his old age. little

regarded

Dancing, at

Rome.

was not admitted even within the pale of accom-

plishments. trivial

"

It

was considered

employment.

Nemo

at best as a

Cicero says,

fere saltat sobrius, nisi forte insanit,

in solitudine,

"No man

neque

in convivio

We collect people of old,

neque

honesto." That

is,

dances, in private, or at any respectable

entertainment, except he be drunk or

came

sorry and

at least

mad."

from the above statement,

who were

that

celebrated for their wisdom,

to very different conclusions with respect to the

propriety of the encouragement of this

Those

nations

among

.raged dancing, did

it

the ancients,

upon the

art.

which encou-

principle, that

it

led

to an agility of body, and a quickness of motion, that

would be useful

in military evolutions

and exploits.

MORAL EDUCATION. Hence

was considered

swiftness of foot

to

be an

any that could be given to

as honourable as

epithet,

113

a warrior.

The moderns, on

the other hand, encourage dan-

cing,

or at least defend

They

consider

of the body

;

it

not

different principles.

producing a handsome carriage

as leading to a graceful

use of the limbs sition,

as

upon

it

and harmonious

and as begetting an erectness of po-

;

more favourable

to the look of a person

that) to his health.

That dancing produces

dispositions of this sort

cannot be denied, though certainly not to the extent,

which many have imagined.

Painters,

who study

nature the most, and are the best judges of the ap-

pearance of the

human

frame, are of opinion, that

modern dancing does not produce

natural figures

or at least such as they Would choose for their re-

The

spective compositions.

military exercise

has

quite as great a share as dancing in the production

of these dispositions.

who were

And

there are certainly

men,

never taught either the military exercise

or dancing, whose deportment

is

harmonious and

graceful.

The Quakers

think

children dancing,

as

it

unnecessary to teach their

an accomplishment, because

they can walk, and carry their persons with sufficient ease and propriety without VOL.

1.

it.

p

MORAL EDUCATION^

tU They

think

unnecessary

it

the practice of

it

may be

because, however

also,

consistent with the spright-

liness of youth, they could never sanction '

They expect

turer age.

society, that they should

it

in

members of

of the

their

abandon amusements, and

and dignified pursuits, when they

substitute useful

But they cannot consider dancing

become men.

but as an employment that

and below the

useless,

is

dignity of the christian character in persons,

To

have come to years of discretion.

who

initiate there-

youth of twelve or thirteen years of age into

fore a

dancing,

when he must

The Quakers, edly, for

relinquish

it

at

again, cannot view dancing abstract-

no person teaches or practises

but they are obliged to view

niment of music, to encourage

view

If they

other tilings.

it,

twenty, would,

be a culpable waste of his time.

in their opinion,

their

ma-

it

it

would be

it

abstractedly

in connection

it,

with

its

with

usual accompa-

inconsistent, they think,

when they have banished music from

republic.

If they

view

it

as connected with

an assemblage of persons, they must, they conceive, equally

condemn

it.

And

principally level their

prohibit

all

here

in fact, that they

arguments against

members of

their society

sent at balls, and assemblies

youth are brought up

it is

;

it.

They

from being pre

and they think,

if their

in ignorance of the art of danc-

ing, that this ignorance will operate as one preventative

MORAL EDUCATION.

115

amusements of

at least against attendances at

this

nature.

The Quakers

are as strict in their inquiry with

respect to the attendances of any of their as at theatrical

balls,

balls

members

They

amusements.

at

consider

and assemblies among the vain amusements of

the world.

They use arguments

ly similar to those

against these near-

which have been enumerated on the

preceding subjects.

They

consider them in the

first

place, as productive

and of thoughtlessness

of a kind of frivolous levity,

with respect to the important duties of

life.

They

consider them, in the second place, as giving birth to

They

vanity and pride.

consider them,

again, as

powerful in the excitement of some of the malevolent passions.

Hence they

to the religious interests of

him of comp acency growth of his bad in the

them

believe

man

;

to

for,

be injurious

by depriving

of mind,

and by increasing the

feelings, they

become impediments

way of his improvement

as a moral being,

MORAL EDUCATION

116

SECT.

Arguments of

pher

—

case

Quakers examined

the

made out for

II.

the determination

the first

—

case

— three

of a moral

cases

philoso-

— case

the second

the

third.

X PURPOSE

to look into these

Quakers, and to see

how

far the}'

arguments of the can be supported.

I will

suppose therefore a few cases to be made out,

and

be handed, one by one, to some moral philoso-

to

pher

for his decision.

(that all prejudice

suppose

I will

of education

this philosopher

may be

excluded) to

have been ignorant of the nature of dancing, but that

he had been made acquainted With

it,

might be enabled to decide the point Suppose then that,

on a

it

was reported

certain day, a

both sexes,

who had

in order that

in question.

to this philosopher

number of young persons of

casually

met

at a friends house,

instead of confining themselves to the

room on

a person present had invited

them suddenly

sum-

a

mers afternoon, had walked out upon the green

that they

he

;

that

to dance

;

had danced to the sound of musical vibra-

tions for an hour,

and

that after this they

had returned

MORAL EDUCATION. to the

room, or

that they

107

Would

had returned home.

the philosopher be able to say in this case, that there

was any thing

in

that incurred

it,

any of the culpable

imputations, fixed upon dancing by the Quakers ?

He

could hardly,

could have been,

I think,

in

it

out,

that there

any part of the business, any

opening for the charges to have

make

in question.

There appears

been no previous preparations of extra-

vagant dressing off the person

admiration

;

no premeditated design of

;

no previous methods of procuring

no circumstance,

;

setting

in short,

by which he

could reasonably suppose, that either pride or vanity could have been called into existence.

would appear

to

him

to

The time

also

have been too short, and the

circumstances too limited, to have given birth to improper feelings.

He would

certainly see that a sort

of levity would have unavoidably arisen on the occa-

but his impartiality and justice would oblige

sion,

him

to

make

a distinction between the levity, that

and the

only exhilarates,

Nor could he

heart.

levity that corrupts,

conceive that the dancing for

an hour only, and this totally unlookcd stand

much

future.

If

in the

way of

pleasures of

upon

life,

for,

this

sudden danc-

the green with any of the

he would probably class

hours exercise in the

could

serious reflection for the

he were desired to class

ing for an hour

the

fields,

it

known

with an

or with an hours

game

MORAL EDUCATION.

118 at play,

or with an hours

employment

ii)

some

inno-

cent recreation.

But suppose now,

Suppose

the philosopher.

new

that a

it

case were opened to

were told him,

same party had been so delighted with

upon a

their

the green, that they lrad resolved to

month

for the

that the

dance

meet once

purpose of dancing, and that they

might not be prevented by bad weather, to meet

room

public

resolution

;

that they

;

had danced

that they

but for a short time

had met according to

;

but that

at their first

at their

in a

their

meeting

meetings

after-

wards, they had got into the habit of dancing from eight or nine at night

many

of them

till

twelve or one in the morning; that

now began

be unduly heated in the

to

course of this long exercise

consequence of the heat in

now for

this

occasionally ready to faint

some of them

crowded room, were*

;

that

it

was now usual

complain the next morning of

to

others of hcad-achs, others of relaxed nerves,

colds,

and almost riness

some of them in

that

;

all

of them of a general lassitude or wea-

—what could

the philosopher say in the present

case?

The

philosopher would

now

probably think, that

they acted unreasonably as

human

turned night into day

that, as if the evils

were not

sufficient in

;

and

beings

;

that they

of

life

number, they converted hours,

which might have been spent calmly and comfortabh

MORAL EDUCATION. at

home, into hours of indisposition and of unpleasant

But

feelings to themselves.

Would he

or

would he not

Quakers applied

the

this is

this snbject,

not to the point.

arguments of

say, that the

in the present case ?

does not appear, from any thing

on

119

that

It certainly

that has yet transpired

he could, with any shadow of

reason, accuse the persons, meeting on this occasion,

of vanity or pride, or that he could see from any of the occurrences, that have been mentioned, evils

could be produced.

come

out,

how

these

Neither has any thing )et

from which he could even imagine the

He

sources of any improper passions.

might think

perhaps, that they might be vexed for having brought fatigue

see

and lassitude upon themselves, but he could

no opening

for serious

anger to others, or for any

of the feelings of malevolence. tell

what occurrence to

of a frivolous levity.

fix

upon

Neither could he for the production

He would

almost question,

judging only from what has appeared

in the last case,

whether there might not be upon the whole more pain than pleasure from these meetings those, felt

who on

;

and whether

the day subsequent to these meetings

themselves indisposed, and their whole nervous

system unbraced, were not so near the door of pentance, that serious thoughts would be to

them than those of a

lighter kind.

more

re-

natural

1

MQ1?AL EDUCATION.

10

But

us suppose one other case to be opened to

let

the philosopher. to him,

that

now suppose

Let us

who

those

it

to be stated

frequented these monthly

meetings, but particularly the females, had become for a

habituated to talk,

day or two beforehand, of

nothing but of how they should dress themselves, or of what they should wear on the occasion

:

that

some

time had been spent in examining and canvassing the

had been called

fashions

;

that the milliner

purpose

;

that the imagination

had been racked

study of the decoration of the person the

in for this

;

that

in the

both on

morning and the after; -oon of the evening, on which

they had publicly met to dance, they had been solely

employed out

;

in

preparations

that they

for

decking themselves

had been nearly two hours under one

dresser only, namely the hair-dresser at intervals

the glass

before

it

the critical detection of any

which might appear

to

adjustment of the same

new

He certainlv

persons in

had walked up and down parading

in admiration of their

say in this

own

they had looked at their

that they

;

that frequently

;

own

little

appearance, and

fold in their dress,

be out of place, and

—what would

in the

the philosopher

case ?

could not view the case with the same

complacent countenance as before.

He would

He would

feel,

seme symptoms of

alarm.

that the truth of the

Quaker-arguments was unfolding

begin to think

MORAL EDUCATION. and

itself,

that

t21

what appeared to him to have been an

innocent amusement, at the

first,

might possibly be

capable of being carried out of the bounds of innocence

by such and similar accompaniments.

He

could not

conceive, if he had any accurate knowledge of the

human

heart,

that

such an extraordinary attention to

dress and the decoration of the person, critical

or such a

examination of these with a view of procuring

admiration, could produce any other fruits than conceit

and

affectation, or vanity

he conceive that vious

talk,

fashions,

all

all this

added

Nor could

and pride.

these preparations,

all

this pre-

previous consultation, about the

employment

to the

of the de-

itself

coration of the person, could tend to any thing else

than to degrade the mind, and to render

He would

frivolous. also, that

it

light

be obliged to acknowledge

minds, accustomed to take so deep an

est in the fashions

and

inter-

and vanities of the world, would not

only loath, but be disqualified for serious reflection.

But

if

he were to acknowledge, that these preparations

and accompaniments had on any one occasion a natural tendency to produce these

effects,

consider these preparations, as likely to

become

in

if

he could not but

made once

a month,

time systematic nurseries for

frivolous and affected characters.

Having traced the subject up appears, that Vol.

i.

some of

the

to a point,

where

Quaker-arguments Q

it

begin,

MORAL EDUCATION.

122

to bear, let us take leave of

we

our philosopher, and as

have advanced nearly to the ball-room door,

us enter into the room stances occur there, better

judgment upon

Arguments of the Quakers

of

any circum-

shall enable

us to form a

it.

SECT.

terior

if

itself,

which

and see

III.

still farther

the ball-room displayed

—hence

gined

examined

—view

of many of the malevolent passions and are more

let

—

of

—

in-

the rise

these rise higher

painful, than they are generally imait is

torohable that the spectators are

better pleased than those interested in the^e dances

conclusion

of the arguments of

—

the Quakers on this

subject.

X AM just,

afraid I shall

be thought more cynical than

more prejudiced than

censure than to praise,

if

impartial,

more given

to

in temples, apparently dedi-

good humour, cheerfulness and mirth, I should say that sources were to be found, from cated to

whence we could

trace the- rise of

immoral passions.

MORAL EDUCATION, But human nature

123

is alike in all places,

and,

if cir-

cumstances should arise in the ball-room, touch as

it

which

were the strings of the passions, they

will

as naturally throw out their tone there as in other

Why should envy,

places.

jealousy, pride, malice,

or revenge, shut themselves out exclush ely

anger,

from these

resorts, as if these

narily sacred, or

human

were more than ordi-

more than ordinary

repositories of

worth.

In examining the interior of a ball-room

be confessed, that we

shall certainly find

must

it

circum-

stances occasionally arising, that give birth to feelings neither of a pleasant nor of a moral nature.

unusual, for instance, to discover

among

It is

not

the females

one that excels in the beauty of her person, and ano-

The

ther that excels in the elegance of her dress.

eyes of

all

these for

are

more than

upon

proportionally turned

the whole night.

This

little

circumstance

soon gen rates a variety of improper passions. calls

up vanity and conceit

objects of admiration.

in the breasts of these

It raises

up envy and

some of

lousy, and even anger in

It

the rest.

jea-

These

become envious of

the beauty of the former,

ous of

envious of their cloathing, and,

above

their taste, al',

them. another

jealous of the admiration bestowed

In this evil state of ;

mind one

envi-

upon

passion begets

and instances have occurred, where some

MORAL EDUCATION.

iZi

of these have

displeased at the apparent coldness

felt

and indifference of

their

own

partners,

because they

have appeared to turn their eyes more upon the vourites of the night, than

their places to

dance

upon themselves.

when

In the same room, ;

fa-

other

the parties begin to take

circumstances not

little

unfrequently occur, which give rise to other passions.

Many

aiming to be as near the top of the dance as

by others,

possible, are disappointed of their places

who

have just stept into them, dissatisfaction, and

rvmetimes oses :

to

mum

and

Each

in his

the higher

be stronger on account of his money, his profession,

fostered. ;

Malice too

is

Thus

or his rank.

dispositions to pride are only the

occasion

own mind,

claims and pretensions to

his

liis

own

urs, follow.

his

more nursed

often engendered on the

and though the parties would not be allow-

ed by the master of the ceremonies to disturb the tranquillity of the

room, animosities have sometimes

sprung up between them, which have not been healed in a little time,

I

am

aware that

of the kingdom regulations are

in

some

large

made with

the prevention of these evils, but

it is

in

towns

a view to

some only

and even where they are made, though they prevent outward rude behaviour, they do not prevent inward dissatisfaction.

Monied

influence

debased by a lower place.

still

feels itself often

MORAL EDUCATION. If

we were

We

and degrading passions. pointment

farther,

we

to call out

new

examine the ball-room

to

new circumstances arising

should find

125

should find disap-

and discontent often throwing

matter upon

mind.

the

Men,

irritable

fond of dancing,

frequently find an over proportion of men, and but

few females in the room, and women, wishing to dance, sometimes find an over proportion of

and but few men for

all,

their

so that partners are not to be had

;

and a number of each

minds

to

for the night.

sit

women,

quietly,

class

must make up

and to loose

their diversion

Partners too are frequently dissatisfied

One

with each other.

thinks his partner too old,

another too ugly, another below him. in this unequal manner, they

Matched

often

go down the dance

in

a sort of dudgeon, having no cordial disposition to-

wards each other, and having persons before eyes in the same

room with whom they could have

Nor

cordially danced.

the pride of

some has

others, as a reason,

them

their hands,

dance.

The

their

are instances wanting

fixed

why

when

slight is

upon

where

the mediocrity of

they should reluctantly lend falling in

with them in the

soon perceived, and disgust

arises in both parties.

Various other instances might be mentioned, where very improper passions are excited.

I shall only

observe, however, that these passions are generally

MORAL

1.26

EDUCATION".

more

uneasiness, and are called uf>

to a greater height, than

might generally be imagined

stronger and give

from such apparently

In

slight causes.

many

instan-

ces indeed they have led to such serious misunderstandings, that they were only terminated

From

mv

may remark

this statement I

by the duel.

here,

though

observation be not immediately to the point, that

there

not probably that portion of entertainment,

is

or that substantial pleasure, which people expected to find at these

monthly meetings.

The

little

jealousies

arising about precedency, or about the admiration of

one more than of another with disagreeable partners

the falling in occasionally

;

the slights and omissions

;

that are often thought to

be purposely made

the

;

head-achs, colds, sicknesses, and lassitude afterwards,

must

of them operate as so

all

this pleasure

:

and

it is

not unusual to hear persons,

fond of such amusements, that they

many drawbacks from

had not answered.

complaining afterwards

There

is therefore pro-

bablv more pleasure in the preparations for such

amusements, and

in the previous talk about them,

than in the amusements themselves. It

is

also probable that the greatest pleasure felt

by

those,

who

get into

as

in the ball-room,

is felt

spectators only.

These receive pleasure from the

music, from the beat of the steps but particularly from the idea that

in

all,

i'

unison with

who

it,

join in the

MORAL EDUCATION. dance, are happy.

127

These considerations produce

the spectator cheerfulness and mirth

;

in

and these are

continued to him more pure and unalloyed than in the former case, because he can have

from the admission into his

own

no drawbacks"

breast of any of those

uneasy, immoral passions, above described.

But to return has

now had

The reader

to the point in question.

the different cases laid before

determined by the moral philosopher.

He

him

as

has been

conducted also through the interior of the ball-room.

He will

have perceived therefore that the arguments

of the Quakers have gradually unfolded themselves,

and

that they are

more

or less conspicuous, or

or less true, as dancing

is

viewed abstractedly, or

in connection with the preparations

may be

ments, that

viewed

in

interwoven with

if

will

go together, which

For

it

have no

case, it

it

is

If

it.

it

be

these should be found to be

so inseparably connected with

case where

and accompani-

connection with these preparations and

accompaniments, and

variably

more

is

it,

is

that they

must

in-

supposed to be the

introduced into the ball-room, he

difficulty in

pronouncing

that,

in this

objectionable as a christian recreation.

cannot be doubted that

it

has an immediate

tendency, in this case, to produce a frivolous levity, to generate vaiuty

and pride, and

of the malevolent kind.

Now

to call

up passions

in this point of

view

MORAL EDUCATION.

128

it

that the

is,

They

never view

or solely by it

Quakers generally consider dancing. it,

itself.

as I observed before, abstractedly,

They have

to their society, believing

christian to

ment

;

he serious

to afford an

it

therefore forbidden to

be the duty of a and deport-

in his conversation

example of humility

;

and to be

watchful and diligent in the subjugation of his evil passions.

AW

MORAL EDUCATION. CHAP. VL

JVovels

—

— them — arguments of

novels forbidden

argument against

spirit

rio

the Quakers

—

are, that they produce

a romantic

their fictitious nature

an affectation ofknowledge

—and

a perverted morality

—and

that by creating an indisposition towards other kinds

reading, they prevent moral improvement

of

real delight

of mind

pernicious than

jljlMONG

many

— hence

and

novel-reading more

other apiusements.

the prohibitions,

which the Quakers

have adopted in their moral education, as barriers against vice, or as preservatives of virtue,

I shall

consider that next, which relates to the perusal of

George Fox seems

improper books. ten nothing, that the society.

He was

anxious for the purity of

its

cha-

should bring some noxious vapour to defile

it

And

was connected with the morals of

he seemed afraid of every wind that blew,

racter, lest

to have forgot-

as those things

which were spoken or represent-

ed, might corrupt the mind,

so those which were

written and printed, might equally corrupt

He recommended VOL.

1

it.

therefore,

R

that

it

also-

the youth of his

MORAL EDUCATION.

130.

newly formed society should abstain from the reading

William Penn and others, expressed

of romances. the

same sentiments on

And the same

this subject.

opinion has been held by the Quakers, as a body of christians,

down

as a particular species of is

Hence

to the present day.

novels,

romance, and as that which

considered as of the worst tendency, have been

particularly

marked

for prohibition.

Some Quakers have been

inclined to think,

that

novels ought to be rejected on account of the

ficti-

tious nature of their contents. is,

But

this consideration

by no means, generally adopted by the

an argument against them-

argument,

if it

in themselves,

were.

Nor. would

it

If novels contain

society, as

be a sound

no

or have no evil tendency,

evil with-

the

mere

circumstance of the subject, names or characters

being feigned,

Such

will not

fiction will

stamp them as censurable.

not be like the

fiction of the

where men act and personate characters their

own.

Different

men,

in different

world, have had recourse to different ing, for the

promotion of

drama,

that are not

ages of the

modes of writ-

Some have had

virtue.

recourse to allegories, others to fables.

The

fables

of JEsop, though a fiction from the beginning to the end, euliai

have been useful to many.

But we have

a pe-

instance of the use and innocence of fictitious

descriptions in the sacred writings.

For the author

MORAL EDUCATION. of the christian religion

made use of parables on many

We

and weighty occasions.

demn

fictitious

131

cannot therefore con-

biography, unless

it

condemn

itself

by becoming a destroyer of morals.

The arguments

against novels, in which the

Qua-

kers agree as a body, are taken from the pernicious

upon

influence they have

the

minds of

who

those,

read them.

The Quakers do

not say,

influence, but that they have

demand

for novels,

the world has

that it

all

novels have this

inconsequence of the

shewn

induced persons of

The

generally.

taste,

great

which

for this species of writing, all

descriptions,

many who have been but

ill

has

and of course

qualified to write

them.

Hence, though some novels have appeared of considerable merit,

ponderant. novels,

the worthless have been great'y pre-

The demand

also has occasioned foreign

of a complexion by no means suited to the

good sense and character of our country, lated into ly

our language.

Hence

two causes

it

be trans-

a fresh weight has on-

been thrown into the preponderating

these

to

scale.

From

has happened, that the contents

of a great majority of our novels have been unfavourable to the

Now we

improvement of the moral character.

when we consider

consider likewise,

generally read

all

this circumstance,

that

and when

professed novel-readers

the compositions of this sort that

MORAL EDUCATION.

13-2

come

into their

way, that they wait for no

selection,

but that they devour the good, the bad, and the

we

ferent alike,

which have

shall see the reasons,

duced the Quakers species of writing

indifin-

that the effect of this

to believe,

upon the mind has been generally

pernicious.

One

of the

which the Quakers consider to

effects,

be produced by novels upon those is

who

read them,

an affectation of knowledge, which leads them to

become forward and presumptuous. highly injurious, for while their

own

world.

estimation,

it

raises

This

effect is-

them unduly

in

lowers them in that of the

it

Nothing can be more disgusting,

in the opin-

ion of the Quakers, than to see persons assuming the authoritative appearance of

men and women

their age or their talents can have given

pretensions to do

Another

effect

is is

the following.

among

and

a

which to sober persons

must become

injurious

lias

them a

As

the appearance of the former effect

by producing forwardness,

must become so by producing

of character,

in

enthusiastic flights of the

temporary derangement.

so this

professed novel readers

a sort of wonder-loving imagination,

a disposition towards

fancy,

The Quakers

They observe

a peculiar cast of mind. spirit,

them any

it.

conceive that there

romantic

before

unsteadiness,

MORAL EDUCATION.

A

third effect,

duced among ous

in a

which the Quakers

133

find to

be pro-

this description of readers, is conspicu-

perverted morality.

They place almost every

virtue in feeling, and in the affectation of benevolence.

They

consider these as the true and only sources of

good.

They make

ciple.

And

these equivalent to moral prin-

actions

flowing from feeling, though

and some-

feeling itself is not always well founded,

times runs into compassion even against justice, they class as

They

moral duties arising from moral principles.

consider also too frequently the laws of

new

gion as barbarous restraints, and which their notions of civilized refinement

And

relax at

painter

some

fashionable vices,

would admit

which no

into any composition,

christian

which was

own.

To

this

it

may be

their

own system

morality to be the only enlightened one, they into scepticism,

own

added, that, believing their

knowledge to be supreme, and

lity.

will.

they do not hesitate, in consequence, to give a

colour to

his

may

reli-

and pass

easily

fall

from thence to

of

often

infide-

Foreign novels, however, more than our own,

have probably contributed to the production of

this

latter effect.

These then the

Quakers

are frequently the evils, insist

and those which

upon, where persons devote their

spare-time to the reading of novels, but

more

parti-

MORAL EDUCATION.

t34

^ularly

among

females,

Mho, on account of the

er delicacy of their constitutions, are the tible

These

of such impressions.

For an

this sex.

affectation of

wardness of character, disgusting

among women

be observed

that

also,

more suscep-

effects the

when they

consider as particularly frightful,

great-

Quakers fall

upon

knowledge, or a

for-

seems to be much more than

among men.

It

an unsteady or romantic

may

spirit

or a wonder-loving or flighty imagination, can never qualify a

woman

for

Nor can

a sedate and prudent wife. rality qualify

make

her

a relaxed

mo-

domestic duties, or

her for the discharge of her duty as a

parent in the religious education of her children.

But, independently of these, there

which the Quakers

is

another

attach to novel-reading, of a nature

too serious to be omitted in this account.

those

who

come

indisposed towards any other. arises

from the peculiar con-

Their structure

struction of novels.

that of dramatic compositions. ters to view.

They have

the same manner.

histories the

They

They

lay

is

similar to

exhibit charac-

their heroes

incidents in the lives of these. iheir

It is that

are attached to this species of reading, be-

This indisposition

in

evil,

and heroines

open the checkered

They

interweave into

powerful passion of love.

By

animated language, and descriptions which glow with

sympathy, they rouse the sensibility of the reader, and

MORAL EDUCATION. fill

They

his soul with interest in the tale.

therefore in the

duce

also the

same manner

same kind of

U5 fascinate

They

as plays.

(g) mental stimulus,

same powerful excitement of the mind.

the It is

pro*

Hence

For

that this indisposition is generated.

or

if other-

books contain neither characters, nor incidents, nor any of the high seasoning, or gross stimulants, which belong to novels they become insipid. It is difficult to

to

estimate the injury which

is

done

persons, by this last mentioned eifect of novel-

For the contents of our best

reading upon the mind.

books consist usually of

Works

plain

and sober

narrative.

of this description give no extravagant repre-

sentations of things, because their object

They

is

truth*

are found often without characters or catastro-

phies, becau e these

would be

often unsuitable to the

nature of the subject of which they treat.

They

contain repellants rather than stimulants, because their

design

is

the promotion of virtue.

(g) I have been told by a physician of the

s»d novels have

clone

more

to

The

first

novel-reader

eminence, that music

produce the sickly countenances and

nervous habits of our highly educated females, than any other causes

The

that can be assigned.

excess of stimulus on the mind from the

interesting and melting tales, that are peculiar to novels, affects the

organs of the body, and relaxes the tone of the nerves,

in

the same

man

ner as the melting tones of music have been described to act upon the constitution, after the sedentary

science, has injursd

it

employment necessary

for skill in that

.MORAL EDUCATION.

1^6

by becoming indisposed towards

therefore,

these;

excludes himself from moral improvement, and de-

most

himself of the

prives

which reading can produce.

pleasure,

substantial

In vain do books on

him

the study of nature unfold to

the treasures of the

He

mineral or the vegetable world.

foregoes this

addition to his knowledge, and this innocent food for

In vain do books on science lay open to

his mind.

him

the constitution and the laws of the motion of

This constitution and these laws are

bodies.

In vain do books on religion dis-

mysteries to him.

He

cover to him the true path to happiness. still

Neither,

this path to seek.

works

into

like these,

if

consideration

has

he Mere to dip

but particularly into those of

This

the latter discription, could he enjoy them. latter

still

makes

the reading of novels a

more pernicious employment than many

others.

For

though there may be amusements, which may some-

who

times produce injurious effects to those, take of them, yet these

may be

counteracted by the

perusal of works of a moral tendency.

on the other hand, which of novels, for

how,

which if

the

is

seem for

are

The

no corrective or cure

shall

a perverted morality,

considered to be one of them, be

book which

is

effects,

produced by the reading

to admit of

instance,

par-

rectified,

to contain the advice for this pur-

pose, be so uninteresting, or insipid, that the persons in question have

no disposition

to peruse

it

?

MORAL EDUCATION, SECT.

CHAP. VII Diversions bidden

of

—of

HE

thoughtlessness on this subject

—

—sentiments of George Fox sentiments of Burroughs—

of Thomson

Edward

Cowper

I.

field— diversions of the field for-

the

—general

sentiments

%W;

similar

—law of

*

the society on the subject.

diversions of the field are usually followed

by people, without any consideration, whether they are justifiable, either in the eye of morality or of rea-

Men

son.

receive

them

as

the customs of their

ancestors, and they are therefore not likely to entertain

The

laws of the

we 'md

regulations

doubts concerning their propriety. country also sanction them

and

qualifications

;

for

on the subject.

Those

also

who

attend these diversions, are so numerous, and their rank, and station, and character, are often such, that

they sanction them again by their example, so that

few people think of making any inquiry, how

far

they

are allowable as pursuits.

But though upon

this general thoughtlessness prevails

this subject,

and though many have

these diversions as into the

fallen into

common customs

of the

world, yet benevolent and religious individuals have Vol,

i.

S

1

MORAL EDUCATION.

38

not allowed them to pass unnoticed,

ward

nor been back-

and reproofs.

in their censures

has been matter of astonishment to some,

It

men, who have the powers of reason, can waste

how their

time in galloping after dogs, in a wild and tumultuous

manner, to the detriment often of

and

to the

who

hazard of their

own

their neighbours,

lives;

or

how men,

are capable of high intellectual enjoyments, can

derive pleasure,

so as to join in shouts of triumph,,

on account of the death of an harmless animal; or

how men, who

have organic feelings, and

that other living creatures have the same,

an amusement of

that,

\\

who know can

make

hich puts brute-animals t©

pain.

Good

poets have spoken the language of enlight-

ened nature upon Seasons,

this

subject.

Thomson

introduces the diversions of the field in the

following manner.

" Here the rude clamour of the sportsman's joy,

The gun

fast-thund'ring, and the

Would tempt the muse

But

winded horn,

to sing the rural

game."

further on he observes,

" These are not subjects for the peaceful muse,

Nor

in his

will she stain

Then most

with such her spotless song

delighted,

The whole mix'd

when she

social sees

animal-creation round

»

MORAL EDUCATION. Alive and happy

;

'Tis not joy to her

falsely cheerful barbarous

This

Cowper,

139

game

of death.**

speaking in praise of the

in his task, in

country; takes occasion to express his disapprobation

of one of the diversions in question. "

They

love the country, and

For their own sake Delights, which

its

none

silence and

who would

else,

who seek

shade,

its

leave, that has a heart

Susceptible of pity, or a mind, Cultur'd, and capable of sober thought,

For

And

all

the savage din of the swift pack

clamours of the

That owes

its

field

?

Detested sport

pleasures to another's pain,

That feeds upon the sobs and dying shrieks

Of harmless With

nature,

eloquence, that agonies inspire

Of silent

tears,

and heart-distending sighs

" Vain tears alas

A

dumb, but yet endued

!

!

and sighs, that never find

corresponding tone in jovial souls

\

In these sentiments of the poets the Quakers, as a religious body, have long joined. cifically

George Fox

spe-

reprobated hunting and hawking, which were

the field diversions of his

shewn, as

I stated in

own

time.

He had

always

the introduction, a tender dis-

position to brute-animals,

those,

who

in his presence.

He

by reproving

had treated them improperly

considered these diversions, as unworthy of die time

MORAL EDUCATION,

140

and

attention of

men, who ought

objects of pursuit.

He

to

them

;

works of

them

to his abuse.

same time,

society, joined

George

with respect to the treatment

in his sentiments

He

could not but

lived at the

and was an able minister of the

of animals,

man

considered diat

man

in the

fall,

the apostate man, had a vision so indistinct and

ed that he could not tion, as

was a

creation better, than to subject

Edward Burroughs, who

Fox

much higher

far a christian

renovated man, and a renovated the

have

believed also, that real chris-

tians could never follow

know

.

he ought, but

or

vitiat-

see the, animals of the crea-

that the

man, who was restored,

or the spiritual christian, had a

new and

clear dis-

cernment concerning them, which would oblige him to consider and treat

them

in a proper

manner.

This idea of George Fox and of Edward Burroughs

seems

to have

been adopted or patronized by the Poet

Cowper*

" Thus harmony, and family accord,

Were The

driven from Paradise

;

and in that hour

seeds of cruelty, that since have swell'd

To such gigantic and enormous growth, Were sown in human natures fruitful soil. *c

Hence

date the persecution and the pain,

That man

inflicts

on

all

inferior kinds,

Regardless of their plaints.

To make him

sport>

MORAL EDUCATION. To

gratify the frenzy of his wrath,

Or

his base gluttony, are causes good,

And

just, in his account,

Should

Thus the

first

why

bird and beast

"

suffer torture

the Quakers censured these diversions from

formation of their society, and laid

down such

moral principles with respect to the treatment of animals, as were subversive of their continuance. principles continued to actuate

were

own

their successors

all

true Quakers,

and they gave a p

;

These

who

oof, in their

conduct, that they were influenced by them, not

Only in treating the different animals under their care

with tenderness, but in

which

in abstaining

their feelings could be hurt.

however, of the

field,

that

all

diversions

The

diversions

notwithstanding that this prin-

ciple of the brute- creation

and

from

had been long recognized,

no person of approved character

in the socie-

ty followed them, began in time to be resorted to

occasionally by the

young and thoughtless members,

either out of curiosity, or with a

as

means of producing

however from the rue

And

length known.

might be again,

left

came to

to

spirit th'e

These

of Quakerism

deviations,

became

at

Quakers, that no excuse

any for engaging in such pursuits

a resolution in one of their yearly meet-

ings, giving advice

words.

pleasure.

view of trying them,

upon

the subject in the following:

MORAL EDUCATION.

142 (h)

We clearly rank the practice

"

of hunting and

shooting for diversion with vain sports lieve the

awakened mind may

of those

whom

see, that

and we be-

;

even the leisure

providence hath permitted to have a

competence of worldly goods, these amusements.

is

but

ill

up with

filled

Therefore, being not only ac-

countable for our substance, but also for our time,

our leisure be employed in serving our neighbour,

let

and not

God

in distressing the creatures of

for

our

amusement. I shall not take

we

reasons upon which law.

I shall

me

upon

different

find the foundation of this

how

not enquire

or rather his talent,

examine the

to

far a

man's substance,

wasted or misapplied, in feed-

is

ing a number of dogs in a costly manner, while the

poor of the neighbourhood may be starving, or far the galloping after these is in the

eye of Christianity

a misapplication of a person's time. only to that part of the argument,

has a right to

make

a

(i)

zeal

The Quakers and

the poet

for the happiness of the

I shall

how

far

a person

Extracts,

Cowper likewse,

in their laudable

brute-creation, have given an improper

description of the nature of the crime of these diversions.

made

it

to consist in a

it

should have been

made

making a pleasure of a pursuit which puts them abandoned sportsman,

another nature.

They have

man's deriving pleasure from the sufferings of the

animals in question, whereas

he enjoys their

adhere

pleasure of that, which oc-

(?)

Book of

(h)

how

it

sufferings.

is

to be

to consist in his

to pain.

The most

presumed, never hunts them because

His pleasure arises from considerations of

MORAL EDUCATION.

143

casions pain and death to the animal- creation shall

shew

and

I

what manner the Quakers argue upon

in

this subject,

:

and how they persuade themselves, that

they have no right to pursue such diversions, but particularly

when

they consider themselves as a

body

of professing christians.

SECT.

II.

Diversions of the field judged firrt by the morality the Old Testament

— per— mals

condition

rights

violation

—

annexed

two

—

sentiments this

of it the violation ofa moral law

Quakers usually

diversions,

to it

and duties springing from

in question not allowable

X HE

which

standards,

by

first

—

of Cow-

—

chapter

diversions

this standard.

try the lawfulness

include* hunting

and

of

original charter to kill ani-

of

field-

and shooting, by

by the morality of the old

Testament.

They

men

believe in

common with

other christians, that

have a right to take away the

their food.

The great creator

lives

of animals for

of the universe, to whom

1

MORAL EDUCATION.

44

every thing that

is in it

belongs, gave to

Noah and his

descendants a grant or charter for this purpose. this charter

no exception

mals a.e included hence a hare

in

may

it

Hence wild

made.

is

be

ani-

And

equally with the tame.

as well

In

killed, if people

have

occasion for food, as a chicken or a lamb.

They

believe also that,

verse gave tion,

when

men dominion

the creator of the uni-

aver the whole brute-crea-

or delivered this creation into their hands, he

intended

them

the right of destroying such animals,

them

as circumstances warranted

is

the

first

supposing would

The preservation

become injurious to themselves. themselves, which

in

of

law of nature, and the

preservation of other animals under their care, created this

new

privilege.

But though men have the lives of animals, there

the is

charter, that they shall take

possible to the creatures.

power given them over a condition in the

them with

as

little

same

pain as

If the death of animals

be made serviceable to men, the

least

is

to

they can do in

to mitigate their sufferings, while

they ex-

return

is

pire.

This obligation the Supreme Being imposed

upon

those, to

whom

he originally gave the charter,

by the command of not eating life's

blood was in

it.

their flesh,

The Jews

obliged

all

while the their con-

verts to religion, even the proselytes of the gate,

who

were not considered to be so religious as the proselytes

MORAL EDUCATION.

145

of the covenant, to observe what they called the seor that " they should

commandment of Noah,

venth

(k) not eat the

member

from

it

it,

while

was

of any beast that was taken

This law therefore of

alive.''

blood, whatever other objects

enjoined that, while

or

all

its

might have

men were engaged

ing task of taking away the

should respect

it

life

in view,

in the distres-

of an animal, they

by abstaining fiom

feelings,

torture,

unnecessary pain.

(/)

On

Noah, and

in

The Charter was

him on

by which we hold

conferr'd,

The

flesh of animals in fee,

O'er

all

we

mankind

all

and claim

feed on pow'r of life and death.

But read the instrument, and mark

The oppression Can

find

Thanks

no warrant there.

(i) It

well.

slain,

Feed then, and

yield

Carnivorous, through sin,

for thy food.

Feed on the

it

of a tyrannous control

but spare the living brute."

seems almost impossible, that men could be so depraved, as

take flesh to eat from a poor animal, while alive

enjoined to proselytes of the gate

is

it

;

to

and yet from the law

probable, that

it

was the

case.

Bruce, whose travels into Abyssynia are gaining in credit, asserts that 1

such customs obtained there. 126, in which

is

a

And

the Harleian Miscellany,

modern account of

the same practice as having- existed in our

(7)

VOL.

1-

vol. 6. P.

Scotland, written in 1670, states

own

Cowper.

T

island.

u6

MORAL EDUCATION.

'

From

and from the great condition

this charter,

annexed to

the

it,

Quakers

and duties have sprung up

are of opinion that rights

on behalf of

rights

;

mals, and duties on the part of men

ani-

and that a breach

;

of these duties, however often, or however thoughtlessly

For

it

may

take place,

a breach of a moral law.

is

did not relate to those animals only,

this charter

which lived

in the particular

to those in

all

countries wherever Jews might exist.

Nor was

the observance of

only, but

it

was

to

it

confined to the Jews

to extend to the Proselytes of the

Nor was

covenant and the gate. it

country of the Jews, but

but

confined to these Proselytes, nations

all

are in

all

because

;

all

the observance of it

was

to extend

animals of the same species

countries organized alike, and have

lar feelings

and because

;

all

all

simi-

animals of every kind

are susceptible of pain.

In trying the law fulness of the diversions of the field, as

the

Quakers do by

condition that

is

annexed

this charter,

to

it,

I

and the great

purpose, in order to

save time, to confine myself to hunting, for this will

appear to be the most objectionable, this

if

examined

in

manner.

It

must be obvious

case of hares, food.

It is

is

then, that hunting, event in the

seldom followed

uncertain in the

first

for the

place,

purposes of

whether in the

course of the chase they can be preserved whole

when

$IORAL EDUCATION. so as to be

they are taken, the second,

horsemen

it

after a

any property

is

to

And,

be eaten.

observed, that

we may

in

see fifty

pack of hounds, no one of whom has

in the pack,

nor of course any right to

These cannot even pretend,

the prey. object

may be

fit

147

that their

food, either for themselves or others.

Neither

is

hunting, where foxes are the objects in

view, pursued upon the principle of the destruction

For

of noxious animals.

may be

it

observed, that

rewards are frequently offered to those, cure them for the chase

:

and perpetuate their species

and

that a

hunter,

poor

man

in the

will pro-

woods or covers

that large

may

frequently allotted them, that they

are

if

who

breed,

same purposes,

for the

neighbourhood of a fox-

would be sure to experience

his displeasure,

he were caught in the destruction of any of these

animals.

With

respect to the

either of these it

cases,

mode it

of destroying them in not as expeditious, as

is

might be made by other means.

other hand, peculiarly cruel.

A

It is

on the

poor animal

is fol-

lowed, not for minutes, but frequently for an hour,

and sometimes

for hours,

sufferings begin with

perpetually

of horses,

in pain

it,

it

flies

and horsemen, and the till

Under

its first fear.

accompanying

pants for breath,

and agony.

the panting

Its

this fear,

from the noise

cries of dogs.

becomes

difficult

It

and

MORAL EDUCATION.

140 It

painful.

becomes wearied even

And

dares not rest. sufferings,

it is

torn to pieces

under a complication of these

at length overtaken,

by

its

to misery, yet

and often

literally

pursuers.

Hunting therefore does not appear,

in the opinion

of the Quakers, to be followed for any of those purposes, which alone, according to the original charter,

give

mankind

a right over the lives of brutes.

It is

neither followed for food, nor for prevention of injury to

man, or

to the creatures belonging to him.

taken away by means of

Nei-

as mercifully

ther

is

as

ought to be, according to the meaning of the

it

life

great condition.

But

when examined upon

if

hunting be not

these principles,

justifiable in the opinion of the

upon this

last principle,

the charge of wanton cruelty, violation of a

(m) The upon these

it

all

(?n)

justifiable,

can never be

Quakers, when

followed en the principle of pleasure, animal- life

it,

it is

destruction of

must come within

and be considered as a

moral law.

netting of animals for food,

principles-

is

perfectly unobjectionable

MORAL EDUCATION. SECT.

Diversions

of the

field

.49

III.

judged by the morality of the

New -Testament— the

man

renovated

or christian

has a clearer knowledge of creation and of its uses

he views animals as the creatures of he finds animals written

benevolence

of

—hence

have rights independently of any

to

law —he

God

—

collects

new

his

again

new

rights

from

—and new

feelings

the

rights

again from the written word of revelation.

X HE Quakers try the lawfulness of these diversions again

by

the morality of the

adopt, in the

of George

first

place,

Fox and

been already stated ner which I shall

They or one

As

of ;

now

long as

is really

Adam

upon

Edward Burroughs, which

was

came dim, the

clear.

short,

Quakers

it

up

in the

has

man-

explain.

man under

a christian,

the

is

new

covenant,

a renovated

mam

preserved his primeval innocence,

or continued in the image of his vision

They

this occasion, the idea

and they follow

believe that a

who

New- Testament.

When

he

Maker,

lost this

and confused.

his spiritual

image,

This

is

it

be-

the case,

believe, with every apostate or

wicked

MORAL EDUCATION.

I5Q

He

man.

harmony of the

sees of course nothing of the

He

He

through a vitiated medium.

sees

creation.

has but a confused knowledge of the natures and

These natures and these ends he

ends of things.

ne-

ver examines as he ought, but in the confusion of his

Hence

moral vision, he abuses and perverts them. generally happens, that an apostate

it

But

his brute.

in proportion as

becomes

divine image, or fell,

um.

he sees

It is

all

then, the

open to him, and

nothing in vain. of things

;

that

and that he

cruel to

is

restored to the

Adam

was before he

things through a clearer medi-

Quakers that

It is

believe, that the creation

he finds his creator has made

then that he

knows

the natures

he estimates their uses and their ends,

will

never stretch these beyond their pro-

Beholding animals

per bounds.

he

is

or in proportion as he exchanges earthly for spiri-

tual views,

is

as

he

man

in this

sublime

light,

will appreciate their strength, their capacities,

their feelings

;

and he

will

never use them but for the

purposes intended by providence. the creation will delight him. find a

And

and

It

It is

is

then that

then that he will

growing love to the animated objects of

this

of them,

knowledge of will oblige

ness and respect.

their natures,

him

Hence

to treat all

and

it.

this love

them with

tender-

animals will have a se-

curity in the breast of every christian or renovated

?nan ag.iinst oppression

or abuse.

He

will

never

MORAL EDUCATION.

151

destroy them wantonly, nor put them to unnecessarv

Now

pain.

the

who

person,

Quakers are of opinion,

professes

who

things as the man,

them, and that lar,

it

Christianity, is

ought to view

renovated, would view

becomes them

therefore in particu

body of highly professing

as a

that every

•

view

christians, to

Hence they uniformly

them in the same manner.

look upon animals, not as brute-machines, to be used

but as the creatures of God, of whose

at discretion,

existence the use and intention ought always to be

considered,

whom

and to

duties arise

spiritual feeling, independently of

out of this

any written law in

the Old- Testament, or any grant or charter,

by which

might be secured.

their happiness

The Quakers therefore, viewing animals in this light, believe that they are

Hence

bound to

the instigation of

spurs for a

nied stake,

The

minal. carry his

them

accordingly..

two horses by whips and

of speed, in consequence of a

mo-

considered by the Quakers to be

cri-

trial is

treat

horse was

body and

was never made

to

made

for the

use of man, to

to transport his burdens

engage

;

but he

in painful conflicts

with

other horses on account of the avarice of his owner.

Hence

the pitting together of

victory

is

for a trial of

considered as equally criminal.

cock, whatever

winged

two cocks

may be

creation, has

For the

his destined object among the

been long useful toman

in

awa-

1

MORAL EDUCATION.

52

him from unseasonable slumber,

kening

sounding to him the approach of day.

and

But

it

in

was

never intended, that he should be employed to the injury and destruction of himself, or to the injury

and destruction of

own

his

In the same

species.

manner the Quakers condemn the hunting of animals, except on the plea of necessity, or that they cannot be destroyed,

if

their death

be required,

For whatever may be

way.

any other

in

their several uses, or the

were

several ends of their existence in creation, they

never created to be so used by man, that they should suffer,

and this entirely

for his sport.

Whoever

puts

animals to cruel and unnatural uses, disturbs, in the opinion of the Quakers, the harmony of the creation,

and offends God.

The Quakers

in the

that the renovated

second place, are of opinion

man must

have, in his

own bene-

volent spirit, such an exalted sense of the benevolent spirit of the Creator, as to believe, that

stituted

ing

its

any part of animated nature, without assign-

it its

time of

proper share of happiness during the natural

its

hour,

this

existence, or that its

be the

ruption of sity,

day, or

case,

its

it

was

he must believe

its tranquillity,

to have its

year of pleasure.

va

also, that

moment,

And, any

if

inter-

ithout the plea of neces-

must be an innovation of

being.

he never con-

its

rights as a living

MORAL EDUCATION. The Quakers who

loves

all

believe also, that the renovated

the

works of the

man.

creator, will carry every

divine law, which has been revealed to him, as far as it is

possible to be carried

of natures through

all

on account of

animated creation, and particu-

larly that law,

which forbids him

what he would

dislike to

this

law

is

The But

and they are in

ceptible of pain.

animals

is

to another,

Now

their

The nature

their feelings

by

the instinct

their bodily feelings

due proportions, sus-

therefore of

alike in this particular.

and know

mental feelings of

man and

brutes, or the reason of

;

do

founded on the sense of bodily, and on the

of animals, are different. are alike

to

be done unto himself.

sense of the mental feelings.

men and

a similarity

his

He

man and

can anticipate

He

own.

therefore subject

them

on account of a

similar construction of his

gans, such an action

to

of

cannot

any action unnecessarily,

would produce pain

own

if

or-

to himself,

His own power of feeling strongly commands sympathat can feel

thy to

all

which

arises to a

:

and

that general

man, when he sees pain

the person of any individual of his arise, in the

own

sympathy, inflicted

on

species, will

opinion of the Quakers, to the renovated

man, when he sees

it

inflicted

on the bodv of a brute

MORAL EDUCATION

154

CHAP.

VIII.

Objections started by philosophical moralists to

preceding sy item of education hibitory one

—prohibitions

—

sometimes the cause of

greater evik than they prevent morality vicious

—and

break the

more vicious

effectual,

—they may confuse — they render the

spirit

— and are not

because built on a false

—

rance no guardian of virtue es,

the

system a pro-

this

to be relied

upon as

foundation—

not sub-caus-

causes,

—no

igno-

certain security

are to be contended against

—

but in knowledge and a love of virtue

where

effectual,

HAVE that are to

now

reasons,

produce but a sluggish virtue.

I

principal

stated the

be found

Quakers, and

in the

prohibitions,

moral education of the

have annexed to these the various

which the Quakers themselves

they were introduced into their society. fore finished this part of will

expect

as I

am

here,

prohibitions'*

me

task,

many

I shall stop for a

why

have there-

and the reader

to proceed to the next subject.

certain that

consider them.

my

I

give,

But

objections will be started

few minutes to

state,

and to

MORAL EDUCATION. The Quakers tion,

differ 011 the subject

!<**

of moral educa-

very materially from the world, and indeed from

those of the world,

who having had

ordinarily liberal education,

in

'

most

cases, a

sists principally

hibitions again,

may be supposed to have,

more than

The Quaker

ment.

more than

a

ordinarily correct judg-

system, as

we have

seen, con-

These pro-

of specific prohibitions.

are extended occasionally to

things,

They

are ex-

which are not in themselves vicious. tended, again, to these, because

it is

may

evil.

be made productive, of

possible that they

And

they are

founded apparently on the principle, that ignorance of

such things secures innocence, or

that ignorance,

such cases, has the operation of a preventive of

in

vice,

or a preservative of virtue. Philosophical

moralists

on the other hand,

friends to occasional indulgences.

They

are

see nothing

inherently or necessarily mischievous, either in the theatre or in the concert-room, or in the ball-room, or

many

other places of

female, say they,

situated in a

in the circulating library,

resort.

If a

young

provincial town, it

or in

were to see a play annually, would

not give her animation, and afford a spring to her

heart ? or

if

a youth were to sec a play two or three

tknes in the year, might not his parents,

accompany him, make

it

if they

were to

each time, by their judicious

and moral remarks, subservient to the improvement of

MORAL EDUCATION. neither do these moralists anticipate any

his morals ?

danger by looking to distant prospects, where the

And

things are innocent in themselves. opinion, that

all

danger

may be

they are of

counteracted effectu-

not by prohibitory checks and guards, but by

ally,

mind with knowledge, and

storing the

The arguments

a love of virtue.

filling it

therefore,

with

which

these will advance against the system of the moral

may be

education of the Quakers,

seen in the follow-

ing words.

" All prohibitions, they contend, should be avoid-

much

ed, as

prohibitions

moral education

as possible, in

may

often

become

;

the cause of greater

The

immorality, than they were intended to prevent. fable of the hen,

ens to the there

is

whose very prohibition led her chick-

fatal well,

has often been realized in

a certain curiosity in

into things forbidden.

the

same desires

them

go

clandestinely.

case,

dress, they

Quaker youth should have

If

at

the expence of their virtue.

If to

go

to the theatre, they

But they must do more than for as they

must change

it

and deceit."

must

this in the

would be known by

their

for that of another persdh.

Hence they may be made capable of crisy,

nature to look

wish for novels, for example, they must get

in secret.

latter

human

life,

in this respect as others, they can-

not gratify them but If they

for

intrigue,

hypo-

MORAL EDUCATION.

157

" Prohibitions, again, they believe, except they b&

may confound

well founded,

on the subject of morality;

do what they

may

they

the notions of children

for if they are forbidden to

see worthy and enlightened persons do,

never

know where

to fix the boundaries

between vice and virtue "

"

Prohibitions, again, they consider,

made

if

with-

out an allowance of exceptions, as having a tendency

Break a horse

to break the spirit of youth.

usual way, a ;d teach

But put him

break his

may

life

to stop with the check of

you break him, and preserve

the reins, and rage.

him

in a mill to

and animation.

break him, and you

may

lead to poverty

spirit."

"Prohibitions, again, they believe,

if

depart from the right way, render them characters than

his cou-

Prohibitions therefore

hinder elevated feeling, and

and sordidness of

in the

common.

This

arises

youth once

more

vicious

from the ab-

ruptness or suddenness of transition.

For having

been shut up within narrow boundaries for a part of their lives,

they go greater lengths,

loose, than others,

who have

when once

let

not been equally curbed

and confined."

But while they are of opinion,

that prohibitions arc

be thus injurious to Quaker-youth, they are of opinion, " that they are never, to be relied upon

likely to

as effectual guardians of morality, because they consider

them

as built

upon

falfe

principles."

MORAL EDUCATION.

15S

" They

are founded, they conceive, on the princi-

ple, that ignorance is a security for innocence, or that

vice is so attractive,

that

we

being kept out of the way.

contend that the position are of

all

cannot resist

In the

is false

;

others the most likely,

first

but by

it

case, they

for ignorant persons

when they

fall

into

temptations, to be seduced, and in the second, they

contend that there in his moral *'

a distrust of divine providence

government of the world.

They are

principles,

is

founded, again, they conceive, on

inasmuch

as the

false

Quakers confound causes

with sub-causes, or causes with occasions.

If a per-

son, for example, were to get over a hedge, and re-

ceive a thorn in his hand, and die of the wound, this

thorn would be only the occasion, and not the cause

of his death.

The bad

state in

have been, to have made

this

have been the original cause.

which

his

wound

body must

fatal,

would

In like manner neither

the theatre, nor the ball-room are the causes of the

bad

passions, that are to be found there.

passions

must have

All these

existed in persons previously to

their entrance into these places.

Plays therefore, or

novels, or public dances, are only the sub-causes, or

the occasions of calling forth the passions in question.

The

real

in the

cause

is in

the infected state of the mind, or

want of knowledge, or

in the

want of a love of

MORAL EDUCATION.

ys9

" Prohibitions therefore, though they may become, partial

lied

upon

bolts

But

checks of vice, can never, they believe, be reas effectual guardians of virtue.

Bars and

seldom prevent thieves from robbing a house.

if

armed men should be

in

In the same manner the mind of

to enter in?

should be armed or prepared. nished, that

who would venture

it,

men

pass uncontaminated

all its

and

foibles

by them.

its follies,

which should hinder

it,

and

should have that

It

becoming occasions.

stances from

should be so fur-

should be able to wander through a

vicious world,, amidst

tone given to

It

man

But

all

this

circum-

can never

be done by locking up the heart to keep vice out of it,

but by

filling it

with knowledge and with a love of

virtue.

" That

this is the

only method to be relied upon in

moral education, they conceive considering upon

whom the

may be shewn by

pernicious effects of the

theatre, or of the ball-room, or of the circulating

brary, principally

upon

those,

fall.

who have

Do

fall

principally

never had a dignified educa-

" Empty noddles,

tion.

they not

it is

houses," and the converse

said, are

true,

is

fond of play -^

that

persons,

ivhose understandings have been enriched, and tastes

have been corrected, find

tiresome. that

At

least

li-

they find so

all

whose

such recreations

much to disgust them

?

what they approve does not make them adequate-

MORAL EDUCATION.

160

This

amends.

These do harm

is

the case also with respect to novels

They

principally to barren minds.

do harm to those who have no proper employment their time, or to those,

who

sation,

and -conduct, of

whom

they associate,

in the

for

manners, conver-

their parents, or others

with

have no examples of pure

thinking, or of pure living, or of a pure taste. Those,

on the other hand, who have been taught to love good books, will never run

And

ones.

the

after,

or be affected by, bad

same mode of reasoning, they conFor

ceive, is applicable to other cases.

if

people are

taught to love virtue for virtue's sake, and, in like

manner, to hate what is unworthy, because they have a genuine

and living knowledge of

its

unworthiness,

neither the ball, nor concert-room, nor the theatre,

nor the circulating library, nor the diversions of the will

field,

have charms enough to seduce them, or to

injure the morality of their

To sum Quakers,

up the whole. in the first

in the opinion

relied

place,

evils,

They can

upon

The

prohibitions of the

may become

injurious,

of these philosophical moralists,

occasioning greater prevent.

minds."

by

than they were intended to

never, in the second place, be

as effectual guardians of virtue, because

they consider them to be founded on false principles.

And

if at

any time they can believe them to be

tual in the office assigned them, they believe

effec-

them

to

to be productive only of a cold or a sluggish virtue.

MORAL EDUCATION

CHAP. IX

Reply of the Quakers

SECT.

161

I.

to these objections

— they say

frst, that they are to be guided by revelation in the education

of

their children

which they adopt, the practice

is

that the education,

sanctioned by revelation, and by

of the early

agam, that the

—and

christians

— they maintain

objections are not applicable to them,

for they presuppose circumstances concerning them,

which are not true

mind with

the

— they a low 1

the system

of filing

virtue to be the most desirable

—but

they maintain that

it

cannot be acted upon abstract-

— and, that if

it

could,

edly

it

would be

as danger-

make

their system

ous, as the philosophical moralists

of the prohibitions.

O these objections

the Quakers

would make the

following reply.

They do

not look up either to their

own

tions, or to the imaginations of others, for

the education of their children. ety,

by

As

imagina-

any rule in

a christian soci-

they conceive themselves bound to be guided revelation,

and by revelation only, while

any injunctions to VOL.

i..

offer,

which x

it

has

relate to this subject.

MORAL EDUCATION.

l<&

In adverting to the Old Testament, they find that

no

less

than nine, out of the ten

commandments of

Moses, are of a prohibitory nature, and, to the

new,

that

many

in adverting

of the doctrines of Jesus Christ

and the apostles are delivered

in the

form of prohibi-

tions.

They

believe that revealed religion prohibits

them

from following all those pursuits, which the objections notice; for though there

each, yet there tianity.

is

is

no

specific prohibition of

an implied one in the

must be unfavourable

which are

spiritual.

must

morals.

affect

to religious ad-

Worldly pleasures must hinder

vancement.

Impure words and

Not only

but even the appearance of

evil is to

by

presumed

that the customs,

those,

spectacles

be avoided,

While

evil.

these sentiments are acknowledged to be

of Chris-

Violent excitements of the passions on sen-

sual subjects

is

spirit

therefore

Christianity,

it

which the objec-

tions notice, are to be avoided in christian education.

And as

the

Quakers consider these

to

be forbidden to

themselves, they feel themselves obliged to forbid

them

to others.

And,

tions, they consider

in these pacticular prohibi-

themselves as sanctioned both by

the writings and the practice of the early christians.

In looking

at the objections,

which have been made

with a view of replying to them, they would observe first,

that these objections

do not seem

to apply to

.MORAL EDUCATION.

163 •

them

as a society, because they presuppose circum-

stances concerning them, which are not true.

presuppose

first,

that their

ed on prohibitions

moral education

is

They found-

whereas they endeavour

solely,

both by the communication of positive precepts,

and by

example, to

their

fill

the

mix with

fashions of the world, in

ledge of the followed,

through

latter,

is

life

the world, and to follow the

which case a moderate know-

considered as enabling them to pass

with

less

other denominations.

may

danger than the prohibition of

not imbibe

mix but

They its spirit.

little

And

here they would is

recommended

be obtained, by going through perilous customs

not necessary for at

with others of

abjure the world, that

observe, that the knowledge, which to

again,

with suitable advice when they are

the same, whereas they

they

their chil-

They presuppose

dren with a love of virtue. that they are to

minds of

them as a

society.

home, and mixing almost

For

solely with

living

is

much

one another,

they consider their education as sufficient for their wants. If the

Quakers could view the two different systems

abstractedly, that of filling the heart with virtue, imd

out from a knowledge of vice, so

that of shutting

it

that they could

be acted upon separately, and so thai

the

first

of the two were practicable, and practicable

without having to go through scenes that were danger

MORAL EDUCATION.

164 •

ous to virtue, they would have no hesitation in giving the preference to the former

because

;

if

taught to love virtue for virtue's sake,

men

could be

the trouble

all

of prohibi ions would be unnecessary.

But the Quakers would conceive filling

the

or by

mind with

itself,

youth.

virtue, if acted

upon

system of

abstractedly,

would be impracticable with respect

To make

born with the

full

grown

intellect

innate

to

must be

practicable children

it

They must have an

men.

that the

and experience of

knowledge of

all

the tendencies, the bearings, the relations, and the effects of virtue

enough

and

vice.

They must be

also strong

whereas youth

to look temptation in the face;

have no such knowledge, or experience, or strength, or power.

They would mind with

consider also the system of impossible,

virtue, as

stractedly or alone, because

dom

to devise a

sence, without It is

method of first

be

would

in love

it

the

attempted ab-

if

not in

inspiring

teaching

impossible, they

tuous, or to

it is

filling

it

human

with this es-

to abstain

say, for a

wis-

from

man

to

vice.

be

vir-

with virtue, except he were to

lay aside his vicious practices.

The

first

step to vir-

tue, according

both to the Heathen and the Christian

philosophy,

to

is

abstain from vice.

cease to do evil, and to learn to do well.

We

are to

This

is

the

process recommended. Hence prohibitions are neces-

MORAL EDUCATION. Hence sub-causes

sary.

as well as causes are to

attacked.

Hence abstinence from

though

may be

cenc

is

it

to

vice

at

by an ignorance of

hence we must prohibit

all evil, if

be

a Christian,

is

Hence

a sluggish, virtue.

be aimed

165

vice.

we wish

inno-

And

for the as

sistance of the moral governor of the world.

But

if

the system of filling the heart with virtue

were ever practicable of of prohibitions, yet

young persons

if it

that

itself,

is,

without the aid

be to be followed by allowing

to pass through the various amuse-

ments of the world which the Quakers prohibit, and

by giving them moral advice would be of opinion,

that

The

in

spirit,

would not be

Quakers, because

it is

injurious, their plan

education to produce humble, and passive, and

obedient characters edness,

;

and because

or high feeling,

As

character. to

which the prohibitions

prohibitions, as far as diey have

a tendency to curb the in the opinion of the

same time, they

more danger would accrue

to their morality, than any,

could produce.

at the

man, would

is

no

spirit,

trait

far as the curiosity,

instigate

him

or highmincl-

in the Christian

which

is

natural

to look into things for-

bidden, which he could not always do in the particular situation

of the Quakers, without the admission

of intrigue, or hypocrisy,

would be

to be

or

considered as

would always be necessary

deceit, evils,

evils.

But

prohibitions

though they the

Quakers

m

MORAL EDUCATION.

would apprehend would not be

same number of youth

that the

lost

by passing through the ordeal of

prohibitory education, as through

system, which attempts to

by inuring its

it

to scenes,

morality; for

the

fill

tiie

mind with

virtue,

which may be dangerous

if tastes

to

be cultivated, and

are to

by adopting the amusements

knowledge

to be had,

prohibited

by the Quakers,

many would be

though some might be advanced to

lost,

For

virtue.

cannot always accompany their childreir to

parents

such places, nor,

if

can they prevent

they could,

these from fascinating.

If these

thsy will suggest repetitions. ons,

ordeal of the

should fascinate,

But frequent

where you accustom youth

repetiti-

and

to see, to hear,

to think, what ought never to be heard, seen, or

thought of by Christians, cannot but have the

effect

This mode of edu-

of tinging the character in time.

would be considered by the Quakers as swering to that of " dear bought experience."

cation

person

may come

his constitution

many trial.

(r)

to see the beauty of virtue,

has been shattered by vice.

will perish in the

an-

A

w lien But

midst of so hazardous a

(»)

Though no attempt

is

to be

made

to obtain

ing to the Christian system, through the piay be of immoral tendency, yet

properly obtained, ant subject

may

is

it

.

knowledge, accord-

medium

of customs whicU

does not follow that knowledge,

not a powerful guardian of virtue.

probably be resumed in a future volume.

This, import-

MORAL EDUCATION.

l$J

SECT, n.

Quakers contend, by way offarther reply tions, that their

education has Seen practically or ex-

perimentally beneficial assertion

—

thefirst

wisdom of

into the

to the objec*

is

— two facts

that young

behalf of

this

Quakers get

earlier

—

the se-

many

than

life

in

others

cond, that there arefeiv disorderly persons in the society

— error

sons out

corrected, that the

of the

vicious, that

it

Quakers turn per-

society, as soon as they begin to be

may

be rescuedfrom the disgrace

of

a bad character

X.

HE

answers, which have hitherto been given to

the rea er, ;

may be

considered as the statement of

theory against theory. farther

upon

upon these and

that,

effects

be

this subject,

principles for a

the

Quakers would say

that they have educated

hundred and

fifty

where they have been attended

have been uniformly beneficial.

fearful therefore of departing

they conceive their ancestors has

own

to,

years, their

They would

from a path, which

experience and that of their

shewn them

after all their inquiries, is

But

to

be

safe,

and which,

they believe to be that which

pointed out to them by the christian religion-

MORAL EDUCATION.

ibS

I shall not attempt to follow

ment by any

up

this practical argu-

history of the lives of the Quakers, but

content myself with one or two simple facts,

shall

which appear In the

to

place I

first

saying, that

me to

it is

be materially to the point.

may

difficult to

observe that

put old heads on young

The Quakers, however, do

shoulders.

any other people.

effectually than

an old

is

it

It

more

this

has often been

observed that a Quaker boy has an unnatural appearance.

This idea has arisen from

sedateness,

which together have produced an appear-

his dress

and his

ance of age above the youth in his countenance, or the stature of his person. fessing, in

some degree,

the discretion of age shoulders. the'

It

youth of

earlier into a

is

This, however,

large.

I

Quakers

con-

in the case before us, that

has appeared upon youthful

certainly an undeniable fact, that

this

society, generally

speaking, get

knowledge of just sentiments, or

knowledge of human nature, or the true

is

wisdom of

life,

into a

into a

knowledge of

than those of the world at

have often been surprised to hear youngtalk

of the folly and vanity of pursuits, in

which persons older than themselves were then embarking

for the

purposes of pleasure, and which the

same persons have afterwards found pursuits only of uneasiness and pain.

to have been the

MORAL EDUCATION. Let us stop

16*

for a while, just to look at the situation

of some of those

young

persons, who, in consequence

of a different education, are introduced to the pi asures of the world, as to those, which are to constitute their happiness.

We

see

after this object,

then

afte; that.

them running

himself " this will constitute

lows

He

it.

finds

He

says again

see

my

where

"

I

it

my

eagerly

One man pleasure.*'

first

says to

He

icl-

vanity and vexation of spirit,

have found myself deceived.

I

now

happiness in other pleasures, and not in those

I fancied it."

sickened. pectations.

He

He finds the He pursues

follows these.

He becomes

result different fronvjus ex-

pleasure, but pleasure

is

not

there. (o) "

They

are lost

In chase of fancied happiness,

And And And

Thus

never won.

they dream, that they 9hall are disappointed."

he

is

driven

at last

by positive experience

Thus,

in

and in the pursuit of

that true happiness is to

be

consequence of his education, he («) Cowpey.-

t.

succeed

maxims, which philosophy

which alone he now sees

Vol.

still

having wasted a considerable portion of

religion have established,

found.

woo'd,

dream ensues,

still

into the truth of those

and

after

still

after

his time,

Dream

stiii

Y

moral Education.

i?o

looses

two

thirds of his time in tedious and unprofit-

The young Quaker,

able, if not in baneful pursuits.

on

the other hand, comes,

to the

by means of his education,

same maxims of philosophy and

religion, as

the foundation of his happiness, at a very early period

of life, and therefore saves the time, and preserves the

which the other has been wasting,

constitution

want of

more

this early

striking, or

knowledge.

more true

know

I

in the

for

of no fact

Quaker- history,

than this, namely, that the young Quaker,

who

is

educated as a Quaker, gets such a knowledge of hu-

man

nature, and of the paths to

ness, at an early age, that,

wisdom and happi-

though he

is

known

to

be

a young mariner by the youth displayed in his counrtenance, he is enabled to conduct his bark through

the dangerous rocks and shoals of safety than

many

others,

with greater

life,

who have been

longer

on

that

&

the ocean of this probationary world. I

may

observe again, as the second

fact,

it

not unusual to hear persons say, that you seldom see a disorderly Quaker, or, that a Quaker-prostitute or

a Quaker criminal

is

unknown..

frequently and openly made, is

an opinion

among the world

These

shew

declarations,

at least that there

at large, that the

Qua-

kers are a moral people.

The mention

of this

last fact leads

and the correction, of an

error,

me

which

I

to the notice,

have found te-

MORAL EDUCATION. liave

been taken up by individuals.

Quakers are

that the

disorderly

members,

171

It is said by

very wary with respect for that

these

to their

when any of them behave

they are expelled the society in order to rescue

ill,

Thus

from the disgrace of a bad character. ker

woman were

Quaker man

to

for

;

be taken up for a criminal offence, no

in the course of a

if,

had been made of

were to

state that

infamous,

it

week,

it

after a

their several offences,

would

to

discovery

any person

two Quaker members had become

would be retorted upon him,

were not members of the

that they

society.

be proper to observe upon the subject of this

It will

error, that

disown

Qua-

discovered to be a prostitute, or a

disgrace could attach to this society as others

if a

it

it is

not so probable that the Quakers would

these, after the discovery of their infamy, to

get rid of any stain upon the character of the society, as

it is

that these persons, long before the facts could

be known, had been both admonished and disowned.

For there "

is

Nemo

was ever

So

great truth in the old

fecit

all at

maxim

repente 'turpissimus ;" or no

man

once a rogue."

in the case of these persons, as

must have been

vicious

by degrees

:

of all others, they they must have

shewn symptoms of some deviations from

rectitude,

before the measure of their iniquity could have been

completed.

But by the

constitution of Quakerism,

J

MORAL EDUCATION.

7*

as will appear soon, no person of the society can be

found erring even

These admoni-

be privately admonished.

liable to

without being

for the first time,

tions

may be

even

for years, before the subjects of

nounced so is

repeated for weeks,

incorrigible as to

great reaso

i

or for months, or

them

are pro-

be disowned.

There

therefore to presume, in the case

before us, though the offenders in question woulij $feve

undoubtedly been disowned by the Quakers,

after they

were known to be such, yet

been disowned long before

made

that they

their offences

had

had been

public.

Upon Quakers

the whole

it

ar ive at the

or at the true

may be

allowed, that

knowledge of just sentiments,

wisdom of

life earlier

than those,

are inured to the fashions of the wot Id

be allowed

also that the

moral people.

Now

;

and

it

who may

Quakers, as a body, are a

these effects will generally

considered as the result of education prohibitions of the

young

;

be

and though the

Quakers may not be considered

as the only instruments of producing these effects,

yet they must be allowed to be component parts of the system, which produces them.

Discipline OF

THE QUAKERS.

DISCIPLINE OF

CHAP.

Discipline

of two kinds

of the internal

SECT.

I

—

affairs

THE QUAKERS.

as

it

of the

I.

relates to the regulation

society

— moral precepts — obedience obviated by George Fox — zance of immoral conduct

—

difficulty

to

purpose —additions made

his time

his system for

to his

system since

—

objections to the system considered

branch of it

is

two

discipline of the

parts.

The

of the internal

first

affairs

Quakers

is

far as

supported.

is divisible

may comprehend

into

the regulation

of the society, such as the man-

agement of the poor belonging certificates of removal to its

their appeals

this

concerned, the great foundaticn?

stone an which their moral education

X HE

be

to

of

or the discipline of the Quakers, as

sy stein , this

—

of procuring

attempted

this

outlines

this

or to the cogni-

to

it,

the granting

of,

members, the hearing of

upon various occasions,

the taking cog-

DISCIPLINE.

1?6

nizance of their proposals of marriage, and the like*

The second may comprehend

the notice or obser-

vance of the moral conduct of individuals, with a

view of preserving the have thought

it

their

rules,

duty to make, and the testimo-

which they have thought

nies

which the Quakers

as a christian people.

it

It is to

their

duty to bear,

the latter part of the

discipline that I shall principally confine myself in the

ensuing part of my work.

Nothing their

is

more

moral practice,

cepts or of

it

wholesome

is

blind,

err in

not for want of good pre-

There

advice.

from which we cannot and few men so

when men

true than that,

collect

are few

some moral

books

truths

be able to point

as not to

The pages

out to us the boundaries of moral good.

of revelation have been long unfolded to our view,

and

diffusively spread

among

us.

We

have had the

advantage too of having their contents frequently

and publicly repeated into our ing what

we

is right,

cannot pursue

on the other hand, against our the road to evil.

Fox,

that

ears.

Now,

it

yet,

it.

We go

knowoff,

better knowledge, into

was the opinion of George

something might be done to counteract

this infirmity of human nature, or to

up

And

to the precepts

make

a

man keep

which he believed to have been

divinely inspired, or, in other words,

that a

system

DISCIPLINE.

i?7

of Discipline might be devised, for regulating, excit-

and preserving the conduct of a Christian.

ing,

This system he

completed, and, as he

at length

believed, with the divine aid, and introduced

society with the approbation of those to

it

into the

who belonged

it.

The

upon which he founded

great principle,

it,

was, that every christian was bound to watch over

This principle included two

another for his good.

First, that vigilance ever the

ideas.

of individuals was a christian duty.

moral conduct Secondly, that

any interfere noe with persons, who might

Hence

die only object in view.

Hence

it

was

to

From

this

that

to

be

any thing

spiritual welfare.

view of the subject he enjoined

members

was

be administered with

undone, while there was a hope

could be done, for their

the

religious advice

Hence nothing was

tenderness and patience. left

was

Their reformation was to be

solely for their good.

necessary.

err,

of his newly formed society,

it

to

all

to

be

watchful over the conduct of one another, and not to hesitate to step in for the recovery of those,

they might discover to be overtaken with a

He

enjoined

follow the order

such occasions,

it

to

them

again,

1*.

fault.

that they

should

recommended by Jesus Christ upon (p)

"

If thy brother shall trespass

(p) Matt. 18. 15, 16, 17.

VOL.

whom

7.

DISCIPLINE.

178

against thee,

go and

and him alone.

ed thy brother.

him

tell

his fault

between thee

If he shall hear thee, thou hast gain-

But

take with thee one or

if

he

will not hear thee, then

two more,

mouth of

that in the

two or three witnesses every word may be lished.

And

if

he

unto the church; church,

let

shall neglect to hear

but,

him be unto

estab-

them,

tell it

he neglect to hear the

if

thee as a Heathen- man or a

Publican."

For the carrying of

system into execution in

this

the order thus recommended, he appointed Courts,

or meetings for dicipline, as the Quakers

call

them,

with the approbation of the society, where the case of the disorderly should be considered,

should be

if it

brought to the cognizance of the church

;

and where

a record should be kept of the proceedings of the society respecting

it.

In these courts or meetings the

poor were to have an equal voice with the

There was to be no distinction but gious worth.

And

here

is

it

to

rich.

in favour of reli-

be remarked,

that

he was so desirous, that the most righteous judgment should be pronounced upon any offender, that he

abandoned the usual mode of decision,

in general so

highly valued, by a majority of voices, and recom-

mended

the decision to be

parent will of the virtuous,

And as

made according

who might be

to the ap-

present.

expulsion from membership with the church

DISCIPLINE.

was

179

to be considered as die heaviest punishment,

which the Quakers, as a religious body, could

inflict,

he gave the offender an opportunity of appealing to meetings, different from those in which the sentence

had been pronounced against him, and where the decisive voices

were again

from the pre-

to be collected

ponderant weight of religious character.

He

introduced also into his system of dicipline

privileges in favour

sense of justice, his

of

women, which marked

and the strength and

The men he

mind.

women on it

it

that account any power,

them

to

for

them

whom

all

to hold.

He

believed

be capable of great usefulness, and therefore

society, of nearly equal importance with the

watching over one another, he

als

be particularly careful

of those of their

own

men.—

imposed upon members, of

In the general duty,

to

laws

which he thought

admitted them to the honour of being, in his

men,

of

But he did not deny

ought to issue.

would be proper

liberality

considered undoubtedly as

the heads of the church, and from

concerning

his

own

sex.

laid in

it

upon the wo-

observing the mor-

He

gave them also

meetings for dicipline of their own, with the power, of recording their

were

to act

men among office

among

own

transactions, so that

courts or meetings of

those of men.

in the society

There was

women

women,

also to

as

be no

belonging to the men, but he

DISCIPLINE.

180

advised there should be a corresponding one belonging to the

women.

raised the

women

By

this

impartial step he

own community beyond

of his

level of women in others,

that

new and

improved strength of

and

laid the

foundation of

dignity of mind,

intellect,

and habit of humane

capability of business,

the

offices,

which are so conspicuous among Female- Quakers

at

the present day.

With

respect to the

numerous

to the discipline, he laid

the persons,

other ful

who were

to

it

down

fill

belonging

offices,

as a principle, that

them, were to have no

emolument or reward, than

that,

which a

discharge of them would bring to their

faith-

own

con-

sciences.

These

are the general outlines of the system of dis-

cipline, as introduced

was carried it,

in his

made

to

at large.

This system

into execution, as he himself

own it

by George Fox.

time.

since, as

had formed

Additions, however, have been it

seemed proper, by the society

In the time of George Fox,

upon every member,

as

we have

it

seen,

over his neighbour for his spiritual welfare.

was to

laid

watch

But

in

1698, the society conceiving, that what was the business of every one

might eventually become the bu-

whose

siness of

no one, appointed

duty

should be to be overseers of the morals of

it

officers,

individuals; thus hoping, that

particular

by the general

vigil-

DISCIPLINE. ance enjoined by George Fox, continue,

which was

still

to

and by the particular vigilance then ap-

pointed, sufficient care

women had

would be taken of the morals

In the time, again, of George

of the whole, body.

Fox,

181

only their monthly and quarterly

meetings for discipline, but

it

has since been deter-

mined, that they should have their yearly meetings equally with the men.

In the time, again, of George

Fox, none but the grave members were admitted into the meetings for discipline, but

agreed,

that

it

young persons should have

lege of attending them, and this,

the privi-

upon,

I believe,

the notion, that, while these meetings

them

has been since

would

qualify

for transacting the business of the society, they

might operate

as schools for virtue.

This system of

George Fox, and

discipline, as thus introduced

as thus enlarged

by the

society

by af-

terwards, has not escaped, notwithstanding the loveli-

ness of It

its

theory, the censure of the world.

has been considered in the

first

place, as a

by which one member

system

made

a spjr

upon, or becomes an informer against another.

But

of espionage,

against this charge

it

is

would be observed by

the

Qua-

kers, that vigilance over morals is unquestionably a christian duty.

vigilance

which

It

would be observed again

that the

is

exercised in this case,

not with

is

the intention of mischief, as in the case of spies and

DISCIPLINE.

182

informers, but with the intention of good.

money, but

to obtain tue.

to

It is

make

not to persecute but to reclaim.

man

a

spectable.

The

to preserve reputation

It is

The

is

brought under

It is

not

begun. again, has

give

Against

it.

all

persons

up a portion of

been considered as too

this the

who

with a

little

of the society, to,

may view

more

So,

when

they must part

And

there

feel is

light in

It is

it.

it

that

upon it is

ing, the youth of the society,

their con-

a restraint

But generally speak-

who

receive a consistent

Genuine Quaker

it.

as I have had occasion to observe, insist

subjugation of the

may

irregular desires to gratify, or

destructive pleasures to pursue.

education, approve of

Quakers

possible there

a restraint

no doubt,

who have

which persons, not

this institution* the

and respect

be some, who may

those,

that

of their liberty for their moral good.

But whatever may be the

submit

are

civil society,

enjoyed.

enter into christian societies,

who

Quakers would

live in

their freedom,

may be

happiness and security

upon

vir.

never an interference with innocence.

discipline,

contend, that

duct,

and

but to make him more re-

odious,

great an infringement of the liberty of those,

men

not

watchfulness begins to be offensive only, where

delinquency

must

It is

will.

It is their

their children lowly, patient

parents,

upon the

object to

and submissive.

make Thosr

DISCIPLINE, therefore,

who

183

are born in the society, are born under

the system, and are in general educated for

who become know it

Those

converted to the religion of the society,

And

beforehand the terms of their admission.

wi.l appear to all to

tion,

it.

be

at least

an equitable

because in the administration of

The

exception of persons.

it,

fall

There

no

who

under the inspection

The poor may admonish

and the rich the poor.

is

officers themselves,

aje appointed to watch over,

of the discipline.

institu-

there

is

the rich,

no exception,

in

short, either for age, or sex, or station. It is

not necessary,

I should that

go

at least in the

farther,

and rake up

may be urged upon

present place, that all

this subject.

the objections, I shall there-

fore only observe here, that the discipline of the

kers, notwithstanding

whatever they

upon which is

may

their

supposed imperfections^

all its

be,

is

the grand foundation-stone,

moral education

the grand partition wall between

If this part of the fabric

Qua-

is

supported.

them and

It

vice.

were ever allowed to be un-

dermined, the building would

fall

to pieces;

and

though the Quakers might

still

be known by

their

apparel and their language,

they would no longer be

so remarkable as they are

now

be, for their moral character.

generally confessed

to.

DISCIPLINE,

134

SECT.

Manner of

II.

the administration

of

the discipline

of

jjic

Quakers — Overseers appointed every — Manner of reclaiming an individual— meeting — sometimes by admonition — — sometimes — ifunsucby

particular

to

first

successful

this

dealing

cessful,

the offender

peal afterwards

for

successful

this

redress.

to

discipline of the

To

two

but

— but he

disowned

may

ap-

different courts or meetings

—

JtxAVING now particular

is

secondly

given the general outlines of the

Quakers,

I shall

proceed to explain the

manner of the administration of

administer

it

it.

effectually all individuals

society, as I have just stated,

whether

men

of the or

wo-

men, are allowed the power of watching over the conduct of one another for their good, and of inter, fering, if they should see occasion.

But besides

this general care

two or more persons

of age and experience, and of moral lives and charac* ter,

and two or more women of a similar description,

are directed to be appointed, to have the oversight of

every congregation or particular meeting in the king-

DISCIPLINE,

These persons are

dom. it is

their

because

called overseers,

duty to oversee their respective flocks.

If any of the tions

18-5

members should

violate the prohibi-

mentioned in the former part Of the work, or

should become chargeable with injustice, drunkenness, or profane swearing, or neglect of their public

way

worship, or should act in any his character as a christian,

it

becomes the

duty of these overseers, though the

members at

fore

him

large, to visit

inconsistently with

it

him

is

particular

also the

duty of

in private, to set be=

the error and consequences of his conduct,

and to endeavour by all the means claim him.

This

act

in their

power

to re-

on the part of the overseer

is

The circum-

termed by the society admonishing.

stances of admonishing and of being admonished are

known

only to the parties, except the case should have

become of itself notorious on the

may the

;

part of the persons

for secrecy is held sacred

who admonish*

happen, that several of the society

Hence

it

may admonish

same person, though no one of them knows that any

other has been visiting

him at

all.

The

offender

may

be thus admonished by overseers and other individuals for

weeks and months together,

by the

society,

for

no time

is

fixed

and no pains are supposed to be spared

for his reformation.

It is

expected, however, in

all

such admonitions, that no austerity of language or Vol.

i.

Aa

DISCIPLINE.

IU

manner should be used, but monished

that

he should be ad-

and love.

in tenderness

If an overseer, or any other individual, after having

thus laboured to reclaim another for a considerable length of time, finds that he has not succeeded in his

work, and his

own

feels also that

efforts,

he despairs of succeeding by

he opens the matter to some other

more

overseer, or to one or

serious

members, and

These persons now wait upon

requests their aid.

the offender together, and unite their efforts in endea-

vouring to persuade him to amend his

life.

This

act,

which now becomes more public by the junction of

two or three

in the

work of

his reformation, is

still

kept a secret from other individuals of the society,

and

still

It

retains the

name

of admonishing.

frequently happens that,

during these different

admonitions, the offender sees his error, and corrects his conduct.

he goes on lar or

The

visitations of course cease,

in the estimation of the society as a regu-

unoffending member, no one knowing but the

admonishing persons,

that

cipline of the society.

I

is

done by men to

men

is

he has been under the

may

dis-

observe here, that what

done by

women

women admonishing and trying to of their own sex, in the same manner.

the

and

to

women,

reclaim those

Should, however, the overseers, and other persons before mentioned, find after a proper length of time

w

discipline, that

all

have been

their united efforts

that they

ineffectual,

have no hope of success with respect to his

amendment, they

lay the

case, if

it

should be of a

serious nature, before a (g) court, which has the

of the monthly meeting.

make

name

This court, or meeting,

a minute of the case, and appoint a committee

The committee

to visit him.

in

appointment wait upon him. dered as a public

act,

consequence, of their

This act

is

now

or as an act of the church.

now termed admonishing, but changes

not

and

The

to (r) dealing.

offender too,

its

consiIt is

name

while the com-

mittee are dealing with him, though he

may

the meetings of the society for worship,

attend

does not

attend those of their discipline. If the committee, after having dealt with the offen-

der according to their appointment, should be satisfied

he

that

is

sensible of his error, they

to the monthly

A

minute

is

then drawn up, in which

it is

he has made satisfaction for the offence. (q) Certain acts of

ing,

make

a report

court or meeting concerning him.

It

stated, that

sometimes

delinquency are reported to the monthly meet-

as soon as the truth of the facts can

violation of the rides of the society,

be ascertained, such as a

with respect

to

marriage, payment

of tythes, &c

(/-)

this

Women, though

they

may admonish, cannot

being an act of the church,

•f the men.

Men

for tills purpose.

till

the}'

deal with,

women,

have consulted the meetings

are generally joined with

wnmen

in the

commission

DISCIPLINE.

V85

happens, that he himself sends to the same meeting a

acknowledgement of

written

his error.

From

this

time he attends the meetings for discipline again, and continued in the society, as

is

had taken

him

Nor

place.

for his

former

is

if

nothing improper

any one allowed to reproach

faults.

Should, however,

all

endeavours prove ineffectual, after

having duly laboured

with the offender, consider him

at last as incorrigible,

and should the committee,

they report their proceedings to the monthly meeting.

He as

is

then publicly excluded from membership, or,

it is

tinct

called,

(s)

document,

disowned.

This

is

done by a dis-

called a testimony of disownment, in

which the nature of the

offence,

and the means that

Jjave

been used to reclaim him, are described.

wish

is also

he

may

A

generally expressed in this document, that

repent, and be taken into

A copy of this minute

is

membership

again.

always required to be given

to him. If the offender should consider this act of disown-*

ing

him

as an unjust proceeding, he

may

appeal to

a higher tribunal, or to the quarterly court, or meeting.

This quarterly court or meeting, then appoint

a committee, of which no one of the monthly meeting that

(*)

condemned him can be Women

a

member,

to reconsider

cannot disown, the power of disowning, as an act of the

•hurch, being vested in the meetings of the

men.

DISCIPLINE. Should

his case.

this

!89

committee report, and the

quarterly meeting in consequence decide against him,

This

he may appeal to the yearly. is

latter

meeting

held in London, and consists of deputies and others

from

all

parts of the

The

kingdom.

yearly meeting

then appoint a committee of twelve deputies, taken

whom

from twelve quarterly meetings, none of

can

be from the quarterly meeting that passed sentence against him, to

examine

his case again.

If this

mittee should confirm the former decisions, he appeal to the yearly meeting at large this

there

is

no appeal.

But

if

if

he

lives to

amendment, and sues etv,

may

but beyond

;

he should even be

disowned by the voice of the yearly meeting he may,

com-

at large,

give satisfactory proof of his for

readmission into the soci-

be received into membership again

only be received through the

meeting, by which he was

medium

first

;

but he can

of the monthly

disowned,,

DISCIPLINE.

190

SECT.

III.

Txvo charges usually brought against

of the

tion

authoritative spirit tially

— —and

that

discipline

it

is

that

it

this administra-

managed is

-with

an

managed par-

— these charges considered.

JLjLS two charges are usually brought against the administration of that part of the discipline, which lias

been just explained,

consider them in this

I shall

place.

The

first

usually

hor what they

call

the authority of priest craft, yet

some overseers possess clesiastical tative,

be of

dominion

;

a portion of the spirit of ec-

that they are austere, authori-

and over bearing

of their

office,

and

though the Quakers ab-

that,

is,

that,

christian origin,

course of the exercise

in the

though the

it is

make

To

charge

this first

charge I

the following reply.

That there may be individual this

may

not always conducted by

these with a christian spirit. shall

institution

may be

founded,

nor qualified, to deny.

I

am

instances,

neither disposed,

Overseers have their

ent tempers, like other people

;

where

differ-

and the exercise of

DISCIPLINE.

191

dominion has unquestionably a tendency to

So

heart.

far there is

But

of this charge.

spoil the

an opening for the admission

must be observed, on the

it

other hand, that the persons, to be chosen overseers,

by the laws of the

are to be

and unblameable be found,

society

(t)

" as upright

in order that the advice,

which they

occasionally administer to other friends, better received,

and carry with

it

and force on the minds of those, concerned to admonish." that

it

is

can

in their conversation, as they

It

shall

may be

the

the greater weight

whom

they shall be

must be observed again

expressly enjoined them, that " they are to

exercise their functions in a meek, calm, and peaceable spirit,

in order that the

admonished may see

that their interference with their

conduct proceeds

from a principle of love and a regard and preservation

And

it

for their good;

in the truth."

must be observed

again, that

any violation

of this injunction would render them liable to be ad-

monished by

and to come under the discipline

others,

themselves.

The second

charge

istered, partially;

that the discipline is

is,

or that

more favour

is

admin-

shewn

to the

rich than to the poor, and that the latter are sooner

disowned than the former

•

N

4

for the

same

Book of extracts-.

faults.

DISCIPLINE.

192

This

latter

gar notion,

charge has probably arisen from a vul.

poor are supported by the

that, as the

society, there is a general

But

this notion is

wish to get rid of

There

not true.

who

dinary caution in disowning those

add to which,

support,

members of

orderly

the

that, as

body

is

them.—

more than

or-

are objects of

some of

the most

are to be found

among

the poor, an expulsion of these, in a hasty manner,

would be a diminution of the quantum of or of the

bility,

quantum of moral

respecta-

character, of the

society at large.

In examining this charge,

it

must

certainly

be

al=

lowed, that though the principle " of no respect of

persons" in the

is

no where carried

Quaker

to find a

Society, yet

first

upon

we may

drawback frcm the

We are

variety of causes. place, to look

the poor.

up

We

to a greater length than

full all

whether we offend the

latter.

classes of

than the poor

r„nd the

men

man may

the doors of a rich

who

is

find

man

in a

to care very

The

down

good little

will

even

rich themselves

respect the rich

more

poor shew more respect to

the rich than to one another. that a poor

it

of us too apt, in the

are apt to court the

and the middle ;

operation of

to the rich, but to look

when we seem

of the former,

reasonably expect

more to

Hence

it is

possible,

reluctance in entering

admonish him, than one

rich to enter the doors of the poor for the

DISCIPLINE.

same purpose, men,

may

equally good,

Some

character.

and

others,

more

though they may be

again,

not have

may

in the execution of their

timid than

upon them

operate

duty upon one class

of individuals, than upon another.

may

same strength of

the

all

may be more

overseers timidity

this

19$

Hence a

rich

man

escape for a longer time without admonition,

But when the

than a poorer member.

broken

when admonition

;

ice is

once begun

is

spectable persons have been called in

;

once

when

re-

by overseers or

those causes, which might be preventive of

others,

justice, will decrease

;

and,

if

the matter should be

carried to a monthly or a quarterly meeting, they will

For

wholly vanish. that those, lives,

who

in these courts

are the

and the most

it

most irreproachable

a truth, for their

likely of course to decide justly

on any occasion, are the most attended the most weight,

is

when they speak

to,

or carry

publicly.

Now

these are to be found principally in the low and middle classes, and these, in greatest

number of

rich, these are

all

societies,

to the

very

few indeed compared with the

rest,

individuals.

and these may be subdivided

into

farther elucidation of the point. sist

ety,

of men,

As

contain the

who

two

The

classes forthe first will

con-

rigidly follow the rules of the soci-

and are as exemplary as the very best of the

members. VOL.

i,

The second

will consist of those,

b

fe

who

DISCIPLINE.

194

are

members according

ing to the

spirit,

to the letter, but not accord-

and who are content with walking

in

the shadow, that follows the substance of the body.

Those of the

first class will

do

justice,

have an equal influence with any. cond, whatever

may

say, are

may be their riches,

seldom

if

and they

Those of the

will

se-

or whatever they

ever attended to in the admin-

istration of the discipline.

From tiality in

hence

it

will appear, that if there

be any par-

the administration of this institution,

consist principally in this,

that a rich

it

will

man may be

suffered in particular cases, to

go longer without ad-

monition than a poorer member

;

nition has

been begun, justice

but that will

after

admo-

be impartially

administered ; and that the charges of a preference,

where disowning for its support.

is

concerned, has no solid foundation

DISCIPLINE.

I9i

SECT. IV.

Three great principles discoverable hitherto

explained—

of larger

—

societies,

in the discipline, as

these applicable to the discipline

or to the criminal codes

of states

lamentable, that as Christian principles, they have

own

not been admitted into oar

— Quakers,

as

far as

they have had influence in legislation, have adopted

them

—

exertions

of William Penn

Pennsylvania an example

—

Legislature

of

to other countries in this

particular.

JL

FIND

almost impossible to proceed to the great

it

courts or meetings of the Quakers, which I had

my

ted for

make

next subject, without stopping a while to

a few observations on the principles of that

part of the discipline, It

allot-

may be

this part

which

observed,

first,

of the discipline

offending person

:

I

is

have

now

explained.

that the great object of

the reformation of the

secondly, that the

means of

effect-

ing this object consists of religious instruction or advice

:

and

thirdly, that

no pains are

and no time

to

or, in other

words, that nothing

be limited,

to

be spared,

for the trial of these is

to

be

left

means,

undone,

DISCIPLINE.

296

while there

is

a hope that the offender

Now these

ed.

principles the

may be

reclaim-

Quakers adopt

in the

exercise of their discipline, because, as a Christian

community, they believe they ought to be guided only

by

Christian principles, and they

which the

know

of no other,

or the spirit of Christianity, can war-

letter,

rant.

upon

I shall trespass this place, only

principles, or

I

have made an application of these

I

have shewn him

till

till

the patience of the reader in

how

far these

might be extended, and extended with advantage to morals, beyond the limits of the Quaker-society, by

being received as the

basis,

penal laws might be founded,

upon which

among

a system of

larger societies,

or states. It is

much

to

be lamented, that nations, professing

Christianity, should have lost sight, in their various

acts of legislation, of Christian principles

:

or that

they should not have interwoven some such beautiful principles as those,

which we have seen adopted by

the Quakers, into the system of their penal laws. if this

But

negligence or omission would appear worthy

of regret,

if

reported of any Christian nation,

appear most so,

if

would

reported of our own, where one

would have supposed, religious liberty,

it

that the advantages of civil

and those of a reformed

would have had their

and

religion,

influence in the correction of our

DISCIPLINE.

197

judgments, and in the benevolent dispositions of our

And

will.

good if

yet nothing

is

more

true, than that these

influences have either never been produced, or,

produced, that they have never been attended

upon

There seems

this subject.

for religious instruction in

to

be no provision

our numerous prisons.

We seem to make no patient trials

life,

we seem

by means of

hundred

to hurry

a code,

who

of those,

confined in them, for their reformation. other hand,

to,

them

are

But, on the

off the stage

of

which annexes death to two

we had

different offences, as if

allowed our

laws to be written by the bloody pen of the pagan

Draco.

And

it

seems remarkable,

should be persevered

in,

crimes.

made

in

our

own

or no effect as a punishment for

little

Forgery, and the circulation of forged pa-

per, and the counterfeiting of the

money of the realm,

are capital offences, and are never pardoned.

yet no offences are these.

system

when we consider that death,

as far as the experiment has been country, has

that this

And

it

more

seems

still

And

frequently committed than

more remarkable, when we

consider, in addition to this, that in consequence of the experiments,

be approaching

made

fast to

In other countries,

ishment of death,

seems to

an axiom, that crimes are less

frequent, in proportion as ty, or as there are

it

mercy

takes place of severi-

judicious substitutes for the pun-

DISCIPLINE.

iss

I shall not inquire, in this place,

of taking away

ground of it,

far the right

on many occasions, which

by the law of the

tioned

bv

life

how

justice, or

on the

land, can be supported

how

far a greater

sanc-

is

injury

is

done

than the injury the criminal has himself done.

seems

As

Christians,

by

Christian principles.

it

that

we should be

Now

true, than that Christianity

influenced

nothing can be more

commands us to be tender

hearted one to another, to have a tender forbearance

one with another, and to regard one another as breth-

We are taught also that men,

ren.

independently of

their accountableness to their omit governments, are

accountable for their actions in a future that

state,

But

punishments are unquestionably to follow.

where are our

forbeara. ce

and our love, where

and

is

our

regard for the temporal and eternal interests of man,

where if

is

our respect

we make the

for the principles of the gospel,

reformation of a criminal a less object

than his punishment, or

midst of his

in the

means

Had

in

sins,

we

if

consign him to death,

without having tried

all

the

our power for his recovery ?

the

Quakers been the

legislators

of the world,

they had long ago interwoven the principles of their discipline into their penal codes, and death

had been

long ago abolished as a punishment for crimes. far as

As

they have had any power with legislatures, they

have procured an attention

to these principles.

George

DISCIPLINE.

Fox remonstrated with

199

the judges in his time on the

But

subject of capital punishments.

the

Quakers

having been few in number, compared with the rest of their countrymen, and having had no seats in the legislature,

bers of in

it,

and no predominant

mem-

they have been unable to effect any change

England on

ever,

interest with the

this subject.

where they were the

had influence with

their

have contributed to

set

In Pennsylvania, how-

original colonists, they have

own government, and

they

up a model of jurisprudence,

worthy of the imitation of the world.

William Penn, on

his arrival in

America, formed a

code of laws chiefly on Quaker principles,

which,

in

however, death was inscribed as a punishment, but

was confined

to

and substituted the

aside,

the mother country. time, and acted

by

aside it

the

It

upon

and

till

some

years,

at

common when

From

the separation of

which rendered the American

legislators, than the

set this

this

it

was

this

set

time

America

event taken

states their

own

Pennsylvanian Quakers began to In

were joined by worthy individuals of other

denominations

from the

code

law of

obtaining an alteration of the penal laws.

this they

it

was, however, resumed in

But no sooner had

irom England.

aim

for

statute

mother country again.

continued dormant

place,

Queen Anne

murder.

;

and these, acting

in union,

procured

legislature of Pennsylvania, in the year 1786,

DISCIPLINE.

200

a reform of the criminal code. ever,

was not

This reform, how-

carried, in the opinion of the

to a sufficient length.

Many

akers,

Accordingly, they took the

lead again, and exerted themselves afresh subject.

Q

upon

this

of them formed themselves into a

society " for alleviating the miseries of public pri-

sons."

Other persons co-operated with them

undertaking

At length,

also.

in this

after great perseverance,

they prevailed upon the same legislature, in the year

1790, to try an ameliorated system.

swered so

well, that the

same

This

trial

legislature again, in the

year 1794, established an act, in which several

were incorporated, and

principles

an-

in

Quaker

which only the

crime of premeditated murder was punishable with death.

As

there

is

now

but one capital offence in Pennsylva-

nia,

punishments for other offences are made up of

fine,

imprisonment, and labour

;

and these are award-

ed separately or conjointly, according to the magnitude of the crime.

When f

criminals have been convicted, and sent to

he great gaol of Philadelphia to undergo their pun-

ishment, tain

it is

expected of them that they should main-

themselves out of their daily labour

;

that they

should pay for their board and washing, and also for the use of their different implements of labour that they should defray the

;

and

expences of their com-

DISCIPLINE.

201

mitment, and of their prosecutions and their

An and

account therefore if at

is

trials*

regularly kept against them,

the expiration of the term of their punish-

ment, there should be a surplus of money in their favour, arising out of the produce of their work, is

it

given to them on their discharge.

An

agreement

usually

is

made about

the price of

prison- labour between the inspector of the gaol and

the employers of the criminals.

As

reformation

now

the great object in Pensyl-

where offences have been committed,

Vania,

the

is

first

is

it

of

importance that the gaoler and the different

inspectors should be persons of moral character*

Good example, ment on produce

humane

treat-

the part of these, will have a tendency to

and love on the part of the

attention, respect,

prisoners,

Hence it

advice, and

religious

is

and to influence

their

moral

conduct.

a rule never to be departed from, that

are to be chosen as successors to these different cers,

but such, as

been exemplary

As

shall

in their lives.

reformation, again,

is

irons.

sense of shame. i.

They

the great object,

allowed in the prison.

is

Nor

can any crimi-

All such punishments are

considered as doing harm.

Vol.

now

can strike a criminal.

nal be put into

offi-

be found on inquiry to have

no corporal punishment

No keeper

none

They tend

to extirpate a

tend to degrade a man, and r,

r

202 to

DISCIPLINE,

*

make him

eyes

consider himself as degraded in his

whereas

;

own

the design of this change in the

is

it

penal system, that he should be constantly looking to the restoration of his dignity as a

up

man, and to the

recovery of his moral character.

As reformation,

again,

following (u) system

is

is

now

the great object, the

No

adopted.

intercourse

is

allowed between the males and the females, nor any

between the untried and the convicted prisoners.

While they

are

engaged

allowed to talk only

upon the

ately relates to their

sation

is

A

liquors

may be

strict

subject,

watch

is

introduced.

they are

which immedi-

All unnecessary conver

Profane swearing

forbidden.

looked.

work.

labour,

their

in

kept, that

Care

is

is

never over-

no spirituous

taken that

all

the

prisoners have the benefit of religious instruction.

The

prison

is

accordingly open, at stated times, to the

pastors of the different religious denominations of the place.

And as the mind of man may be worked upon

by rewards

as well as

by punishments, a hope

is

held

out to the prisoners, that the time of their confinement

may be

(a)

As

shortened by their good behaviour.

cleanliness is connected with health,

the prisoners are obliged to

wash and

For the

and health with morals,

clean themselves every morning

before their work, and to bathe in the summer-season, in a large reservoir of water,

purpose.

which

is

provided in the court yard of the prison for this

DISCIPLINE.

203

inspectors, if they have reason to believe that a solid

reformation has taken place in any individual, have

a power of interceding for his enlargement, and the executive government of granting proper.

if

it,

they think

it

In the case, where the prisoners are refrac-

they are usually put into solitary confinement,

tory,

and deprived of the opportunity of working.

During

time the expences of their board and washing are

this

going on, so that they are glad to get into employment again, that they

may

liquidate the debt, which, since

the suspension of their labour, has been accruing to the gaol.

In consequence of these regulations, those visit

who

the criminals in Philadelphia in the hours of their

labour, have

more the

of a prison.

They

ters, joiners,

They

idea of a large manufactory, than

see nail-makers, sawyers, carpen-

weavers, and others,

see regularity and order

no chains are to be seen

all

busily employed.

among

these.

in the prison,

And

they seem to

forget their situation as criminals, and to look

them

as the free

as

upon

and honest labourers of a commu-

nity following their respective trades.

In consequence of these regulations, great advanta-

ges have arisen both to the criminals, and to the

The the

state

state.

has experienced a diminution of crimes to

amount of one

half since the

change of the penal

system, and the criminals have been restored, in a

DISCIPLINE.

204 great proportion, as

from the gaol

reformed persons.

community,

to the

For few have been known

to

But no

stay the whole term of their confinement.

person could have had any of his time remitted him,

except he had been considered both by the inspectors

and the executive government as deserving

This

it.

circumstance of permission to leave the prison before the time expressed in the sentence,

For

tance to the prisoners.

them of

large*

Hence no stigma

is

of great impor-

operates as a certify

it

amendment

cate for

their

is

to the

them

attached to

having been the inhabitants of a prison. observed

also, that

the

profitable trades,

It

for

in-

most

the

at

at

may be

most orderly and

and such as have worked

dustrious,

on

some of

world

have had sums of money to take

their discharge,

by which they have been

maintain themselves honestly,

able to

till

they could get into

the state, and such the

manner of the exe^

employ.

Such

is

cution of the penal laws of Pensylvania,

as

founded

upon Quaker-principles, so happy have the of this it

will

new system

already been,

that

it is

effects

supposed

be adopted by the other American States.

May

the

example be universally followed

!

May

be universally received as a truth, that true policy inseparable from virtue ples

become

lovely

;

it

is

that in proportion as princi-

on account of their morality, they

DISCIPLINE. will

become

when

beneficial,

dividuals and to States raise a constitution tion, as

;

acted upon, both to in.

or that legislators cannot

upon so

fair

and firm a founda-

upon the gospel of Jesus Christ

CHAP.

Monthly court or meeting ing

205

—each county

II.

—

constitution

of

this

meet-

usually divided into parts

is

—

in

each of these parts or divisions are several meeting' houses

',

which have

their several congregations at-

—one

meeting-house in each division

tached to them is

fixed upon for transacting the business of

congregations in that division

from

—

all the

deputies appointed

every particular meeting or congregation in

each division

to the

place fixed upon for transacting

the business within

it

transacted—women business,

L COME,

—nature of

the

business to be

become deputies, and transact

equally with the men.

after this

of the Quakers.

long digression, to the courts

And

here I shall immediately pre-

mise, that I profess to do

little

more than

to give

DISCIPLINE.

206

a general outline of these.

I

do not intend

to explain

the proceedings, preparatory to the meetings there,

or to state

all

trouble the

the exceptions from general rules, or to

memory

of the reader with more circum-

stances than will be sufficient to enable

him

to have

a general idea of this part of the discipline of the

Quakers.

The Quakers manage

their discipline

by means of

monthly, quarterly, and yearly courts, to which, however they themselves uniformly give the

name of

meetings.

To

explain the nature and business of the monthly

of these meetings, I shall fix upon some county

or

first

in

my own

mind, and describe the business, that

For

usually done in this in the course of the month. as the business,

county,

is

which

is

usually transacted in any one

done by the Quakers in the same manner

and in the same month

in another,

supposing an aggregate of counties, gine,

how

for the

(t»)

in

may

by

easily imais

done

whole kingdom. (v)

usually divide a county into a

number of parts, according to it.

the reader,

the whole business of the society

The Quakers of

is

the Quaker-population

In each of these divisions there are usually

This was the ancient method, when the society was numerous

every county of the kingdom, and the principle

iling to existing circumstances.

is still

followed accor-

DISCIPLINE. several meeting-houses,

and these have

One

congregations attached to them.

however, in each division,

is

transacting the business of

all

are within

The

courts.

or the

it,

their several

meeting-house,

upon

usually fixed

for

the congregations that

or for the holding of these monthly different congregations of the

members of the

which are

2or

Quakers,

different particular meetings,

settled in the northern part of the county,

are attached of course to the meeting-house,

which

has been fixed upon in the northern division of

because

on

this

it

them the

gives

occasion.

which are

least trouble to repair to

The members

of those

it it

asrain,

settled in the southern, or central, or other

parts of the county, are attached to that,

been fixed upon divisions of

it,

in the southern,

for the

which has

or central, or other

same reason.

The

different

congregations in the northern division of the county appoint, each of them, a set of deputies once a month,

which deputies are of both sexes, to repair to the meeting-house, which has been thus assigned them.

The

different congregations in the southern,

central,

or other divisions, appoint also, each of them, others, to repair to that,

manner.

which has been assigned them

These deputies

are

all

in like

of them previously

instructed in the matters, belonging to the congregations,

which they respectively represent.

DISCIPLINE.

2 08

At

The

length the day arrives for the monthly meeting-

make ready

deputies

to execute the duties

They

mitted to their trust.

ber of Quakers, of different ages

from

their

different

expected that

(u>)

Here

who can

a

num-

both sexes,

ar.d of

repair also.

divifsions,

all,

them,

repair, each sett of

to their respective places of meeting.

com-

It is

conveniently attend,

should be present on this occasion.

When

they are collected at the meeting-house,

which was sion, a

meeting

for

been fixed upon

meeting

ments

of their

which their

purposes of the discipline

own

district,

more

is

own

But when

attend together.

by themselves the business of

transact

All persons,

over, they separate into different apart-

is

for the

each divi-

in

worship takes place.

men and women,

both this

said to have

the

limited,

women

;

the

the

men

to

men, and

to transact that,

namely such as belongs

to

sex.

In the men's meeting, and

it is

the

same

in the

wo-

men's, the names of the deputies beforementioned, are

first

entered in a book,

place, the

meeting

for,

until this act takes

for discipline is not considered to

be constituted.

(iu)

There may be persons, who on account of immoral conduct can-

not attend.

DISCIPLINE.

The minutes generally read,

of the

the society

was

left

cur of this

sort,

it

monthly meeting are then

last

by which

209

seen

it is

unfinished.

if

any business of

Should any thing oc-

becomes the (x)

first

object to. be

considered and dispatched.

The new to

business, in wfiich the deputies were said

have been previously instructed by the congrega-

tions

which they represented, comes on.

ness

may be

of various sorts.

it

uni-

of these arc

and the education of their children taken

for,

care of, at this meeting.

and

are received,

Presentations of marriages

births, marriages,

If disorderly

registered.

part of

The wants

formly relates to the poor.

provided

One

This busi-

members,

and funerals are after

long and

repeated admonitions, should have given no hopes of

amendment,

their case is first publicly cognizable in

this court.

Committees

and try to reclaim them.

vise,

by these after

are appointed to visit,

visitations,

are

Persons, reclaimed

restored to membership,

having been well reported of by the parties de-

puted to

visit

them.

The

fitness

of persons, apply-

ing for membership, from other societies, here.

Answers

at the

proper time.

(x)

ad-

is

examined

also are prepared to the (y) queries

Instructions also are given,

The London monthly meetings begin

differently

from those

the country.

(y) These queries

vol.

1.

-will

be explained in the next chapter

D

d

if

in

DISCIPLINE.

210

necessary, to particular meetings, suited to the exi-

gencies of their cases

members on

all

poorest

certificates are

granted to

various occasions.

In transacting ety,

and

;

this,

members

man

and other business of the

soci-

The may be

present are allowed to speak.

in the

meeting-house, though he

receiving charitable contributions at the time, is entitled to deliver his

sentiments upon any point.

may

new

bring forward

He may

matter.

He

approve or

No

object to what others have proposed before him.

person

may

interrupt him,

while he speaks.

youth,

who

are sitting by,

are gaining a

of the

affairs

The

knowledge

and discipline of the society, and arc

gradually acquiring sentiments and habits, that are to

mark

their character

place,

first

in

life.

They

learn,

the duty of a benevolent and respectful

consideration for the poor.

In hearing the different

cases argued and discussed, they learn, in sure,

in the

some mea-

the rudiments of justice, and imbibe opinions

In these courts

of the necessity of moral conduct. they learn to reason. patiently,

They

learn also to hear others

and without interruption, and to transact

business, that

may come

before

them in maturer years

with regularity and order. cannot omit to mention here the orderly manner

I

in

which the Quakers, conduct

these occasions.

When a

subject

their business is

on

brought before

DISCIPLINE. them,

it is

matter,

eanvassed to the exclusion of all extraneous

till

some conclusion

up

as nearly as he can collect,

This minute

this Conclusion.

The

results.

the monthly meeting then draws taining,

%\l

is

clerk of

a minute,

con-

the substance of

then read aloud to

the auditory, and either stands or undergoes an alteration, as appears, it,

to

by the

When fully agreed recorded. When a se-

stands ready to be

it

cond subject comes on,

made of

is

canvassed, and a minute ii>

the

same manner,

is

meeting

concluded.

settled,

may now mention

till

the whole business of the

that in the

same manner

men proceed in their apartment on this the women proceed in their own apartment

ties,

as the

occasion,

or meet-

There are women-deputies, and women-

ing also. clerks.

Thus

allowed to be introduced.

each point is

it is

to be recorded

it,

before a third

I

upon

be the sense of the meeting.

upon,

is

silence or discussion

They

read

enter

the. minutes,

bring forward the

gue on the

down

affairs

new

the

of the

names of these depulast

monthly meeting,

matter, and deliberate and ar-

of their

their proceedings equally.

own

sex.

The young

They

record

females also

are present, and have similar opportunities of gaining

knowledge, and of improving their judgments, and of acquiring useful and moral habits, as the young

men.

DISCIPLINE.

212 It is usual,

ness of their

when the women have

own

finished the busi-

meeting, to send one of their

bers to the apartments of the men, to

know

mem-

if

they

This messenger

have any thing to communicate.

having returned, and every thing having been scitled

and recorded in both meetings, the monthly meeting is

over, and

men, women, and youth of both sexes,

return to their respective homes.

In the same manner as the different congregations, or

members of

the different meetings, in any one

division of the county,

meet together, and transact

their

monthly business, so other

tions,

belonging to other divisions of the same county,

meet

at

other appointed places,

business also. ness

is

And

in the

and dispatch

same manner

thus done in one county,

other county of the

different congrega-

kingdom once

it

a

is

their

as the busi-

done

month.

in every

DISCIPLINE

CHAP.

Quarterly court or meeting ing —one place

in

III.

—

constitution

each county

the transaction qfkiisiness

—

this

ent in the different quarters

from

is

of this meet-

now fixed upon for

may be

place

of the year

—

differ-

deputies

the various monthly meetings are appointed to

repair to this place

—

transacted

certain

—nature

of

the business to be

—written

queries proposed

an-

swers carried to these by the deputies just mentioned

—

Queries proposed

anszvered in the

X HE

in the

womens meeting

also,

quarterly meeting of the Quakers,

comes next

and

same manner. —

in order, is

which

much more numerously

tended than the monthly.

The

monthly, as

at-

we have

just seen, superintend the concerns of a few congregations or particular meetings

which were contained in

a small division of the county. ing, all

The

quarterly meet-

on the other hand, superintends the concerns of

the monthly meetings in the county at large.

It

takes cognizance of course of the concerns of a greater portion of population, and, as

for a greater extent pf time.

the

name

implies,

The Quaker popula;ion

DISCIPLINE.

21*

of a (z) whole county

is

This place, however,

may be

different, to

now is

to assemble in one place.

not always the same.

It

accommodate the members

in

their turn, in the different quarters of the year.

In the same manner as the different congregations in a small division of a

county bave been shewn to

have sent deputies to the respective monthly meetings within (he

it,

so the different monthly meetings in

same county send each of them, deputies

Two

quarterly.

or

more of each sex

are generally

deputed from each monthly meeting. ties are

supposed

which the

discipline required

to the state

These depu-

to have understood, at the

meeting, where they were chosen,

them

to the

all

to

monthly

the matters

know

relative

and condition of their constituents.

Fur-

nished with this knowledge, and instructed moreover

by

written documents on a variety of subjects, they

repair at a proper time to the place of meeting.

the

Quakers

who

are ex-

hither.

Any

this time,

would

in the district in question,

pected to go, bend their direction

person travelling

in the

county

at

All

see an unusual number of Quakers upon the road

directing their journey to the

who (c)

live farthest

I

still

same

point.

Those

from the place where the meeting

adhere, to

g-ivc

is

the reader a clearer Idea of the discipline,

d to prevent confusion, to the division by county, though the district

:

n

qtlestiori

may

not

n!

rehend a complete county.

DISCIPLINE.

215

held, have often a long journey to perform.

The

Quakers are frequently out two or three whole days, and sometimes longer upon this sort

this occasion.

But

as

of meeting takes place but once in the quar-

the loss of their time, and the fatigue of their

ter,

journey, and the expences attending

are borne

it,

cheerfully.

When

of them are assembled, nearly the same

all

custom obtains

A

monthly meeting.

at the

has been described

meeting for worship

The men and women, when

held.

first

at the quarterly, as

is

this is over,

.separate into their different apartments, after

which

the meeting for discipline begins in each. I shall not detail

which come on

the different kinds of business,

at this

meeting.

I shall explain the

principal subject only.

The

society at large have agreed

upon a number

of questions, or queries as they call them, which they

have committed to

print,

be read and answered

The

meetings. I.

in the

following

Are meetings

and which they expect to

for

course of these quarterly

is

a

list

of them.

worship and discipline kept

Up, and do Friends attend them duly, and at the time

appointed

;

and do they avoid

all

unbecoming behavi-

our therein ? II.

Is there

among you any growth

in the truth

and hath any convincement appeared since

last

year ?

DISCiPLINL

2 16

Are Friends preserved

III.

other; to

if

differences arise,

end them

;

and are Friends careful to avoid and

Do Friends

to train

up

eacli

due care taken speedily

is

discourage tale-bearing and detraction

IV.

towards

in love

?

endeavour by example and precept

and

their children, servants,

care, in a religious

life

all

under their

and conversation, consistent

with our christian profession, in the frequent reading of the holy scriptures, and in plainness of speech,

behaviour and apparel?

V. Are Friends in fulfilling their

just in their dealings

engagements

;

and punctual

and are they annually

advised carefully to inspect the state of their

affairs

once in the year ?

VI. Are Friends careful

to avoid

and places of diversion, gaming,

all

vain sports

unnecessary

all

fre-

quenting of taverns, and other public houses, excess in drinking,

VII.

and other intemperance ?

Do

Friends bear a

faithful

and christian

timony against receiving and paying

tythes,

demands, and those called church-rates

tes-

priests

?

VIII. Are Friends faithful in our testimony against bearing arms, and being in any manner concerned in the militia, in privateers, letters of marque, or

armed

vessels, or dealing in prize-goods ?

IX. Are Friends his customs, duties

clear of defrauding the

king of

and excise, and of using, or

ing in goods suspected to be run

?

deal-

DISCIPLINE.

X. Are the

217

among you

necessities of the poor

properly inspected and relieved

;

and

good care

is

taken of the education of their offspring ?

XL

Have any meetings been

or united since

last

settled, discontinued,

year ?

XII. Are there any Friends prisoners for our

monies

;

and

if any

discharged since

one hath died

last year,

a prisoner, or

when and how

testi-

been

?

XIII. Is early care taken to admonish such as appear inclinable to marry in a manner contrary to the rules of our society

;

and to deal with such as persist

in refusing to take counsel ?

XIV. Have you two

or

more

faithful friends, ap-

pointed by the monthly meeting, as overseers in each particular

meeting

duly observed

;

;

are the rules respecting removals

and

thing appears amiss,

is

due care taken, when any

that the rules of

be timely and impartially put

XV. Do you

in practice ?

keep a record of the prosecutions

and sufferings of your members to register titles

all

our discipline

;

is

due care taken

marriages, births, and burials

;

are the

of your meeting houses, burial grounds,

duly preserved and recorded

;

and are

all

&c»

legacies

and donations properly secured, and recorded, and duly applied ?

These

are the Questions,

pect should be Vol.

i.

which the society ex.

asked and

publicly

E

e

answered

in

DISCIPLINE.

2 IS

their quarterly courts or meetings.

are to

be answered

others in another

;

in

Some

of these

one quarterly meeting, and

and

all

(£5?)

of them in the course of

the year.

The come

clerk of the quarterly meeting,

to this part of the business, reads the

the appointed queries to the is

then

the

when they

Soon

silent.

members

after this a

first

of

and

present,

deputy from one of

monthly meetings comes forward, and producing

the written documents, or answers to the queries,

of which were prepared

all

meeting where he was

at the

chosen, reads that document, which contains a reply to the

query

first

in behalf of the

meeting he represents.

A deputy from a second monthly

meeting then comes

forward, and produces his written documents also,

and answers the same query meeting

in the

in behalf of his

own

A deputy from a third

same manner.

where there are more than two meetings then produces his documents in his turn, and replies to

and

this

mode

is

observed,

till

all

it

also,

the deputies

from

each of the monthly meetings in the county have an-

swered the

(ci?)

first

The Quakers

query.

consider the punctual attendance of their religious,

meetings, the preservation of love

among them, and

the care of

poor, of such particular importance, that they require the

and tenth

to

he answered every quarter.

first,

the:

third

DISCIPLINE.

When

219

the first query has been thus fully answered,

silence is observed

bers present have

now an

observations they

may

opportunity of making any

think proper.

If

pear by any of the answers to the there it

is

Men>

through the whole court.

it

first

should ap^

query,

that

any departure from principles on the subject

contains in any of the monthly meetings which the

deputies represent,

The

observations

it is

noticed by any one present.

made by one

frequently give rise to

Advice

observations from another.

is

sometimes

dered to be given, adapted to the nature of parture from principles ; and this advice ally circulated,

through the

monthly meetings,

to

medium

is

or-

this de-

occas.on-

of the

differ! nt

the particular congregation,

where the deviation has taken

place.

When the first query has been thus read by the clerk, and answered by the deputies, and when observations have been made upon

now described, the

it,

and instructions given as

a second query

same process takes

are sometimes made,

place,

is

read audibly, and

and similar observations

and instructions given.

In the same manner a third query clerk,

read by the

and answered by all the deputies, and observed

upon by and a

is

the meeting at large

fifth, till all

answered;

;

and so on a fourth,

the queries, set apart for the day are

DISCIPLINE.

220 It

men

may be in their

proper

now

to observe,

own meeting-house

that while, the

are thus transacting

the quarterly business for themselves, the

women,

in

a different apartment or meeting-house, are conduct-

ing

it

also for their

observe upon,

When they

own sex.

the

They

queries

in

read, answer,

the

and

same manner.

have settled their own business, they send

one or two of their members, as they did

in the case

of the monthly meeting, to the apartment of the men, to

know

them.

if

they have any thing to communicate to

When

the business

ings, they break up,

homes.

is

finished in both meet-

and prepare

for their respective

m

DISCIPLINE.

CHAP.

Great yearly court or meeting

—one place whole kingdom —

only

ing

pointed

IV.

—

constitution

of this meet-

of meeting fixed upon for

this

the metropolis

to it from the

—

deputies ap-

quarterly meetings

transacted at this meeting

the

—matters

—

business

decided,

not

by the influence of numbers, but by the weight of religious character

—no

meeting— character of Quakers— of

head or chairman of

this discipline or

the laws, relating to

the

it

this

government better obey-

ed than those under any other discipline or govern-

ment

1

N

—

reasons

the order,

of this

in

obedience.

which

I

have hitherto mentioned

the meetings for the discipline of the Quakers,

we

have seen them rising by regular ascent, both in importance and power.

We

have seen each in due

progression comprizing the actions of a greater population

time.

than the foregoing, and for a greater period of I

come now

to the yearly meeting,

which

is

possessed of a higher and wider jurisdiction than any that have

been yet described.

This meeting does

not take cognizance of the conduct of particular or of

DISCIPLINE.

223

monthly meetings, state

at

b\it,

one general view, of the

and conduct of the members of each quarterly

meeting, in order to form a judgment of the general state

of the society for the whole kingdom.

We have seen,

on a former occasion, the Quakers

with their several duputies repairing to different places in a county ;

and we have seen them

with their

lately

deputies again repairing to one great town in the ferent counties at large.

We

are

now

to see

dif-

them

repairing to the metropolis of the kingdom.

As

deputies were chosen by each monthly meeting

to represent terly

it

in the quarterly meeting, so the quar-

meetings choose deputies to represent them in

the ) early meeting.

These deputies

are commission-

ed to be the bearers of certain documents to London, which contain answers in writing to a (a)

ber of the queries mentioned in the

These answers

by

are

last

made up from the answers

num-

chapter.

received

the several quarterly meetings from their respec-

tive

monthly meetings.

carry with

Besides these they are to

them other documents, among which

are

accounts of sufferings in consequence of a refusal of military service, and of the

payment of the demands

of the church.

The

deputies

(a) Viz.

who

are

numbers

now

generally four in

1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,

1?

num-

223

DISCIPLINE. ber for each quarterly meeting, that

is,

four of each

sex (except for the quarterly meetings of

York and

London, the former of which generally sends eight

men and like

the (b) latter twelve, and each of

number of females) having received

documents, these

The distance

of three or four hundred miles

all

A man

connot

but he sees the Quakers in mo-

travel at this time,

from

Besides

of the society repair to the me-

forms no impediment to the jotMiey.

tion

their different

forward on their journey.

set

many members

tropolis.

them the

parts,

shaping their course to London,

there to exercise, as will appear shortly, the

power

of deputies, judges, and legislators in turn, and to investigate and settle the affairs of the society for the

preceding year. It

may

not be amiss to mention a circumstance,

which has not unfrequently occurred upon these occasions.

A

unblemished

Quaker life,

in

low circumstances, but of

has been occasionally chosen as one

of the deputies to the metropolis even for a county,

where the Quaker-population has been considered to be rich.

This deputy has scarcely been

account of the low his journey,

shew (i)

parts.

on

of his finances, to accomplish

and has been known to

from distantant to

state

able,

I

mention

this

travel

on foot

circumstance

that the society in its choice of representa-

The

quarterly meeting of

London includes Middlesex.

DISCIPLINE.

224,

shews no respect to persons, but that

tives,

pays,

it

even in the persons of the poor, the respect that

due

to virtue.

The day Whole

of the yearly meeting at length arrives.

days are

now

devoted to business, for which

various committees are obliged to be appointed.

men,

The

as before, retire to a meeting-house allotted to

them, to

settle the

business for the

ty at large, and the that,

is

women

which belongs to

men and the

socie-

retire to another, to settle

their

own

sex.

There

vertheless, at intervals, meetings for worship

are neat

the

several meeting houses in the metropolis.

One great part of the business of the yearly meeting is to know the state of the society in all its branches This is known of discipline for the preceding year. by hearing the answers brought to the queries from the several quarterly meetings,

the clerk or his assistant, If

alphabetically.

which are audibly read by and are taken

in rotation

any deficiency in the discipline

should appear by means of these documents, in any of the quarterly meetings, remarks follow

of the auditor}sent, if

it

,

on the part

and written advices are ordered to be

should appear necessary, which are either

of a general nature, or particularly directed to those

where the deficiency has been observed. Another part of the business of the yearly meeting is

to

ascertain

the

amount of

the

money,

called

DISCIPLINE. " Friends Sufferings,"

225

money, or

that is of the

the value of the goods, that have been taken

Quakers

for (c) tithes

and church dues

;

from the

for the society-

are principled against the maintenance of any religi-

ous ministry, and of course cannot conscientiously pay toward the support of the established church.

consequence of their refusal of payment case, their

In

in the latter

goods are seized by a law-process, and Those, Mho have the charge

sold to the best bidder.

Some wan-

of these executions, behave differently.

tonly take such goods, as will not sell for a quarter of

much more

and others

their value,

and others again kindly will

select those,

be attended with the

arising

from

ties.

ther,

for each

The

different

and the amount

the year

is

necessary,

which

in the sale

This amount,

of their property,

is easi-

from the written answers of the depu-

The sum

ed down.

is

least loss.

this confiscation

lv ascertained

than

county

sums

for the

is

observed, and not-

are then added toge-

whole kingdom within

discovered.

In speaking of tithes and church-dues I must correct an error, that

stood,

is

prevalent.

when Quakers

their losses are

(c) Distraints or

suffer

made up by imprisonment

i.

under-

on these accounts,

the society at large.

that

No-

for refusing to serve in the militia arc

included also under the head " sufferings."

Vol.

It is usually

Ff

DISCIPLINE.

286

more

thin^ can be lo

s

false

made up on such occasions,

The

suffering. in this

way

is

fact is,

his

Were their

than this idea,

that

would be no

there

whatever a person loses

own total loss nor ;

is it

ever refund-

ed, though, in consequence of expensive prosecutions at law,

it

of those,

mands.

has amounted to the whole of the property

who have If a

refused the payment of these de-

man were

to

come

to poverty

on

this ac-

count, he would undoubtedly be supported, but he

would only be supported

as belonging to the poor of

the society.

Among may be

the subjects,

that of

ment of the

introduced at this meeting,

any new regulations for the govern-

society.

The Quakers

ly attached to antiquity, as to ly

are not so blind-

keep to customs, mere-

But they

because they are of an ancient date.

ready, on conviction, to change,

When, however, such proposed, they must

alter,

art

and improve.

regulations or alterations are

come not through

of an individual, but through the

the

medium

medium of one of

the quarterly meetings.

There

is also

ly meeting.

Reports are received and considered on

the subject of

ed

in a

a variety of other business at the year-

Ackworth

school,

which was mention-

former part of the work as a public seminary

Of the society.

DISCIPLINE.

227

Letters are also read from the branches of the society in foreign parts,

and answers prepared

Appeals also are heard termined in I

to them.

in various instances,

and de-

this court.

may mention

here two circumstances, that are

worthy of notice on these occasions.

may be observed

It

which

that,

sort

I

that

whether such business as

have just detailed or any of any other

comes before the yearly meeting at

cided, not

by the

influence of

weight of religious character.

large,

As most

meeting are found taking their

of the argument, as they believe ever,

who

subjects

it

right.

af-

Quakers

different sides

Those how-

are in opposition to any measure, if they

by the turn

perceive

de-

numbers, but by the

ford cause for a difference of opinion, so the at this

it is

the debate takes, either that they

are going against the general will, or that they are op-

posing the sentiments of paembers of high moral

And so

putation in the society^give way.

Quakers carry that if a

their condescension

far

re-

do the

on these occasions,

few ancient and respectable individuals seem

to be dissatisfied with

any measure

that

may

have been

proposed, though otherwise respectably supported, the measure

is

frequently postponed, out of tenderness

to the feelings of

such members, and from a desire of •

gaining them in time by forbearance. ever

way

the question before

them

But, in what-

is settled,

no

divi-

DISCIPLINE.

228 sion

is

ever called

No

allowed.

for.

No counting

protest- is suffered to

of numbers

be entered.

is

In

such a case there can be no ostensible leader of any party

Quakers

are of opinion that such things,

would be inconsistent with

would

therefore

the

way

the

name

The

is settled

I

if

allowed,

their profession.

lead also to broils and divisions,

ly to the detriment

is

The

no ostensible minority or majority.

;

and ultimate-

Every measure

of the society.

by the Quakers

They

at this

meeting in

have mentioned, in brotherly love, and as

of the society signifies, as Friends.

other remarkable circumstance

no ostensible president or

[d)

that there

is,

head of this great as-

sembly, nor any ostensible president or head of any

one of ciety

its

is

sible to is

committees

conducted

;

and yet the business of the so-

in as orderly a

manner, as

it is

pos-

be among any body of men, where the number

so great, and where evc*y individual has a right to

speak.

The

state

of the society having by this time been

ascertained, both in the meetings of the

the

men, from the written answers of the

puties,

.

women and

and from the reports of

(d) Christ

guidance

all

is

different

supposed by the Quakers to be the

their deliberations ought to take place.

of

different de-

committees,

heatl,

under whos^

DISCIPLINE. and the

(e)

229

other business of the meeting having been

nearly finished, a committee,

which had been previ*

ously chosen, meet to draw up a public

This

letter

usually

comprehends three subjects:

the state of the society, in

first,

for tithes

which the sufferings

and other demands of the church are includ-

This

ed.

letter.

branches, the com-

state, in all its different

mittee ascertain by inspecting the answers, as brought

by

the deputies before mentioned.

A

second subject, comprehended

in the letter, is

advice to the society for the regulation of their moral

and

This advice

conduct.

civil

from the same written answers, and

Are

cumstances of the times.

any vicious customs creeping

new

dispositions

Quaker

among

principles ?

puties

shew

adapte

I

it,

its

partly

by the

into the society, or

members

Are

is

cir-

there, for instance,

any

contrary to the

The answ ers brought by

and advice

to the case.

suggested partly

is

the de-

contained in the letter

the times, seasons of

diffi-

culty and embarrassment in the commercial world ? Is

the aspect of the political horizon gloomy, and does

appear big with convulsions ?

New

it

admonition and

advices follow.

(<*)

This

may

relate to the printing' of books, to testimonies concern-

ing deceased ministers, addresses to the ii'l

the like.

king",

if

thought necessary.,

DISCIPLINE.

230

A third which

I

formed

subject,

comprehended

believe since the year

a standing article in

Quakers consider

and

in the letter,

1787 has frequently

The

the slave-trade.

it, is

this trade as so extensively

big with

misery to their fellow creatures, that their members

and a religious

ought to have a deep and awful

feeling,

care and concern about

This and occasionally

it.

other subjects having been duly weighed by the mittee, they begin to

When the letter is lic

compose ready,

it is

meeting, and the whole of

is first

read audibly.

It is

the

it,

letter.

brought into the pubwithout interruption,

then read over again, and

Every sentence,

canvassed, sentence by sentence.

nay every word,

may make

is liable

his remarks,

to alteration

it is

;

for

any one

and nothing can stand but by

the sense of the meeting.

approved,

com-

When

printed and dispersed

bers throughout the nation.

This

finally settled

and

among the mem-

letter

may be

con-

sidered as informing the society of certain matters, that occurred in the preceding year, and as conveying

This

to

them admonitions on various

is

emphatically stiled "the General Epistle."

yearly meeting, having

now

subjects.

letter

The

lasted about ten days,

is

dissolved after a solemn pause, and the different depureturn home.

ties are at liberty to

This important brings with

it,

institution of the yearly

on every return,

its

meeting

pains and pleasures.

DISCIPLINE.

To

who

persons of maturer years,

committee

after

to perform,

commit

ee,

231 sit at this

time on

and have various

offices

is certainly an aniversary of care

it

anxiety, fatigue and trouble.

But

it

and

them, on

affords

Some,

the other hand, occasions of innocent delight.

educated in the same school, and others, united by the ties

of blood and youthful friendship, but separated

from one another by following various concerns of

life,

in distant situations the

meet together in the

of the disciplinary business,

and

feel,

intervals

warm

in the

recognition of their ancient intercourse, a pleasure,

which might have been delayed intervention of this occasion.

for years,

To

but

the youth

it

for the

affords

an opportunity, amidst this concourse of members, of seeing those

who

are reputed to be of the

emplary character in the society, and

would not have had other time.

They

they

at

any

are introduced also at this season

new

are permitted the

whom

same chance of seeing

and family

to their relations

about, and form

the

most ex-

friends.

They

visit

connections in the society, and

enjoyment of other reasonable plea-

sures.

Such is

the organization of the discipline or govern-

ment of the Quakers.

Nor may

it

improperly be

ed a government, when we consider matters relating to the church, the actions of

Quakers

it

call-

that, besides all

takes cognizance of

to Quakers, and of these t«

DISCIPLINE.

:32

their fellow-citizens,

in f.ictof

all

and of these again to the

actions of Quakers,

if

immoral

its

prohibitions.

es offices on

its

subjects.

crimes.

It calls

power, has, as

its

its

them

It It

no

has

first

man through

any badge of

it

or sworel.

It

I observeel before,

the whole society.

office,

no pre-

There Neither

or mace, or constables staff

may be observed by which

of emolument,

office

impos-

to disciplin-

sident or head, either permanent or temporary. is

gives

This government how ever, notwith-

ary duties. {/)

standing

marks

It

;

in the eye

of the society, as soon as they are known. out

state

also, its

that

it

has no

hands can

be

strengthened, neither minister, elder, (g) clerk, overseer,

tion

nor deputy, being paid is

and yet

;

firmly conducted, and

its

its

administra-

laws better obeyed,

than laws by persons under any other denomination or government.

The constant assemblage of the Qua-

kers at their places of worship, and their unwearied

at-

tendances at the monthly and quarterly meetings,

which they must often frequent their

own

at a great distance, to

personal inconvenience, and to the hind-

rance of their worldly concerns, must be admitted, in part,

as proofs of the last remark.

(f) The government or

(g) The

clerk,

the only person

discipline is considered, as a theocracy.

who keeps

who

But when we

the records of the society in London,

has a sala-^

is

DISCIPLINE.

them

consider

233

as a distinct pe ople, differing in their

manner of speech and in their dress and customs from rebelling against fashion and the fashionable

ethers,

world, and likely therefore to

become

jects of ridicule than of praise

when we consider these

and

things,

their

;

rather the ob-

steady and rigid perseverance in

we

the peculiar rules and customs of the society,

own

cannot but consider their obedience to their discipline,

which makes a point of the observance of

these singularities, as extraordinary.

This singular obedience, however, to the laws of the soci. ty

may be accounted

for

In the

place in no society

is

first

lance over the conduct of

its

on three principles.

much

there so

members,

as in that of

must

the Quakers, as this history of their discipline

This vigilance of course,

have already manifested. cannot miss of following.

its effect.

deputies.

But a second cause

The Quaker-laws and regulations

made by any one

They

person, nor by any are

the

is

are not

number even of

made by themstlves,

the society in yearly meeting assembled.

law, or the repeal of a

vigi-

that is If a

by

bad

good one, be proposed, every

one present, without distinction, has a right to speak against the motion.

The

proposition cannot pass

against the sense of the meeting. present,

it is

their

own

fault.

If persons are not

Thus

it

every law, passed at the yearly meeting, Vol.

i.

Gg

happens that

may be

consi-

DISCIPLINE,

234

dered, in

own

some measure,

will,

and people are

regulations

made by

as the law of every

much more

their

which are made against

own

Quaker's

likely to follow

consent, than those

This therefore has unv

it.

questionably an operation as a second cause. third

may be

traced in the peculiar sentiments, which

the Quakers hold as a religious body. that

many

of their members,

selves publicly

are influ.nced

by

when they

on any subject

by the

the spirit of truth.

which

A

They

believe

deliver them-

at the yearly

meeting,

dictates of the pure principle, or

Hence

are considered to

the laws of the society,

be the result of such influen-

ces,

have with them the sanction of spiritual authori-

ty.

They pay them

therefore a greater deference

this account, than they

would

to laws,

on

which they

conceive to have been the production of the mere imagination, or will, of man.

DISCIPLINE-

%25

CHAP. V.

Disowning

—foundation

of the right of disowning

disowning no slight punishment

—wherein

—

the hard-

ship or suffering consists^

X SHALL

conclude the discipline of the Quakers

by making a few remarks on the subject of disowning.

The Quakers

conceive they have a right to excom-

municate or disown

;

because persons, entering into

any society, have a right to make their own reasonable rules of

membership, and so early as the year 1663,

this practice

those

who

had been adopted by George Fox, and

who were

in religious

union with him.

are born in the society, are

Those,

bound of course,

to

abide by these rules, while they continue to be the rules

of the general into

it

will,

or to leave

by convincement,

are

it.

bound

Those who come to follow them, or

not to sue for admission into membership. right of disowning,

which

arises

This

from the reasonable-

ness of the things the Quakers consider to have been pointed out and established by the author of the christian religion,

who determined I'M Matt. 18.

that (h) if a disorderly

v. IT-

DISCIPLINE.

236

person, alter having received repeated admonitions,,

should

stiii

continue disorderly, he should be consi-

dered as an alien by the church.

The

observations, which

ject of disowning,

must operate

will

is

as

it

it

who

as a source of suffering to those,

People are apt to say,

it.

the hardship of being

disowned?

though disowned by the Quakers, may their

the sub-

be wholly confined to

are sentenced to undergo

u where

make on

I shall

meetings for worship, or he

may

man,

a

go to

still

worship

if

he

chooses, with other dissenters, or with those of the

church of England,

for the doors of

ship are open to those, state therefore

shall

and

I

who

in

never have made

it

places of wor-

desire to enter

what

should have done

all

this

them."

I

hardship consists,

sooner, but that I could

it

so well understood as after an ex-

planation had been given of the discipline of the

Qua-

kers, or, as in the present place.

There will

be

is

no doubt that a person, who

differently affected

Something

will

by

a political offence.

different considerations.

disowned

for a

moral or

Something, again, whether he has

in the habit of attending the

cipline,

disowned,

depend upon the circumstance, whe-

ther he considers himself as

been

is

meetings for

dis-

and what estimation he may put upon these.

But whether he has been tendances,

it is

regular or not in these at-

certain that he has a

power and

a con-

DISCIPLINE. sequence, while he remains in his

he loses when he leaves

member

The

of the world.

©bserved, that in no society expression, so kers, or in

and

much

no society

cil,

is

a

man,

is

if I

it

is

argue and reply.

meeting he may,

if

seen,

all

equal

He may

give

propose

new

In the quarterly

And

scale.

in coun-

sees

called to the exercise of the

but on a larger

vileges,

were

He

He may

on any question.

meetings he

same

he pleases, unite in his

world,

leaves the society,

own

body equal

thousands above him.

been disowned. ings what he

It is in this loss

that

he should not

feel a

before. feel a

importance as a man.

But

It is

sees

and

of his former

punishment

For he can never be

was

He

to himself in privileges,

consequence that he must

per-

and goes out into the

he has no such station or power.

there every

pri-

at the yearly

son the offices of council, judge, and legislator.

when he

the

and honourable functions.

monthly meeting, as

He may

may use

we have

as

but he sees none superior, to himself.

matter.

a

there such an equality of rank

with the rest of the members.

his advice

which

of a man, as in that of the Qua-

to the exercise of important sits in his

society,

reader will have already

A Quaker is called,

privileges.

He

own

when he becomes

or

it,

2"3fir

to his

in

having

own feel-

almost impossible

diminution of his dignity and

DISCIPLINE

238

Neither can he restore himself to these privileges

by going ing

to a distant part of the

among qnakers

there,

kingdom and

on a supposition

disownment may be concealed.

him

that his

For a Quaker, go-

new abode among Quakers, must

ing to a

resid-

carry with

a certificate of his conduct from the last monthly

meeting which he

left,

or he cannot be received as a

member.

But besides

losing these privileges, which confer

consequence upon him, he looses others of another

He

kind.

tion will

cannot marry in the society.

is

no longer exempt from the

drawn by submitting

ment

nor

;

affirraa^

be no longer taken instead of his oath.

poor man, he if

His

is

to three

If a

militia,

months imprison-

he entitled to that comfortable mainte-

nance, in case of necessity, which the society provide for their

To

own

poor.

these considerations

perfluous to add, that

members of his own

if

it

may

not perhaps be su

he continues to mix with the

society, he will occasionally find

circumstances arising, which will remind him of his

former

state

:

and

if

others, he will feel his element,

and

his

till

he transfers his friendship to

awkward and

uneasy, and out of

he has made his temper, his opinions,

manners, harmonize with those of his

sociates of the world

new

as-

Peculiar

Customs OF

THE QUAKERS.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS OF THE QUAKERS.

CHAP.

Dress

— Quakers

—great

sixteenth centuries

— —

—

in dress in

this

the fifteenth

extravagance had reached

wore

the dress which the

hi those

this description also

days

—

dress

men of

into their

— George Fox and

new

this des-

of the women of the Quakers

springing out of these; carried their plain

them

and

but religious individuals kept to their an-

tie fit dresses

cription

I.

distinguished by their dressfrom others

extravagance

the clergy

SECT.

I.

fiabits

with

society.

X HAVE now explained, in a very ample manner, the moral education and discipline of the Quakers.

I shall

proceed to the explanation of such customs, as seem peculiar to

The

them

as a society of christians.

dress of the Quakers

is

the

nature, that I purpose to notice.

guished be means of it from Vol.1.

Hh

all

first

custom of this

They

stand distin-

other religious bodies

PECULIAR CUSTOMS

242

The men wear neither

lace, frills, ruffles,

swords, not

any of the ornaments used by the fashionable world.

The women wear neither

lace, flounces, lappets, rings,

bracelets, necklaces, ear-rings, nor any thing belonging

Both sexes

to this class.

are also particular in the

choice of the colour of their clothes.

All gay colours

such as red, blue, green, and yellow, are exploded. Dressing in

this

manner, a Quaker

apparel through the whole kingdom.

known by

is

This

is

his

not the

case v ith any other individuals of the island, except the clergy

;

and these,

in

consequence of the black

garments worn by persons on account of the death of their

relations,

are not always

distinguished from

others. I

know

of no custom

among the Quakers, which

has more excited the curiosity of the world, than this of their dress, and none,

more mistaken (i)

in

which they have been

in their conjectures

concerning

it.

In the early times of the English History, dress

had been frequently restricted by the government. Persons of a certain rank and fortune were permitted to wear only cloathing of a certain kind. restrictions

But these

and distinctions were gradually broken

down, and people,

as they

were able and

willing,

launched out into unlimited extravagance in their

(i)

See

Strut's Antiquities.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. dress.

The

fifteenth

down from thence

243

and sixteenth centuries, and

to the time

when

the

Quakers

first

appeared, were periods, particularly noticed for prodigality in the

use of apparel, there was noth ng too

expensive or too preposterous to be worn. cestors also, to

Our

an-

use an ancient quotation, " were ne-

ver constant to one colour or fashion two months to

an end. "

We can have no idea by the present genera-

tion, of the folly in

But

these follies were not confined to the laiety.

fectation of parade,

ted

such respects, of these early ages.

among many

ploughman,

upon

in

this point.

and gaudy cloathing, were admit-

of the clergy,

rest invectives of

Af-

who

incurred the seve-

the poets on that account.

Chaucer's Canterbury Tales,

He

The is

full

gives us the following descrip-

tion of a Priest

" That hye on horse wylleth

to ride,

In glytter ande gold of great araye,

T painted and pertred all in pryde, No common Knyght may go so gaye Chaunge of clothyng every daye,

With As

golden gyrdles great and small,

boysterous as

is

bere at baye

All suche falshed mote nede

To this

;

fall."

he adds, that many of them had more than

#ne or two mitres, embellished with pearls,

like the

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

>244

head of a queen, and a as

heavy as

He

lead.

staff of

gold set with jewels,

then speaks of their appearing

out of doors with broad bucklers and long swords, or with baldries about their necks, instead of stoles, t©

which

their basellards

were attached.

" Bucklers brode and sweardes longe*

Baudryke with baselards kene."

He

then accuses them with wearing gay

scarlet

and

gowns of

and green colours, ornamented with cut- work,

for the long

But so

late

pykes upon their shoes. as the

year 1652

we have

the

fol-

lowing anecdote of the whimsical dress of a clergy-

man.

John Owen, Dean of Christ church, and Vice-

Chancellor of Oxford,

is

represented as wearing a

lawn-band, as having his hair powdered and his hat curiously cocked.

He

is

described also as wearing

Spanish leather-boots with lawn-tops, and snake- bone band-strings with large tassels,

and a large

set of

ribbands pointed at his knees with points or tags at the end.

And much

about the same time, when

Charles the second was at Newmarket,

Nathaniel

Vincent, doctor of divinity, fellow of Clare-hall, and chaplain in ordinary to his majesty,

him.

preached before

But the king Mas so displeased with the foppe-

ry of this preacher's dress, that he

commanded

the

PECULIAR CUSTOMS;

245

duke of Monmouth, then chancellor of the

university,

to cause the statutes concerning decency of apparel

among

the clergy to be put into execution,

which

These instances

are sufficient

to shew, that the taste for preposterous

and extrava-

was accordingly done.

gant dress must have operated like a contagion in those times, or the clergy would scarcely have dressed

themselves

in this ridiculous

But although

many

this

and censurable manner.

extravagance was found

among

orders of society at the time of the appearance

many

of George Fox, yet

individuals had set their

These con-

faces against the fashions of the world.

sisted principally of religious people of different de-

nominations, most of

whom were

in the

Such persons were found

middle classes

in plain

and simple

habits notwithstanding the contagion of the

example of

of

life.

The men

their superiors in rank.

generally

of this description

wore plain round hats with

They had

common crowns.

discarded the sugar-loaf-hat, and the hat

turned up with a silver clasp on one side, as well as all

ornaments belonging to

thers,

ed a

it,

such as pictures,

and bands of various colours.

plain suit of clothes.

necessary, over these.

cloaks were

They had

They wore

But both

of the same colour.

cloaks,

followed the fashions,

adopt-

when

the clothes and the

The

each of them was either drab or grey.

who

fea-

wore white,

colour

of

Other people red,

green,

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

246

yellow, violet, scarlet, and other colours, which were

expensive, because they were principal y dyed in for-

The drab

eign parts.

consisted of the white wool

wool mixed

and the grey of the white

undyed,

which was undyed

with the black,

These

also.

colours were then the colours of the clothes, because

they were the least expensive, of the peasants of

now

land, as they are

They had

of those of Portugal and Spain.

discarded also,

all

ornaments, such as of

or bunches of ribbands at the knees,

lace,

buttons were generally of alchymy, tion

Eng-

was then termed, or of

the

a:

d their

as this composi-

same colour

as their

clothes.

The

grave and religious

women

had avoided the fashions of

also, like the

their times.

men,

These had

adopted the cap, and the black hood for their head-

The

dress.

black hood had been long the distinguish-

ing mark of a grave matron. as

Edward

the third, had been forbidden to wear

In after-times rable

it

by the

painters

as

fashionable

case in

All prostitutes, so early

was celebrated by the

poets,

the

of virtue.

had discarded

With

it,

When

which was the

George Fox's time, the more sober, on

account of these ancient marks of tained

epithet of vene-

and had been introduced by

representative

women

it.

it,

and

it

was then

its

sanctity,

common among

respect to the hair of grave and sober

had

re-

them.

women

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. in those days,

onally

by

by

it

was worn

and covered occasi-

plain,

They had avoided

a plain hat or bonnet.

this choice those

247

preposterous head-dresses

who

bonnets, which none but those,

and

have seen paint-

ings of them, could believe ever to have been worn.

They admitted none

of the large ruifs, that were

then in use, but chose the plain handkerchief for their necks, differing from those of others, which had rich

and curious

point, sattin

doublet w

ith

They

lace.

rejected the crimson

black velvet skirts, and contented

themselves with a plain gown,

and of a drab, or grey, or

was

called,

generally of stuff,

or buffin colour, as

btiff,

and faced with buckram.

as I observed

before,

it

These colours,

were die colours worn by

country people and were not expensive, because they ;

were not dyed. apron.

To

this

gown was added

Green aprons had been long worn

land, yet, at the time I allude fashion, so as to be ridiculed

fashioned people

of gravity was religious

still

to,

and steady

Eng-

But old

Thus an

retained them.

women

in

they were out of

by the gay.

conm cted with them

a green

;

idea

and therefore

adopted them, as the

grave and sober garments of ancient times. It

may now be observed

that

from these religious

persons, habited in this manner, in opposition to the fashions of the world, the primitive

sprung.

Quakers generally

George Fox himself wore the

plain

grey

2)48

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

coat that has been noticed, with

alchymy buttons,

and a plain leather girdle about his waist.

When

the

Quakers therefore first met in religious union, they met in these simple clothes. their dress

on account of

They made no their

new

alteration in

religion.

They

prescribed no form or colour as distinguishing marks

of their sect, but they carried with them the plain habits of their ancestors into the

new

society, as the

habits of the grave and sober people of their times;

own

PECULIAR CUSTOMS

SECT.

24$

II.

But though George Fox introduced no new the society, he

was not

dress into

indifferent on the subject—*

he recommended simplicity and plainness

—and

de-

claimed aga'mst the fashions of the times—supported

by Barclay andPenn dress

—

the influence

—

these explained the objects

of these explanations

— —

length incorporated into the discipline

ardfixed either of shape or colour dress only recognized,

—

dress at

but no stand-

the objects

of

and simplicity recommended—

a new Era —great variety allowable by the

— Quakers have

of

deviated

lessfr

Om

discipline

the dress

of their

ancestors than other people.

HOUGH George Fox never introduced any new or particular garments, as

when he formed

the society,

models worthy of the imitation of those who joined

him, yet, as a religious man, he was not indifferent

upon

Nor

the subject of dress.

could he, as a re-

former, see those extravagant fashions, which I have

shewn

to have existed in his time,

noticing them.

mending Vol.

i.

We

find

without publicly

him accordingly recom-

to his followers simplicity J

i

and plainness of

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

i 5o

apparel, and bearing his testimony against the prepos*.

terous and fluctuating apparel of the world.

In the various papers, which he wrote or gave forth

upon all

he

this subject,

laid

it

down

as a position, that

ornaments, superfluities, and unreasonable chan-

ges in dress, manifested an earthly or worldly

He

laid

it

down

spirit.

again, that such things, being adopt-

ed principally for the

were productive

lust of the eye,

of vanity and pride, and

that,

proportion as

in

men

paid attention to these outward decorations and chan-

some

ges, they suffered

of their minds. tions

He

loss in the value

considered also

and changes, as contrary both

the spirit of the scriptures. est prophets

Isaiah,

all

and dignity

such decora-

to the letter

and

one of the great-

under the law, had severely reproved the

daughters of Israel on Account of their tinkling ornaments, cauls, round

and ear-rings.

St.

tires,

chains, bracelets, rings,

Paul also and

of them cautioned the

women

St.

of their

Peter had both

own

times, to

adorn themselves in modest apparel, and not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.

And

the former had spoken to both sexes indiscri-

minately not to conform to the world, in which

expression he evidently included

all

latter

those customs of

the world, of whatsoever nature, that were in any

manner injurious those

who

to

the morality of the

followed them*

minds ot

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

By

to the world,

that religion,

though

it

George

sentiments,

the publication of these

Fox shewed

251

that

was

it

prescribed

no

his opinion,

form

particular

of apparel, was not indifferent as to the general subject

These sentiments became

of dress.

of his followers. into a

met

new

But the

society

When

situation.

the

the sentiments

was coming

members

of

fast first

it

grown up persons

in union, they consisted of

;

of such, as had had their minds spiritually exercised,

and

their

judgments convinced

in religious matters

of such in fact as had been Quakers in

they had become Quakers by name.

:

before

spirit,

All admonitions

therefore on the subject of dress were unnecessary for

such persons.

ed the it,

society,

But many of those, who had

join-

had brought with them children

into

and from the marriages of others, children were

To

daily springing up.

the latter, in a profligate age,

where the fashions were

raging from without,

still

and making an inroad upon the minds and morals of

some cautions were necessary

individuals,

for the

preservation of their innocence in such a storm.

For these were the reverse of their in point of age, they

they could

jeet of dress,

notice in

Young,

were Quakers by name, before

become Quakers

clay therefore, and

parents.

Robert Bar-

in spirit.

William Penn, kept

alive the sub-

which George F x had been the

the society.

They

followed

to

first

him on

his

PECULIAR CUSTOMS;

252

They

scriptural ground.

repeated the arguments,

that extravagant dress manifested

and that

it

an earthly

was productive of vanity and

spirit,

But

pride.

they strengthened the case by adding arguments of their

Among

own.

may

these I

notice, that they

They

considered what were the objects of dress.

reduced these to two, to decency, and comfort,

which

latter idea

in

was included protection from the

varied inclemencies of the weather.

Every thing

beyond these they considered

as superfluous.

therefore

Of

course

and

all

ornaments would become censurable,

all

unreasonable changes indefensible, upon such

a system.

These

discussions, however, on this subject never

occasioned the more ancient Quakers to

make any

alteration in their dress, for they continued as

they had

come

into the society, to

But they occasioned parents their children

society to look

to

be a plain people.

be more vigilant over

in this respect,

upon

and they taught the

dress, as a subject connected

with the christian religion, in any case, where

become

when

it

could

injurious to the morality of the mind.

In

process of time therefore as the fashions continued to spread, and the youth of the society began to

under dress

their

dominion,

among

other

Hence no member,

the

subjects

come

Quakers incorporated of their

after this period,

discipline.

could dress him-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

253

self preposterously, or follow the fleeting fashions

coming under the

the world, without friendly and

wholesome admonition.

nual inquiry began to

be made,

if

The

tian profession.

authority of

Hence an

parents brought

their children to dress consistently

of

an-

up

with their chris-

society, however,

recommend-

ed only simplicity and plainness to be attended to on

They

occasion.

this

prescribed no standard,

no

form, no colour, for the apparel of their members.

They acknowledged and comfort, and

two great objects of decency

the

left their

members

selves consistently \vith these, as

it

to clothe

them-

was agreeable

to

their convenience or their disposition.

A new

commenced from

sera

already in the society, ancient dresses

vincement, their plain.

if

:

continued of course in their

come

others had

who had

led gay lives,

gaudy garments, and took those

And

Persons

this period.

into

it

by con-

they laid aside that

were more

the children of both, from this time,

began to be habited from

their

youth as

their parents

were.

But though

Quakers had thus brought apparel

the

under the disciplinary cognizance of the society, yet the dress of individuals it

was not always

alike,

nor did

continue always one and the same even with the

primitive Quakers. the

same with

Nor has

their

it

continued one and

descendants.

For decency

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

$54

and comfort having been declared to be the true and only objects of dress, such a latitude was given, as if

we

were to see a groupe of modern Quakers before

us,

to admit of great variety in apparel.

we

should probably not find any two of them dressed

alike.

Health,

in dress.

we

may

know, may require

all

may

Simplicity

nience again

may be

before specified.

And

the society, during

its

and yet

;

it

some degree, impercepti-

improvements of cloathing.

It

must be obvious

again,

its

fashions, yet

some people

that

of a grave, and that others are of a

little

differently

Other

but particularly the rich, have a

larger intercourse than the rest of them, or

with the world.

are

lively disposition,

that these will probably never dress alike.

again,

that

existence for a century and a

its

members

these

all

may be observed

bly followed the world, though not in

and

Conve-

consistent with the objects

here

has without doubt, in

half,

alteration

suggest others.

point out others

various alterations

in

Hence

These again from

others,

two great objects of dress,

mix more

will probably dress a

and

yet,

regarding the

their cloathing

within the limits which these allow.

may come

Indeed

if

there

be any, whose apparel would be thought exceptionable

by the

rich.

society, these

Money,

in all

would be found among the

societies,

liberty of introducing exceptions.

generally takes the

Nothing, however

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. is

more

than that, even

true,

the Quakers, there

and simplicity

is

in their

among

255

the richest of

much

frequently as

plainness

outward dress, as among the

and where the exceptions

they are

poor

;

dom

carried to an extravagant, and never to a pre-

exist,

sel-

posterous extent

From

account

this

it

will

be seen, that the ideas

ef the world are erroneous on the subject of the dress of the Quakers

when

that,

union, they

the early

Quakers

first

met to deliberate and

which should operate

ard,

been imagined,

for it has always

;

fix

met

in religious

upon some

stand-

as a political institution,

which the members should be distinguished by

The whole

apparel from the rest of the world. tory,

their his-

however, of the shape and colour of the garments

of the Quakers the primitive

as has

is,

been

Quakers dressed

sprung up, and less in a

like the sober, steady,

in

which the

that their descendants

society-

have departed

course of time, than others, from the dress

of their ancestors.

same now, except

many

namely, that

related,

and religious people of the age,

The mens

that they

hats are

women

nearly the

have stays and loops, and

of their clothes are nearly of the

colour, as in the days of

the

by

George Fox.

also is nearly similar.

same shape and

The

The

dress of

black hoods

indeed have gone, in a certain degree, out of use.

But many of such women,

as are ministers

and

elders,

and indeed many others of age and gravity of manners?

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

25S still

retain

The

them.

green apron also has been

nearly, if not wholly lakl aside.

woman, who used

there an ancient

ten years, but I lately.

No

am

been

assigned,

so unlike any other

Upon

retain the

within the

in the

why Quaker-women use of a colour, which

which they now use

the whole,

if

in

the females were

their

still

to

use of the black hood and the green apron,

and the men were to discard the stays and loops their hats,

last

told that the last of these died

should have been found

dress.

it

other reasons can be given, than those

which have

is

There was here and

we

for

should find that persons of both sexes in

the society, but particularly such as are antiquated, or as

may be deemed old

very near to the

first

fashioned in

it,

would approach

or primitive Quakers in their

appearance, both as to the sort, and to the shape, and to the colour of their clothes.

Thus has George Fox,

by means of the advice he gave upon

this subject,

and the general discipline which he introduced into the society, kept

up

for a

hundred and

fifty

years, against

the powerful attacks of the varying fashions of the

world, one steady, and uniform, external appearance

among

his descendants

clergy by

;

an event, which neither the

means of their sermons, nor other

writers,

whether grave or gay, were able to accomplish during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and which none

of their successors have been able to accomplish from that time to the present

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

SECT.

The world dress

—

which

make

usually

the charge

is

is

III.

objections

that there

of

charge not

this

the

against

—and

it

—such

a preciseness

upon

it

in it

of forms

—

but outward facts

as the origin

the Quaker-

of

dress

—

doctrine

of the early

this suhject-r— opinion

of Christianity on christians

—

Quaker -doctrine on

the

Quaker-

to be ascertained but

by a knowledge of the heart

dress

is

to

equivalent to the worshipping

the truth

make

257

—reputed advantages of

the Qua-x

ker-dress.

SHOULD

JL

tion, it,

but so

that I

them

been glad

to

of the Quaker-dress

subject

the

have

many

thought

in the

it

have dismissed the last sec-

in

objections are usually

made

against

right to stop for a while to consider

present

place.

Indeed,

if

I

were to

choose a subject, upon which the world had been

more than

ordinarily severe

on the Quakers,

all

cases,

them Vol.

this point.

And

as in almost

where arguments are numerous, many of

are generally frivolous, so 1.

should

Almost every body has

select that of their dress.

something to say upon

I

K

k

it

has happened in

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

25g

There

this also.

one, however,

is

upon

possible not to notice

The Quakers,

it is

who

which attach

it is

im-

this subject.

confessed by their adversaries,

are not chargeable with the vanity,

which

same

and

sort of pride

to the characters of other people,

and who follow

dress in a gay manner,

fashions of the world, but

it

is

the.

contended, on the

other hand, that they are justly chargeable with a preciseness, that larities

is

disgu ting, in the

little

particu-

This precise attention to

of their cloathing.

particularities is considered as little better than the

worshipping of

by the world

It

if it

would be

away from the greatest and

forms, and

were

true,

religion of the

lifeless

because

it

forms

?

would shew

would take

Quakers one of

who were

its

the worship-

would be serious

again,

their religion, like the

box of

It

be pregnant with

For people, who place

it

in-

For how could any

best characters.

pers of

to

usually called

would be serious

because

serious,

people be spiritually minded,

Pandora,

is

the idolatry of the Quaker-dress.

This charge, deed.

lifeless

evils

within

itself.

religion in particular forms,

must unavoidably become

superstitious.

be serious again, because

if

It

would

parents were to carry

such notions into their families, they would produce mischief. to

"

The young would be dissatisfied,

cultivate

particularities,

for

if

forced

which they see no

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. just or substantial reason.

among them. founded,

if

259

Dissentions would arise

Their morality too would be con-

they were to see these minutiae idolized

home, but disregarded by persons of known

at

Add

gious character in the world.

reli-

to which, that

they might adopt erroneous notions of religion.

much

they might be induced to lay too the

For

stress

payment of the anise and cummin, and too

upon

little

up-

on the observance of the weightier matters of the law.

As

the charge therefore

one, I shall not allow

And

ments. that,

whether

is

unquestionably a serious

to pass without

it

in the first place

some com-

may be observed

it

which has been im-

this preciseness,

puted to some Quakers, amounts to an idolizing of forms, can never be positively determined, except

we had

who

the

power of looking

into the hearts of those,

We may form,

have incurred the charge.

ever, a reasonable conjecture, whether

by presumptive evidence, taken from

i

how-

does or not

incontroverti-

ble outward facts.

The

first

outward

fact that presents

itself to us, is

the fact of the origin of the Quaker- dress, early Quakers,

had met

when they met

to deliberate

and

fix

in

upon

if

the

religious union,

a form or standard

of apparel for the society, in vain could any person

have expected to repel standard

was ever

fixed.

this charge.

The

But no such

dress of the Quakers

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

260

way

has descended from father to son in the

There

been described.

is

that has

reason therefore to sup-

pose, that the Quakers as a religious body,

have

deviated less than others from the primitive habits

of their ancestors, rather from a fear of the effects of unreasonable changes of dress upon the mind, than f om an attachment to

The second outward to as furnishing a is

The Quakers cases,

where

I

for reasonable conjecture,

Quakers upon

subject.

this

shall

all

doctrines can be clearly ascertained.

its

in unison with

which may be resorted

profess to follow Christianity in

I shall state therefore point.

fact,

ground

the doctrine of the

forms.

lifeless

what

shew

it.

Christianity says

that

And

upon

this

what Quakerism says

I shall

explain

more

is

at large

the principle, that has given birth to the discipline

of the Quakers relative to their dress.

Had

Christianity

approved of the make or co-

lour of any particular garment,

ed of those of

do

not,

its

it

would have approv-

founder and of his apostles.

hew ever, know, what any of these

ous personages wore.

They were probably

in the habits of Judean peasants,

marked life.

difference

And

We

illustri-

dressed

and not with any

from those of the same rank

that they

were dressed

plainly,

in

we have

ever)- reason to believe,

from the censures, which

some of them passed on

the superfluities of apparel.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. But

Christianity has

no where recorded these habits

as a pattern, nor has

form or colour

But

261

prescribed to any

it

man any

for his clothes.

Christianity,

though

in particular forms,

is

it

no where places religion

yet not indifferent on the gene-

For

ral

subject of dress.

all

ornaments, as appears by the testimonies of St.

Paul and

St.

in the first place

it

Peter before quoted, and this

discards

does

it

evidently on the ground of morality, lest these, puffing

up the creature, should be made

to the censurable passions of vanity

second place

forbids

it

all

and

by

to give birth lust.

In the

unreasonable changes on

the plea of conformity with the fashions of the world

and

it

sets its

grounds

;

face against these

upon moral

because the following of the fashions of the

world begets a worldly tion as

also

:

men

spirit,

indulge this

and because, in propor-

spirit,

they are found to

fol-

low the loose and changeable morality of the world, instead of the strict and steady morality of the gospel.

That the

early christians understood these to

be

the doctrines of Christianity, there can be no doubt.

The

Presbyters and the Asceticks, I believe, changed

the Palluim for the tian

world;

distinguished

but

by

clad in the sober

Toga

all

in the infancy of the chris-

other christians were

their dress.

manner of

left

un-

These were generally

their

own

times.

They

observed a medium between costliness and sordidness.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

262

That they had no

yond

particular

that of other

Justin

grave

" They

Martyr.

form

for their dress be-

people,

aifected

Ave

nothing fantastic,

among Greeks and

says he, but, living

from

learn

barba; ians,

they followed the customs of the country, and in clothes, life,

and

in diet,

and

in all other affairs of

outward

they shewed the excellent and admirable consti-

tution of their discipline and conversation."

they discarded superfluities and ornaments collect

That

we may

from various authors of those times.

Basil

reduced the objects of cloathing to two, namely, " Honesty and necessity," that protection.

Tertullian laid

it

that a christian should not only

should appear so outwardly.

we

is,

to decency

down

as

and

a doctrine

be chaste, but that he

" The garments which

should wear, says Clemens of Alexandria, should

be modest and colours, pias,

frugal,

and not wrought of

Crysasium commends Olym-

but plain."

a lady of birth and fortune,

garment nothing praises Paula,

reason.

We

that

divers

for

having in her

was wrought or gaudy. Jerome

another lady of quality, for the same find also that an unreasonable

change

of cloathing, or a change to please the eye of the world, was held improper.

Cyril says, "

we should

not strive for variety, having clothes for home, and others for ostentation abroad." fathers frequently in the

In short the ancient

complained of the abu sc of apparel

ways described.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS;

263

Exactly in the same manner, and in no other,

Quakers considered the doctrines of Christi-

iiave the anity

on the subject of

They have never

dress.

adopted any particular model either as to form or colour for their clothes.

They have regarded

the

But they have

two objects of decency and comfort.

allowed of various deviations consistently with these.

They have

The

fact fluctuated in their dress.

in

He

English Quaker wore formerly a round hat.

wears

now

it

fashion

is

But even

with stays and loops.

not universal, and seems rather

this

now on

the

The American Quaker, on

the other hand,

has generally kept to the round hat.

Black hoods

decline.

were uniformly worn by the Quaker- women, but the

much less than The Green aprons

use of these creasing.

is

now

females, but they are

it

was, and

is still

de-

were worn by the

also

wholly out of use.

But

these changes could never have taken place, had there

been any fixed standard

But though

the

for the

Quaker

Quakers have no

dress.

particular

model

for their clothing, yet they are not indifferent to dress

where carded

may be

it

all

may be

morally injurious.

superfluities

for the

all

same reasons.

dis-

and ornaments, because they

hurtful to the mind.

faces also against

They have

They have

set their

unreasonable changes of forms

They have

sons also to weigh with them in the

allowed other realatter case.

They

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

264

have received from their ancestors a plain parel,

which has

in

suit

some little degree followed

of ap= the im-

provements of the world, and they see no good reason

why

they should change

it

;

at least

they see in

the fashions of the world none but a censurable reason

And

for a change. is

here

may be

it

observed, that

it

not an attachment to forms, but an unreasonable

change or deviation from them, that the Quakers

re-

gard.

Upon

is in a

great measure founded, or, in other words,

the latter idea

it is,

that their discipline

the Quakers, as a religious body,

watch

in their

think

it

right to

youth any unreasonable deviation from

the plain apparel of the society.

This they do Usefulness

first,

because any change beyond

must be made upon

the plea of conformi-

ty to the fashions of the world.

Secondly, because any such deviation in their youth is

considered to shew, in

from simplicity of

heart.

of an unstable mind.

It

some improper motive

some measure, It

a deviation

bespeaks the beginning

shews there must have been for the change.

Hence

it

argues a weakness in the deviating persons, and points

them out

as objects to be strengthened

by wholesome

admonition. Thirdly, because changes, ble motives, to other

would

still

made without

lead, if not

reasona-

watched and checked,

greater changes, and because an unin-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

265

terrupted succession of such changes would bring the

minds of

youth under the most imperious

their

despotisms, the despotism of fashion; in consequence of which they would cleave to the morality of the

world instead of the morality of the gospel.

And

fourthly,

young

because in proportion as

persons deviate from the plainness and simplicity of

worn by the

the apparel as

appearance to the world bibe

;

and admit

its spirit

society, they approach in

mix with

they

it,

and im-

customs, and come into

its

a situation which subjects them to be disowned.

And

this

whom

is

so generally true, that of those persons,

the society has been obliged to disown, the

commencement

of a long progress in irregularity

often be traced to a deviation

And

their dress.

here

it

may

from the simplicity of

may be

observed, that an

effect

has been produced by this care concerning

dress,

so beneficial to the moral interests of the soci-

ety,

that they

have found

vigilance on this subject.

in

it

The

a

new

reason for

effect

produced

general similarity of outward appearance, in

all

new is

a

the

members, though

there is a difference both in the

form and colour of

their clothing

appearance

is

to the world.

such, as to

The

by distinguishing

Vol.

i.

a

and

this general

Quaker

still

known

dress therefore of the Quakers,

the

making them known

make

;

members of

as

the society, and

such to the world, makes tho I,

1

PECULIAR CUSTOMS*

266

world overseers as

And

that

a partial

it

it

were of

operates in this way, or that

For

at public races,

a

would be noticed

and probably soon known among his

great distance from

home, and

many

ous persuasion, do what

cond

The

known

ct is

that

many

to the

quite out of

if

many

world

at large,

the

it

against the are

found

principle

form,

religi-

For a

in a

that a certain

Quakers habit.

if I

as to

at

any rate

may

use the

keep him out of

of the vicious customs of the world. will

any solid foundation

They

and

being detected, and

would operate so

From hence made

same

of the customs of the soci-

of bringing infamy on his cloth, expression,

friends.

others do.

expect d from a person

fear therefore of

as

Neither could he,

the eye and observation of persons of the

Quaker knows,

either

or at cock fightings, or at assemblies,

His clothes would betray him.

ety are

becomes

Quaker could not be seen

or in public houses, but the fact

if at a

it

check in favour of morality, there can be no

question,

singular,

moral conduct.

their

be obvious that there cannot be for the charge,

Quakers on the subject of in

of an

their

present

dress,

attachment to any

or because any one form

another,

which has been

is

more

dress.

not

on

particular

sacred than

but on the principle, that an unreasonable.

deviation from any simple and useful clothing

censurable and hurtful,

if

made

is

both

in conformity with

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. These two

the fashions of the world.

though they may produce,

outward appearance

former

is

acted upon,

who

If therefore

principles,

a similai

are yet widely dis-

from one another.

the p inciple of idolatry.

of religion. society,

if

in persons,

tinct as to their foundation,

261

The

The

latter thai

there are persons in the

adopt the former, they will

the reach of the charge described.

only can be adopted by true Quakers.

come

But

within

the latter

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

268

CHAP.

Quakers are

usage

or portraits in

furniture—

.S the

differing

—

this

principles, similar to those on dress

general— Quakers

prints,

As

of plain furniture

in the use

founded on

II.

have

reasons for their disuse

from those of others

this

seldom paintings, as articles

their houses,

Quakers are found

usage

—

in the in their

of such

of

articles*

use of garments, shape and fashi-

on, and in the graveness of their colour, and in the

so they are

general plainness of their appearance,

found

in the

use of pjain and frugal furniture in their

houses.

The custom

of using plain furniture has not arisen

from the circumstance,

that

any particular persons in

the society, estimable for their lives and characters,

have

set the

example

principles of the Quaker- constitution arisen

but from the

in their families,

from principles similar

to those,

itself.

It

has

which dictated

the continuance of the ancient Quaker-dress.

The

choice of furniture, like the choice of clothes,

is left

to be adjudged

by the rules of decency and usefulness,

but never by the suggestions of shew.

The

adop-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

2$9

would be

tion of taste, instead of utility, in this case,

considered as a conscious conformity with the fashi-

Splendid furniture also would be

ons of the world.

considered as pernicious as splendid

clothes.

(

It

would be classed with external ornaments, and would be reckoned equally productive of pride, with these. The. custom therefore of plainness in the articles of

domestic use the

subject

is

may

pressed upon

all

;

in

it

is

:

and

that

incorporated

consequence of which,

held forth to their notice, in a public manner, in

the monthly

and

Quakers

not be forgotten,

in their religious discipline it is

all

in

and quarterly meetings of the kingdom,

the preparative meetings, at least once in

all

the year. It tise,

may

be admitted as a truth, that the society prac-

with few exceptions, what

is

considered to be the

The

proper usage on such occasions.

know, cannot use any but homely middle classes are universally the rich, there

is

in

we

poor,

The

furniture.

such habits.

As

to

a difference in the practice of these.

Some, and indeed many of them, use as

plain

and

frugal furniture, as those in moderate circumstances.

Others again step beyond the practice of the middle classes,

and buy what

is

more

of shew, so

much

to the size

and goodness of

as to

Uouses of others again,

costly, not

accommodate

who

with a view

their furniture

their houses.

In the

have more than ordinary

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

270

intercourse with the world, is

elegant, but

then see what

seldom what would be considered

be extravagant satin

we now and

We

furniture.

see no chairs with

bottoms and gilded frames, no magnificent

no superb chandeliers, no curtains

glasses,

travagant trimmings.

with the Quakers,

I

At

to

my

least, in ail

vv

pier-

ith

ex-

intercourse

have never observed such things.

If there are persons in the society,

who

use them,

they must be few in number, and these must be conscious that,

by the introduction of such

into their houses,

finery

(k)

they are going against the advices

annually given them in their meetings on this subject,

and

that they are therefore

vdating the written law,

as well as departing from the spirit of

But

if

Quakerism.

these or similar principles are adopted

society on this subject,

it

must be obvious,

walking through the rooms of the Quakers, look in vain for

some

We

disappointed, for instance,

if

we

that in

we

articles that are classed

the furniture of other people.

by the

shall

among

shall often

be

expect to find either

seldom remember to

paintings or prints in frame.

I

have seen above three or four

articles of this descrip-

tion in families

(b)

all

my

intercourse with the Quakers.

Some

had one of these, others a second, and others

Turkey carpets

are in use, though generally gaudy, on account

*f their weai'ing better than others.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. a third, but none had lies neither

One

them

And

all.

the one nor the other

was

271 in

to

many

fami-

be seen.

of the prints, to which I allude, contained a

representation of the conclusion of the

famous

treaty

between William Perm and the Indians of America. This transaction every body knows, afforded, in

all

its

circumstances, a proof to the world, of the singu-

la*

honour and uprightness of those ancestors of the

Quakers who were concerned

in

it.

The

Indians

too entertained an opinion no less favourable of their character,

for they

event under such their descendants

handed down the memory of the

(/)

impressive circumstances, that

have a particular love for the cha-

racter,

and a particular reliance on the word, of a

Quaker

at the

present day.

therefore probably

hung up

The

print alluded to

was

as the pleasing record of

a transaction, so highly honourable to the principles

of the society of ignorance, justice, *i

This

that is

where knowledge took no advantage

;

but where she associated herself with she might preserve the balance equal.

the only treaty, says a celebrated writer,

between the Indians and the Christians, never

ratified

by an

The second was a few years ago, (/)

The

oath,

that

was

and was never broken."

a print of a slave-ship, published

when

the circumstances of the slave-

Indians denominated Penn, brother Onas,

their language a pen, and respect the

Quakers

which means

as his descendants.

m

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

272 trade

became a subject of

In this

national inquiry.

the oppressed Africans are represented, as stowed in different parts according to the

and to the

This subject could not be

had exerted themselves

hung up by

transported

of the dimensions of the vessel.

scale

of this inhuman

number

traffic.

as a

body

The

the Quakers,

for the annihilation

however, was not

print,

either as a

what they had done themselves, or

monument

I believe,

from the pure motive of exciting benevolence citing the attention of those,

who

of

as a stimulus to

on the same subject, but,

farther exertion

who

indifferent to those,

;

of ex-

should come into

their houses, to the case of the injured Africans,

and

of procuring sympathy in their favour.

The

third contained a plan of the building of

Ack-

This was hung up as a descriptive

worth- school.

view of a public seminary,

instituted

and kept up by

the subscription and care of the society at large.

But though

all

were hung up

the prints, that have been mentioned, in

frames on the motives severally

assigned to them, no others were to be seen as their

companions.

It is

in

short not the practice (m) of

the society to decorate their houses in this manner.

(?n)

come

There are

still

individual exceptions.

Some Quakers have

accidentally into possession of printings and engravings in frame,

which, being- innocent

have thought

it

in

their subject

superstitious to discard

and their

lesson, they

wo«l

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. prints in frames, if hung

would be considered

up promiscuously

therefore

der the denomination of superfluities sion of such, in the

way

would be considered

room,

in a

as ornamental furniture, or as

They would

furniture for shew.

273

;

come un-

and the admis-

that other people

admit them

as an adoption of the

empty

customs or fashions of the world.

But though

the

Quakers are not

in the practice of

hanging up prints in frames, yet there are amateurs

among them, who have

ed

bound together

book covers, and not

in

ral

in

in

chiefly

books, or preserv-

frames as ornamental

These amateurs, however,

furniture for their rooms.

are but few in

variety of

But these appear

prints in their possession. in collections,

number and

a

The Quakers have

number

only a plain and useful education.

They

in gene-

are not

brought up to admire such things, and they have therefore in general but

little

taste for the fine

masterly productions of the painters'

and

art.

Neither would a person, in going through the houses of the Quakers, find any portraits either of themselves, or of

any of their families, or ancestors, except,

in the latter case, they

had been taken before they be-

came Quakers.

first

The

portraits taken with their

their

own knowledge and

con-

Considering themselves as poor and helpless

sent.

creatures, Vol.

Quakers never had

1.

and

little

better than dust

Mm

and ashes, they

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

2t4

own

had but a mean idea of their

were of opinion

would be

and

pride

that

also,

They

images.

self-conceit

men from the view, and Thejf their own persons.

likely to arise to

ostentatious parade, of

considered also, that X became them, as the founders

of the society, to bear their testimony against the vain

They

and superfluous fashions of the world.

were those

also, if there

ed

best

method of shewing

be not by having their

whom

they loved, that the

their regard to these

fleshly

in the

;

and

would

images before their eyes, in their thoughts,

but by preserving their best actions as worthy of imitation

believ*

that their

own memory,

same manner, should be perpetuated

rather in

the loving hearts, and kept alive in the edifying conversation of their descendants, than in the perishing tablets of canvas,

fixed

Hence no

tations.

upon

portraits are to

of those great and eminent are

now mingled

These on

ideas,

the walls of their habi-

men

which thus actuated the

the present day.

taken.

who

in the society,

Quakers

as a

body

There may be here and there an

instances

may be

exceptions from the general rule. possible to establish

universal practice.

first

Quakers

has had a portrait of

But such

who

with the dust.

this subject, are those of the

dividual,

be seen of many

some of

at

in-

his family

considered as rare In no society

maxims, which

is it

shall influence ar

m

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

CHAP.

— Quakers — thou for you —

language others

SECT.

Ill

differ in

the first alteration this

I.

made by George Fox of

change had been suggested by

Erasmus and Luther

—

sufferings

of the Quakers

consequence of adopting this change

ed

language from

their

in their defence- -this

in

—a workpublish-

presented

to

King Charles

—other works on by Barclay and — ivord thou shewn proand Penn — be a mark of flattery— languages you per the subject

others

in these

to be

the

in all

to

the latter idea corroborated by Howell,

Maresius,

Godeau, Erasmus.

jljlS the Quakers are d'stinguishable from their low-citizens

by

their dress, as

was amply shewn

former chapter, so they are no

from them by the

the eye of a reformer.

The language

times, struck

censurable defects.

Many of the

to

less distinguishable

to look at every

own

use, appeared to

in a

peculiarities of their language.

George Fox seemed

as used in his

fel-

him

him

custom

witlj

of the country, as having

many

expressions, then in

to contain gross flattery, others

be idolatrous, others to be

false representatives

of

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

276

Now he

the ideas they were intended to convey.

and he be-

considered that Christianity required truth,

who

lieved therefore that he and his followers,

profes-

sed to be christians in word and deed, and to follow the christian pattern in

all

things, as far as

found, were called upon to depart from able

modes of speech,

as

much as

all

it

could be

the censur-

they were from any

of the customs of the world, which Christianity had

deemed

so weightily did these

own language

improprieties in his that

And

objectionable.

upon

lie

mind,

his

he conceived himself to have had an especial com-

mission to correct them.

The

which he adopted, was

first alteration,

use of the pronoun thou.

grammarians had fixed

to

The pronoun

ed thou

you

in its place

on

to be used only

you, which

be of the plural number, was

then occasionally used, but less than

it is

George Fox

dressing an individual.

in the

now,

in ad-

therefore adopt-

this occasion, leaving the

word

where two or more individuals

were addressed.

George Fox however was not the gious writers, the

who had

pronoun you.

first

of the

reli-

noticed the improper use of

Erasmus employed

a treatise in

shewing the propriety of thou when addressed to a single person,

the

and

same occasion.

pains to

in ridiculing the use of

you on

Martin Luther also took great

expunge the word you from the

station

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. which

it

occupied, and to put thou in

Ludus, he

his

This

art

own

it

first

to

recom-

was the first

speech of the society, at the

it

his time to the present,

early

by George

to practice

how much

world, and

Quakers.

is

generally

Many

ill

if historical facts

noise the introduction

amended use of this

or rather the

duced

hardly believe,

how much

it,

Quaker

that a

in the

present day.

The reader would did not prove

This

All his followers

pronoun thou has come down so prominent

known by

Eng-

person, wherever he wen*, and in

And, from

did the same.

in

to practice.

works which he published.

the

the

not the

amended use of

this

he did in his all

had said

the substitution of thou for you, he

reduce

to

by the

thou angry"?

But though George Fox was

mend

In

" Magister, Vosestis

as absurd, as if he

is

" gentlemen

lish

place.

its

ridicules the use of the former

following invented sentence, iratus?

S7T

particle, as re-

little

made

Fox,

usage

in

the

occasioned the

it

magistrates,

before

whom

they were carried in the early times of their institution

occasioned their sufferings to be greater merely on this account.

others, It

They were

and sometimes put

often abused in

and beaten by

danger of their

was a common question put to a Quaker

days,

who

addressed a great

simple manner,"

"

why you

man ill

in

this

lives.

in those

new and

bred clown do you

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

278

thou

me?"

The

rich and mighty of those

thought themselves degraded by

them from

as reducing

this

mode

times

of address,

magnitude to a

a plural

gular, or individual, or simple station in

sin-

" The

life.

use of thou, says George Fox, was a sore cut to

proud

and those who sought self-honour."

flesh,

George Fox, finding were thus subject count, thought in using this offence,

the

it

to

that both he

much

and his followers

persecution on this ac-

right the world should particle

little

know,

that,

which had given so much

Quakers were only doing what every

grammarian ought

to do, if he followed his

own

rules.

Accordingly a Quaker- work was produced, which

was written

to

shew

that in all languages

thou was the

proper and usual form of speech to a single person,

and you

to

more than

one.

This was exemplified by

instances, taken out of the scriptures,

and out of books

of teaching in about thirty languages.

Two

Quakers

of the names of John Stubbs and Benjamin Furley,

took great pains in compiling

were made to

it

it

and some additions

:

by George Fox himself, who was

then a prisoner in Lancaster castle.

This work,

as

soon as

it

was published, was present-

ed to King Charles the second, and to Copies of

it

were

also sent to the

his council.

Archbishop of Can-

terbury, the Bishop of London, and to each of the universities.

The King

delivered his sentiments up-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. jtm

it

270

so far as to say, that thou was undoubtedly the

proper language of

The Archbishop

nations.

all

of

Canterbury, when he was asked what he thought of described to have been so

it, is

he could not

tell

what to

wherever

it

It is said to

went.

a stand, that

The book was af er-

say.

wards bought by many. viction,

much at

Hence

have spread con-

it

had the

effect

of

lessening the prejudices of some, so that the Quakers

were never afterwards

treated,

on

this account, in the

same rugged manner as they had been

But though

this

before.

book procured the Quakers an

amelioration of treatment on the

amended use of

the

expression thou, there were individuals in the society,

who thought

they ought to put their defence on a bet-

ter foundation,

by stating

were many besides those

duced them to

differ

all

the reasons, for there

in this

from

book, which had in-

their fellow citizens

on

this

This was done both by Robert Barclay and

subject.

William Penn

in works,

ples of the Quakers,

which defended other princi-

and other

peculiarities in their

language.

One

of the arguments,

by which

the use of the

pronoun thou was defended, was the same as

which that

is,

it

its

strict

on

The

conformity with grammar.

translators of the Bible

liturgy

that,

had been defended by Stubbs and Furley,

had invariably used

had been compiled on the same

v

it.

The

principle. All

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

230

addresses

made by English

prayers to the

Christians in their private

Supreme Being, we, e made

in the lan-

guage of thou, and not of you.

And

because the rules of the English

grammar warranted

was done,

this

the expression, and because any other

mode

of ex-

pression would have been a violation of these rules.

But

the great

argument

Penn a; id Barclay was

that the

insisted

pronoun thou,

had been anciently

you

ed

for

to

men

;

that

times.

upon in

others)

all

Hence

to the ancient

}

ou,

addressing an ind vidual,

but that

had been desert-

it

upon the same as christians,

puff up the fleshly creature,

which

change of

for the

his dereliction of

greater and greater,

own

omit

no other purpose, than

for

an

in use,

(to

it

that of flattery

was growing,

it

principle, in their

who were

became them

not to

to return

and grammatical use of the pronoun

thou, and to reject this growing fashion of the world.

"The word you, in the

way of

says William Penn, was

flattery, to

homage

thereby ascribing a plural honour to a if

their gods,

to si

gle person

one Pope had been made up of man}-

one Emperor of man}'

men

only to be addressed to

many, became

one.

It

ascribed

proud Popes and Emperors,

imitating the heathens vain

as

first

;

for

god;-,

;

and

which reason you,

seemed the word thou looked

first

spoken to

like too lean

and thin a respect; and therefore seme, bigger than they should be, would have a style suitable to their

own ambition."

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. be

It will

word you

never attach any idea of

it,

how

to conceive

men

use the

who,

in

flattery to it,

ever could have had the origin

it

what

or,

it,

is

more

extraordinary,

could believe themselves to be exalted,

others applied to

But

who now

constantly to a single person, and

such use of

ascribed to

those,

difficult for

281

them

the

word you

how when

instead of thou.

history affords abundant evidence of the fact.

well

It is

known

that Caligula

ordered himself to

Domitian,

be-worshipped as a god.

after

similar orders with respect to himself.

him, gave

In process

of time the very statues of the emperors began to be

worshipped.

One blasphemous

way

The

the

for another.

gave way

and the

at

of Pontifex

Maximus

length for those of Eternity, Divinity,

Coeval with these appellations was

like.

the change of the

same

title

innovation prepared

principles.

word thou

for

you, and upon the

These changes, however, were not

so disagreeable, as they might be expected to have

been, to the proud

Romans

;

the pride of their em. erors

they

made

by these

their despotism, in their

tolerable to themselves.

ever

for while they gratified

own

was

in itself a

conceit,

more

That one man should be lord

many thousand Romans, who were

the world

appellations,

the masters of

degrading thought.

But they

consoled themselves by the haughty consideration, that they

Vol.

t.

were yielding obedience, not to man, but

Nn

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

282

to an incarnate

demon

or

good genius, or

They considered

envoy from heaven. peror as an

office,

and as an

representing

many

other offices,

ing him as a

man

in the plural

objection to address

The Qu

kers,

in

him

office,

especial

also the

em-

includii.g

and

and hence consider-

number, they had

in a plural

manner.

behalf of their assertions on this

men,

Subject, quote the opinions of several learned

and of those

in

less

particular,

who, from the nature of

had occasion

their respective writings,

the origin and construction of the

to look

into

words and expres-

sions of language.

Howell,

his epistle to the nobility of

in

before his French and notice,

the

" that both

in

grew

English Dictionary,

in

when

into an empire,

speaking of one, but by the

Roman commonwealth

the courtiers began to magnify

the emperor, as being furnished with fer dignities

and

power

and deifying him with more remarkable

machus

to the

we

to con-

using the word you, yea,

offices,

cerning which matter

takes

France, and in other nations,

word thou was used

succession of time,

England

titles,

read in the epistles of

con-

Sym-

emperors Theodosius and Valentinian,

where he useth these forms of speaking, " Vestra JEternitas,

vestrum numen, vestra

Clementia, that

is,

serenitas,

vestra

your, and not thy eternity, god-

head, serenity, clemency.

So

that the

word you

ift

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.'

280

the plural number, together with the other

titles

and

comprllations of honour, seem to have taken their

from despotic government, which afterwards,

rise

by degrees, came

He

to be derived to

p

ivate persons."

says also in his History of France,

u

that

in an-

the peasants addressed their kings

cient times,

by

the appellation of thou, but that pride and flattery

put inferiors upon paying a plural respect to the

first

and superiors upon

single person of every superior,

receiving

it.

John Maresius, of the French Academy, preface to his

Clovis,

much

speaks

to

in the

the

same

effect.

" Let none wonder, says he,

thou

used in this work to princes and princesses,

for

is

we use

the

same

to

that the

God, and of old the same

was used

to Alexanders, Cassars, queers,

presses.

The

one person base

is

flatteries

good

of

to,

was only introduced by these

men of later ag

to use the plural

and em-

word you, when only

use of the

spoken

word

s,

number

whom

to

it

seemed

one person, that

to

he may imagine himself alone to be equal to many others in dignity and worth, at last to persons of

Godeau,

from whence

in his preface to the translation of the

customs of the times

came

lower quality."

Testament, makes an apology

that

it

in the

you was substituted

for differing

New-

from the

use oi thou, and intimates

for

it,

as a

word of superior

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

Sfl*

"

respect.

I

had

rather, says he, faithfully

keep to

the express words of Paul, than exactly follow the po* lished style of our tongue. that

form of calling

God

Therefore

always use

I

number not

in the singular

in the plural, and therefore I say rather thou than you. I confess indeed, that the civility

and custom of

word, requires him to be honored

But

it is

many

Let not men

God,

to is

New

Testament hath nothing com-

with such manners and

of these

old versions

believe, that

in that

we

call

civility,

(may be by

we

should

the

For

the effect of custom)

call

him

him

after the

observe

it.

give not respect enough

him by

divine majesty, in calling

so that not one

we have doth

nevertheless far otherwise.

if I

manner.

likewise on the contrary true, that the origi-

nal tongue of the

mon

after that

this

word I

thou, which

seem

more

after this

to

to

myself

honor his

manner, than

manner of men, who

are

so delicate in their forms of speech."

Erasmus

also in the treatise,

which he wrote on the

impropriety of substituting you for thou, when a per-

son addresses an individual,

states that this strange

substitution originated wholly in the flattery of

men.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

2*5

SECT. IE

Other alterations

language of the Quakers

in the

they address one another by the others by the their

—

the use

of master or mister

also

— ana

of sir and madam

— of of honor— — example ofJesus

servant

of friends

of friends and neigbours, or by

common names

lished —also

lition

title

title

—

titles

abo-

— and of hunyble

reasons

of this abo-

Christ.

XJlNOTHER alteration,

that took place in the lan-

guage of the Quakers, was the expunging of

all

ex-

pressions from their vocabulary, which were either superfluous, or of the

same

flattering

tendency as the

former.

In addressing one another, either personally or by letter,

the

they

bond of

made use of their

man, under the

own

the

word

friend,

to signify

union, and the character, which

christian dispensation,

was bound to

exhibit in his dealings with his fellow-man.

They

addressed each other also, and spoke of each other,

by

their real names.

called

If a

man's name was John, they

him John they talked

ed only his

;

sir-

name

to

him as John, and add-

to distinguish

him from

others.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

286

In their intercourse

same mode of speech by

either

their plain

\a

:

ith the

v\

orld they adopted

the.

for they addressed individuals

names, or they made use of the

appellations of friends or neighbours.

They

rejected the

words

sir

madam,

or

as then

This they did, because they considered them

in use.

like the

word you,

as remnants of ancient flattery,

derived from the papal and anti-christian ages

because these words

still

continued to be considered

as titles oi flattery, that puffed

times.

noun thou,

is

up people

He

madam were

own

in their

before quoted on the pro-

usually quoted by the

occasion also.

and

who was

Howell,

and

;

Quakers on

states in his history,

originally

names given

that

this

"

sir

to none, but

the king, his brother, and their wives, both in France

and England. called sir

Yet now the ploughman

and his wife

trades in England is

the legal

in French. in

all

title

sir,

madam and men ;

and

their

of a lady, and

is

in

France

is

of ordinary

wives dame, which the

same

So prevalent hath pride and

as

madam

flattery

been

ages, the one to give, and the other to receive

respect."

The Quakers banished also the word master, or mister as it is now pronounced, from their language, either

when

they spoke concerning any one, or ad-

dressed any one by

master to a person,

letter.

To

have used the word

who was no

would have been, they considered,

master over them, to have indicated

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

287

a needless servility, and to have given a false picture

of the r

own

Upon

situation, as well as of those addressed.

same or similar

the

principles they hesitated

humble or obedient

to subscribe themselves as the

servants of any one, as

now

usual, at the

bottom of

" Horrid apostacy, says Barclay,

their letters. it is

is

for

notorious that the use of these compliments im-

This expression

any design of service."

plies not

in particular they reprobated for another reason.

It

was one of those, which had followed the last degree of impious services and expressions, w hich had poured in after the statues of the

ped, after the

ushered

among

and

in,

you, and

it

titles

emperors had been worship-

of eternity and divinity had been

thou had been exchanged for

after

had taken a certain

these.

Good

and flourished

station,

christ ans,

however, had endea-

voured to keep themselves clear of such inconsistencies

Casaubon has preserved

a letter of Paulinus,

Bishop of Nola, in which he rebukes Sulpicius Severus for

having subscribed himself " his humble servant."

A

part of the lette;

runs thus,

(n) Paulinus flourished in the year 460.

Diacenus to have been an exemplary is

stated to have

tian

captives

;

and, at

have pawned lus ans, says the

expended

all

last,

own person

{n)

He

christian.

his revenues in the

when he had in favour of a

same author, struck with

reported by Paulas

is

Among

other acts

lie

redemption of chris-

nothing

1

widow

left in his

s son.

The

purse, to barbari-

this act of unparralleled devo-

tion to the cause of the unfortunate, released bim,

with lum without rajisom,

" Take heed

and many prisoners

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

283

how thou,

hereafter, liberty,

being from a servant called unto

dost subscribe thyself servant to one,

thy brother and fellow servant

is

flattery,

:

f r

it is

who

a sinful

not a testament of humility, to pay those

honours to a man and to a sinner, which are due to the one Lord, one Master,

The Quakers society

all

and one God."

also banished

those

from the use of

modes of expression, which were

considered as marks or designations of honour

men.

Hence,

in addressing

they never used the for

though the peer

lord over

many

their

common

among

any peer of the realm, formula of "

in question

might

my

lord,'"

be the

justly

possessions, and tenants, and servants,

yet he was no lord over their heritages or persons,

Neither did they ever use the terms excellency, or grace, or honour,

upon

sidered that the bestowing of these

them under

They con-

similar occasions. titles

might bring

the necessity of uttering what

occasionally false.

m ght be

" For the persons, says Barclay,

obtaining these titles, either by election or hereditarily,

may

frequently be found to have nothing really in

them deserving them, or answering to them, to

whom

it is

said " your excellency

ing of excellency in them, and he, grace,

may be an enemy

called

your honour,

They considered

is

called

and he,

may be base and

also, that

some,

may have

who

to grace,

as

noth-

your

who

is

ignoble."

they might be setting up

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. the creature,

by giving him the

284

titles

of the creator,

so that he might think more highly of himself than

he ought, and more degradingly than he ought, of the rest of the

human

race.

But, independently of these moral considerations* they rejected these

had

that Jesus Christ

own

them an example by

set

declarations and conduct

When

a person addressed

master,

on a

him by

his

certain occasion.

the

name of good

he was rebuked as having done an impro-

per thing,

thou

because they believed,

titles,

(o)

me good ?

God."

"

Why,

There

says our Saviour, callest

is

none good but one,

that is

This censure they believe to have been

passed upon him, because Jesus Christ knew, that

when he addressed him by

this title,

he addressed

him, not in his divine nature or capacity, but only as a

man.

But Jesus Christ not only refused titles

of distinction himself in his

on another occasion exhorted

them

also.

They were

is,

to

human

nature, but

his followers to

shun

not to be like the Scribes

and Pharisees, who wished distinctions, that

to receive such

be

for

called

high and eminent

Rabbi Rabbi of men j

but says he, " be (p) ye not called Rabbi, for one (o) Matt. xix. 17-

(p) Matt,

Vol.

1.

Oo

xxjju. 8.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

290 is

your master, even Christ, and

and he makes the desire which Jews, of seeking

alter

all

ye are brethren

lie

discovered in the

;**

worldly instead of heavenly

honours, to be one cause of their

towards

infidelity

Christ, (q) for that such could not believe, as received

honour from one another, and sought not the honour,

God

which cometh from persons,

who

only

that

;

that those

is,

courted earthly honours, could not have

that humility of

mind,

that spirit that

was

to

be of no

reputation in the world, which was essential to those,

who wished

to

became

the followers of Christ.

These considerations, both those of a moral

nature,

and those of the example of Je^us Christ, weighed so

much

with the early Quakers, that they

made no

exceptions even in favour of those of royal dignity, or of the rulers of their

wrote several to the

letters to great

George Fox

land.

men.

He

wrote twice

king of Poland, three or four times to Oli-

ver Cromwell,

second

own

;

and several times to

Charles the

but he addressed them in no other manner

than by their plain names, or

by simple

titles,

expres-

sive of their situations as rulers or kings, (r)

(7) John. v. 44.

(r)

The Quakers never refuse

or direction of their letters.

the legal titles in the superscription

They would

direct to the king, as king

:

to a peer according to his rank, either as a duke, marquis, earl, viscount,

or baron

:

to a clergyman, not as reverend, but as cltrk

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. These

several alterations,

language of the early Quak-

which took place rs,

in the

were adopted by

and are in force

several successors,

291

their

in the society at

the present day.

SECT.

Other alterations

in the

III.

language

—

the

names of the

days and montlis altered— reasons for change— — disused various new phrases the word this

saint

intro-

duced.

XXNOTHER

alteration,

which took place

in the

language of the Quakers was the disuse of the com-

mon names the

of the days of the week, and of those of

months of

The names

the year.

of the days were considered to be

Sunday had been so

of heathen origin.

Saxons, because

it

crificed to the sun.

to the

moon.

by the

was the day, on which they

sa-

Monday on which they sacrificed

Tuesday

to the

nesday to the god Woden.

Thor, and so on.

called

Now when

god Tuisco.

Thursday the

Wed-

to the

god

Quakers consider-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

292

ed

that

Jehovah had forbidden the

Israelites to

make

mention even of the names of other gods, they thought it

inconsistent in christians to continue to use the

names of heathen

idols for the

common

divisions

of their time, so that these names must be almost

They thought

always in their mouths.

too,

that

they were paying a homage, in continuing the use

They

of them, that bordered on idolatry.

consider-

ed also as neither Monday, nor Tuesday, nor

any-

other of these days, were days, in which these sacrifices

were now

conveyed

false

offered, they

were using words, which

Hence they

notions of things.

mined upon the disuse of these words, and other

names

naming

the days

rational,

and the most innocent.

Sunday the

first

day,

to

them

Monday

to be

They

They used no

the second,

other

of

the most

called therefore

the third, and so on to Saturday, which the seventh.

to put

The numerical way

in their stead.

seemed

deter-

Tuesday

was of course

names but

these,

either in their conversation, or in their letters.

Upon

the

same

principles they altered the

of the months also.

names

These, such as March and

June, which had been so

named by

the ancient

Ro-

mans, because they were sacred to Mars and Juno,

were exploded, because they seemed

in the

use of

them to be expressive of a kind of idolatrous homage. Others again were exploded, because they were not

PECULIAR CUSTOMS,

September, for ex-

the representatives of the truth.

ample, means the It

(s)

seventh

2*93

month from the storms.

took this seventh station in the kalendar of Ro-

mulus, and

designated there

it

well as the reason of its

its

place in the kalendar

in England,

lost its

it

presentative of

For

the truth.

it still

It

became no

re-

nor any representative of

continues to signify the seventh

made

month, whereas

it is

in the place

the ninth.

of,

lost

it (t)

alteration of the style

meaning.

station,

its

station as

But when

name.

by the

own

its

to represent, or to stand

The Quakers

therefore

banished from their language the ancient names of the months, and as they thought they could not better than they

had done

in the case of the

dayso

They

called

they placed numerical in their stead.

January the

first

do

month, February the second, March

the third, and so on to December, which they called

Thus

the twelfth.

up by numerical

the

Quaker kalendar was made

distinctions,

which have continued

to the present day.

Septem ab imbribus.

(s)

(t)

This was

the 25th of

in the

in the year 1752, prior to this

March

Roman

;

kalendar.

in the

The early Quakers, however,

a minute in 1697, had then Style

time the year began

and therefore September stood

made

these alterations

was introduced, they published

;

but

as

o,n

English as

we

when

their reasons for having

find

the

by

new

done

so.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

294

Another ly in the

which took place very general-

language of the Quakers, was the rejection

of the word

saint,

when they spoke either of the

The

or of the primitive fathers.

tles,

rity

alteration,

had canonized

apos-

papal autho-

This they considered

these.

to

be an act of idolatry, and they thought they should be giving a sanction to superstition, the use of such a

they continued

either in their speech or writ-

title,

After this various other alterations took place

ings.

according as individuals to

if

among them thought

expunge old expressions, and

and these

alterations

it

to substitute

were adopted by the

right

new

rest, as

they

had an opinion of those who used them, or as they felt

the propriety of doing

came

Into use, different

Hence new

it.

from those which were used

by the world on the same occasions gradually spread,

It is

Of

these the following

not usual with Quakers to use the words lucky

way

in

which many others do.

Quaker had been out on a journey, and had ex-

perienced a that

and these were

suffice.

or fortunate, in the If a

;

they became incorporated into

till

the language of the society.

examples may

phrases-

number of

he had been lucky

manner tion,

if

fine days,

he would never say

in his weather.

In the same

Quaker had recovered from an

a

indisposi-

he would never say, in speaking of the circum-

stance,

that

he had fortunately recovered,

but he

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. would

say, that

the

Quakers

human It is

to

it

was a

fortune, are allowed

have no power

by

in the settlement of

affairs.

not usual with Quakers to beg ten thousand

pardons, as

A

take.

he had recovered, and " that

Luck, chance, or

favour."

295

some of the world

Quaker

do, for any

little

mis-

generally on such an occasion asks

a persons excuse.

The Quakers never make use " christian name." the world, because

This name it is

when

when

water-baptism can

make

name, because

first

other

it

is

number of names,

the that

in parting

called

But

the

all

it is

any

by them

his

of the two, or of any

may belong

to him.

a person,

never say

days are equally good.

with a person

good evening,"

is

first

The Quakers, on meeting

'

they are christen-

the christian church.

name

" good morrow," because

Nor

to children in

a christian, or that

a man's christian

by

They have no belief that

mark of membership with

Hence

called christian

they are initiated as christians.

Quakers are never baptised.

true

is

name given

the

baptism, or in other words, ed, or

of the expression

at night,

for a similar reason,

do they say

but they make

use of the expression of " farewell." I

might proceed,

Quaker-expressions is

not at

all

till

;

I

made

but

consistent with

a

little

vocabulary of

this is not necessary,

my design.

and

it

I shall there-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

396

fore only observe, that

it is

expected of Quakers, that

they should use the language of the society

should substitute thou for you card

all

;

that they

that they should dis-

and expressions

flattering titles

;

;

and

that they

should adopt the numerical, instead of the heathan

George Fox gave

names, of the days and months. the example himself in

who

the society,

all

these instances.

Those of

by

depart from this usage, are said

the Quakers to depart from " the plain language."

SECT.

IV.

Great objections by the world against the preceding terations

Quakers —

by the

-first

against the use

no thou for you —you — of Grammar— Custom said with said to be

the use

jiattery

it

is

Meaning

—

mark of

to

give

it,

like

a singular as well as plural

Consideration of these objections.

X HERE will

be no

by

difficulty in

imagining,

if

the

fault

with the words and expres-

others,

and these the great major-

Quakers have found sions adopted

longer a

of

said to be connected often

false

a noun of number,

al-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. ity

of the

and

find

This

And

I

will

scrutinize,

those of the Quakers in

fault with,

turn.

world

world, that the

297

in fact has turned out to

re-

be the case.

of no subject, except that of dress,

know

where the world have been more

lavish of their cen-

sures, than in that before us.

When

the

community,

Quakers

many

first

appeared as a religious

objections

were thrown out

These

against the peculiarities of their language.

were noticed by Robert Barclay and William Penn. But, since that time, other objections have been

But

ed.

as these have not

been published

remain where they have usually been,

(for they

in the

of living persons) Quaker writers have not

mouths

felt tl

selves called

upon

objections,

however, of both descriptions,

to attempt to

start-

em-

answer them. These I

shall

notice in the present place.

As the

first article,

that I

brought forward on the subject

of the language of the Quakers,

I shall

begin with the

objections, that are usually started against

" Singularity, if it

you was

the change of the pronoun thou for

it is

said,

it.

should always be avoided,

can be done with a clear conscience.

The Qua-

kers might have had honest scruples against you for thou,

when you was

a

mark of

flattery.

But they can

have no reasoxiable scruples now, and therefore they should cease to be singular, for the word you Vol.

1.

p

p

is

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

296 clearly

no mark of

ever improper

it

flattery at the

How-

present day.

might once have been,

it is

now an

innocent synonime."

" The use again of the word thou sisted

for you, as in-

upon by the Quakers, leads them frequently " Thee knowest," and terms

grammar.

into false

like these, are not

word thou

the Quakers, though they defended the for

you on

Now

unusual in Quaker mouths.

the notion, that they ought not to accustom

their lips to flattery,

defended

it

also strenuously

on

the notion, that they were strictly adhering to gram-

mar-rules.

But

all

such terms as " thee knowest,'*

and others of a similar kind, must

recoil

upon them-

selves as incorrect, and as censurable, even

upon

their

own ground." " The word you again may be considered as a sin-

The world use

gular, as well as a plural expression.

And who are the makers of language, but the world ? Words change their meaning, as the leaves their colour in autumn. And custom it

in this

manner.

has always been found powerful enough to give authority for a change."

With

respect to these objections,

ed, that the ing, as to

word you has

it

may be

certainly so far lost

be no longer a mark of

flattery.

observ-

its

mean-

The Qua-

kers alio are occasionally found in the use of the un-

grammatical expressions, that have been brought

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

2.99

against them.

And

mean

the grammatical part of vhe defence

to give

up

by Penn and Barclay, these ought That you, however, quite so clear. lar

number

is

is,

be done away.

to

of the singular number,

For while thou

in the Bible,

and

is

used

it is

is

not

in the singu-

in the liturgy,

prayers of individuals, and while it

except they

unquestionably,

and

in the

the language, as

of a great portion of the inhabitants of the

northern part of the kingdom,

monument

it

will

be a standing

against the usurpation and mutilated do»

minion of you.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

300

SECT. V.

Secondly against the words friend and neighbour, as

used by the Quakers in their

disuse

of

sanctioned by St.

Barclay

to

— Quakers titles

—for

Luke and

the latter

also said to be

the use

generally deemed satisfactory

—

these

is

Paul— answer of

St.

assertion

of

wrong

—

this

answer not

observations upon the

subject in dispute.

X HE subject, that comes next in order, will be that of the objections, that are usually tain

made

terms used by the Quakers, and

disuse of

titles

against cer.-gainst their

of honour, as sanctioned by the

world.

On the use of it

is

their

the

words "

friend,

and neighbour,"

usually observed, that these are too limitted in

meaning, to be always,

used promiscuously,

If the

Quakers are so

no expression,

that is not pre-

representatives of the truth. nice, that they will use

if

cisely true, they should invent additional terms,

which

should express the relative condition of those, with

whom

they converse.

esteem, and the

The word " friend"

denotes

word " neighbour" proximity

of

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. But

dwelling.

501

whom the Quakers persons, whom they love

the persons, to

all

address themselves, are not

and respect, or who are the inhabitants of the same neighbourhood with themselves.

There

much untruth in calling a man friend, who is not so, as excellency, in whom

as

nothing that

said,

is, it is

or neighbour, there

may

be

is excellent.

The Quakers,

would observe,

that

they use the word friend, as significative of their

own

union, and,

in reply to this,

when they speak

to others, as significative

of their christian relation to one another. In the same sense they use the

when

Jesus Christ,

him who was

his neighbour,

the lawyer asked

gave him a short fell

word neighbour.

among

(u) history of the

thieves

same

who lived near one sect,

but that

lived at a distance,

the Jew.

related to

it

was not confined

in-

to

another, or belonged to the

might extend to those, who

and to the Samaritan equally with

In the same manner he considered

as (v) brethren.

who

from which he suggested an

;

ference, that the term neighbour' those,

Samaritan,

That

is,

all

men

they were thus script urally

one another.

Another objection which has been raised against the

Quakers on

this part of the subject,

(a)

Luke

x.

29.

(w) Matt, xxlii.

8.

is

levelled

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

303

against their disuse of the

St Luke,

most St.

it

titles

makes use of the terms

has been said,

when he

excellent,

of honour of the world.

addresses Theophilus, and

Paul of the words most noble, when he addresses

Now the teachers and promulgators

Festus.

tianity would never have given these titles,

if

of Christhey had

not been allowable by the gospel.

As clay,

argument was used

this last

he has noticed

" Since Luke, says infallible spirit

it

in his celebrated apology.

but Theophilus did deserve

those,

;

in

dictates of the

as being really

which case we rule.

shall

But

to him,

either

by

not

it is

Luke gave Theophilus this title,

was inherent

be doubted

will not

it

it,

who do it by the same

ed, that

by the

he, wrote

of God, I think

with that virtue

time of Bar-

in the

endued

condemn not prov-

as that

his father, or

which

by any

patent Theophilus had obtained from any of the princes

of the earth, or that he would have given ease he had not been truly excellent

;

it

to him, in

and without

this

be proved, which never can, there can nothing hence

be deduced against us. of Paul to Festus, such,

if

The

whom

like

may be

said of that

he would not have called

he had not been truly noble

;

as indeed he

own

was, in that he suffered him to be heard in his cause, and

would not give way

against him.

It

to the fury of the

Jews

was not because of any outward

bestowed upon Festus,

that

title

he so called him, else

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

303

he would have given the same compellation to his predecessor Felix,

covetous

This

who had the same

man we

is

office,

but being a

he gives him no such

find

the answer of Barclay.

It

title."

has not however

been deemed quite satisfactory by the world.

been observed that one good action

man

a right to a general

on the other hand,

both

that

has

never give a

This is undoubtedly an

title.

observation of some weight.

will

It

But

it

must be contended

Luke and Paul must have

been apprised that the religion, they were so strenuous in propagating,

required every

They must have been

speak the truth.

apprised also, that

And

humility of mind.

man to

it is

inculcated

probable therefore that

they would never have bestowed

which should have been

it

titles

upon men,

false in their application,

or

Luke could

not

productive of vanity and pride.

St.

be otherwise than aware of the answer of Jesus Christ,

when he rebuked

the person for giving

him

the

of good, because he was one of the evangelists, (w) recorded

and

it,

macy with

St.

Luke,

it

also,

on account of

as well as

It

his inti-

from other causes.

Neither has this answer been considered as tory for another reason.

who

Paul could not have been

St.

otherwise than aware of

title

satisfac-

has been presumed that the

expressions of excellent and of noble were established £tles ©f rank,

and

if

fw)

an evangelist and an apostle used Luke

xviii,

JR

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

304

them, they could not be objectionable others. titles

But

let

happens

it'that St.

he was before Festus, and not (for

he had been reserved

have given him

foi

he should have omitted

Caesar's tribunal) should ;

and

that,

if it

was a

This application of it to the

it?

title

as

it

we have supposed,

was no that St.

use of it.

And in

no better reason can be given, than

that sug-

Paul had some reason for this this case,

when

this in a judicial capacity,

one and not to the other, either implies that or,

when

Paul,

in a judicial capacity

this epithet of noble

summoned before Felix, and

title,

used by

us admit for a moment, that they were

How

of rank.

if

gested by Barclay.

St.

partial

Paul knew that Festus had

He knew, on the other hand, the abandoned character of Felix. The latter was then living, as done

his duty.

Josephus

relates, in

open adultery with Brasilia, who

had been married to Azis, and brought away from her

husband by the help of Simon a Magician

;

and

this

circumstance probably gave occasion to Paul to dwell

upon temperance, or continence as rendered,

among other

tremble

But, besides

subjects, this,

(.t) servility

(x)

when he made

whom

Felix

known

the

Tacitus com-

" his government was distinguished by

and every species of cruelty and lust."

" Per omnem Szevitiam

exercuit"

word might be

he must have

general character of a man, of plained, that

the

et

Libidinem jus regium

servili ingenis

PECULIAR CUSTOMS,

305

If therefore the epithet of noble was an established Tor those

title

Romans, who held the government of Judea,

the giving of

it

to one, and the omission of

it

to the

would probably shew the discrimination of St.

other,

Paul as a Christian, that he had no objection to give

where

it

fused

it,

it,

could be applied with truth, but that he re-

where

it

was not

applicable to the living

character.

But

that the expression of excellent or

of noble

no evidence

to shew.

was any

And

title

first,

upon

let

at

there

all,

us examine the word, which was used

The

this occasion.

has no meaning as a seen.

is

It relates

title

{y) original

in

Greek word

any Lexicon that

both to personal and

civil

I

have

power, and

in a secondary sense, to the strength and disposition of

the mind.

It

Testament.

In two of these

and in the others noble.

it is

translated excellent

But Gilbert Wakefield, one

of our best scholars has expunged the

and substituted excellent throughout. the meanings of this

No of a

word noble

is

word

by any

analysis of the

Let us now examine

it

noble,

Indeed of

in favour

word.

as used

by

St.

Luke.

here almost every consideration makes against

an established title.

Vol..

1.

In the

first

Q^q

all

the least proper.

judgment therefore can be pronounced title

New-

occurs but in four places in the

place, the wisest

And it,

as

com-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

306

mentators do not

know who Theophilus

has been supposed by many learned

was.

fathers,

Epephanius, Salvian, and others, that

St.

such as

Luke,

addressing his gospel to Theophilus, addressed the words, "

on a supposition

gives

it

it

as a

and does not give

him

in the acts.

in the it

and

at

have given

it

it

sense of

St.

Luke

beginning of his gos-

when he addresses

he had addressed him

it

would have been a kind of

to

htm on

the other.

by

St.

stances,

which

(a)

With

at the first sight

respect to

Paul to Festus, the

must be determined by general

particular considerations.

title,

But

any rate a disrespectful omission, not to

the term noble as used

a

because

;

to him,

If therefore

on one occasion,

legal,

by

uses the style

manner, because excellent was his proper

this

title,

of rank

title

pel,

in

Luke

if St.

power, the use of the epithet

in

Theophilus

to

as

Theophilus had been a living

that

and a man

against

is

or,

Athanasius, to " every good christian."

character,

it

in,

excellent Theophilus" import, to every

" firm lover of God," of (z)

It

There

make

Lysias addresses his

are

as well as

two circum-

in favour of it as

letter to the

" most

excellent Felix," and the orator (b) Tertullus says,

(z) fjMx.api& and are substituted by Athanasius for the

word

clu-istian.

(a) Acts, xxiii, 26. (2>)

Acts, xxiv. 3.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. *'

we except

lix !" latter is

But

it

always and in

all

places

30*

most noble Fe-

must be some drawback from

there

the

There

circumstance, as an argument of weight.

reason to suppose that this expression was used by

Tertullus, as a piece of flattery, to compass the death

of Paul

;

for

it is

of a piece with the ether expres-

sions which he used,

when he

talked of the worthy-

deeds done by the providence of so detestable a wretch

And

as Felix.

ble as a legal

will

it

that St.

title,

nor, and omitted

always be an objection to no-

it

Paul gave

it

to another, except

to one gover-

he did

it

the reasons, that have been before described. this

may be

it

added, that legal

Were not then, as

at this

pa had no other, or title,

titles

Agrip-

Paul gave him no other

If Porcius Festus

than that of king.

To

of eminence

time of day, in use.

at least

for

had been

descended from a Patrician, or had had the statues of his ancestors, he might,

on these accounts, be said to

But we know,

have been of a noble family.

nobody on

this account,

would have addressed him

as noble in those days, either

The

first

legal

title,

whom

by speech or

letter.

Roman, who was ever honoured with as a

title

a

of distinction, was Octavius, upon

the senate, but a few years before the birth of

Paul, had conferred the

name of Augustus.

no procurator of a province took does

that

it

this title.

But

Neither

appear that this circumstance gave birth to

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

308

inferior titles to those in inferior offices in the govern-

ment.

And

indeed on the

be observed,

that

of Octavius,

it

though

title

it

" Augustus"

it

may

followed the successors

was but sparingly used, being mostly

used on medals, monumental acts of the state.

Pliny,

pillars,

and

in public

to Trajan,

in his letters

though reputed an excellent prince, addressed him as only sir or master, and he wrote

the death of Paul.

many

years after

Athenagoras, in addressing his

book, in times posterior to these, to the emperors

M. Aurelius addresses

In short in,

Antoninus, and L. Aurelius

them only by the

titles

so as to be

were not

title

of " great princes."

They

in use.

commonly

used,

Commodus,

till

did not creep

after the statues

the emperors had

begun

military as a legal

and accustomary homage.

to be worshipped

of

by the

The

terms " eternity and divinity" with others were then ushered

in,

but these were confined wholly to the

emperors themselves.

we

In the time of Constantine

This was given to

find the tide of illustrious.

those princes,

war, but

it

who had

distinguished themselves in

was not continued

In process of time, however,

mon, and illustrious.

to their descendants, it

becan e more com-

the son of every prince began to be called

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

309

SECT. VI.

Thirdly against the alteration of the names of the days

and months homage

—people,

to Idols,

ent names

—if

who

the

rally adopted on

thrown

Quakers

continue in the use of the ancu

this

subject,

also

were gene-

language would be

— Quakers

also,

of Idolatry, fall into

it

by attempting

—

replies

of the

to these objections.

X HE next made

said do not necessarily pay

Quaker principles

into confusion

to steer clear

it is

objections for consideration,

which are

against the language of the Quakers, are those

which

relate to their alteration of the

days and the months.

monly made, when

names of the

These objections are comQuakers be-

the language of the

comes a subject of conversation with the world. " There is great absurdity, it is said, in supposing, that persons

pay any respect to heathan

How many

divisions of

thousands are there,

who know

nothing of their origin ?

country

who

names of the

retain the use of the ancient

time.

idols,

know none

The common

of the reasons,

and the days are called as they

people of the

why

are.

the

months

The middle

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

310 classes are

who

mostly ignorant of the same.

Those,

are well informed on the subject, never once

think,

when

they mention the months and days, on

the reason of the rise of their names.

Ind"ed the

al-

most hourly use of those names secures the oblivion

Who, when he speaks of Wednesday

of their origin.

and Thursday, thinks to

Woden

were the days sacred

and Thor ? but there can be no idolatry,

where there

no

is

intention to idolize."

" Great weakness, the

thac these

Qu akers,

it is

by

said again, is manifested

in quarrelling with a

few words

in the

language, and in living at peace with others, which

Every reason,

are equally objectionable.

must be

a

weak

one, which

is

some of the reasons, given by versally applied, they

much confusion Smith

many if

for

carpenter.

the Quakers,

is

the

And

the

it

into as

The word

this rule,

word carpenter which

is

to,

person so called should happen to be a smith.

men would be

numbers, and to be

called

-which thev should draw.''

of

belongs, happens to be a

wise a family-name, ought to be objected

in this case,

if

were uni-

common name

ought to be objected to by

whom

said,

But

not universal.

as the builders of Babel.

the person, to

is

would throw language

example, which

families,

it

likeif

the

And,

obliged to draw lots for

by the numerical

ticket,

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.
It is

311

objected again to the Quakers, that,

tempting to steer clear of idolatry, they

The Quakers in this

fall

by

at-

into

it.

are considered to be genuine idolaters

The

case.

blind pagan imagined a moral

being, either heavenly or infernal, to inhere in a log

The Quakers,

of wood or a block of stone.

in like,

manner, imagine a moral being, truth or falsehood, to exist in a lifeless word, and this independently of

which

the sense in

known is

that

said,

it

it

spoken, and in which

is

What

be understood.

will

at is

is thi<>,

it

but a species of idolatry and a degrading

superstition?"

The Quakers would first,

that they

reply to these observations,

do not charge others with

the use of these names, origin, or

who

feel

Secondly, that

who know

no impropriety if

idolatry, in

nothing of tJieir

in their use.

the principle,

upon which they

found their alterations in language, cannot, on account of existing circumstances, be followed in there

is

where

it

no reason, why can.

it

all

should not be followed,

In the names of

men

Old people

it

would be im-

possible to adopt

it.

young people

coming up, and people of

are

criptions are themselves changing,

names tion,

are going

off,

and

all des-

and a change of

to suit every persons condition,

would be impossible.

cases,

and qiudifica

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

Cl2

Thirdly, that they pay no more homage or obeisance

There

to words, than the obeisance of truth.

ways a propriety in

And

hood.

truth,

and the

like,

its

is

meaning be enquired

represents

:

ac-

qualities, properties, charac-

they are

tember, for example,

in false-

names of things

in proportion as the

cord with their essences, ter,

and an impropriety

is al-

more

or less proper.

Sep-

not an appropriate name,

month which

into, for the

but the ninth month

and the

is,

if it

latter ap-

appellation will stand the test of the strictest enquiry.

They would

say again that this, as well as the

other alterations in their language has had a moral influence on the society, and has been productive of

moral good.

In the same manner as the dress, which

they received from their ancestors has operated as a guardian, or preservative of virtue, so has the language

which they received from them has

made

the world overseers of the conduct of the

society.

A

Quaker

much

by

his dress.

as

is

known by

like the dress distinGt

from

others.

believe, that they can never discipline, except they

Hence

it

his language as

It operates,

him, as a check upon his actions.

world.

The language

also.

keep

It

by discovering keeps him

also,

And the Quakers

keep up

their christian

clear of the spirit of the

has been considered as of great im-

portance to keep up the plain language

;

and

this

im-

portance has been further manifested by circumstan-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

513

ces, that have taken place within the pale of the socie-

For

ty.

in the

same manner

as those,

who

begin to

depart from the simplicity of dress, are generally in the

way

to

go

off among the world, so are those

who

depart from the simplicity of the language.

Each

a sign of a temper for desertion.

Each

deviation

is

deviation brings

But

world.

in appearance nearer to the

the nearer they resemble the world in

this respect, the

They

them

more they

are of course the

are found to

more

likely to

mix with

it.

be seduced

from the wholesome prohibitions of the society.

The

language therefore of the Quakers has grown up

in-

sensibly as a wall of partition, whiqh could not now, it

is

contended, be taken away without endangering

the innocence of their youth,

Vol.

i,

R^

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

3U

SECT.

VII.

Advantages and disadvantages of the system of the

Quaker language lead

—disadvantages

to superstition

that

it

are that

excludes flattery

may

truth

is

promotes truth, and correctness

in the expression

— would be perfect model for a universal calendar— ideas

it

— and hypocrisy— advantages are — founded upon —

— observation

of

the most

of Hobbes

the use or

disuse

of

this

system

may

of them be made

either

useful to morality.

M4T

X HAVE

now

that are usually

given to the reader the objections,

made

to the alterations,

Quakers have introduced

which the

into the language of the

country, as well as the replies, which the Quakers

would make

to these objections.

continuance of his patience a ha\ e

I

little

shall

solicit the

or

longer,

nude a few remarks of my own upon

till

I

this sub-

ject. It

certainly

becomes people, who introduce great

peculiarities into their system, to

be

are well founded, and to consider

bring their

minds

careful, that they

how

into bondage,

far

they

or what

may

moral

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. sftects they

315

may produce on their character in a course

of time.

On

the reformed language of the

be observed,

may

that both advantages

it

and disadvantages

it.

If individuals should lay too great a stress

language, that

is, if

upon

they should carry their prejudices

outward a d

far against

so

may

due or undue estimation

follow according to the

which individuals may hold

in

Quakers

lifeless

words, that they

should not dare to pronounce them, and this as a matter of religion, they are certainly in the way of becoming

and of losing the dignified indepen-

superstitious,

dence of their minds. If again they should put an

language, so as to consider

it

undue estimate upon

as a criterion of religi-

ous purity, they may be encouraging the growth of hypocrisy within their

own

precincts.

For

if

the use

of this reformed language be considered as an essential

of religion, that

is, if

men

are highly thought of in

proportion as they conform to

covering to

many

righteousness duties

may

;

at

shield

ing the greater

:

it

rigidly,

it

may be

a

to neglect the weightier matters of least the fulfilling

them from and

if

of such minor

the suspicion of neglect-

they should be reported as

erring in the latter case, their crime

would be

less

credited under their observance of these minutiae of the law.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

316

These

effects are likely to result to the society, if

the peculiarities of their language be insisted

yond

their

must be

due bounds.

on be-

But, on the other hand,

it

confessed, that advantages are likely to fol-

low from the same system, which are of great importance in themselves, and which

may be

set off as a

counterbalance to the disadvantages described.

The Quakers may truth,

say,

and

this with the greatest

" we have never cringed or stooped below the

We have

dignity of men. flattery

;

we have

never been guilty of base

never been instrumental in raising

the creature, with

whom we

have conversed, above

his condition, so that in the imagination of his

own

consequence, he should lose sight of his dependence

on the Supreme Being, or

treat his

fellow-men, be-

cause they should happen to be below him, as

worms

or reptiles of the earth."

They may

say also that the system of their lan-

guage originated is

in the purest motives,

and

that

it

founded on the sacred basis of truth. It

may be

said also, that the habits of caution

which

the different peculiarities in their language have intro-

duced and interwoven

into their constitution,

have

taught them particularly to respect the truth, and to

aim

at

letters,

it

in all their expressions

and that

it

whether in speech or

has given them a peculiar correct-

ness in the expression of their ideas, which they would

PECULIAR CUSTOMS; scarcely have

had by means of the ordinary education

Hobbes

of the world. sit

says (c) " animadverte, quaro

ab improprietate verborum pronum hominibus

prolabi in errores circa res," or to

3 \f

fall

into errors about things,

The

per expressions."

may be observed kers, or

it

when

they use impro-

converse of this proposition

to be true with respect to the

may be

Qua-

observed, that the study of proper

expressions has given things,

" how prone men are

them correct conceptions of

and has had an influence

in favor of truth.

There are no people, though the common notion may be otherwise, who speak so accurately as the Quakers, or

whose

would be so liable to It

letters, if

free

examined on any

subject,

from any double meaning, so

little

be mistaken, and so easy to be understood.

may be observed

Quakers, that

is,

on

the alteration of the that this alteration

also

on the language of the

that part of

it,

which

relates to

names of the months and days,

would form the

nfcst perfect

model

for an universal calendar of

any that has yet appeared

The French

nation chose to alter their

in the world.

calendar, and, to

make

it

useful to husbandly, they

designated their months, so that they should be representatives of the different seasons of the year. called

them snowy, and windy, and

£c) Hobbeaii

harvest,

They and

vin-

Exameiuet. Emend. Hod. Math. P. 55. Edit. Ametel.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

SI*

tage-months, and the

But in so large

like.

as that of France, these

new

designations v ere not

The

the representatives of the truth.

southern parts were not alike less

a territory,

in.

nothern and

their climate.

Much

could these designations speak the truth for other

parts of the world:

whereas numerical appellations

might be adopted with truth, and be attended usefulness to

all

their time in the

On

the nations of the world,

most objectionable by the world,

them.

it

div.ded

names of the days and

months, the alteration of which

them,

ith

same manner.

the latter subject of the

that, if the

who

v.

is

considered as the only observe,

I shall

Quakers have religious scruples concerning duty to persevere

their

is

Those of

the world,

in the disuse of

on the other hand,

v.

ho

have no such scruples, are under no obligation to follow their example. the

And

in the

Quakers convert the disuse of these ancient terms

to the

improvement of their moral character, so those

of the world

purpose.

may

Man

convert the use of them to a moral

is a

reasonable, and moral being,

capable of moral improvement

ment may be made less

same manner as

causes.

If

Roman-Catholic

should

we

we were

and

this

should

improve-

from apparently worth-

to find crosses or other

relics fixed in the walls

why

of worship,

to proceed

;

and

we

displace

of our places

them?

Why

not rather suffer them to remain, to put

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

SI

us in mind of the necessity of thankfulness for the reformation in our religion ?

which had been sacred

find an altar,

which had been turned

destroy

it

Might

?

morality, as far as for the past

it

not be

it

Might not thankful

to

Moloc, but

made

why should useful to our

could be made to excite sorrow

the same manner might

that the

their horses,

and gratitude

the use of the ancient

to

we were

into a stepping stone, to help

upon

the aged and infirm

we

If again

for the present ?

it

And

in

not be ed fying to retain

names of the days and months ?

feelings be excited in cur hearts,

crime of idolatry had ceased among us, and

that the only

remnant of

the times ?

In fact,

it

if it

was a useful signature of be the tendency of the

corrupt part of our nature to render innocent things vicious,

on the other hand,

it is,

in the essence of

our nature, to render vicious things time innocent superstition

;

in process

of

so that the remnants of idolatry and

may be made

improvement of mankind.

subservient to the moral

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

320

CHAP. Address

—

all nations

have used ceremonies of address—

George Fox bears in his

own

times

IV.

—

his testimony against those in use

sufferings

of the Quakers on

this

— account — makes no exception favor of with Judge Glynn — modern Quakersfollow example— no ceremonies even majesty—in

royalty

his

dispute

use

his

to

various reasons for their disuse of them.

AiLL nations have been

in the habit of

ward gestures or ceremonies, obeisance or respect.

And

as

using out*

marks of

affection,

these outward ceremo-

nies have been different from one another, so so, that those,

which have been adjudged

ble

emblems of

the

mind among one

to

be

much suita-

certain affections or dispositions of

people,

would have been

consi-

dered as very improper emblems of the same, and

would have been even thought ridiculous by another, yet the

all

nations have supposed,

most

rational

modes

that they

employed

for these purposes.

And

indeed, there were probably none of these outward

gestures and ceremonies, which, in their beginning,

would not have admitted of a reasonable defence

PECULIAR CUSTOMS*

82 1>

While they continued to convey to the minds of those,

who adopted them,

the objects, for which they were

intended, or while those,

who used them,

.with sincerity in their use,

little

persevered

or no objection could

be made to them by the moralist.

But

as soon as

the ends of their institution were lost, or they

were

used without any appropriate feeling of the

they

became empty

civilities,

and

little

heart,

better than

mocke-

ry or grimace.

The customs

of this sort, which obtained in the

time of George Fox, were similar to those, which are

now

in

use on similar occasions.

their hats,

And

People pulled off

and bowed, and scraped with

these things they did, as

ship, or respect to

marks of civility,

He lamented that men should

by the use of them, and

selves

friend-

one another.

George Fox was greatly grieved about these monies.

their feet.

idle cere-

degrade them-

diat they should en-

courage habits, that were abhorrent of the truth.

His he

feelings

were so strong upon

that

himself called upon to bear his testimony

felt

Accordingly he never submitted to

against them.

them

this subject,

himself,

and those,

who

received his religious

doctrines, followed his example.

The

omission of these ceremonies, however, pro*

cured both

for

him and

his followers, as had

the case in the change of thou for you, Voi,. J.

s a

been

much ill- will?

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

322

The Quakers were derided and

and harsh treatment. abused.

Their hats were taken forcibly from then-

They were

heads, and thrown away.

beaten and

And

imprisoned on this sole account.

so far did

the world carry their resentment towards the omission of these

them

for

ceremonies, that they re-

little

fused for some time to deal with them as tradesmen,

buy

or to

things at their shops, so that

could hardly get

money enough

to

some Quakers

buy themselves

bread.

George Fox, however, and his ed, notwithstanding this

ill

associates, persever-

usage, in the disuse of

all

honours, either by the moving of the hat, or the usual

bendings of the body right

they

custom

;

for one,

and as

which was a

was a right one

made no exception even

magistrate of the land.

that,

for another,

in favour of the chief

George Fox, w hen he

visited

Oliver Cromwell as protector, never pulled off his hat;

and

it is

remarkable that the protector was not angry

with him for

it.

Neither did he pull off his hat to the judges at

any time, notwithstanding he was so often brought before them.

Controversies sometimes took place

between him and them occasions, one of

the

in the public court,

which

I shall notice,

upon these as

it

marks

manner of conducting the jurisprudence of those

times.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

When

322,

George Fox, and two other

friends,

were

brought out of Launceston gaol, to be tried before

judge Glynn, who was then chief justice of England, they

came

The judge

into court with their hats on.

asked them the reason of this, but they said nothing.

He

then told them, that the court

to pull off their hats.

ed them

commanded them

Upon this George Fox address-

in the following

" Where, says

manner.

he, did ever any magistrate, king or judge,

command

ses to Daniel,

when they came

before

from

Mo-

any to put off their hats,

them

in their courts, either

amongst the Jews, who were God's people, or among the heathen ?

And

mand any such

his

where

it

read it."

me

that law, either writthis

" he did not carry

But

back." is

shew

England doth com-

Judge Glynn upon

replied, that

upon

the law of

thing,

ten or printed."

and

if

says

grew angry,

his law-books

George Fox, "

tell

printed in any statute-book, that I

The

me

may

judge, in a vulgar manner, ordered

him away, and he was put among thieves.

accordingly taken away, and

The judge, however,

in a short

time afterwards ordered him up again, and, on his return put to

him

says he, where had they hats from

Come, answer me.

Fox

replied, that

" Come,

the following question.

I

have you

Moses

fast

" he might read

to

now."

Daniel ?

George

in the third chapter

©f Daniel, that the three children were cast into the

PECULIAR CUSTOMS:

SI4 fiery furnace

by Nebuchadnezzar's command, with

their coats, their hose,

The

and their hats on."

petition of this apposite text stopped the

re-

judge frcm

any farther comments on the custom, and he ordered

him and

And

companions to be taken away again.

his

they were accordingly taken away and they

v ere tbust however,

again

among

In process of time,

thieves.

custom of the Quakers began

this

known among

the judges,

who

be

to

so far respected their

be

scruples, as to take care that their hats should

taken off in future in the courts.

These omissions of the ceremonies of as

begun by the primitive Quakers,

the modern.

are continued

They neither bow nor

off their hats to any,

the world,

by

scrape, nor pull

by way of civility or

respect,

and

they carry their principles, like their predecessors, so

far,

that they observe

none of these exterior parts

of politeness even in the presence of royalty.

Quakers

are in the habit

on

particular occasions of

sending deputies to the king.

And

that his present majesty always sees

he be this,

well,

no one

The

and not by proxy.

it is

them

remarkable himself, if

Notwithstanding

in the deputation ever pulls off his hat.

Those, however, who are

in waiting in the anti-cham-

ber,

knowing this custom of

hats

from

their heads,

where the king

is.

the Quakers, take their

before they enter the room,

On entering the room,

they nei-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. tlier

bow

32*

nor scrape, nor kneel, and as

this

ceremony

cannot be performed for them by others, they go into the royal presence in a less servile, or

more

dignified

manner, than either the representatives of sovreigns,

who have humbled

or those,

ment of great

nations

by

the achieve-

victories.

The ground, upon which

the Quakers decline the

use of the ordinary ceremonies just mentioned,

Now,

the honours are the honours of the world. that these of the world, they consider

tionable

them

is,

as

as objec-

on several accounts.

First, they are

no more the

criterions of obeisance

and respec, than mourning garments are ons of sorrow.

But

but with the truth. It allows

the criteri-

Christianity is never satisfied

It forbids all false

no image to be held out,

appearances.

that is not a faith-

ful picture

of its original, or no action to be resorted

to, that is

not correspondent with the feelings of the

heart.

In the second place the Quakers presume, as honours of the world,

all

such ceremonies are

generally of a complimentary nature.

to a poor man.

and the rich

much

to

that,

No

one bows

But almost every one to the rich, one another.

Hence bowing

a species of flattery through the

body, as the giving of undeserved

medium of the tongue.

medium

titles

is

as

of the

through the

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

325

As

honours of the world again the Quakers think

them censurable,

because

censured by Jesus Christ.

he exhorted

On the occasion,

his followers not to

and Pharisees, and to seek

be

all

like the Scribes

flattering titles, so

as to

ceremonious salutations, such as greetings

in the market-places.

He

customs of

titles

same

be

on which

Habbi Rdbbi of man, he exhorted them to

called

avoid

such honours were

all

flattering

couples the two different

and

sentence, and mentions

them

salutations in the in the

same breath.

though the word " greetings" does not per-

And

haps precisely mean those bowings and scrapings,

which

are used at the present day, yet

both according to

its

it

means,

derivation and the nature of

the Jewish customs, those outward personal actions

or gestures, whieh were used as complimentary to the Jewish world.

With

respect to the pulling off the hat the

kers have an additional objection to this quite distinct from the objections,

Every minister

mentioned above.

society takes off his hat, either

when he But

if

prays.

that

St.

Paul

is,

Quaker

preaches, or

(d) enjoins this

they take off their hats, that

custom,

have been

in the

when he

Qua-

custom.

uncover

their

heads, as an outward act enjoined in the service of God,

they cannot with any propriety take (
1 Cot.

Chap.il

them off, or unco-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

327

Ver their heads to men, because they would be giving to the

same outward honour which they

creature the

give, to the creator.

ceive the world

men go and

in this

pull off their hats, or as the

custom they con-

be peculiarly inconsistent.

into their churches,

same reason (for

to

And

and into

For

their meetings,

uncover their heads, for the

Quaker- ministers when they pray

no other reason can be assigned) and, when they

come

out of their respective places of worship, they

uncover them again on every

trivial occasion, to

whom

man

they meet, using to

mark of homage,

as they

the

those

same outward

had just given to God,

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

3?S

CHAP. V. Manners and ed—

this

conversation

— Quakers esteemed

an appearance owing

their hospitality in their

allowed and taken — tics

to their education

houses

—no

our

the

freedom

—poli-

—subjects

in

—

—

their conversation limited

generally excluded

examined lis

own

reserve

towns

such subjects

—

a'so

among

of conversation

the

metropo*

the

in

Quakers

—

their

—extraordinary circum-

conversation more dignified

stance that takes place occasionally in the

company

of the Quakers.

X HE

Quakers

are generally supposed to

be

a stiff

and reserved people, and to be a people of severe and uncourteous manners.

I confess there is

something

in their appearance that will justify the supposition

in the eyes of strangers,

them

:

I

mean of such,

out of doors, but do not

and of such as just see

as

do not know

them

mix with diem

occasionally in their

own

houses. It

cannot be expected that persons, educated like

the Quakers, should assimilate

ners to other people.

The

much

in their

man-

very dress they wear,

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. which

so different from that of others, would give

is

them a

8gf

appearance in the eyes of the world,

stiff

nothing else could be found to contribute towards

if it.

Excluded also from much intercourse with the world, and separated

many of

of

larity

at a vast distance

from

it

b) the singu-

customs, they would natu-

their

rally

appear to others to be close ^nd reserved.

ther

is it

to

be expected that those, whose

Nei-

spirits are

never animated by music, or enlivened by the exhibitions of the theatre, or the diversions follow,

grave.

which others

would have other than countenances that were Their discipline

which

also,

them so

calls

frequently to important duties, and the dispatch of

would produce the same

serious business, I

may

observe

also, that a peculiarity of gait,

might be mistaken

for

learned to walk under the

bow under

ion of fashion.

esteemed

I

which

awkwardness, might not un-

reasonably be expected in those,

master, nor to

feature.

who had

guidance

neither

of a dancing-

the direction of the domin-

those and those only are to be

really polished

and courteous, who

bowand

scrape, and salute each other b\ certain prescribed

gestures, then the tracted to the I

much

title

rust,

Quakers w ill appear and

to

to

have

i

<


have an indisputable right

of a clownish and inflexible people.

must observe however

that

though they may be substantial Vol. 1. Tt

in

these appearances, the estimation of

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

330

those

who do

those,

not

who do.

know them,

gradually vanish with

Their hospitality

in their o\\

n houses,

and their great attention and kindness, soon force out of sight

Their

ideas of uncourteousness.

all

dom also soon annihilates those

free-

of stiffness ard reserve.

Their manners, though they have not the polished surface of those which are usually attached to fashionable

life,

are agreeable,

There

is

one

trait in

when known. the Quaker- manners, which

runs through the whole society, as in

their houses,

The Quakers those,

who

and which

far as I

have seen

worthy of mention.

is

appear to be particularly gratified,

when

thtm, ask for what they want.

In-

visit

stead of considering this as rudeness or intrusion,

they esteem

it

as a favour

The circum-

done them.

stance of asking, on such an occasion, proof, that their

visitors

is

themselves

feel

them a

to at

home.

I.ideed they almost always desire a stranger

who

been introduced to them "

to

This

And

if

their usual expression.

he

will,

and

to have,

pleasure,

if

they find

be free."

for

what he wishes

countenances the

in their

which his conduct has given them.

consider him,

when he has used

have acted as they express

it

is

he assures them that

him asking

you may perceive

has

this

They

freedom,

" kindly."

to

Nothing

can be more truly polite than that conduct to another,

bv which he

shall

be induced to

feel

himself as

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. comfortably situated,

as

if

231

he were

in

his

own

house.

As the Quakers to

do

desire their visitors to be free, and

as they please, so they

do not

fail

same themselves, never regarding such pediments

in the

do the

to

visitors as

way of their concerns.

im-

If they have

any business or engagement out of doors, they say so and go, using no ceremony,

Their

as an apology.

visitors,

for a time in their houses,

amuse themselves

I

mean such

as stay

are left in the interim to

as they please.

This

is

peculiarly

because their friends know, when they

agreeable, visit

and but few words

them, that they neither restrain, nor shackle,

nor put them to inconvenience. truly said that

if satisfaction

In fact

in visiting

depends upon

a man's

own freedom

call for

what he wants, to go out and come

pleases

and

;

if

it

to

do as he

likes,

may be

it

to ask

and to

in as

he

depends also on the knowledge he

has, that, in doing

all

these things, he puts no person

out of his way, there are no houses, where people will

be better pleased with their treatment, than in

those of the Quakers.

This

trait in

general.

I

universal.

nounced

the character of the

Quakers

would not pretend, however,

But

it is

quite general

enough

is

very

to call to

it

be pro-

a feature in their domestic character.

I

do

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

339

not mean by the mention of

manner

for the

There

kers.

having lived

v Inch,

any

in

ruggedness of manners of some Qua-

are undoubtedly solitary families,

in places,

lv any of their

and

to apologize,

it,

own

which

where there have been scarce-

society with

whom

to associate,

having scarcely mixed with others of other

denominations except

in the

way of

uncourteousness, ingrafted in them as

trade, it

have an

were by these

circumstances, which no change of situation after-

winds has been able to

The

obliterate.

like those of others,

differ,

among

subjects of conversation

the

Quakers

but diey are not so nu-

merous, neither are they of the same kind, as those of other people.

The Quaker for

two

among

reasons, the

conversation first

members

is

cramped or

fettered

by the caution, that prevails

of the society relative to the use

of idle words, and secondly by the caution, that prevails

among them,

relative to the adapting of their

expressions to the truth. kers

\a

Hence

the primitive

Qua-

ere persons of few words.

subjects also of the

Quaker conversation

are

limited for several reasons.

The Quakers have

not

The the

same

classical or philosophical education, as those

of other denominations in an equal situation in

life.

This circumstance w ill of course exclude many topics from

their discourse.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

39&

Religious considerations also exclude others. tics,

which

good

generally engross a

Poli-

deal of attention,

and which afford an inexhaustible fund of matter

for

conversation to a great part of the inhabitants of the are seldom introduced, and,

island,

very tenderly handled in general society.

men, or

whom

with

companv, Jbr having

that the

among

the Quaker-

have seen aged Quakers gently reprove

I

others of tenderer years, to be in

introduced,

if

they happened

started them.

Quakers have not the same

It is

not

feelings as other

that they a.e not equally interested

about

humanity, or that they are incapable of opinions on the changeable political events, that are passing over the face of the globe, agitated it

that this

among them.

They

for particular reasons.

so

little

are usually silent

upon

They

as they are not allowed to have

many

cases could

subject

consider

is

first,

that,

any direction, and in

not conscientiously interfere, in

government-matters,

it

would be

to disquiet

folly

their

minds with vain and

They

consider again, that political subjects frequently

irritate

people, and

fruitless

make them warm.

speculations.

Now

this is a

temper, which they consider to be peculiarly detri-

mental to their religion. also in this

1

fe as

They

consider themselves

but upon a journey to another, and

that they should get through offensively as they can.

it

as quietly

They

and as

in-

believe again with

PECULIAR CUSTOMS

334

George Fox, this airy life,

dom is

of Christ,

all

is

As

politics

There

uncertain.

noth-

things are stable

do not

and the news

:

(e)

afford matter for

much

conversa-

Quaker- society, so neither do some other

tion in the

subjects, that

may be

mentioned.

In a country town, where people daily not

is

in

the higher regions, or in the king-

always good and certain."

.

lower regions, or

in these

news

all

But in

ing stable.

"

that,

uncommon

whether

to observe,

what

visit, it

is

at the card,

or

usually called

scandal

at the

tea-table, tint

forms

a part of the pleasures of conversation.

is

The

hatching up of suspicions on the accidental occurrence of

trivial

circumstances, the blowing up of these sus-

pisions into substances and forms, animadversions on character, these,

and such

like

themes, wear out a

great part of the time of an afternoon or an evening visit.

Such

subjects, however,

cannot enter where

To

Quakers converse v ith one another. bearing and detraction

them

in

early youth.

into their religion, life.

It is

which

There is,

is

The maxim

is

incorporated

contained in one of their queries.

This

in their meetings, and the subject

always an exception

when

tale-

and of course follows them through

query is read to them (e)

is

avoid

a lesson inculcated into

in

favour of conversation on politics,

the government are agitating any question, in which

their intcresls or their religious freedom

is

involved

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. of

it is

33$

therefore repeatedly brought to their notice and

Add

recollection.

to which, that, if a

unfounded scandal,

to repeat any

Quaker were

that operated to the

injury of another's character, and were not to give

would be

make

or

the author,

by the rules of the

liable,

the same,

satisfaction for

up he

society, to be dis-

owned. I

do not mean

to assert here, that a

says a harsh thing of another man. to be, are not Quakers.

nature

may be

may unguardedly

All,

Quakers

if

But

join.

it is

are present, they

certainly true, that

their guard,

scandalizing others, than

many

caution in this particular

such subjects at

.:re

is

with respect to

other peop'e.

be the case, when

laws of their religion.

profess

by others of another de-

Quakers are more upon

this unlikely to

who

Subjects of a scandalous

in introduced

nomination, in which,

Quaker never

we

Nor is

consider that

required of them by the

It is certainly

true also, that

never introduced by them, like those

country tea-tables, for the sole purpose of produ-

cing conversation. truth, that

it

the society,

And

I believe I

may add with

would even be deemed extraordinary by

if

such subjects were introduced by them

at all.

In companies also in the metropolis, as well as in

country towns, a variety of subjects affords food for

PECULIAR CUSTOMS

1

336

.

conversation which never enter into the discourse of the Quakers. If

we were

to

go

into the

company of persons of

we should

certain class in the metropolis,

a

them

find

deriving the enjoyments of conversation from some

One

such subjects as the following.

would probably ner, in

the

talk of

which an

exquisitely

company man-

fine

performed her part on a

actress

This would immediately give birth

certain night.

The name

to a variety of rem.irks.

would bring up

that of another,

play that of another,

become

of the

till

of one actress

and the name of one

length the stage

at

would

the source of supplying a subject ior a cen-

siderable time.

Another would probably ask,

as

soon as this theatrical discussion was over, the opinion of the the

company on

the subject of the duel, which

morning papers had reported

to have taken pi.ee.

This new subject would give new

fuel to ihe

fne,

and new discussions would nke place, and new servations

fly

about from

all

quarters.

applaud the courage of the person, led.

^

b-

Some would

who had been

Others would pity his hard fate. But none

\\

kil-

ould

censure his wickedness for having resorted to sueh dreadful

From

means

this

t

for the determination of his dispute.

me the

laws of honour would be canvass-

ed, and disquisitions about punctilio, ard etiquette,

and honour, uoluu.

.......

.lie

attention of the

com-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

337

pany, and supply them with materials for a time.

These subjects would be followed by observations on fashionable head-dresses, by the ments, by the reports of subject would occupy

its

of gallantry.

Each

portion of time.

Thus

affairs

own

relation of elope-

each would help to swell up the measure of conver-

and to make up the enjoyment of the

sation,

If

we were

to

the metropolis,

go among persons of another

we should probably

lecting their entertainment

would

from other

pended

in

up, and on

ance had

the

sum

lost at faro.

money

would

was ex-

if it

were

particularize the liveries brought out

A fifth would ask,

to have the vacant red ribbon.

how

that the

1

who.

Another would

and would observe,

whole family were now provided

vernment.

by

the minister had given a certain place to a

certain nobleman's third son,

Vol.

that

A third would make observaat the last drawing room. A

individuals on the birth-day.

tell,

of

that

which they

in

second would probably ask,

on the dresses

fourth

was

One

topics.

known, how much one of their female acquaint-

really

tions

col-,

procuring every delicacy that was out of

A

season.

them

on the number of rooms

expatiate

were opened, on the superb manner, fitted

class in

on the subject of some splendid route.

talk

He would were

find

visit.

Each of

these topics lira

for

by go-

would be enlarged

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

338

upon, as successively started, and thus conversation

would be kept going during the time of the

These and other subjects generally

among

pleasures of conversation

persons.

But among

all.

neither do, nor

Red

would consent

to,

attend,

ribbons they would not wear

As

what these insignia mean.

would never occupy

for servants,

Places and pensions

Indeed, very few of the society

given to them.

these

certain classes of

Levees and drawing

they neither do, nor can, hold.

on pleasure.

constitute the

the Quakers, they can hardly

ever intrude themselves at

rooms they

visit.

if

know

to splendid liveries,

Liveries

their attention.

though not expressly forbidden, are not

congenial with the Quaker-system ing, plays, or fashionable

;

and as to gam-

amusements, these are

for-

by the laws

bidden, as I have amply stated before, of the societyIt is

obvious then, that these topics cannot easily

enter into conversation, where

nothing so

trifling,

attention, are of a is

Indeed,

are.

ridiculous, or disgusting, occu-

The

pies their minds.

Quakers

more

up

subjects, that take

solid

and useful kind.

their

There

a dignity, in general, in the Quaker-conversation,

arising

from the nature of these subjects, and from

the gravity and

ducted. their

It

is

decorum with which

it is

always con-

not to be inferred from hence, that

conversation

is

dull

and gloomy.

There

is

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. no want of

often

But then for

among

never borders upon

this sprightiiness,

When

decorous.

and humour.

sprightiiness, wit,

foolish jesting is to

all

359

be avoided, and

makes

vivacity

the Quakers,

it is

sensible,

its

and

folly,

always

it is

appearance

it is

uniformly

an innocent and decent dress.

in

In the company of the Quakers a circumstance

sometimes occurs, of so peculiar

a nature, that

not be well omitted in this place. pens, that

}ou observe

the

now

Quakers

prevailing, in the

can-

sometimes hap-

a pause in the conversation.

Surprized

This pause continues. silence

It

it

room

at the universal

you look round, and

find

The

apparently thoughtful.

history of the circumstance

is

this.

all

In the course

of the conversation the mind of some one of the persons present has been so overcome with the weight or importance of

or so overcome by inward sug-

it,

gestions or other subjects, as to have given himself

up

to meditation, or to passive obedience to the

pressions

upon

his

mind.

This person

is

im-

soon dis-

covered by the rest on account of his particular silence

From

and gravity.

company

cease to

tually silent,

this

moment

converse.

and continue

so,

the

Quakers

They become

in

habi-

both old and young,

to give the apparently meditating person an oppor-

tunitv of pursuing uninterruptedly the train of his

own thoughts.

Perhaps, in the course of his medita-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

away, and expires

ly dies

you

him resuming

find

mind, gradual-

that impressed his

tions, the subject,

In this case

in silence.

and

his natural position,

re-

turning to conversation with the company as before. It

sometimes happens, however,

that,

in the

midst

of his meditations, he feels an impulse to communicate to those present the subject of his thoughts,

and

exhorting,

and

breaks forth,

seriously explaining,

advising, as the nature of

When

it

permits and suggests.

he has finished his observations, the company

remain

silent for a short time, after

which they con-

verse again as before.

Such

a pause,

whenever

may be

of the Quakers,

it

occurs in the company

considered as a devotional

For the subject, which occasions

act.

mind of

is

solemn

reflection

upon

subject, suddenly and almost involuntarily as

produced by duty, or the agency of the

much

had been It

dom

as the

spirit.

at a place

it

that

were

immediate offspring of

And

the consequence, as

may be obs

in

meditating person are considered

the

either as the offspring of a

as

always

The workings

of a serious or religious nature. the

it,

an habitual silence if

is

the person present

of worship.

rved, however, that such pauses sel-

or never occur in ordinary companies, or where

Quakers

ordinarily visit one another.

take place,

it

is

When

mostly when a minister

is

they

present,

PECULIAR CUSTOMS, and when such a minister

upon

is

quent. the

pauses and exhortations

A

man how ever may be

company of

the Quakers,

at one of them, and never

exist at

all.

a religious visit

In such a case such

to families of a certain district.

religious

34,1

a

are

not

unfre-

hundred times

in

and never be present

know

indeed that

thejt

S«

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. CHAP.

Custom before meals

—

VI.

ancients formerly

lation to Vest a before their meals

— Quakers

substituted grace

of grace

the necessity

adopt the

—

heart —

sions on

allcav

ob-

Christians have

agree with others in

or thankfulness

as a devotional act, unless

it

made an

it

— but do

not

comes from

a silent pause for religious impres-

these occasions

—

observations on a Scotch

grace.

HERE when m;n

was

a time in the early ages of Greece,

apparently

could not meet

at

little

better than beasts of prey,

entertainments, without quarrelling

about the victuals before them. this

circumstance

of early writers. lations

began

to

is

The memory

of

well preserved in the expressions

In process of time however, regu-

be introduced, and quarrels to be

prevented, by the institution of the office of a divider or distributer of the feast, into

should carve the food

equal portions, and help every individual to

his proper share. feast,

who

Hence

the terms Ax&km or equal

which so frequently occur

which were

in

in

Homer, and

use in consequence of the division just

mentioned, were

made use

of to shew, that the

feasts;

PECULIAR CUSTOMS;.

243

then spoken of by him, were different from those of

When Homer

former times.

wishes to describe

persons as more civilized than others, he describes

them

That

as having this equal feast.

men

is,

did

not appear at these feasts, like dogs and wolves, and

devour whatever they could come

instantly tear till

each other to pieces in the end

their different portions of

;

and

at,

but they waited

meat had been assigned

them, and then ate them in amity and peace.

At

the time

carving for

when we

all

people.

thought

been

in use,

we

had been introduced anions: the

The Greeks,

unlawful to eat,

it

custom of one man

his guests to have

find also that another

same

find the

till

in

the

they had

part of their provision to the gods.

heroic first

ages,

offered a

Hence

oblations

whom

their su-

to Vesta,

and afterwards to others,

perstition

had defied, came into general use, so that

these were always made, before the victuals on the table

w ere r

allowed to be tasted by any of the guests.

These two customs, since regularly

down

that time, have

to the present day.

helps his family and his friends at his as christians can

we

usually find

oblation,

make no

come

Every person

own

But

table.

sacrifices to heathen deities,

them substituting thanksgiving

and giving

instead of an offering of the tables, an offering

for

to the Creator of the universe, first fruits

from

of gratitude from their hearts.

their

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

344

This oblation, which

now

is

usually denominated

grace, consists of a form of words, which, being ex-

pressive either of praise or thankfulness to

God

for

the blessings of food, with which he continues to supply them,

by

is

repeated by the master of the family,

a minister of the gospel if

that

partakes of the victuals,

These forms, however,

They

or

present, before any one are

differ, as

differ in length, in ideas,

set

before him.

used by Christians,

One

in expression.

Christian uses one form, another uses another.

It

may however be

observed, that the same Christian

generally uses the

same form of words, or

grace, on the

as a religious body, agree in the

propriety of grace before their meals, that propriety of giving thanks to

to

same

same occasion.

The Quakers,

good

the

the author

is

in the

of every

bounty of his providence as

gift for this particular

the articles of their daily subsistence, but they

differ as to the

manner and seasonabieness of

such occasions.

They

think that people

the habit of repeating a determined

may

cease to

feel,

case the grace

as they

grace

is

to

oblation

They

on

are in

form of words,

pronounce them,

becomes an

but not from the heart.

who

it

in

which

from the tongue,

think also that,

if

be repeated regularly, just as the victuals

come, or as regularly and as often as they come

upon

the table,

it

may be

repeated unseasonably,*

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

$4*

that is unseasonably with the state of the heart of

who

is

to

to-day as

was at and

pronounce it

it

was yesterday, nor

a former, nor

that if this grace is to

gxy, or light, or volatile, act,

and becomes

if not a

o

er,

hour what

j

is

ceases to be a devotional

at least a superflous

and unmeaning,

then to avoid the unprofitableness of

artificial

graces on the one hand, and, on the

to give

an opportunity to the heart to accord

used

it is

seated at table, they

in a thoughtful positio

,

for

of the

in praise

Creator, observe the following custom. all

it

alike disposed

be said when the heart

it

with the tongue, whenever

are

not

is

censurable form.

The Quakers euch

at this

on any given hour

man

of

that the heart

;

him,

sit in

solemn

some

time.

When

they

silence,

and

If .he

of the family, during this silence, should

feel

master

any

re-

ligious impression on his mind, whether of praise or

thankfulness on the occasion, his feelings.

Such

praise or thanksgiving in

considered as a devotional grace.

But

if,

after

he gives utterance to

act,

him

is

and as the Quaker

having waited

in silence for

some

time, he feels no such religious disposition, he utters

no

religious expression.

ter to say

no grace, than

The Quakers to say that,

accompanied by the devotion of the

hold

which

heart.

it

is

bet-

not

In this

•ase he resumes his natural position, breaks the silence

PECULIAR CU3T0MS.

346

by means of

and begins to carve

natural discourse,

for his family or his friends.

This iamilie:

a

nii.ii

is

,

the ordinary

when done, r

.ts.

way of proceeding

or in ordinary company.

happens to be

at

conceiving such a

v,

Quaker-

in

But

if

the table, die master of the

man

to be

more

in the habit

of religious impressions than himself, or any ordinary looks up as

person,

from whence cise

it

is

may come.

silent

;

if not,

,:u:-e, is

it

were

him, as to a channel,

to

that

such religious exer-

If the minister,

during the solemn,

possible,

mprcsscd, he gives utterance as before:

he relieves himself from his grave and thought-

ful position,

and breaks the silence of the company by

engaging

natural discourse.

in

ny proceed

to their meals.

were

If I

to

be asked whether the graces of the

Quakers were frequent, tive.

ister

I

After this the compa-

should reply

I

never heard any delivered, but

was present.

The

sitting

down

ings.

A

is

when

a

silent,

pause,

may

dine

fifty

and

which an op-

given for the excitement of religious

person

min-

to the table

the time of carving the victuals, during

portunity

the nega-

ordinary grace therefore of

private families consists in a solemn,

between the time of

in

feel-

times at the tables of

the Quakers, and see no other substitution for grace

than this temporary silent pause.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. Indeed no other grace than with Quaker- principles.

It

no al

For thanksgiving

act, in the

was coeval with the

in-

is

it

Now

an act of devotion.

opinion of the Quakers, can be devotion-

or spiritual, except

in religious

can be consistent

this

and must continue while

stitution of the society, lasts.

34?

Men,

from above.

originate

it

matters can do nothing of themselves,

And

or without the divine a d. ;

they must therefore

wait in silence for this spiritual help, as well in the case of grace, as in the case of any other kind of de-

mean

votion, if they

their praise or thanksgiving

on

such occasions to be an act of religion.

There

is

in the

ments, whenever

Quaker- grace, and it

is

accompani-

its

uttered, an apparent beauty

and an apparent solemnity, which are seldom conspi-

cuous

repeat the

minds

How

in those of others.

common artificial

intent

few are there,

graces feelingy, and with

Grace

upon the subject!

said as a

mere ceremony or custom.

Being

just thanked in so

is

is

usually

The Supreme

many words,

while the

thoughts are often rambling to other subjects.

Quaker- grace, on the other hand, whenever tered, does not

come

the heart. it

is ut-

before, but in expres-

sions adapted to the feelings.

pause, and

it

The

out in any mechanical form of

words which men have used

warm from

who

becomes

It

comes

It

comes

after a

therefore,

forth also

solemn,

under

all

silent,

these cir-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

Us

cumstances, an act of real solemnity and genuine devotion. It is

astonishing

how

little

even

men

of acknow-

ledged piety seem to have their minds fixed upon the ideas contained in the mechanical graces they repeat. I

was one afternoon

at a friends

house, where there

happened to be a clergyman of the Scottish church.

He

was a man deservedly esteemed

The company was

Politics

large.

for his

piety.

had been discuss-

ed some time, when the tea-things were introduced.

While

the bread and butter were bringing in, the

who had

clergyman,

taken an active part in the dis-

cussion, put a question to a gentleman, sitting in a corner

The gentleman

of the room.

gan to reply, and was proceeding of a sudden

ed, I looked round,

who had suddenly The solemnity,

the

till

I

and found

very of

it,

like this

Being surpris-

was the clergy man,

it

and was saying grace.

started up,

much from

that

had looked about me, discover

who

I

think

from three or four minutes I

when

ordinary tone,

speaker was.

grace.

answer,

be-

with which he spoke, occasioned his

voice to differ so 1 did not,

in his

heard a solemn voice.

I

who was

its

he might be engaged in

the delivery of this

could not help thinking, during the delithat I never

man.

Nor was

any grace, or thought

I

knew any person I

ever so

say grace

much moved

with

ever saw so clearly the pro-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS* on

priety of saying grace, as

But w hen

this occasion.

on the very instant the grace was over

I found that politics

«4$

were resumed

cr had the last

word

when

;

found

I

in the grace

no soon*

that,

been pronounced,

than the next, which came from the clergyman himself,

began by desiring the gentleman before men-

own

tioned to go on with his reply to his question,

political

was so struck with the inconsistency of

I

the thing, that the beauty and solemnity of his grace

This sudden

vanished.

all

to grace,

and from grace to pol

that artificial sentences

ed, as to

fail

from

transition tics,

politics

afforded a proof

might be so frequently repeat-

to re- excite their first impressions, or

that certain expressions,

which might have

consti-

tuted devotional acts under devotional feeling, might relapse into heartless forms. I

to

should not wish, by the relation of this anecdote,

be understood as reflecting

in the slightest

on the practice of the Scottish church. the general sobriety, diligence,

example of

its

ministers.

I

I

manner

know

well

piety and religious

mentioned

it

merely to

shew, that even where the religious character of a person was high, his mind, by the frequent repetition of the same forms of expression on the same occasions,

might frequently

force of the

words

lose sight of the

as they

were uttered, so

might pronounce them without ing,

meaning and

that

that

he

spiritual feel-

which can alone constitute a religious exercise.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

ti%

CHAP.

VII.

Customs at and after meals

health at dinner

—nor

— Quakers

toasts after dinner

ing of toasts a heathen custom innocence

pany in

—

— interrupts

leads to the intoxication

often the

the com-

—anecdote of Judge Hale— Quakers sometimes

— Quaker-women seldom

leave the

men drinking— Quakers a

custom of saying grace, do

ed, either use

it

this

omis-

retire after dinner,

HE Quakers though they are

in the

the drink-

of

embarrassing situations on account of

sion

TA

— and

never drink

and

sober people.

occasionally found

not, as I have stat-

as regularly, or in the

same manner

as other christians.

Neither do they use the

at their meals,

same ceremonies

or after their meals,

as others.

They have

ex-

ploded the unmeaning and troublesome custom of drinking healths at their dinners.

This custom the Quakers have rejected upon the that

it

has no connection with true

consider

it

as officious, troublesome,

principle,

They

is lifting

and even

To

drink to a

his victuals to his

mouth, and

embarrassing, on some occasions.

man, when lu

civility.

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. calling off his attention, to

by

or to interrupt two people,

351

make him drop them,

who

are eating and talking

together, and to break the thread of their discourse,

seems

to be an action, as

agreeable in

nor

effects,

its

rude is

in its principle, as dis-

custom often

the

less

troublesome to the person drinking the health, than

whose

to the person

two people engaged he catches

A

and

drank.

If a

man

second, and

to

may be

and

drink to

troubled,

lest,

They at

may

drinking hand.

consider also the custom of

dinner as unnecessary, and as tend-

ing to no useful end.

may wish

It

must be obvious

another his health, as

it,

And

it

expressed in

by

awkward, or may become the occa-

sion of offence.

drinking healths

dif-

first,

drinking improperly to one before another, he either be reputed

till

before he can drink himself.

know whom

to

finds

must wait

also often be put into a delicate

situation,

whom

is

in conversation he

their eyes,

man may

ficult

health

by drinking

it

full

as

much

man

without

with his glass

must be equally obvious this

that a

in his

that wishes,

manner, can have no medicinal

effect.

With dinner,

respect to the I

may

Quakers seem

upon the

custom of drinking healths

at

observe that the innovation, which the to

have been the

practice of

it,

first

to have

made

has been adopted by many,

not out of compliance with their example, but on ac-

FECUUAK CUSTOMS,

35*

count of the trouble and inconveniences attending

custom

that the

is

now

not

so general as

in the higher and

more fashionable

been exploded

and

;

classes of society,

With

is

circles

it

among some

that,

it

it

was

it

that

;

has nearly-

of the other

gradually declining.

respect to the custom of drinkiug toasts after

dinner, the

Quakers have rejected

for various rea,

it

sons.

They have rable

it

rejected

may be

that christians should follow the best

customs of the heathens,

them

it

to follow the worst.

would be improper spirituality

because, however desi-

it first,

for

would be a reproach Or,

other words,

in

men, whose

to it

religion required

of thought and feeling, to imitate the hea-

thens in the manner of their emjoyment of sensual pleasures.

The

Quakers observe, litude

laws and customs of drinking, the are

all

of heathen origin.

The

simi-

between these and those of modern times

too remarkable to be overlooked

;

and too striking

not to warrant them in concluding,

have taken their model on

is

that christians

this subject

from Pagan

practice.

In every Grecian family, where company was vited,

the master of

it

was considered

or president of the feast, in his

own

to be the

house.

his offices to look

king

He was

usually denominated the eye of the company.

was one of

in*

It

about and to see that

PECULIAR. CUSTOMS. his guests

drank their proper portions of the wine.

was another

to

ments

at the

word was

by

lot,

At

law.

was nominated

ei-

or by the votes of the persons present.

—

it,

This custom obtains among the moderns. ter of

own

same purposes.

And at

public dinners at taverns, a similar officer is

meet

of the

first

that

toasts,

the ancient Greeks,

appointed,

who

first

if

were usually drank

was to the

entirely corresponds with the

modern

li

gods."

This

idea of church;

the government had been only coupled with the

in these ancient times,

it

would have precisely

answered to the modern toast of church and It

great and

for the proposal of the feast.

among

gods

is

generally chosen by the committee,

One

and

The mas-

every family at the present day presides at his

table for the

who

entertain-

public expence the same office existed,

but the person, then appoi. -ted to ther

It

keep peace and harmony among them.

these purposes h;s

For

353

was

also usual at the entertainments,

state.

given by

Grecian families, to drink the prosperity of those persons, for

whom

who happened

to

they entertained a friendship, but

No

be absent.

incide than this, with that,

toast can better co-

which

is

so frequently

given, of our absent friends. It

to

was

name

also a

Grecian practice for each of the guests

his particular friend,

particular mistress.

Vol.

1

and sometimes also his

The moderns have also a parallel Y

y

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

354

Every person gives

for this.

(to

use the

common

phrase) his gentleman, and his lady, in his turn. It is

well

known

to have

been the usage of the an-

cient Greeks, at their entertainments, either to

to have had

The moderns do so

ed

filled for

precisely the

them

same

vigilantly an ancient

after his guests,

filled in this

or

to the brim.

thing.

Glasses

have the particular name of bumpers

filled,

however

cups

their

fill

:

and

Greek might have look-

and made them drink

their glasses

manner, the presidents of modern times

are equally vigilant in enforcing adherence to the

same custom. was an ancient

It

practice also with the

to drink three glasses

the

when the

muses were named

three were drank

on

:

same people

graces, and nine

and three and three times

This bar-

particular occasions.

barous practice has fortunately not come the

the

moderns

to

its full

remembrance of

following

up

when

down

to

extent, but they have retained it,

and celebrated

their toasts,

it

in part,

by

on any extraordinary occa-

sion, not with three or nine glasses of wine,

but with

three or nine cheers.

Among

the ancients beforementioned,

the persons present their

were found

if

any of

deficient in drinking

proper portions, they were ordered by the pre-

sident either to drink

usage has been a

them or to

little

altered

leave the room.

by the moderns.

This

They

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

355

to leave the

do not order those persons

company,

not comply with the same rules of drinking

who do

as the rest, but they subject

termed, that

them

to

be

fined, as

it is

they oblige them to drink double

is,

portions for their deficiency, or punish

them

some

in

other manner.

From hence

it

will

be obvious that the laws of

drinking are of heathen origin

that

;

is,

the

custom of

drinking toasts originated, as the Quakers contend,

with

men of heathen minds and affections

purpose

and

;

it

which men of

is

for a sensual

therefore a custom, they believe,

minds and

christian

affections should

never follow.

The Quakers have cause

they

consider

their christian

consider

it

excite and

rejected the custom again, beit

to

be

They

character in other respects.

as morally injurious

promote

;

with

inconsistent

for toasts frequently

indelicate ideas,

and thus some-

times interrupt the innocence of conversation.

They

consider

it

as morally injurious again, be-

cause the drinking of to^s ts has a direct tendency to

promote drunkenness

They, who have been much

in

company, must

have had repeated opportunities of witnessing, this idea of the

Quakers

is

founded

in truth,

men

undoubtedly stimulated to drink more than they

and to become intoxicated

in

that

are

like.

consequence of the use

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

356

If a

of toasts.

man

has no objection to drink toasts

he must drink that which the master of the

at all,

house proposes, and

it

usual in this case to

is

bumper.

Respect to his host

manding

Thus one

this.

at the outset.

He must

fill

considered as de-

is

him

glass is secured to

full

a

bumper

also drink a

to the

king, another to church aid state, and another to the

He

army and navy.

would,

many companies, be

in

thought hostile to government,

in the

if,

habit of

drinking toasts, he were to refuse to drink these, or to

honour these

in the

additional glasses are entailed also drink a

bumper

Thus

same manner.

to his

He must

upon him.

own

three

He Mould be

toast.

thought to dishonour the person, whose health he had given,

added

if

he were to

to his share.

ry other toast,

fail

is

who

considered as deficient in rehas proposed

additional glasses are forced

the wine begins to act,

There are many

it.

upon him.

when new

nature assail his ear, and he tions.

glass is

fifth

He must fill a little besides to eve-

or he

spect to the person,

Thus a

in this.

is

Thus many

By this

time

of a

new

toasts,

stimulated to

new

toasts of so patriotic,

others of so generous and convivial a nature

man

is

and

that a

looked upon as disaffected, or as devoid of

sentiment, is

po-

who

refuses them.

a sort of shame,

Add

to this, that there

which the young and generous

particular feel in being outdone,

and

in not

in

keeping

PECULIAR CUSTOMS, pace with the being urged

on such occasions.

rest,

after toast,

him

and he

on,

falls

till

at the

toast

same moment

the liquor at length overcomes

eventually a victim to

be manifest from

It will

Thus

and shan.e acting upon shame,

a variety of causes conspires drive

357

this

its

to

him

power.

account that the laws

of drinking, by which the necessity of drinking a certain

number

of toasts

is

enjoined,

by which bum-

pers are attached to certain classes of toasts, by which

a stigma

is

by which

affixed to a non-compliance with the terms,

in fact a regular

lished, cannot

system of etiquette

but lead, except a

man

is

is

estab-

uncommonly

resolute or particularly on his guard, to intoxication.

We see indeed instances of men glass,

their

because stimulated in this manner, even against

own

ation they till

drinking glass after

inclination,

nay even against the determin-

had made before they vrent

they have

made themselves

into

company,

quite chunk.

But had

there been no laws of drinking, or no toasts,

not see any reason

vt

we

can-

hy the same persons should not

have returned sober to their respective homes. It is is

recorded of the great Sir Matthew Hale,

deservedly placed

among

the great

men

who

of our

country, that in his early youth he had been in com-

pany, where the party had drunk to stieh excess, that

One of them

fell

down

apparently dead.

Quitting the

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

35*

room, he implored forgiveness of the Almighty this

for

excessive intemperance in himself and his com-

panions, and

made

a vow, that he

This vow he kept to

another health while he lived. his dying day.

mark,

that

It is

would never drink

hardly necessary for

me

to re-

he would never have come to such a re-

solution, if he

had not believed, either that the drink-

ing of toasts had produced the excesses of that day, or that the custom led so naturally to intoxication, that

it

became

his

duty to suppress

The Quakers having rejected the principles assigned, difficult situation,

the

trial

in

are

it.

the use of toasts

upon

sometimes placed

in a

which there

is

an occasion for

of their courage, in consequence of mixing

with others, by

whom the

custom

is still

followed.

In companies, to which they are invited in regular families, they are

lemma

seldom put to any disagreeable

The

in this respect.

in the habir of giving toasts,

custom of the Quakers any Quaker

pitality

that

generally

present,

for a toast.

demand

master of the house,

if

knowing the

in this instance, passes over

who may be

next neighbour

di-

and

calls

upon

Good breeding and

his

hos-

such indulgence and exception

should be given.

There are rage

is

situations,

often tried.

however,

One

in

which

their cou-

of the worst in which a

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. a

Quaker can be

placed,

placed, and in

that of being at a

is

where a number of other

ducted so

much

some jocose

hint

and though

this is

his feelings are

company

is

to

A toast

in

an inn,

and sup

to-

In general as the bottle passes,

is

conveyed to him about the

At

it.

other times

when

are of a less liberal complexion, there

soon understood

hunt him down, as

if

Toasts both

length introduced

;

all

with him.

illiberal

and

and he has no

ano-

game.

fair

know

On refusing,

it.

One jokes

among one

he were

pressed upon him, though

to"teaze him.

toast

perhaps done with good humour,

not his custom to drink

him.

common room

travellers dine

wounded by

a determination,

ther,

is frequently-

to his satisfaction in this respect, as

in those described.

is

which he

In such companies things are seldom con-

gether.

the

3SS

that

it is

they begin

Another banters indelicate,

alternative

of bearing the banter, or quitting the room.

are at

but that I

have

seen a Quaker in such a company (and at such a distance from home, that the transaction in bability never could

all

pro-

have been known, had he, in

order to free himself from their attacks, conformed to their

custom) bearing

all

their raillery with aston-

ishing firmness, and courageously struggling against the stream. solitary

It

is

Quaker

to

certainly an fall

in

awkward

thing for a

such companies, and

it

re-

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

360

quires considerable courage to preserve singularity in the midst of the prejudices of ignorant

and

illiberal

men. This custom, however, of drinking d'nner,

like the

is,

former of drinking healths

ner, happily declining.

who move

those,

toasts after

It is

much

at din-

to the credit of

in the higher circles, that they

may

have

be probably owing

generally exploded both.

It

to this circumstanee, that

though we

find persons of

description labouring under the

imputation of

levity

and dissipation, we yet find them respectable

Drunkenness indeed

for the sobriety of their lives.

forms no part of ing,

i.->

it

their character, nor, generally speak-

a vice of the present age as

former ages

;

and there seems to be

in proportion as the

this vice will

little

has been of

doubt, that

custom of drinking healths and

but more particularly the

toasts,

it

become

latter, is

suppressed,

less a trait in the national char-

acter.

There which

I shall

It is

meet

tire.

one or two customs of the Quakers, notice before

I

conclude this chapter.

one of the fashions of the world, where people

in

dinner the

are

is

company,

for

men and women, when

over, to drink their wine together,

women, having done

and

the for

this for a short time, to re-

This custom of the females withdrawing

PECULIAR CUSTOMS. dinner was probably

insisted

first

would be a

that their presence

361

upon from an upon

restraint

upon

culation of the bottle, as well as

the conversation

Men end women

mit to this practice.

the

because there

company

that

men

at their

i*>

no

There

wine.

moan

are a few rich

in

to

after dinner,

ker-custom, that

in

fan

more dan usual with the But where one

al-

give wine to their

there are ninety-.

company

tliey

if

not occasionally retire, and leave the

having mixed

it,

I

sit

do not

upon any one

restraint

world, allow of this separation.

lows

I

not retire

of the Quakers; nor do

women do

which,

women may

that

this

sub-

generally

together and converse as before dinner.

please,

the cir-

The Quakers, however, seldom

of the men.

mean by

idea,

who do

not.

It is

not a

Qua-

a given time after dinner, the

1

one shorn d be separated from the other sex. It is

a pity that the practice of the

Quakers should

not have been adopted by others of our in this particular.

those,

who were

me\ were

own country

Mai.r advantages would result to to follow th

allow cd to remain,

example.

For

chastity of expression

and decojum of lxhaviour would be more be insured.

There presence

a check upon drunkenness.

doubt, that

women would

if v.o-

also

Nor

likely to

would operate can

as

there be a

enliven and givr a vs

PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

362

to conversation; and,

nun,

education from

tiny

as

different

i

an opportu

that

i;

ofth

her.

It is

also usual

with

such

in

that the I

known

Quak<

:

<-\«

rs,

U

n tot

who unusual w

ith

tl

i I

th<

.

tl

,

than in d.

I

!l<

in

1

hi

t<»

dd

a

ke a

hov ever,

bottle,

if

But even in d

rmit. the tabU

at

.

com

The

.-

It

ci

i

he

g his plaas.

A

i

little

tinu

i

,

\ third,

taken what he

'

lows the example. taken away, and this

i

the hour an;

in the

<

F

drinking

ti

.1.

m approach Quaker companies.

V

The i

ither

drunk< 1

wine

drunk ni

ill.

ta

363

d

a su

ilit

l

a sui

n die

|

nmH

Ik-

..

of the society.

by lb 'r

queries.

It

is

It is

of course

brought to their rccoUectiotti

fata

of the

Quakers,

they

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