DCSB HBRARY QUAKER ANECDOTES. QUAKER ANECDOTES. EDITED RY RICHARD PIKE SECOND EDITION. LONDON : HAMILTON, ADAMS, & Co., PATERNOSTER NOTTINGHAM : J. DERUY, AJ.BKHT STKEET. 1881. P R E F A C E . The history of the Society of Friends from Fox's time to the pieseiit day, has been a remarkable one. No class of men have lived more unselfish lives. Many beautiful characters have graced their annals, persons whose sym- pathies were broad whose activities embraced the varied fields of benevolent enterprise ; whilst for shrewdness, business capacity, and readiness of reply, they have had no superiors. The influence and achievements of the Quakers have been out of all proportion to their numbers. In the last Parliament there were sixteen members who had been born and educated in the Society, and it is very remarkable, two of that number were Cabinet Ministers, viz., Mr. Bright and Mr. Forster. Several years ago, being much interested in some quaint and striking anecdotes of members of the Society of Friends, the thought occurred to me I have never met with any considerable collection of such anecdotes, and it is pretty certain from my reading it would not be difficult to make such an unique collection. To this end, for some years, my leisure has been frequently devoted, to researches which, I fain would believe, have not been barren of results. There is no donbt a change going on among the Quakers, which will interfere greatly with that racy individuality which has so long characterised them as a distinct com- ui unity. According to appearances, it teenis very unlikely thnt the future will be so prolific in this respect as has beea the past. 2 PKKl'ACE. My share in the production of the book has been mainly that of a collector of anecdotes. Those relating to I. T. Hopper are taken from his " Life," written by L. M. Child, of New York. The anecdotes collected, for the most part redound highly to the credit, shrewdness, and benevolence of the Quakers. N.13. Should this collection of " Quaker Anecdotes " meet with public favour, from materials at hand and which are to be obtained from outside assistance, it will give me much pleasure to publish a second series of " Quaker Anecdotes." Many interesting ones exist. I would there- fore ask rny readers who may be able to furnish them, to be so kind as to enclose them to me, addressed to the Editor of " Quaker Anecdotes," care of Mr. J. Deny, Bookseller, Albert Street, Nottingham. CONTENTS Founder of the Quakers Origin of the Term Quakers .. .. .. ..10 George Fox and Cromwell . . . . . . . . 10 Fox's Adventures . . . . . . . , . . 12 Marriage of George Fox . . . . . . , , 12 Rustic Quaker . . . . . . . . . . 14 Comparative Excellence of Government . . . . . . 14 Penii and the Indians . . . . . . . . 15 Lord Peterborough and William Penn . . . . . . 21 Penn's Dislike to Tobacco . . . . . . . . 21 Quakers and the Justice of the Peace . . . . . . 22 John the Quaker . . . . , . . . . . . 22 Decision ol Cromwell . . . . . . . . . . 23 Phonography Anticipated . . . . . . . . 24 James May lor .. ... .. .. .. 25 at Bristol . . . . . . . . 27 Quakeress Missionary . . . . . . . . . . 28 Pepy's Diary . . . . . . . . . . 30 Quaker Tavern . . . . . . . . . . 30 Fanaticism .. .. .. .. .. ..31 Edward But-rough . . . . . . . . . . 33 William Stout . . . . . . . . . . 34 Important Trial . . . . . . . . . . 37 Sslf-Control .. .. .. .. .. 3K Robert Barclay and the Robbers . . . . . . 39 Noble Disinterestedness . . . . . . . . . . 3!) Peter the Great and William Penn . . . . . . 40 Quakeress at Malta .. .. .. .. ..41 Mr. Hull and his Man Charles . . . . . . . . 44 John Hunyan and the Quaker . . . . . . 44 Compelling a Quaker to Swear .. .. .. .. 44 Scripture Authority . . . . . . . . 46 Plan to Discover the True Religion . . . . . . 46 Strom; Language . . . . . . . . . . 46 The Quakeress and the Officer . . . . . . . . 47 A Speculation . . . . . . . . . . 49 Quaker Preaching . . . . . . . . . . 50 Quakers Address . . . . . . . . . . . . oO Indians and the Quaker Meeting . . . . . . 51 A Quaker's Opinion of Titles . . . . . . 52 Witty K<-ply . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Quaker and the Infidel . . . . . . . . 62 4 CONTEXTS. Frederick, Prince of Wales John Wesley and the Young Qunkcr. . _ and the Quaker's Drea.-i . . The Quaker to his Watchmaker The Choice . . v Quaker .Responsibility .. ^ Quaker and his Visitor. . Whit field and the Quaker .. .. "in Wasting Others' Time . . j!' Conversation The S.atin? Quaker Artist .. .. Benjamin West's Subjects . . LMgh Hunt's Description of West . . . J>* Fine Distinction . . . . ' ' ' ' i Hat Versus Head . . . . . . " Stephen Grellet and Thomas Paine . . . . " co Countess of Huntingdon and the Quakeress Qtnkers George IV. Frustrated Attempt to Penetrate the Mysteries of the YVomens' Meeting .. Sabbath Observant Self-Composure Indirect Reply . . . . . . . A Challenge . . . , . . . . . ll Friends and the Irish Rebellion . . . . " \ Quick Ketort .. .. .. ^ Amusing Encounter at a Supper Party . . ?J* Reckless Speculator .. .. .. ^J* The Kinsr and the Quaker . . Gcortre III. Visit to Worcester, 1780 Odd Decision Qinkrr's Meeting Unequal Salaries Practical Joke Advice to Money Hunters Quaker and the Parson A Vehement Timepiece Quaker and the Vicar . . Seasonable Kindness Quaker and Justice Lord Derby and the Quaker A Friend s" Rebuke A Shrewd Broker . . Cle ii'ing the Law A Mystery Explained Lord Ellenborousrh . . . . . . . . ' The Quaker who Bought n Stolen Hnrse Difference of Dialect . . Pi ivatrerins" . . . . . . . . . . . "3 Urellet's Interview with the Pope . . . ; . . 94 CONTEXTS. Bailiff Outwitted . . . . . . . . . . 97 George III. and the Quakers Timely Reproof White Feather of Pence . . . . . . . . 38 \ Judicious Adviser . . . . . . . . Dr. Franklin and the Quakers James Logan in Favour of Defensive War Deficient in Arrangement . . . . . . 102 Request Denied . . . . . . . . . . !02 Fighting Quaker Quaker's Cnarity .. .. 103 A Big Inclinatio'n Joseph Lancaster and the Dean .. .. .. .. 105 George III. and Joseph Lancaster Lawyer and the Friend . . . . . . . . . . 108 Voltaire and the Quaker Anty Brignal and the Begging Quaker .. . . . . 109 Remarkable Prosecution Quaker on Good Manners .. .. .. .. ..112 Bellmaker and the Quaker Samuel Fox and the Idle Lads . . . . . . . . 113 Hat Testimony A Good Name Reynolds and the Orphan Sniart Rebuke .. .. .. .. .. ..116 Daniel Webster Outwitted .. .. .. 117 Dr. Johnson and the Quakers .. .. .. ..118 Dialogue between Dr. Johnson and Mrs. Knowles . . . . 119 RuhtorLelt .. .. .. .. .. ..123 The way to York . . . . . . 124 Address to George I. . . . . . . . . . . 124 The Quaker Physcian .. .. .. .. .. 125 Booth the Actor Mrs. Fry at Newgate .. .. .. .. .. 129 King of" Prussia with Mrs Fry at Newgate . . . . . . 130 Quiuk Retort .. v . .. .. .. 132 At Fault .. .. .. .. ..133 Public Testimony in Churck .. .. .. .. 133 Meeting the Difficulty .. .. .. .. ..134 Feeling in the Right Place .. .. .. .. 135 How to get Warm .. .. .. .. ..135 Advice on Matrimony .. .. .. .. .. 135 A Fine Distinction .. .. .. .. .- 135 Fox, the Quaker ... .. .. .. .. 136 Planting Trees by the Wayside . . . . . . 136 Great Fire in London Thee and Thou .. .. .. .. .. ..137 Prince Frederick of Wales John Bright, at Glen Urqnharfc . . . . . . . . 138 J Bright Story .. .. .. .. .. 138 CONTENTS. Dr. Franklin's Advice .. .. .. .. .. 139 Something Like a Friend .. .. .. .. 139 Anthony Purver's Translation of the Rible . 139 Joseph Tonvy and the Diseased Ilorse . . . . . . 140 The Clergyman and his Books . . . . ',' 1*1 Aristorcratie Prejudice . . . . . . . . 142 Aged Slave Emancipated.. .. .. .. .. 142 Testimony against Slavery .. .. .. .. 144 Isaac Hopper and the Cruel Driver . . . . . . 145 Quaker Funeral .. .. .. .. .. 145 The Man of Peace . . . . . . . . . . 149 Methodist Minister from the South . . . . . . 150 William Savery, Overcoming Evil with Good . . 152 Isaac Hopper, in an Omnibus . . . . . . 154i Isaac Hopper, A Chemical Experiment . . . . 156 Isaac Hopper's vVit . . . . . . . . . . 156 The Umbrella Girl .. .. .. .. ..157 In Danger at Sea . . . . . . . . . . 163 Uncomplimentary Invitation . . . . . . . . 164 The Title Reverend .. .. .. .. .. 165 Quaker at the Lord Lieutenant's Castle .. .. .. 165 A Quaker's Letter . . . . . . . . . . 166 Quakeress and her Footman . . . . . . . . 167 Freedom from Prejudice against Colour . . . . 168 Profane Printer .. .. .. .. .. ..168 Friend Hopper and his Hat . . . . . . . . 169 A Quaker in the House of Lorda . . . . . . . . 171 Musical Boy .. .. .. .. .. 172 Not Thoroughly Baptized .. .. .. .. ., 174 Metal Buttons .. .. .. .. .. 175 Ruling Passion Strong in Death .. .. .. .. 175 The Cocked Hat Looped up with a Button . . . . 176 Comical Adventure . . . . . . . . . . 176 Strange Request . . Charitable Judgment .. .. .. .. .. 178 Bernard Barton on Grave Stones .. .. .. 180 Quaker Cooks and Servants Scarce . . . . . . 180 Bernard Lartou No Bigot . . . . . . . . Quaker's Defence . . . . . . . . . . 183 Restitution An Honourable Action Joseph Sturge's Apology to a Working Man . . . . 187 Joseph Sturge Retrenching Expenditure Supplying the Proof. . Loyalty to Conscience Relenting Tenderness The Reformatories of Josedh Stnrge Mr. Sturge and the Desolation of Finland .. .. 194 Quakers and tho Evangelical AlUanco . . . , . . 196 CONTENTS. Quaker Wrestler .. .. .. .. .. J. ; 7 White Quakers . . . . . . . . . . .-188 JuWard Perception .. .. .. .. .. 2ul Jacob Lindley and the Spiritual World . . . . . 20i Qi.akers t Family Worship .. .. .. .. 205 David Barclay .'. .. .. .. .. .. 206 Quaker Preaching in the Hall of Congress . . . . 206 William Howitt's Marriage Tour .. .. .. . 208 Anecdote of the Queen .. .. .. .. 208 A I s ainirg from the Use of Slave-grown Sugar . . . 209 William Allen's Kindness to Animals .. .. .. 210 Longevity among the Quakers .. .. .. .211 Quaker and his Horse . ( . . . . . . . 211 Compulsory Obedience .. .. .. .. ..212 Remonstrance Unavailing . . . . . . 212 Mad Quakers . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Quaker Statesman .. .. .. .. .. 214 Noustriking Quaker .. .. .. .. .. 217 Sermon by a Quakeress . . . . . . . . 217 John Wesley and the Quakers .. .. .. .. 118 Curiosity Reproved . . . . . . . . . . 218 Remarkable Circumstance . . . . . . . . 219 Mrs. Fry's ' ifluence .. .. .. .. .. 220 Thomas" Shiiitoe's Early Life .. .. ... ..220 Thomas Shilitoe, the Faithful Admonisher of the Great . . --- Courtship and Marriage of Isaac T. Hopper . . . . 227 Leonard Fell and the Highwayman .. .. .. 233 Early-Rising Friends, Far West . . . . . . . . 233 Quaker's House Preserved . . . . . . . . 23* Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 Quaker and the Officer . . . . . . . . 235 A Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Courtship . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 The Bully .. .. .. .. .. .235 Church Organ .. .. .. .. .. 236 Si range Title .. .. .. .. .. ..236 Conscientious Lawyer . . . . . . . . 236 Peter Bedford . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Shopkeeper's Trick . . . . . . . . . . 247 Arians Confounded . . . . . . . . . . 247 Humanity of Walker . . . . . . . . 248 Grave Quaker and Miss London (L. E. L.) . . . . . . 249 Physiognomy of Friends . . . . . . . . 250 George TIT. and Hannah Lightfoot .. .. .. 251 Hat Protest . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 George Fox and His Hat . . . . . . . . . . 253 Remarkable Trial of William Penn . . . . . . 254 Thomas Elhvcod, "Milton's Friend . . . . . . . . 262 Melancholv Death .. .. .. .. 274 8 CONTENTS. Remarkable Coincidence .. .. .. .. .. -7o Rude Treatment of Quakers . . . . . . 276 Persecution .. .. .. .. .. '217 Persecution in Massachusetts . . . . . . . . 27b Sufferings of Friends . . . . . ..-61 Rev. Titus AVedney's Troubles .. .. .. 265 Interviews with the Emperor of Russia and King of Prussia . . 289 Modern JV-rsecution of Quakers .. .. 297 Marriages . . . . . . . . . . 302 A Grent Change . . . . 303 Quaker Mayor of Leeds uiid Assize Sunday. . . . 304 QUAKER ANECDOTES. THE FOUNDER OF THE QUAKERS. IN the Year 1 643, a rude, gaunt, illiterate lad of nine- teen, a shoemaker by trade, affected with the religious fervour of that age, being at a country fair in his native Leicestershire, met with his cousin and another friend there, and the three youths agreed to have a stoup of ale together. They accordingly adjourned to a tavern in the neighbour- hood, and called for drink. When the tirst supply was exhausted, the cousin and his friend called for more, began to drink healths, and said that he who would not drink should pay for the entire ale-score. The young shoemaker was alarmed at this proposal, and as he explained the cir- cumstances afterwards, he put his hand into his pocket and took out a groat, laid it down on the table, and said, if it be so, I will leave you, and so he went home. The village ale-house incident was an important event in the history of the Anglo-Saxon race ; for through it wHere to come Quak- erism, the writings and teachings of Penn and Barclay, the colony and constitution of Pennsylvania, the republics of the west, and in no very remote degree the vast movement of liberal ideas in Great Britain and America, in more modern times. The illiterate and upright shoemaker who would drink no more was George Fox, " I went away," he afterwards wrote in his journal, " and when I had done my business, returned home. But I did not go to bed that night, nor did I sleep, but sometimes walked up and down, and sometimes prayed, and called to tho Lord." JUixon's Lije 0} Penn. 10 QUAKER ANECDOTKS. ORIGIX OF THE TEKM QUAKERS. On the 30th of October, 1650, the celebrated George Fox being at a Lecture delivered iu Derby by a Colonel of the parliamentary Army, aftertlie service was over addressdthe congregation till there came an officer who took him by the hand, and said, that he, and the other two that were with him, must go before the Magistrates. They were examined for a long time, and then George Fox, and one John Fret- well of Staniesby, a husbandman, were committed to the house of correction for six mouths upon pretence of blas- phemous expressions. Gervase Bennett, one of the justices who signed their mittimus, hearing that Fox bade him, and those about him " tremble at the word of the Lord," re- garded this admonition so lightmindedly, that from that time, he called Fox and his friends Qudkors. This new and unusual demonstration was taken up su eagerly, that it soon ran over all England, and from thence to foreign countries. It has since remained their distinctive name, insomuch, that to the present time, they are so termed in acts of parliament, and in their own declarations on certain public occasions, they designate themselves "the people called Quakers." The community in its rules and minutes, for government and discipline, denominates itself " The Society of Friends." Hone's '' Table Book." GEOKGE Fox AND CROMWELL. In 1654, there was a rumour of a plot formed against the Pro ector, in which it was thought the Quakers ha 1 a hand, and in consequence of this Fox was seized at one of his meetings, and carried a pi'isouer to London Captain Dury, who had charge of him. reported his arrival to Cromwellj who asked him to subscribe a paper to the effect that he wuuld never use a carnal weapon against him or his govern- ment. Fox, who abjured the sword even in self-defence, QTTAKEH ANTSCTtnrC*. II readily did so. Next morning lie was takeu to Wh! ahall, that the Protector might see him and judge of him for him- self. When he arrived Cromwell was still undressed, but it did not matter, he was at once admitted to his presence, which he entered with the priestly words, " Peace be on this house," and with his hat firmly fixed on his head. An interesting peep behind the scenes the meeting of these two immortals. The great Protector in his shirt re- ceiving the humble Quaker a man half-crazed, but des- tined by tlis earnestness of his convictions, to found a sect \vhich has lasted for centuries, and done some good in the world ! The conversation was about religion, and the Quaker exhorted the Protector to live in the fear of God, and order all things for his glory. The Protector remarked that the Quakers quarrelled with the Ministers of religion. The Quaker replied that the prophets and apostles preached not for hire, whereas the priests of that day divined fur money, and bartered the free Gospel for filthy lucre. Ho declared that the Spirit was necessary to illuminate the mind, and that without it the Scriptures were useless. As lie proceeded, Oliver frequently interjected, " It is good," "It is truth." When the poor Quaker was ready to leave, the absolute master of three Kingdoms took him warmly by the hand, and with tears in eyes, said, "Come again to my house, foi if thou and I were but an hour of a day together, we should be nearer one anothpr." As he was returning a servant followed him, and invited him to remain and dine with the Protector's attendants, but, though pleased with his reception, he, in rather a surly way, told the servant to say to his master that he would not eat of his bread nor drink of his drink. Was it pride or an outburst of inde- pendence a foolish protest thn* he would not sell his birth- right for a mess of pottage, though served in a silver plate in the hall of a court ? The " Quakers." by Dr. Cunningham 1$ QUAKER ANECDOTES. Fox's ADVENTURES. In 1655, Dr. Cunningham writes " Fox was now master of a hor&9, on which he performed his journeys. In his wandering life he necessarily met with strange adventures. On one occasion there was a hue and cry that two men who had been seen on the road clad in grey clothes and riding on grey horses were highwaymen, and that they had broken into a house. They were pursued, overtaken, and carried before a justice of the peace " Take off your hats," cried the justice, when the supposed highwaymen were brought into his presence. " I kept on my hat in the presence of the Protector," said Fox, who, with a brother Quaker, were the supected housebreakers, "and he was not offended, and why should you who are but his servant." The mag- istrate was convinced there had been a mistake, and set them at liberty. On another occasion, being in a tavern, he began to speak to the men who were enjoying their pot of ale, of the light which lighteneth every man who cometh into the world . The landlord being a facetious fellow, and seeing that this kind of discourse was likely to spoil his custom, snatched up a candle, and said, " Come, here is a light to light you to your bed," and so marched him off to his chamber. MARIUAGE OF GEORGE Fox. About the latter end of 1669 he went to Bristol, at which place, he entered into matrimonial alliance with his old friend and fellow-sufferer, Margaret Fell. The particulars of this event afford a pleasing trait of the integrity and simplicity of his dealings. " I had seen from the Lord a considerable time before, ' that I should take Margaret Fell to be my wife ; and when I first mentioned it to her, she felt the answer of life from God thereto. But though the Lord had opened this thing QTTAKEB ANECDOTES. 13 to me, yet I had not received a command from Him for the accomplishing of it at this time. Wherefore I let the affair rest, and went on in the work and service of the Lord, according as he had led me, travelling in thia nation and through Ireland. But being now at Bristol, and finding Margaret Fell there, it opened to me from the Lord, the thing should be accomplished. After we had discoursed the matter together, I told her, if she was also satisfied with the accomplishing of it now, she should first send for her children, which she did. When her daughters were come, I asked both of them and her sons-in-law, ' if they had anything against it, or for it?' and they all severally expressed their satisfaction therewith. Then I asked Margaret Fell, ''if she had ful- filled her hnsband's will to her children ?' She replied, 'the children knew she had.' Whereupon I asked them, whether, if their mother married, they should not lose by it? I asked Margaret, ' whether she had done anything in lieu of their claims, which might answer it to the children? They replied, ' she had answered it to them, and desired me to say no more about it.' ' I told them that I was plain, and would have all things done plainly : for I sought not any outward advantage to myself So our intention of mamage was laid before Friends both privately and pub- licly, to their full satisfaction, many of whom gave testim- ony that it was of God. Afterwards a meeting being appointed on purpose for the accomplishing thereof, we took each other in marriage, in the meeting-house at BroAd Mead, in Bristol; the Lord joining us together in honourable marriage, in the everlasting covenant and immortal Seed of Life In the sense whereof, living and weighty testimonies were borne thereunto by Friends in the movings of the heavenly power which united us together. Then was a certificate, relating both the proceedings and the marriage, 14 QTTAKEB AITECDOTES. openly read, and signed by the relations, and by most of the ancient Friends of the city ; besides many others from divers parts of the nation. " We stayed about a week at Bristol, and then went to- gether to OkUtone : where, taking leave of each other in the Lord, we parted, betaking ourselves each to our sev- eral service ; Margaret returning homewards to the North, and I passing on in the work of the Lord as before. I travelled through Wiltshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buck- inghamshire, and so on to London, visiting Friends : in all which counties I had many large and precious meetings." RUSTIC QUAKER. Cunningham remarks, " Penn was always a welcome visitor at the palace, and was known to have a large share of the royal confidence. Great nobles \vore kept waiting in the ante-room while he was closeted with the King. Other Friends were also admitted into the royal presence with their hats undisturbed, and that was always the point of hon- our with them. On this matter the grim, monkish monarch, even ventured a joke. A rustic Quaker had been admitted to an audience with his majesty, and of course kept his hat on his head, but the king pulled off his own beaver and held it under his arm while the Quaker spoke. The man, in his simplicity, thought this was doing him too much honour, and ventured to say, " The king need not keep off his hat forme." " You don't know the custom," replied his majesty, no doubt with a hardly repressed smile, " for that requires that but one hat must be on here." COMPARATIVE EXCELLENCE OF GOVERNMENT. "Locke " says Clarkson in his Life of Penn, " drew up at the request of Lord IShaftesbury, a form of government for Carolina, which then comprehended both the northern QUAKER ANECDOTES. 15 and southern districts of that name, it happened that he and William Perm, and Mr. (afterwards Sir Isaac) Newton, and others were in company, and that the conversation turned upon the comparative excellence of the new Amer- ican governments, but particularly those of Carolina and. Pennsylvania. The matter was argued at length in the presence of the two legislators, when Locke ingenuously yielded the palm to Penn." The two constitutions were diametrically opposed. Locke's was feudal and aristocratic, Penn's was purely democratic. PENN AND THE INDIANS King Charles II., in consideration of a considerable sum due from the crown for the services of Admiral Sir William Penn, granted to his son, the ever-memorable William Penn, and his heirs, in perpetuity a great tract of land on the river Deleware in America ; with full power to erect a new colony there, to sell lands, to create magistrates, and to pardon crimes. In August, 1682, Penn, after having written to his wife and children a letter eminently remarkable for its simplicity and patriarchal spirit, took an affectionate leave of them, and accompanied by several friends embarked at Deal, on board the Welcome, a ship of three hundred tons burthen. The passengers, including himself, were not more than a hundred. They were chiefly Quakers, and most of them from Sussex, in which county his house at Warminghurst was seated. They sailed about the first of September, but had not pro- ceeded far to sea, when the small pox broke out so virulently, that thirty of their number died. In about six weeks from che time of their leaving the Downs they came in sight ci ths American coast, and shortly afterwards landed at Newcastle. in the Delaware river. William Penn's first business was to explain to the settlere 16 QUAKER ANKCDOTES. of Dutch and Swedish extraction the object of his coming, and the nature of the government he designed to establish. The next great movement was to Upland, where he called the first general assembly, consisting of an equal number, for the provinces and for the territories, of all such freemen as chose to attend. In this assembly the frame of government, and many important regulations, were settled; and subse- quently he endeavoured to settle the boundaries of his territory with Charles Lord Baltimore, a Catholic nobleman, who was governor and proprietor of the adjoining province of Mary- land, which had been settled with persons of his own persuasion. Penn wished to lire in friendship with the Indians ; he was assured that this was possible. The Quakers already settled in New Jersey had solved this problem " Ye are our brothers," said the Sachems to them, "and we will live like brothers with you. We will have a broad path for you and us to walk in. If an Englishman falls asleep in this path. we will pass him by and say it is an Englishman, he is asleep, let him alone. The path shall be plain, there shall be no stump in it to hurt the feet." Penn's religious principles which led him u> the practise of the most scrupulous morality, did not permit him to look upon the King's patent, or legal possession according to the laws of England, as sufficient to establish his right to the Country without purchasing it by fair and open bargain of the natives to whom, only, it properly belonged. He had therefore in- structed commissioners, who had arrived in America before him, to buy it of the latter, and to make with them at the same time a treaty of eternal friendship, This the commiss- ioners had done ; and this was the time when, by mutual agreement between him and the Indian chiefs, it was to be publicly ratified. He proceeded, therefore, accompanied by his friends, consisting of men. women, and young person of QUAKER ANECDOTES. 17 oth sexes to Coaquannoc, the Indian name of the place where Philadelphia now stands. On his arrival there he found the Sachems and their tribes assembling. They were seen in the woods a^ far as the eye could carry, and looked frightful both on account of their number and their arms. The Quakers are reported to have been but a handful in comparison, and these without any weapons , so that dismay and terror had come upon then, had they not confided to the righteousness of their cause. It is much to be regretted when we have accounts of minor treaties between William Penn and the Indians, that there is not in any historian an account of this, though so many men- tion it, and though all concur in considering it as the most glorious of any in the annals of the world. There are, how- ever, relations in Indian speeches, and traditions in Quaker families, descended from those who were present on the occasion, from which we may learn something concerning it. It appears that, though the parties were to assemble at Coaquannoc, the treaty was made a little higher up at Shackaiuaxon Upon this Kensington now stands ; the houses of which may be considered as the suburbs of Philadelphia. There was at Shakamuxon an elm tree of a prodigious y the reins. Three others ran before and spread their scarfs and handkerchiefs in the way ; and a company followed singing, " Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Hosts ; Hosannah in the highest, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Israel." So they entered the city ; but they were quickly laid hold of and marched to the jail. From Bristol he was sent to London, where he was charged before the parliament with blasphemy, for assuming the name and attributes of Christ, and a parliamentary committee was ap- pointed to examine witnesses in the cause. That divine honours were rendered in his presence he confessed, but he pleaded that they were not paid to him but to Christ who dwelt in him. For ten days was the great council of the nation employed in deliberations as to whether Naylor wa^ an impostcr, a maniac, or a man divinely inspired. At last they found him guilty of blasphemy, and if slow iu coming to judgment, when they did come to it, they forgot mercy. The unhappy man was scntanced to be placed in the pillory at Westminster for two hours, thereafter to be whipped at a cart's tail, from Westminster to the Old Exchange : two days QUAERE ANECDOTES. 27 afterwards he was to be put in the pillory again, with a pla- card over his head stating his crime, and then to have his tongue bored through with a hot iron, and his forehead bran- ded with the letter B , and, as if this were not enough, he was to be sent the following week to Bristol, carried through the city on horseback, with his face to the tail, whipped again, and finally to be brought back to London, con- fined in Bridewell, and kept at hard labour during the parli- ment's pleasure. A most barbarous sentence ! When he had undergone one-half of it there was an effort made and many who were not Quakers joined in it to have the remainder cancelled ; but the parliament through zeal for religion, was unrelenting, and the whole of the terrible punishment was endured An unflinching Friend stood by him at the pillory, gently held his head while his tongue was being bored, and licked his wonds to assuage thf pain. The spectators through pity uncovered their heads when he was in his agony The Quakers in general were far from approving these insane and blasphemous pretensions, but they commiserated him in his cruel sufferings ; and as he repented in prison and acknow- ledged his errors, they received him, on his liberation, back into their body. " The Quakers" by Dr. Cunningham JAMES NAYLOR AT BRISTOL. Preachers of the Quaker sect first came to Bristol in the year 1653, and the 13th of November 1656, James Naylor and Dorcas Erbury, were summoned to appear before the parliament in London. James Naylor was sentenced by trie piuliauient to a severe punishment, which was executed in Bristol on the 17th of January, 1657, according to the following order: Cause James IS T ay!or to ride in at Lawford's gate upon a horse bare ridged, with his face backward ; from thence along Wine-street to the Tolzey ; thence down High-street over 28 QUAKER ANECDOTES. the bridge, and out of Rackley-gate; there let him alight and bring him into Saint Thomas-street, and cause him to be stript and made fast to the cart-horse; and there in the market first whipped ; from thence to the foot of the bridge, there whipped ; thence to the end of the bridge, there whipped; thence to the middle of High-street, there whipped; thence to the Tolzey, there whipped ; thence to the middle of Broad-street, there whipped, and then turn into Taylor's hall, thence release him from the cart-horse, and let him put on his clothes, and carry him from there to Newgate by Tower-lane the back way. There did ride before him, bare headed, Michael Stamper, singing most part of the way, and several other friends, men and women, the men went bare-headed by him, and Robert Rich, (late merchant of London) rode by him bare-headed, and singing, till he came to Redcliff-gate, and there the magistrates sent their officers and brought him back on horse- back to the Tolzpy, all which way he rode singing very loud, where the magistrates met. It seems James Naylor is not noticed in the sufferings of the Quakers, being justly censured by the generality of them, till ho had passed the bitter pangs of a sincere repentance. liowbeit it was very observable, that he endured his extreme punishment with a patience and magnanimitv astonishing to the beholders ; and many were of opinion, that had not the blindness of their zeal who con- demmed him, been at least equal to the blackness of his guilt, a punishment much more moderate might have sufficed. This rigourus punishment was inflicted according to the sentence of a bigoted parliament, ond not by the desire of Cromwell, who was naturally brave, and no persecutor. Carry's Iltory of Britlol QUAKERESS MISSIOXERT. But this religious knight-errantry was surpassed by a youna; woman who travelled to Turkey to make a Quaker of the Grand Sultan. Mary Fisher was the first Quakeress who QUAKER ANECDOTES. visited America, and we have already seen her suspected to be a witch ; but as she happily had no spots upon her person which were insensible to pain when pricked with a pin, she was saved from the stake, and sent back to England. She now directed her steps towards the Orient. When she arrived at Smyrna, the English Consul thought it an act of kindness to his countrywoman to stop her from proceeding further, and sent her back to Venice, from which she had come. But she was not thus to be baulked of her purpose, and managed to make her way, by another route, to Adrianople, in the neigh- bourhood of which Mahomet IV. was then encamped with his army. All alone she entered the Turkish camp, and got a message delivered to the Vizier that she had something from the Great God to declare to the Sultan. Surprised at the arrival of an ambassador so strange the Sultan agreed to receive her on the following day : which he did, surrounded by his great officers. " Is is true," said his Majesty through an interpreter, "that you have a message to me from the Lord God ?" Yea," said the Quakeress. "Then speak on without fear," replied the Sultan ; and the young woman, after a little natural hesitation, poured out what she conceived to be her commission from on high. The Turks sat and listened, with their usual gravity, and when she was done, Mahomet remarked that they could not but respect one who had come so far with a message from the Lord ; and offered her a guard to conduct her to Constantinople, where she now wished to proceed, as it was scarcely safe for one like her to travel alone. She declined the guard, adroitly eluded ex- pressing any opinion of the Prophet, reached Constantinople in safety, and from thence returned to England; having shewn that a Quaker could be more quixotic than Cervantes could conceive. " The Quakers," by Dr. Cunningham. 30 QUAKER ANECDOTES. PEPY'S DIAKY. In the Diary of this gossipping chronicler of events that occured duringthe reign of Charles II., are several references to the Quakers. January 11, 1663-4. This morning I stood by the King arguing with a pretty Quaker woman, that delivered to him a desire of hers in writing. The King shewed her Sir J. Minnes, as a man the fittest for her quaking religion, she modestly saying nothing till he began seriously to discourse with her, arguing the truth of his spirit against hers ; she replying still with these words, " Oh King!" and thou'd all along. February 7, 1665-6. To the Hall, where in the Palace I saw Monk's soldiers abuse Billing and all the Quakers, that were, at a meeting- place there, and indeed the soldiers did use them very roughly, and were to blame. July 29, 1667. One thing extraordiuray was this day : a man, a Quaker came naked through the Hall, only very civilly tied about the loins to avoid scandal, and with a chafing-dish of fired brimstone, burning upon his head, did pass through the Hall, crying, " Repent, repeat!" QTTAKEK TAVERN. Pepy's, on the 3rd of August, 1660, informs us that he dined at an ordinary called the Quaker, a somewhat un- usual godfather for a sinful tavern. The house was situated in the Great Sanctuary, Westminster, and was only pulled down in the beginning of the present century to make way for a market place, which in its turn has made room for a new sessions house. Tull the last landlord, opened a netr public-house in Thieving Lane, and adorned the doorway of his house with twisted pillars decorated with vine-leaves, brought from the old Quaker tavern. History of Signboard*. QUAKER ANECDOTES. 51 FANATICISM. The conduct of some of the early Quakers in the New England States, was characterized by indecent fanaticism. Grahanie in his History remarks, '' In public assemblies, and in crowded streets, it was the practice of some of the Quakers to denounce the most tremendous manifestations of the divine wrath on the people, unless they forsook their carnal sjstem. One of them, named Faubord, conceiving that he experienced a celestial eucoui agment to rival the faith and imitate the sacrifice of Abraham, was proceeding with his own hands, to shed the blood of his son, when his neighbours, alarmed by the cries of the lad, broke into the house, and prevented the consummation of this blas- phemous atrocity. Others interrupted divine service in the churches, by loudly protesting that these were not the sacrifices that God would accept. The female preachers far exceeded their male associates in folly, phrensy, and indecency. One of them presented herself to a congregation, with her face begrimed with coal- dust, announcing it js a pictorial illustration of the black pox, which heaven had commissioned her to predict as an approaching judgment against all carnal worshippers. Some of them, in rueful attire, perambulated the streets, proclaiming the immediate coming of an angel with a drawn sword, to plead with the people ; and some attempted feats that may seeni to verify the legend of Godiva of Coventry. One woman, in particular, entered stark-naked into a church in the middle of divine service, and desired the people to take heed of her as a sign of the times, and an emblem of the unclothed state of their own souls ; and her associates highly extolied her submission to the inward light, that had revealed to her the duty of illustrating the spiritual nakedness of her neighbours by the indecent QUAKER AXECDOTE3. exhibition of her own parson. Another Quakeress was arrested as she was making a similar display in the streets of Salem. Buckingham remarks " If the records of these extrava- gancies were from the pens of writers opposed to the Quakers generally, they might well be discredited ; but two authors of their own sect, Bishop, the writer of a work entitled "New England Judged," and Besse, the author of a work entitled " Collection of the Sufferings of the People called Quakers," relate similar instances, and either defend or excuse them. Botli these writers mention the case of Deborah Wilson, whom they describe as " a modest woman, of retired life and conversation ; but bearing a great burden for the hardness and cruelty of the people. She went through the town of Salem naked as a sign ; which, having in part performed, she was laid hold on, and bound over to appear at the next court of Salem, where the wicked rulers sentence;! her to be whipped. And Besse records the instance of Lydia Wardle, a Quakeress, who " found herself inwardly prompted to appear in a public assembly in a very unusual manner, and such as was exceeding hard and self-denyiug to her natural disposition, she being a woman of exemplary modesty in all her behaviour. The duty and c.mce: u she lay under was that of going into the church at Newbury naked, as a token of the miserable condition in which she conceived the people to be. But they (the people,) instead of religously re- flecting on their own condition, which she came in that manner to represent to them, fell into a rage, and presently laid hands on her."; This is the language in which Quaker writers themselves speak of these transactions, and one can hardly wonder that the magistrates of the places named should have endeavoured to put a stop to such proceedings. QT/ATCER ANECDOTES. 83 EDWARD BURROUGH. Among the most famous of the early Quaker preachers, was Edward Burrough. Educated as an episcopalian, he had become a presbyterian when the tide set in that way ; but, still disappointed of peace, he went over from the pres- byterians to the Quakers. For this he was turned out of doors by his father, for Quakerism was enough to bring disgrace upon any family. Being possesed of considerable fluency he soon became distinguished as a preacher among the new sect. And a forward man was he. It was usual in those days for the London tradesmen, when their day's work was done, to meet in the fields, of a Bummer's evening to try their sUill in wrestling. Burrough once on a time came upon a ci-owd where such athletic exercises were going on. A stout fellow had already thrown three antagonists, and now waited to see if any other would challenge his skill, when Burrough stepped into the ring. Everybody gazed, lor he had not the ap- pearance of a mighty man, and the champion himself was not a little disconcerted ; but Burrough soon shewed what was the nature of the encounter he sought, for instead of casting his coat and coming to gripes with his antagonist, he o tened his mouth aud thundered against spiritual wick- edness in high places. He was as ready with his pen as his tongue, and almost rivalled Fox in the abundance of his epistolary writings. He assailed the Protector with let- ters about his piide, his forgetfulness of his vows, and the judgments which would come upon him and his house if he did not repent. He favoured in a similar way his wife and favourite daughter, the Lady Claypole ; for the Quakers had often been very successful in gaining a hold upon the female heart. Thus forward in the cause of the Friends, he had his share of the horse- whippings aud imprisonments to which they were exposed. "27* Quakers," by Dr. Cunningham. QUAKER ANECDOTM. WILLIAM STOUT. We insert a few entries from the autobiography of William Stout, of Lancaster, wholesale and retail grocer and ironmonger, a member of the Society of Friends A.D. 1665-1752. The autobiography is most interesting as affording information respecting the manners and customs of the people of his day, and gives perhaps as clear an insight into the mode in which trade was then carried on as is to be obtained from any source. The substance of it appeared many years ago in the Manchester Guardian, and subsequently the autobiography was published iu a seperate form, edited from the original manuscript by J. Harland. In 1690, William Stout went on horseback to London on business, and to attend the yearly meeting of the Friends. He writes, this being Whit Sunday, so-called, at which time yearly and every year my friends called Quakers have a general meeting of representatives from all parts of our king's dominions, where any of them have meetings, where accounts are brought of their sufferings for tithes, and for refusing an oath in several courts, and other testimonies, and the necessities of the sufferers, and the relief of the poor, and many other occurrences incident among them respecting to good order and a truly Christian department in life and conversation. Which meeting continued some days, and was much to my information and satisfaction and observation of condescention and piety. And after the said meeting was over, I had time to settle my accounts with all I dealt with, and bought and ordered what goods I had occasion for, and ordered most of them by waggon carriage to Standish, at 3s. 6d. or 4s. a cwt. There were some shipping and [convoys appointed, but they wove tedious ; one perhaps to Portsmouth, another from thence to Plymouth, and another about the land to Bristol or Dublin, which often was six months, and hazard from QUAKER ANECDOTES. 85 Dublin ; for the French privateers cruised off Holyhead and the Isle of Man ; and this tediousness did wholly discourage the sending cheese by sea, which would all be spoiled in a long passage, or many other goods besides the loss of time and a market ; the land carriage being quick, if dear. Having dispatched my business in London in a week, I came back the Yorkshire road, with my neighbour, John Bryer, to Leeds, and I to Sheffield with what money I had to spare at London, and bought what goods I had occasion for and got home at that week end, and finding all well, and that my sister, under whose care I had left my trade, had been diligent, and taken near 20, for goods in my three weeks absence. My expenses in my former and this journey to London were very near 3 each. 1690. I was boarded at Alderman Thomas Bayne's house two years at the rate of 5 a year, and then, he being disappointed of a housekeeper, upon the 5th day of the third month of this year, I removed to be boarded with Kichard Sterzaker, a butcher, very near my shop, at the same price, with several others, and very good entertain- ment, to our good liking and satisfaction. I went to Sheffield in the 1st month, of 1691-2 to settle accounts with Obadiah Barlow, who I employed to bay goods for me in my absence, and also then bought some packs of the makers of the goods, I also went to Preston fair, principally to buy cheese, the market for cheese then being mostly at Garstany and Preston fairs, which afterward came to Lancaster, mostly at Michaelmas fair. At this tirae we sold much cheese to funerals in the country, from SOlb. to lOOlb. weight, as the deceased was of ability: which was shived iiico two or three (slices or pieces) in the In., and one with a penny manchet (loaf) given to all the attendants. And tken it was customary, at Lancaster, to 36 QUAKER ANECDOTES. give one or two long, called Naples, biscuits, to each atten- ding the funeral; hy which from 20lb. to near lOOlb. was given, according to the deceased's ability; I think they were near Is. a pound. William Stout being a man of great repute for probity and wisdom, was not unfrequently wished to discharge the duties of executor for various families. He was appointed executor under the will of John Johnson, (a Churchman) who left a widow, two sons, and one daughter. After the mother's second marriage, William Stout, referring to the daughter, remarks in his diary she was with me about two years, and was kept at school to write, sew, knit, and other necessary employ, till about a year after her brother's death, when she was about 16 years of age ; and then was desirous to go and see her father's mother, au ancient woman and her daughters, poor people, near Warrington, which was granted, and decently fitted out and sent from hence. Her sunts had been nurses to Charles Owen, a noted Presby- terian preacherin Warrington, into whose acquaintance they introduced her ; who, upon inquiry or information that she was under my tuition, a Quaker x expressed himself with much pretended surprise that any Christian should leave his child under the tuition of a Quaker ; and soon after she writ to me that I might not expect her return, and that she had chosen Mr. Owen for her tutor, which expression of his, and her slighting my care for her. gave me some trouble ; and having some business in Liverpool, I went from thence to Warrington, and had an opportunity with the said Owen, and before several persons of good repute, reproved him for his uncharitable reflection against the Quakers in general and me in particular, before he knew any occasion, and for which he was reproved of all my neighbours of his religious persuasion. But as is customary with priests and preachers of all professions, not to confess themselves in an error, he QUAKEtt ANECDOTES. 87 persisted in what he had done, and expected to have the management of her effects ; which we refused, but only to allow the yearly profits of the same, which was about 15 a-year for her maintenance. But he employed a lawyer to compel us to more, which we slighted. But he entertained her as a gentlewoman, and got her a fiddle, and learned her to play and dance. She remained with him until she attained to 2 1 years of age, and then we accounted with her and paid her what was due. The said Owen got a good part more than we allowed for education, and got her a husband, Peter Heys, an indolent man, a joiner, who had built some houses at the utmost N.W. end of Liverpool, the year before the dock was made, upon which the north end was of no value by which, and his indolence they became poor. They continued married four years, when he became consumptive and died, and left her four or five small child- ren ; upon which she was forced to industry to maintain them, to the discredit of the aforesaid tutor. IMPORTANT TRIAL. A cause of great importance to the Quakers, was tried in 1661, at Nottingham assizes, upon the decision of which depended the legality of all the marriages hitherto contrac- ted among this people. A Quaker died leaving his wife with child, together with a copyhold estate in lands; after the widow's delivery, a kinsman of the deceased husband en- deavoured to prove the child illegitimate, and his council to make good his case, pleaded that the Quakers did not legally marry, but went togethe like brute beasts. Judge Archer, in summing up the case, told the jury "that there was a marriage in Paradise, when Adam took Eve, and Eve took Adam ; and that it was the consent of the parties that made a marriage. He did not know the opinion of the Quakers, but he did not believe they went together, as had been so unbecomingly asserted, ' like brute beasts,' but 38 QUAKER ANECDOTES. as Christians, and therefore he did believe the marriage was lawful, and the child a lawful heir." And lurther to satisfy the jury, he related the following case, A man that was of weak body, and kept his bed, had a desire, in that condition to marry, and declare before witnesses, that he did take such a woman to be his wife ; and the woman declared, that she took that man to be her husband. The marriage was after- wards called in question, but all the bishops did at that time conclude it to be a lawful marriage." The jury having re- ceived this instruction, gave their verdict for the child, and declared it legitimate. Life of 6. Fox, by J. Marsh. SELF-CONTROL. A merchant in London had a dispute with a Quaker res- pecting the settleraemt of an account. The merchant was determined to bring the account into court, a proceeding which the Quaker earnestly deprecated, using every argument in his power to convince tlie merchant of his error ; but the latter was inflexible. Desirous to make a last effort, the Quaker called at his house one morning, and inquired of the servant if his master was at home. The merchant hearing the inquiry and knowing his voice, called out from the top of the stairs, "Tell the rascal I am not at home." The Quaker looking up to him, calmly s>aid. "Well, friend, God put thee in a better mind." The merchant, struck afterwards with the meekness of the reply, and having mere deliberately investi- gated the matter, became convinced that the Quaker was right, and that he was wrong. He requested to see him, and after acknowledging his error, he said, " t have one question to ask you. How were you at>lo, with such patience, on various occasions, to bear my abuse?" "Fiiend," replied the Quaker, " I will tell thee. I was naturally as hot and violent as thou art. I knew that to iudulge this temper was sinful ; and 1 found it was imprudent. 1 observed that men in QUAKER ANECDOTES. 39 a passion always spoke loud ; and I thought if I could control my voice, I should repress my passion. I have, therefore, made it a rule never to let my voice rise above a certain key; and by a careful observance of this rule I have, by the bless- ing of God, entirely mastered my natural temper." The Quaker reasoned plilosophically, and the merchrnt as every one else may do, benefited by his example. EGBERT BARCLAY AND THE ROBBERS. Robert Barclay, the celebrated apologist of the Quakers, and Leonard Fell, a member of the same Society, were sever- ally attacked by highwaymen in England, at different times. Both faithfully adhered to their non-resistance principles, and both signally triumphed. The pistol was levelled at Barclay, and a determined demand was made for his purse. Calm and self-possessed, he looked the robber in the face, with a firm but meek benignity, assured him he was his and every man's friend, that he was willing and ready to relieve his wants, that he was free from the fear of death through a divine hope in immortality, and, therefore, was not to be intimidated by a deadly weapon; and then appealed to him, whether he could have the heart to shed the blood of one who had no other feeling or purpose but to do him good. The robber was confounded ; his eye melted, his brawny arm trembled, his pistol fell to bis side, and he fled from the presence of the non-resistant hero whom he could no longer confront. NOBLE DISINTERESTEDNESS. The Quakers as a community in the United States were the first that protested against the injustice of slavery and passed a resolution disowning any of their members that bought or sold negroes or kept them in bondage. Many Quakers voluntarily manumitted their slaves. They had many difficulties to encounter, as the legislation of the States had been trained iii the interests of the masters. 40 QUAKEH ANECDOTES. In Pennsylvania a man who liberated a slave had to give a bond for the payment of 30 should the libei-ated slave ever become a burden to the State. In New Jersey the law was stricter, entailing responsibility for the misconduct of the liberated slave and likewise of his posterity. The Quakers in spite of many obstacles were determined that their negroes should have freedom. One Quaker, William Mifflin deserves to have hio name specially remembered, he not only liberated his slaves, but paid their wages which were due to them from the first day of their servitude. . v o that strict justice might be awarded, arbiters were mutually chosen by the master and his freed slaves whose decision as to the amount of compensation was to be final. PETER THE GREAT AXD WILLIAM PEXN. Penn became acquainted with the young Czar, Peter of Russia, then working in the dockyard at Deptford as a carpenter and ship-builder. With that passion for convert- ing the great, which had led their biethren to Rome, to Adrianoplo, and to Versailles, in search of royal proselytes, Thomas Story and another friend, hearing that the ruler of Muscovey could be easily approached, went to him for the purpose of delivering what they believed to be the new gospel. They found to their suprise that the Czar could speak no Latin ; and as they were ignorant of German, it was impossible to converse without the aid of an interpreter. Peter was interested though not much edified by their discourse, but the Friends were greatly charmed with their reception, and immediately reported to Penn, who spoke German with great fluency, that a new field was opening in the imperial mind for the spread of truth. On this hint Penn went clown to York Buildings, where the Czar resided, when not at the docks, with Prince Menzikoffj and there ea-v the object of his visit. As a man who had lived in courts and seen the world, aa the son also of the renowned QUAKER ANECDOTES. 41 Admiral, Penn got on much hotter with the young and sagacious prince than the simple-hearted Story. With the practical turn of mind which distinguished him through life, Peter had at once gone to what appeared to him the heart of the matter. You say you are a new people, will you fight better than the rest ? Story had told him they cuuld not boar arms against their neighbour. Then tell me, said Peter, of what use you would be to any kingdom, if you will not fight? The fact of their wearing their hats in his presence rather amused than offended him; but he couid not be made to comprehend the reason of it. Eager for knowledge of every kind, he listened with courtesy and interest to the discourses 01 Penn ; he wished, he said, to learn in a few words what the Quakers taught and practised, that he might be able to distinguish them from other men; whereupon his visitor wrote. " They teach that men must be holy, or they cannot be happy, that they should be fevv in words, peaceable in life, suifer wrongs, love enemies, deny themselves without which faith is false, worship formality, and religion hypocrisy." Peter was not conver- ted, but he was interested ; as he knew a little English he began to attend occasionally at the meetings of .Friends at Deptford, where he behaved very politely and socially, standing up or sitting down as it suited the convenience and comfort of others. Some of the Quaker preachers evidently regarded their imperial listener as a convert to the faith ; they were probably not aware that, as an acute observer of human manners, it was his humour to attend the religious services of all sects and denominations. Hep worth Dixon. QUAKERESSES AT MALTA. Dr. Cunningham in his history of " The Quakers," observes. So early as 1658 two Quaker women had "draw- ings in their minds" to proceed to Alexandria, that they might in the city where Neo-Platonism had been so c 42 QUAKER ANECDOTES. eloquently taught by Hypatia twelve hundred years before, promulgate their Neo-Christianity, and, if need were, die for their mystic faith, as she had. They had husbands and children, but the divine " drawings " overcame all conjugal and parental instincts. The ship in which they sailed touched at Malta, which was then held by the Knights of St. John. The Quakeresses landed, and were kindly entertained by the English Consul, who, at the same time, warned them of the danger they ran if they offended the religious prejudices of the people. The governor also visited them, and told them he had a sister in the nunnery who greatly desired to see them. They went, but refused to bow before the high altar of the convent chapel, and for this no one will blame them. On another occasion they went into a church or mass-house as they called it while service was going on, and one of them knelt down with her back to the altar, as a testimony against it, and prayed aloud. A priest, probably struck with her fervour, came up to her, and offered to slip something into her hand, but she thought it must be the mark of the beast, and refused it with loathing. Yet another time they entered a church while high mass was being celebrated ; they saw the lighted tapers, the embroidered draperies, the carved crucifixes, the bowings and the kiuv in ;s ; and horrified at the idolatrous spectacle, they stood in the midst of the people, weeping and trembling violently, and even afterwards when they came into the street they reeled and staggered as if they had been drunken, at which the poor Maltese marvelled greatly. It was probably felt that such exhibitions could no longer be permitted, for the two Quakeresses were now removed from the Consul's house and lodged in the prison of the Inquisition. While there they were sometimes treated ^ith kindness, and sometimes with severity : threats, promises, and arguments were in turn employed to induce them to become catholics, but they continued steadfast, and QtTAKEK ANECDOTES. 43 after four years incarceration they were set at liberty, and sent back to England. When they had been about four years in the prison of the Inquisition, a Friend, named Baker, who had been travelling in the East, came to Malta, in order, if possible, to procure their release. The inquisitors at once offered to set them at liberty if they "would find bail never to return to Malta again. But this they refused even to endeavour to procure, as they knew not what the Lord might require them to do. Baker now offered to be imprisoned for them, or even to die for them ; but such vicarious suffering did not seem good to the Roman inquisitors. Foiled in his endeavours to procure their release, this devoted Friend could do nothing more than take his station near their prison, where he and the captives could catch a glimpse of each other, and exchange a few words, and by this their souls were exceedingly refreshed. But at last he must leave Malta, and on his return home he was wind-bound for some weeks at Gibral- ter. When its towering rock first loomed upon his view, he remembered he had seen such a crag in the visions of the night, and therefore inferred that the Lord had work for him there. He accordingly went ashore on a Mauoday Thursday, and repaired to the mass-house. He found the priest in his surplice kneeling before the high altar, adoring the host. A divine indignation instantly took hold on him. He there- fore turned his back upon the priest and his dead God, and his face toward the people who were down upon their knees ; and taking off his his coat he rent it from top to bottom and cast it from him, and then lilting his hat from his head, where it had hitherto remained, he threw it to the ground, and stamped upon it, and thrice he cried out "The life of Christ and his saints is risen from the dead!" The priest and the people no doubt concluded that a furious 44 QUAKER ANECDOTES. madman had found his way into the church, and instead of laying hold of him, they felt relieved when he had made his escape and returned to the ship." MB. HULL AND HIS MAN CHARLES. In King William's war, Mr. Hull, a Quaker of Rhode Island, who commanded a vessel of which he was the owner, was met at sea by a French privateer, which coming up with him, the captain ordered him. to strike. The Quaker made answer that he could not resolve to part with either his ship or cargo, which were his property, and of consid- erable value : neither could he by the laws of his religion, fight, but he would speak to his man Charles, who was of another persuasion, and in case he was inclined to fight, he should not hinder him. Accordingly Charles was called, who accepted the encounter, and falling to work with the Frenchman, soon obliged him to sheer off. This Charles was no other than the late Sir Charles Wager who then served that honest Quaker ; and the report which Mr. Hull made, when he arrived at London of this gallant action, was the first rise of that worthy Admiral JOHN BUNYAN AND THE QUAKER. A Quaker called on Bunyan one day with a " message from the Lord," saying he had been to half the gaols in England, and was glad at last to have found him To which Bunyan replied; "If the Lord sentthee, you would not have needed to take so much trouble to find me out for He knew that I have been in Bedford Gaol these seven years past." ^^ frls COMPELLING A QUAKER TO SWEAR. In a paper contributed to the meeting of a county histor- ical society the following amusing ; necdote is told of a Quaker named Fitz Randolph, who once live.l in then* igh- bourhood. This Fitz Randolph is said to have bieu a QUAKER AXECDOTES. devoted Friend, and to have had in his employ a man who was a singular character, and allowed by his master almost as many liberties as the " King's fool." On a certain Sunday morning, Mr. Fitz Randolph wished to go to the Quaker Meeting House on the opposite hill, but the brook was so swollen with the rain as not to be easily crossed. The man offered to carry him across on his back. When in the midst of the stream he stopped, and said to Mr. Fitz Randolph " Will thee give me a quart of apple-jack if I take thee safe over ? " " No, I will not ; go on," said Mr. Fitz Rondolph. " But say, will thee give it tome? for if thee does not, I will let thee down into the water ! " "I must not give thee that will do thee harm ! " " But I say thee must give it me, or I will let thee down into the water quickly ! " was the reply of the impudent fellow, whose motions indicated that he meant what he said " AVell I promise to give thee the apple-jack! now go on,", said the Quaker. " Bnt swear that thee will give it me," persisted the man. " Thee knows that I must not swear ! " " But I say thee must swear that thee will give me the apple-jack, or I swear I will put thee quickly into the water!" "Well, well," said Mr. Fitz Randolph, "thee is very unreasonable, but thee has me in thy power, and so I swear I will give thee the rum ! " There, now, Mr. Fitz Randolph, thee hast done it! exclaimed the man with an ill- concealed chuckle, ' thee hast done it now,' for thee always said that a man who will swear will die, and sol will let thee down into the water at any rate ' " and he at once suited the action to the word, leaving his employer in no good plight physically or spiritually for the service he was designing to attend SCRIPTURE AUTHORITY. A Quaker married a woman ot the Church of" England. After the ceremony, the Vicar asked for the fees, which Le 46 QUAKEB ANECDOTES. said were a crown. The Quaker, astonished at the demand, said if he would show him any text in the Scriptures which proved his fees were a crown, he would give it unto him ; upon which the Vicar directly turned to the 12th chapter of Proverbs, verse the 4th, where it said, " A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband." " Thou art right, friend, in thy assertion." said the Quaker, "here are thy twelve penny- pieces and something besides, to buy thee a pair of gloves with." A PLAN TO DISCOVER THE TRUE KELIGION. Solomon Eccles, who died about the end of the seventeenth century, was an English musician much admired for many years for his icmarkable skill on several instruments, but while in the zenith of his fame became a Quaker, and prac- tised so many foibles in his new profession that he was the ridicule of all London. He burnt his lute and his violins, and by meditation found out a new expedient for ascertaining the true religion. This was to collect under one roof the most virtuous men of the several sects that diride Chiistianity, .who should unanimously fall to prayer for seven days without taking any nourishment. " Then," said he " those on whom the spirit of God shall manifest itself in a sensible manner that is to say, by the trembling of the limbs, and interior il- luminationsmay oblige the rest to subscribe to their decisions." He found, however, that none would put this strange conceit to the trial, and his persistence in propagating 1 his folly, his prophecies, his invectives, and his pretended miracles only served to pass him from one prison to another, till at length by this sort of discipline he was brought to confess the vanity of his prophecies, and finish his life in tranquility, but with- out religion. STRONG LANGUAGE. Some of the early Quakers manifested a fiVrre and vin/Hr.. tive &pirit, and -were not particular as to the language they QUAKER ANECDOTES. 47 addressed to their opponents. Humphrey Norton, who was sentenced to be removed from Plymouth colony, thus address- ed the Governor, Thomas Prince on the bench. " Prince, thou lyest ; Thomas, thou art a malicious man ; thy clamorous tongue I regard no more than the dust under my feet ; and thou art like a scolding woman, as thou pratest and deri- dest me ! Norton afterwards addressed the Governor by letter in such language as, Thomas Prince, thou hast bent thy heart to work wickedness, and with thy tongue has set forth deceit ; thou imaginest mischief upon thy bed, and hatchest thy hatred in thy secret chamber ; the strength of darkness is over thee, and a malicious mouth hast thou opened against God and his annointed ; and with thy tongue and lips hast thou uttered peverse things ; thou hast slandered the innocent, by railing, lying, and false accusations, and with thy barbar- ous heart hast thou caused their blood to be shed, &c., &c, ' John Alden is to thee like unto a pack-horse, whereupon thou layest thy beastly bag ; cursed are all they that have a hand therein ; the cry of vengeance will pursue thee day and night.' After continuing in this strain at great length, he closes with " The anguish and pain that will enter thy veins will be like gnawing worms lodging betwixt thy heart and liver When these things come upon thee, and thy back is bowed down with pain, in that day and hour thou shalt know to thy grief that prophets of the Lord God we are, and the God of vengeance is our God." THE QUAKERESS AND THE OFFICER. Somewhere about the year 1740, there lived at Stourbridge a respectable family of the Socieiy of Friends of the name of Winter. They occupied a house contiguous to the principal inn of the town, and their windows overlooked the yard- Mrs. Winter was a clever, amiable woman, and the lady at the inn generally consulted her in any case of domestic 48 QUAKER ANECDOTES. difficulty It happened that there were a number of soldiers quartered in the town, and the officers' head-quarters were at this inn One of these officers was given to the habits of in- temperance ; and sometimes, after hard drinking, he became quarrelsome and irrational, approaching even to madness. One afternoon, having sat long over the bottle, a difference arose between him and a brother officer, when he became so furious / through intoxication, that he drew his sword, and dared his opponent to single combat, at the same time rushing into the yard ready for the bloody purpose. There he con- tinued raving and reeling for some time, with his naked sword flourishing about, making very ludicrous gesticulations, and shouting forth most amusing pot-valiant defiances, when a number of thoughtless people gathered around him to enjoy the fun. At this juncture, the landlady, observing the scene ; concluded that murder would most assuredly follow, and that for which her husband, who was then absent, might be seriously brought into trouble ; and she was so affected at the sight that she fainted. In this dilemma, Mrs. Winter was hastily applied to for advice and assistance; and having surveyed the ground, she immediately perceived the danger the people were in of being wounded or killed, through some eccentric lunge of the drunken warrior ; and she paused a few moments to consider if she could do anything to avert such a catastrophe. Confiding in the purity of her motive* she now put on her bonnet, and proceeded to the scene of action. Having quietly made her way through the crowd, Khe placed herself directly before the vaunting soldier, at the same time looking him placidly in the face. His countenance quickly fell and he ceased his boasting, gazing on his unexpec- ted visitant, with awe and reverence, as though she had been, an angel. Mrs. Witite now very geatly put her hand on the hilt of hi* sword, when he unconciously relaxed hi r - crnsp, and she drew it away from him. Having secured the QUAKEK ANECDOTES. 49 dangerous -weapon, she carried it home to her own apartment, to the no small amusement of those who witnessed the hazardous deed. The drunken man having stared vacantly about him for some time, staggered off" to his quarters, and slept away the fumes of his potations, On awakening, a few hours afterwards, his recollection returned, and he inquired anx- iously for his sword, as his appearance without it on parade next morning might lead to some very awkard inquiries. He therefore sent his servant with Major 's compliments to Mrs. Winter, and begged that she would return the weapon. Her answer was, that bhe had it safely locked up in her closet, and if he himself would call in the morning she would deliver it to him. These were hard terms for a British officer to sub- mit to, but he very prudently considered, under present cir- cumstances, it was the best policy to yield. In the morning the major arose fully sensible of the folly he had been guilty of, and the dilemma in which he had placed himself. He, however, determined now to pursue the only right course before him (mortifying as it was to his feelings), and he accordingly sought an interview with Mrs. Winter, to whom he apologized very amply, and acknowledged himself under the greatest obligation for her kind and timely interference. Mrs. Winter then restored his sword, desiring him to replace it in the scabbard ; after which she delivered him a short lecture on the benefits arising from temperance and peace. Promising to be more circumspect in his future conduct, ami again thanking her for her kindness, he departed, let us hope, a somewhat wiser and better man. Paxton Hood's Representative Women. A SPECULATION At a "business meeting among certain Quakers about a proposed canal ; one of the most influential men present opiused the project on the ground of its being a speculation. 50 QUAKER ANECDOTES. This was of course, unanswerable, but, among other objection, he went on to gay : " When God created the world, if he had wished canals, he would have made them." Upon this, " a weighty friend," (one of their terms) rose up, and said, slowly, in the intoning voice in which they always speak in meeting, "And Jacob digged a well," and sat down. The influential man immediately retired into private life ; but he bought some shares in the canal for all that. QUAKER PHEACHIXG. Sewel, who is more generally known by his Dutch and English Dictionary, than as an English writer, relate? the following anecdote of his mother, Judith Ziuspenning, who visited England, and was much esteemed there among the Quakers Being at a meeting in London, and rinding herself stirred up to speak of the loving-kindness of the Lord to those who feared him, she desired one Peter Sybrands to be her interpreter , but he, though an honest man, being not very fit for that service, one or more friends told her they were so sensible of the power by which she spoke, that though they did not understand her words, yet they were edified by the life and power that accompanied her speech : and, therefore, they little regretted the want of interpretation. And so she went on without any interpreter ! QUAKERS ADDRESS An address of the Quakers to James II. on his accession, preserved in Wanley's Common-place Book, is highly characteristic of that shrewd sect. ' ' We come to condole the death of [our friend .Charles ; and we are glad that thou art come to be our ruler. We hear that thou art a dissenter from the Church of England, and so are we. "We beg that thou wouldst grant us the same liberty that thou takest thyself, and so we wish thee well Farewell." [Harl. MS, 6030.1 QUAKER ANECDOTES. 51 INDIANS AND THE QUAKER MEETING, A little before the revolutionary war, there were a few families of Friends, who had removed from Duchess county and settled at Easton, then in Saratoga county, New York. The \>\i e is sometimes slow, which botokeneth not an even temper ; at other times it waxeth sluggish, notwithstanding I ire- quently urge him ; when he should be on duty as thou knoweth his hand denoteth, I find him slumbering, or, as the vanity of the human reason phrases it, 1 caught him napping. Examine him, therefore, and prove him. ] beseech thee, thoroughly, tiiat thou inayest, being well QUAKER ANECDOTES. 55 acquainted with his inward frame and disposition, draw him from the error of his way, and show him the path wherein he should go. It grieves me to think, and when I ponder therein I am verily of the opinion that his body is foul, and the whole mass is corrupted, dense him, therefore, wi.h thy charming physic, from all pollution, that he may vibrate and circulate according to the truth. I will place him for a few days under thy care, and pay for his board as thou requirest. I entreat thee, friend John, to demean thyself on this occasion with judgment, according to the gift which is in thee, and prove thyself a workman ; and when thou layest thy correcting hand upon him, let it be witnout pas- sion, lest thou shouldest drive him to destruction. Do thou regulate his motion for a time to come by the motion of the light that ruleth the day, and when thou fiudest him con- verted from the error of his ways, uud more conformable to the above-mentioned rules, then thou send him home with a just bill of the charges drawn out in the spirit of moder- ation, and it shall be sent thee in the rout ol all evil." THE CHOICE. A Quaker residing at Paris, was waited on by four of his workmen in order to make their compliments, and ask for their usual new year's gifts ' Well, my friends,' said the Quaker. ' here are your gifts ; choose fifteen francs or the bible.' 'I don't know how to read,' said the first, 'so I take the fifteen francs.' ' I can read,' said the second, ' but I have pressing wants.' He o >k the fifteen francs. The third also made the same choice. He now came to the fourth, a young lad of about thirteen or fourteen. The Quaker looked at him with an air of goodness. ' Will you too take these three piece*, which you may obtain at any time by your labour and industry ? ' ' As you say the book is good, I will take it, and read from it to my mother,' r e]uit:d the buy. He took the bible, opened it, and iound fi6 QUAKER ANECDOTES. between the leaves a gold piece of forty francs. The others hung down their heads, and the Quaker told them he was sorry they had not made a better choice. QUAKER RESPONSIBILITY. A young man desirous of entering into business on his own account, applied to a wholesale linendraper, to give him credit for goods to the amount of 500. Being asked for a reference as to character, he mentioned Mr. 15., a Quaker, who, upon being applied to, gave the } oung man such a character, as induced the tradesman immediately to let him have the goods he wished for. After being some time in business, and by his conduct justifying the trust reposed in him, he fell into habits of dissipation, neglected his shop, and, as a natural consequence, became insolvent. The injured creditor meeting Mr. B., complained that he had been deceived as to the character of the young man, by which he had lost -300. The honest Quaker replied, that he had spoken to the best of his knowledge, and had been deceived. As, however, it was on his representation the credit had been given to the insolvent, he would pay the debt; which he did immediately, by a cheque on his banker. THE QUAKER AND HIS VISITOR. A gentleman of indolent habits made a business of visit- ing his friends extensively. He was once cordially received by a Quaker, who treated his visitor with great attention and politeness for several days. At last he said, "My friend, I am afraid thee will never visit me again." " Oh yes, I shall," said the visitor ; " I have enjoyed my visit very much; I shall certainly come again." "Nay," said the Quaker, "I think thbe will not visit me again." " What makes you think I shall not come again ? " asked the visitor. " If thee does never leave," said the Quaker, " how canst thee come again ? " QUAKER ANECDOTES. 57 WHITFIELD AND THE QUAKER. Whitfield, having preached at Edinburgh to a large and attentive audience, from "The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost," was after the sermon called upon by a large company, including some of the nobility, who bade him God- speed. Among the rest a portly Quaker, who, taking him by the hand, said, "Friend George, I am as thou art ; I am for bringing all to the life and power of the ever-living God, and therefore if thou wilt not quarrel with me about my hat, I will not quarrel with thee about thy gown." WASTING OTHERS' TIME. A committee of eight ladies, in the neighbourhood of London, was appointed to meet on a certain day at twelve o'clock. Seven of them were punctual ; but the eighth came hurrying in, with many apologies for being a quarter of an hour behind time. The time had passed away with- out her being aware of it ; she had no idea of its being so late, &c. A Quaker lady present, said, " Friend, I am not clear that we should admit thine apology. It were matter of regret that thou shouldst have wasted thine own quarter of an hour ; but here are seven besides thyself, whose time thou hast also consumed, amounting in the whole to two hours, and seven- eighths of it was not thine own property." CONVERSATION. Once I happened to overhear a dialogue somewhat simi- lar to that which Charles Lamb, perhaps, only feigned to hear. I was travelling in a railway carriage with a most precise-looking, formal person, the Arch-Quaker, if there be such a person. His countenance was very noble, or had been so before it was frozen up. He said nothing. I felt D 58 QUAKER ANECDOTES. a great respect for him. At last his mouth opened. I lis- tened with attention. I had hitherto lived with foolish, gad-about, dinner-eating, dancing people ; now I was going to hear the words of retired wisdom ; when he thus address- ed his young daughter sitting opposite : " Hast thee heard how Southamptons went lately ? " (in those days South Western Railway shares were called Southampton^) ; and she replied with like gravity, giving him some informa- tion that she had picked up about Southamptons yesterday evening I leant back rather sickened, as I thought what was probably the daily talk and daily thoughts in that family, from which I conjectured all amusement was ban- ished save that connected with intense money-getting. Helps' Friends in Council. THE SKATING QUAKEK AB.TIST. The following anecdote of West is given by his biogra- pher, Allan Cunningham: ''West was a skilful skater, and in America had formed an acquaintance on the ice with Colonel, afterwards too well known in the Colonial war, as General Howe. This friendship had dissolved with the thaw, and was forgotten, till one day the painter, having tied on his skates at the Serpentine, was astonishing the timid practitioners of London by the rapidity of his motions, and the graceful figure which he cut. Some one cried out, ' West ! West ! ' it was Colonel Howe. ' I am glad to see you,' said he, 'and not the less so that you come in good time to vindicate my praise of American skating.' He called to him Lord Spencer Hamilton, and some of the Cavendishes, to whom he introduced West as one of the Philadelphia prodigies, and requested him to show them 'the salute.' He performed so much to their satisfaction, that they went away spreading the praise of the American skater over London. Nor was the considerate Quaker QUAKER ANECDOTES. insensible to the value of such coum.endations: he contin- ued to frequent the Serpentine, and to gratify large crowds by cutting the Philadelphia salute. Many, to their praise of his skating, added panegyrics on his professional skill ; and not a few, to vindicate their applause, followed him to the easel, and sat for their portraits." BENJAMIN WEST'S SUBJECTS. The Quaker artist as he advanced in his profession, not only executed various works upon classical and historical subjects, but suggested a series of pictures to illustrate the progress of revealed religion. "No subtle divine," says Mr. Cunningham, "ever laboured more diligently on con- troversial texts than did our painter in evolving his pictures out of this grand and awful subject. He divided it into four dispensations, the Antediluvian, the Patriarchal, the Mosaical, and the Prophetical. They contained in all thirty-six subjects, eighteen of which belonged to the Old Testament, the rest to the New. They were all sketched, and twenty-eight were executed, for which "West received in all twenty-one thousand seven hundred and five pounds. A work so varied, so extensive, and so noble in its nature, was never before undertaken by any painter." LEIGH HUNT'S DESC&IPXION OF BENJAMIN WEST. I need not enter into the merits of an artist who is so known, and has been so often criticised. He was a man with regular, mild features ; and though of Quaker origin, had the look of what he was, a painter to a court. His appearance was so gentlemanly, that, the moment lie changed his gown for a coat, he seemed to be full-dressed. The simplicity and self-possession of the young Quaker, not having time enough to grow stiff, (for he went early to study at Home), took up, I suppose, with more ease than most would have done, the urbanities of his new positiun. 60 QUAKER ANECDOfES. And what simplicity helped him to, favour would rotam } yet this man, so well bred, and so indisputably clever in his art (whatever might be the amount of his genius), had received so careless, or so homely an education when a boy, that he could hardly read. He pronounced also some of his words, in reading, with a puritanical baibarism, such as haive for have, as some people pronounce when they sing psalms. But this was perhaps an American custom. My mother who read and spoke remarkably well, would say Jtah-c, and shaul for shall, when she sung her hymns. But it was not so well in reading lectures at the Academy. Mr. West would talk of his art all day long, painting 1 ' all the while. On other subjects he was not so fluent ; and on political or religious matters he tried hard to maintain the reserve common with those about a court. He succeeded ill in both. There were always strong suspicions of his lean- ing to his native side in politics ; and during Bonaparte's triumph, he could not contain his enthusiasm for the Re- publican chief, going even to Paris to pay him his homage, when First Consul. The admiration of high colours and powerful effects, natural to a painter, was too strong for him. How he managed this matter with the higher powers in England, I cannot say. Probably he was the less heedful, inasmuch as he was not very carefully paid. I believe he did a great deal for George the Third, with little profit. Mr. West certainly kept his love for Bonaparte no secret ; and it was no wonder, for the latter expressed admiration of his pictures. The artist thought the conqueror's smile enchanting, and that he had the handsomest leg he had ever seen. He was present when the " Venus de Medicis" was talked of, the French having just taken possession of her. Bonaparte, Mr. West said, turned round to those about him, and said, with his eyes lit up, " She's coming!" as if he had been talking of a living person I believe he QT7AKER ANECDOTES. retained for the Emperor the love that he had for the First Consul, a wedded, love, ' for better, for worse." However, I believe also that he retained it after the Emperor's down- fal , which is not what every painter did. FINE DISTINCTION. Henry Crabb Eobinson, in his diary. 1820, writes, "I left London on the 1st of August, and reached Lyons on the 9th. On the journey I had an agreeable companion in a young Quaker, Walduck, then in the employ of the great Quaker chemist, Bell, in Oxford-street. It was his first journey out of England. He had a pleasing physiognomy, and was staunch to his principles, but discriminating. Walking together in one of the principal streets of Lyons, we met the Host, with an accompanying crowd. " You must pull off your hat, Walduck."" I will die first ! " he exclaimed. As I saw some low fellows scowling, and did not wish to behold an act of martrydom, I pulled off his hat. Afterwards passing by the cathedral, I said to him, " I must leave you here, for I wont go in to be insulted." He followed me with his hat off. "I thought you would die first ! " " Oh, no ; here I have no business or right to be. If the owners of this building choose to make a foolish rule that no one shall enter with his hat, they do what they have a legal right to do, and I must submit to their terms. Not so in the broad highway." The reasoning was not good, but one is not critical when the conclusion is the right one practically. HAT VERSUS HEAD. A deputation of Quakers was -waiting in an anteroom at Carlton Palace, to present an address of congratulation to the Prince Regent, when one of the pages advanced to take off the hats of the Quakers. Dr. Waugh, the Non- conformist, who was standing by, and who loved a joko, QTJAKER ANECDOTES. said to the foremost Quaker, in an audible whisper, " Per- secution, Brother;" to which the brother significantly replied, while pointing upwards (to the portrait of Charles I.), " not so bad to take off the hat as the head." STEPHEN GRELLET AND THOMAS PAINE. Stephen Grellet thus writes about the closing scenes in the life of Paine. "I may not omit recording here the death of Thomas Paine. A few days previous to my leav- ing home on my last religious visit on hearing that he was ill, and in a very destitute condition, I went to see him, and found him in a wretched state : for he had been so neglected and forsaken by his pretended friends, that the common attention to a sick man had been withheld from him. The skin of his body was in some places worn off, which greatly increased his sufferings. A nurse was provided for him, and some needful comforts were supplied. He was mostly in a state of stupor, but something that had passed between us had made such an impression upon him, that a few days after my departure, he sent for me, and, on being told that I was gone from home, he sent for another Friend. This induced a valuable young Friend, (Mary Koscoe), whe resided with my family, and continued at Greenwich during part of my absence, frequently to go and take him some little refreshment suitable for an invalid, furnished by a neighbour. Once when she was there, three of his deistical associates came to the door, and in a loud unfeeling manner said, Tom Paine, it is said you are turn- ing Christian, but we hope you will die as you have lived, and then went away. On which, turning to Mary Roscoe, tiie said, " You see what miserable comforters they are." Once he asked her if she had ever read any of his writ- ings, and on being told that she had read but little of them, he inquired what she thought of them, adding, " from such QtrAJTER ANECDOTES. 63 a one as you I expect a correct answer." She told him that when very young, his " Age of Reason" was put into her hands, but that the more she read it, the more dark and distressed she felt, and she threw the book into the fire. " I wish all had done as you," he replied : " for if the Devil has ever had any agency in any work, he had it in my writing that book." When going to carry him some re- freshment, she repeatedly heard him uttering the language, " Lord ! LordGrod! or, Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me!" It is well known that during some weeks of his illness, when a little free from bodily pain, he wrote a great deal ; this his nurse told me ; and Mary Roscoe repeatedly saw him writing. If his companions in infidelity had found anything to support the idea that he continued on his death- bed to espouse their cause, would they not have eagerly published it. But not a word is said: there is a total secrecy as to what has become of these writings. THE COUNTESS OF HUNTINGDON AND THE QUAKERESS. As my mother grew better, she frequently took me with her to the Pump Room, and she sometimes told me anec- dotes of those she had seen there when a child. On one occasion, when the room was thronged with company and at that time the visitors of Bath were equally distinguished for rank and fashion, a simple, humble woman, dressed in the severest garb of the Society of Friends, walked in the midst of the assembly, and began an address to them on the vanity and follies of the world, and the insufficiency of dogmatic without spiritual religion. The company seemed taken by surprise, and their attention was arrested for a few moments. As the speaker proceeded, and spoke more and more against the customs of the world, signs of disapprobation appeared. Amongst those present was one 64 QUAKER ANECDOTES. lady with a stern yet high-toned expression of conntenance ; her air was distinguished ; she sat erect, and listened in- tently to the speaker. The impatience of the hearers soon became unrestrained ; as the Quakeress spoke of giving up tho world and its pleasures, hisses, groans, beating of sticks, and cries of "Down, down!" burst from every quarter. Then the lady I have described arose with dignity, and slowly passing through the crowd, where a passage was involuntarily opened to her, she went up to the speaker and thanked her, in her own name and in that of all pres- sent, for the faithfullness with which she had borne testimony to the truth. The lady added, "I am not of yonr persuasion, nor has it been my belief that our sex are generally deputed to be public teachers ; but God who gives the will can make the exception, and He has indeed put it in the hearts of all His children to honour and venerate fidelity to His commission. Again I gratefully thank you." Side by side with the Quakeress she walked to the door of the Pump Roon^, a id then resumed her seat. This lady was the celeb: at 3d Countess of Huntingdon. Life of Mary Anne Slim ndpenninck. QUAKERS. "There is something, in the very aspect of a "Friend," suggestive of peace and good-will. Verily, if it were not for the broad-brimmed hat, and the straight coat, which the world's people call " shad," I would be a Quaker. But for the life of me I cannot resist the effect of the grotesque and the odd. I must smile, oftenest at myself. I could not keep within drab garments and the bounds of propriety. Incongruity would read me out of meeting. To be reined under a plain hat, would be impossible. Besides, I doubt whether any one accustomed to the world's pleasures could be a Quaker. Who, once familiar with Shakespeare and QTJAXER ANECDOTES. 65 the opera, could resist a favourite air on a hand organ, or pass, undisturbed, ' Hamlet ! ' in capital letters 011 a play-bill? To be a Quaker, one nau&t be a Quaker born. In spite of Sydney Smith, there is such a thing as a Quaker baby. In fact, I have seen it-~-a diminutive demurity, a stiff-plait in the bud. It had round blue eyes, and a i'ace that expressed resignation in spite of the stomach-ache. It had no lace on its baby-cap, no embroidered nonsense on its petticoat. It had no beads, no ribands, no rattle, no bells, no corals. Its plain garments were innocent of insert- ing and edging ; its socks were not of the colour of the world's people's baby. It was as punctiliously silent as a silent meeting, and sat up rigidly in its mother's lap, twirl- ing its thumbs and cutting its teeth without a gum-ring. It never cried nor clapped its hands, and would not have said "papa" if it had been tied to the stake. When it went to sleep, it was hushed without a song, and they laid it in a drab-coloured cradle without a rocker. Something I have observed, too, remarkably, strikingly Quakeristic. The young maidens and the young men never seem inclined to be fat. Such a thing as a maiden lady, nineteen years of age, with a pound of superfluous flesh, is not known amon^ Friends. The young men sometimes grow outside the limits of a straight coat, and when they do, they quietly change into the habits of ordinary men. Either they are read out of meeting, or else they lose their hold when they get too round and too ripe, and just drop off. Remarkably Quakeristic, too, is an exemption the Friends appear to enjoy from diseases and complaints peculiar to other people. Who ever saw a Quaker marked with the small-pox, or a Quaker with the face-ache ? Who ever saw a cross-eyed Quaker, or a decided case of mumps under a broad-brimmed hat ? Doubtless murh of this is owing to their cleanliness, duplex cleanliness, purity of 66 QUAKER AITECDOTES. body and soul. I saw a face in the cars, not long since a face that had calmly endured the storms of seventy yearly meetings. It was a hot, dry day ; the windows were all open ; dust was pouring into the cars ; eyebrows, eyelashes, ends of hair, moustaches,, wigs, coat-collars, sleeves, waist- coats, and trousers of the world's people, were touched with a fine tawny colour. Their faces had a general appearance of humidity in streaks, now and then tattooed with a black cinder; but there, within a satin bonnet (Turk's satin) a bonnet made after the fashion of Professor Espy's patent ventilator was a face of seventy years, calm as a summer morning, smooth as an infant's, without one speck or stain of dust, without one touch of perspiration or exasperation. No, nor was there, on the cross-pinned 'kerchief, nor on the elaboratory plain dress, one atom of earthly con- tact ; the very air did seem to respect that aged Quakeress. And Thomas Lurting, too ; his adventures are well worth reading to the children. A Quaker Sailor, the mate of a Quaker ship, manned with a Quaker crew, every one of which had a straight collar to his pea-jacket, and a tarpau- lin with at least three feet diameter of brim. Thomas Lurting, whose ship was captured by Algerine pirates after a hard chase, and who welcomed them on board as if they had been brothers. Then, when the Quaker vessel and the Algerine were seprated by a storm, how friendly those salt- water nonresistants were to their captors on board their OTR vessel ; with what alacrity did they go aloft to take in sail, or to shake out the reef, until those heathen pirates left the handling of the ship entirely to their broad-brimmed brethren, audwenttosleppinthecabin; and then, whatdidthe Quakers do but first shut the cabin-doors, and fasten them, so that the Turks could not get out again ? And then, fearless of danger, they steered for the Barbary coast, and made those fierce, moustached pirates get into a small boat QUAKER ANECDOTES. 67 (they had been for ever locked up else), and rowed them to the shore ; and when the Turks found themselves in a small boat with but a small crew of broad-brims, and gave signs of mutiny, what did the brave Thomas Lurting ? Lay vio- lent hands on them ? Draw a cutlass, or cock a pistol ? No; he merely struck the leader " a pretty heavy blow with a boat-hook, telling him to sit still and be quiet," as he says himself, " thinking it was better to stun a man than to kill him." And so he got the pirates on shore and in their own country. . The most singular spectacle I ever witnessed was the burial service over a Quaker, in a Catholic cathedral. He had formerly been the rigidest of his sect a man who had believed the mitre and crosier to be little better than the horns and tail of the evil one a man who had looked upon church music and polygamy with equal abhorrence, and who would rather have been burned himself than burn a Roman candle on the anniversary of the national jubilee. Tet, by one of those inexplicable inconsistencies, peculiar to mere men, but rare among Quakers, he had seceded from the faith of his fathers, and become one of the most zealous of Papists. The grand altar was radiant with wax tapers ; the priests on either side, in glittering dresses, were chanting respon- ses ; the censer boys, in red and white garments, swung the smoke of myrrh and frankincense into the air, and as the fragrant mist rolled up and hung in rosy clouds under the lofty, stained-glass windows, the great organ panted forth the requiem. Marvellously contrasted with this pomp and display appeared the crowd of broad-brims and stiff- plaits, the fiiends and relatives of the deceased. Never perhaps had such an audience been gathered in such a place in the world before. Th scene, to the priests themselves, must have been novel and striking. Instead of the usual display 68 QUAKER ANECDOTES. of reverence, instead of the customary show of bare heads and bended knees, every Quaker stood stoutly on his legs, with his broad-brimmed hat clinging to his head as strongly as his faith to his heart. Disciplined as they had been in many a silent meeting, during the entire mass not one of the broad-brims moved an inch until the service was over. Then the coffin was opened, and solemnly, silently, decor- ously, the brethren and sisters moved towards it to look, for the last time, upon the face of the seceder. Then silently, solemnly, decorously, they moved from the Popish temple. "I saw," said one of the sisters, " that he " (meaning the departed ex-Quaker) "had on worked slippers with silver soles; what does thee think that was for"? The person spoken to wore a hat with a goodly brim. Without moving his head, he rolled around, sideways, two Quakeristic eyes, large blue eyes, with little inky dots of pupils, like small black islands in oceans of buttermilk, and said, awfully, "I suppose they was to walk through Purgatory with." Titan. GEORGE IV. FRUSTRATED ATTEMPT TO PENETRATE THE MYSTERIES OF THE WOMEN'S MEETING. I was shewn in the Women's Meeting-room, the seat on which his Majesty, King George IV. when Prince Eegent, had for a moment placed himself, when led by the spirit of adventure, and as my informant stated, a most unbecoming curiosity, he had disguised as a Woman Friend, made his way into the secret conclave. His dress was all right : a grey silk gown, a brown cloth shawl, a little white handkerchief, with hemmed edge, round his neck, and a very well-poked Friend's bonnet with the pretty crimped border of his clean muslin cap tied under the chin, completed the disguise, in which he might have escaped detection very well, were it not for the tell-tale boots, and the unfeminine position in which the arms and legs bestowed themselves. QUAKER ANECDOTES. 69 The young woman who sat behind him, anil saw the heel protruding from its silken robe, slipt quitely out of Meeting, and gave the alarm. Two rneu Friends were speedily sum- moned, and the royal intruder felt himself gently tapped on the shoulder, and requested to walk into another room. He made no resistance, but quitely went away ; and receiving the usual notice, that the rules of the Society would not allow any but members to be present, he retired, and calling a hack- ney coach, drove off, perhaps flattering himself that his incognito had not been penetrated, for although his counten- ance had been instantly recognised, still nothing was said to intimate that it had been so. Resolute that none but the initiated should be present, they were yet careful to treat with courtesy their most unexpected visitant, and even deferentially to respect his assumed character. " Quakerism," by Mrs. J. E. Greer. SABBATU OBSERVANCE. Thefollowing actual fact concerning a Quaker occurred some years ago in the West of England. The late Sir Knowle Wellman, well-known to the inhabitants of Taunton, was one Sunday morning in his carriage on his way to Church, when, in passing through the crescent, he observed the bar across the carriage-way was padlocked. The coachman drew up and waited for instructions as to what should be done. Sir Knowle was in the act of telling his man to turnback, when an old townsman, a Quaker, observing how the case stood came from his house hard by, and, handing the coachman a saw, said, "There, friend I cannot help thee, because to- day is the Sabbath, but I can lend thee this saw, whereby thou canst cut thy way through." SELF-COMPOSUBE. Charles Lamb, in illustrating the " astonishing composure" of some members of the Society of "Friends" relates the 70 QUAKER ANECDOTES. following anecdote. "I was travelling in a stage-coach with three male Quakers, buttoned up in the straitest non-confor- mity of their sect. We stopped to bait at Andover, where a meal, partly tea apparatus, partly supper, was set before us. Uy friends confined themselves to the tea-table. I in my way took supper. When the landlady brought in the bill, the eldest of my companions discovered that she had charged for two meals. This was resisted. Mine hostess was very clamorous and positive. Some mild arguments were used on the part of the Quakers, for which the heated mind of the good lady seemed by no means a fit recipient. The guard come in with his usual peremptory notice. The Quakers pulled out their money, and formally tendered it so much for tea I, in humble imitation, tendering mine for the supper which I had taken. She would not relax in her demand. So they all three quietly put up their silver, as did myself, and marched out of the room, the eldest and gravest going first, with myself closing up the rear, who thought I could not do better than follow the example of such grave and warrantable personages. We got in. The steps went up. The coach drove off. The murmurs of mine hostess, not very indistinctly or ambiguously pronounced, became after a time inaudible and now my conscience, which the whimsical scene had for a while suspended, beginning to give some twitches, I waited, in the hope that some justification would be offered by these serious persons for the seeming injustice of their conduct. To my great surprise, not a syllable was dropped on the subject. They sat as mute as at a meeting. At length the eldest of them broke silence, by enquiring of his next neighbour, "Hast thee heard how indigos go at the India house ? " and the question operated as a soporific on my moral feeling as far aa Exeter." INDIRECT REPLY. There are some persons who insensibly acquire the habit of never giving a direct answer. A Quaker in the West of QUAKER ANECDOTES. 71 England (a most respectable man) was so remarkable for this, as to occasion a wager, that a direct reply could not be obtained from him to any question whatever. Upon which one of the parties, to put it totally out of his power to evade the point, watched the oppoi'tunity of the arrival of ~ihe mail ; actually saw him reading his dispatches, and accosted him with "your servant, Mr. , pray is the post come in ? But alas ! all that he could extort from the honest Quaker, was " Why, friend, dost thou expect letters ? " A CHALLENGE. Early in the present century an actor said to a Quaker, "Do you think I am a good Actor?" "Certainly, thou be'est," answered the Friend. He was at once requested to c.ioose his weapons. FRIENDS AND THE IRISH REBELLION. The condition of the peace-loving members of the Society of Friends during the Irish rebellion, was an interesting exemplification of moral heroism sustaining a people in peace in the midst of conflicting parties, and while under the apprehension of impending violence and death. As early as the years 1795-6, their attenion was called to the threatening aspect of affairs, and their course determined on. In the county of Wexford, many friends resided, and i* is remarkable that, though they aided the martial operations in no particular, yet in seasons of distress they succoured the wounded and wretched of each party. This mode of conduct, at the time subjected the Friends to the animadversions of both parties. The military accused them of disloyalty the rebels of apathy ; and yet they carried out their principles in the minutest particular. A worthy man at Ferns, in the county of Wicklow, on the breaking out of the rebellion, to show his neighbours the part 72 QUAKER ANECDOTES. he meant to act, took out his fowling-piece, the only weapon that would find a place in the dwelling of a Friend, and broke it to pieces before his door, in the open street ; thus showing to all that his house was entirely without weapon of offence or defence. Another individual, who kept a shop where ropes and hardware were sold, had his dwelling surrounded by the military, who came and demanded ropes to hang the rebels they had taken. Though his life was im- perilled by the refusal, as it might be construed into rebel- lion, the Friend refused to supply a rope for taking away the life of a fellow-creature. At another time, a night attack on a town in possesion of the rebels was intended by the military, and all persons not in league with the rebels were commanded to put lights in their windows ; but, as Friends chose to put confidence in the protection of God rather than man, they declined to do this, particularly as such lights would aid the combatants in their murderous waifare. In all these instances, though sternly threatened and in imminent peril, the moral heroism of the Friends triumphed, and their lives were preserved. Scarcely any one who, in that dreadful time, resided in Irclaud, dared to attempt going out on their usual pursuits, for all subordination was at an end; and yet Friends, unarmed, went constantly to their religious meetings, through the most disturbed districts of the country, and though commanded on peril of their lives, to desist. Conscience commanded them to go, and they went, leaving the issue in the hands of the Almighty, who wonderfully preserved them. Throughout the whole of that fearful time, it is a remark- able fact, that only one member of the Society of Friends perished, and he was led to trust in the power of earthly weapons to preserve him rather than in the care of the Almighty, and the exercise of his own moral heroism. " Moral Heroism," by C. L. Balfour. QtTAKEE ANECDOTES. 73 QUICK RETOBT. Some time ago, a Quaker, and a hotheaded youth had a disagreement in tha street. The Friend, kept his temper most equably, which seemed but to increase the anger of the other. "Fellow," said the latter, " I doiit know a bigger fool than you are," finishing the sentence with an oath. " Stop, friend," replied the Quaker, "thee forgetest thyself." AMUSING ENCOUNTER AT A. SUPPER PARTY. Edmund Ward, who lived in the early part of the last century, gives an amusing account of a supper at which he was present. He writes as follows, "From thence I went to a Coffee House were I had appointed my acquaintance to meet with me at certain hours in the day ; and there I found a letter from my friend, to request my company to supper at a private house in the city ; where a gentleman had provided a commodious entertainment for us and some other of his friends that evening. Amongst them were two Country Parsons, and a notable sharp Town Quaker, who I had reasonable fore- sight would produce some good diversion as soon as our cups, and the season of the night, had made us fit instruments for each others felicity. I shall not tire you with a Bill of Fare ; but in short, a plentiful supper we had, to the great content of the Founder, (it being served up in such admirable order) as to the satisfac- tion of the guests. When we had tired cur hands with stopping our mouths, to assuage the fury of our appetites, and one of the Parsons had put a spiritual padlock upon the mouths of the company, and gave a holy period to our fleshly sustenance for that evening ; a magnificent bowl of punch, and some bottles of right Gallick Juice were handed to the table, which received, as the glasses went round, a circular approbation. Our stomachs craving a hearty supply of wine for the digestioa of our Fish, made us at first pour down our liquor in such QUAKER ANECDOTES. plentiful streams, that it soon put our engines of verbosity to work, and made us as merry as so many school-boys at a breaking-up, o'er a batch of cakes, or a dishful of stewed prunes. At last we came to a good-looking soldier's bottle of Claret, which at least held half a pint extraordinary ; but the cork was drove in so far, that there was no opening o'nt without a bottle-screw ; several attempted with their thumbs and fingers to remove the stubborn obstacle, but none could effect the difficult undertaking ; upon which says the donor of the feast, What is no body amongst us so provident a toper, as to carry a bottle-screw about him ? One cried No. Another No, Poize o'nt he had left his at home. A tliird never carry'd one, and so 'twas concluded no screw was to be had : the Parsons being all this time silent, at last says the Lord of the banquet to his men, Here take it away ; tho' I protest, Bays he, 'tis a fine bottle, and I'll warrant the wine's better than ordinary, it's so well coik'd, but what shall we do with it? We cannot open it, you must take it down I think ; tho' I vow, 'tis a great deal of pity ; but prithee bring us some more bottles that may not puzzle us so. The oldest and wisest of the Parsons having observed the copious dimensions of the bottle, and well knowing by experience that sound corking is always an advantage to liquor. Hold, hold, friend, says he to the servant who was going out with the bottle, I believe I have a little engine in my pocket that may unlock the difficulty ; and fumbling in his pockets, after he had pluck'd out a Common Prayer Book, an old comb-case full of notes, a two-penny nut-grater, and made a remove of euch kind of wordly necessaries, at last he came to the matter, and out he brings a Bottle-Screw which provok'd not a little laughter thro' the whole company. Methinks, friend, says the Quaker, a Common Prayer Book and a Bottle-Screw, are improper companions, not fit to lodge in one pocket together. NYhy dost thou not make thy breeches afford 'em different QUAKEB ANECDOTES. 75 apartments ? To which the Parson made this answer, Since devotion gives comfort to the soul, and wine in moderation, preserves the health of the body, why may not a Book that instructs us in the one, and an Instrument that makes way for the other, he allowed, as well as the Soul and Body, for whose good they were intended to bear one an other company? But, methinks, friend, says the Quaker, a Bottle-Screw in a Minister's pocket, is like the practice of piety in the hand of a Harlot ; the one no more becomes thy profession than the other does hers. To which the Parson replied, a good book in the hand of a sinner, and an instrument that does good to a whole society, in the hand of a Clergyman, I think both are very commendable : and I wonder why a good man should object against either. I am very glad, says the Quaker, thou takest me to be a good man ; then, 1 hope, thou hast no reason to take anything ill that I have spoken ? Nay, hold, saya the Parson, I did not design it as a compliment to thee ; for to tell thee the truth, I do not think thee near so good as those who, I believe, thou hast a bad opinion of; meaning, as I suppose the Church Clergy. To which replied the Quaker. Thou may'st see the Government has a better opinion of us, than it has of those people whom I imagine thou meanest, or else they would never have made our words, of equal validity with your oaths. Therefore, I think, we have reason to be look'd upon as the most honest people in the Kingdom. In answer to this, says the Parson, I remember a Fable, which, with as much brevity as I can. I will repeat to the Company in answer to thee. Once upon a time, when the lion found there were many divisions amongst his four-footed subjects, insomuch that he could not, without some difficulty, preserve peace in his dominions, and allay the grumblings of each dissatisfied party. But amongst all the factious beasts of the forest, the asses were most obstinate and would never change their 76 QUAKER ANECDOTES. pace in obedience to those wholesome laws provided against their humdrum sloathfulness. The Lion, considering they were a serviceable creature, notwithstanding their formality, and would bear any burden without complaining, let them have but their own ways and go their own pace, thought it very necessary to make a law that every ass should have his own will, which they would always have before, in spite of all the laws against it : and in answer to their petition that they should not be obliged to go shod like horses, but with this proviso, That if ever they trip'd or stumbled, they should be soundly whipt for their fault. A little time after the commencement of this law, an ass meeting with a horse could not forbear boasting what great favourites the asses were at court, upbrading the horse with being iron-shod, and how they, by the law, were made free to travel upon their own natural hoof, which is much more easy ; you are mistaken, says the horse, shoeing makes us walk more upright and tread with more security, and pray Friend Ass, remember this amidst your benefit, that you must be whip'd if you stumble as well as we. Upon the application of this Fable, the whole company burst into laughter, to the great discountenance of our merry Ananias, who had nothing left but blushes for a reply. But having a great desire to be level with his antagonist, lay so very close upon the Catch, that the Parson was forced to put a guard upon his tongue, lest he should give him an advantage to recover his credit. Till at last, in a silent interval, the glass coming two or three times quick about, made the Parson neglect to take off his wine with his usual expedition, and set it down before him ; which the Quaker observing, ask'd him what countryman he was ? The Priest returned him a satisfactory answer. Did'st thou not lately hear of a great Living that was vacant in thy country, computed to be worth about four hundred pounds a year? QUAKER ANECDOTES. Upon this the Parson began to prick his ears, and enquired where abouts it was, never minding his glass. Truly, says the Quaker, I cannot tell directly where it lies, but I can tell thee 'tis in vain to enquire after it, for it is already disposed of to an eminent person of thy function, who is now in this town, and of whom I have some knowledge. At a coffee house where he uses, I happened to hear him highly commending the good hospitality of the late Incum- bent. It being, says he, indeed so plentiful a benefice, that he might well afford it. And I hope says he, that I shall not be backward in following his example. The Parson showing great dissatisfation in his looks that such a living should fall, and be disposed of without so much as his knowledge, not knowing but his own interest might have been sufficient to have carried it. The Quaker, he proceeds all the while in praising the Orchards, Gardens, Barns, Stables, fine rooms, large kitchens, noble parlour, conven- ient buttery, &c., which set the Parson so on gog, that he listened and gap'd as if he would have it catch in his mouth. But, at last, says the Quaker, I heard him very much complain of one great inconvenience indeed, and that was the mis-placing his wine-cellar, for which reason he would have it removed. Why where did the cellar stand, says the Parson ? Just under the pulpit, says the Quaker, and he look'd upon it to be a great fault to preach over his liquor. The Parson, who had let his glass stand charged all the time of the story, readily took the application. I confess says the Parson, I very unadvisedly left a blot in my tables, and you by chance have it, and now you have done, it serves only to verify the old proverb, That fools have fortune. This unexpected retort of the Parson's quite dumb-founded the Quaker, and added a great deal of pleasuretothe company. Our merry dispos'd Friend taking breath after this sparring blow a considerable time, sitting as silent as a young swearer before 78 QUAKER ANECDOTES. his father, endeavouring as much to hide his failings, as the other does his vices. By this time the stock of wine upon the tables being exhausted, we began to apply ourselves to the Punch, which upon the wine we had already draiik, soon put our spirits into a fresh ferment ; and made us now as noisy as gamesters in a cock-pit, all bawling and betting on the one side or to'ther. Insomuch that with one impertinent question or other they had almost put the Parson into a passion, during which uneasiness his Yea and Nay adversary ask'd him what he thought a Quaker to be ? The Parson, a little angry they had began to teaze him, made this response, a Quaker, says he, is some of old nick's venom, spit in the face of God's Church, which her clergy cannot lick out with their tongues, or rubj off with their lawn sleeves : Therefore the Church makes a virtue of necessity, and uses them as Ladies do their black patches, for foils to magnify their beauty. Indeed, Friend, says the Quaker, thou talkest as if the liquor had disturbed thy inward man. Prithee tell me who thou think- est was the first Quaker, that thou talkest with such prophaness against so good a profession ? The first Quaker, Bays the Parson, who after a very short deliberation, answered Balaam. Balaam, says the Quaker, how didst thou make that out? It's plainly so, says the Pardon, because he was the first that ever gave his attention to hear an ass hold forth. The whole company expressed by their laughter an approba- tion of the jest, and it was agreed on all hands, that it might reasonably pass for a good punch-bowl answer. The potency of the liquor, and the weakness of our brains, had now drawn our mirth to the dregs, that we were more in danger of falling into disorder than we were of recovering our almost stupified souls to their pitch of felicity ; several of the company having wisely submitted their distempered heads to that great physician sleep, who alone can recover the QUAKER ANECDOTES. 79 patient's giddy brains of his epidemical fever. At last down dropt the body of Divinity, in the condition of a weaker Brother, and left the Quaker one of the survivors, who, with great joy, brandish'd a triumphant brimmer round his head, as a trophy of the inebrious victory he had obtained over a Father of the Church." A EECKLESS SPECULATOB. Mr. Fordyce a reckless speculator of the last century, wishing to procure assistance to enable him to tide over his difficulties, amongst others, applied to a shrewd Quaker for help. " Friend Fordyce," was the reply of the latter, " I have known many men ruined by two dice, but I will not be ruined by Four-dice." THE KING AND THE QUAKER. On the occasion of the state visit of George III. to the City on the first Lord Mayor's Day after his accession to the throne, and when the cavalcade had reached Cheapside, the acclamations of the people were so great "as to pierce the air with their shouts ; " added to which, the dismal noise made by the creaking of the various signs which hung across the streets caused one of the horses attached to the king's carriage to become very restive and unmanageable when oppossite Bow Church, causing considerable confusion to the procession, and alarm to their Majesties. A certain Quaker, named David Barclay, a linendraper in Cheapside, who was viewing the procession from the balcony of his first-floor window, perceiving the embarrassed situation of the king and queen, descended to the street. At this moment the procession halted, and our friend approaching the ; carriage, addressed the king, saying, " Wilt thee alight, George, and thy wife Charlotte, and come into my house and view the Mayor's show?" The king, who had on many occasions before he came to the throne evinced a strong 80 QUAKER ANECDOTES. partiality for Quakers, and who, from the plainness of his manners, would no doubt have been one himself, had he not been born to a throne, condescended to accept the invitation of the worthy linendraper, and in the balcony of the first floor of the house, exactly opposite Bow Church, the king and queen stood during the remainder of the procession. Our friend David introduced to their Majesties the whole of his family. His eldest son, Robert, who was then a young man about twenty years of age, received especial notice from, their Majesties. On their taking their leave to proceed to Guildhall, his Majesty said, "David let me see thee at St. James's next Wednesday, and bring thy son Robert with thee." Accordingly, David Barclay and his son Robert attended the levee, and on approaching the royal presence, the king, throwing aside all'regal restraint, descended from the throne, and giving the Friend a hearty shake of the hand, welcomed him to St. James's. He said many kind things both to the father and to the son : among the rest, he asked David what he intended to do with Robert ; and without waiting for a reply, said, "Let him come here, and I will provide him with honourable and profitable employment." The strict and cautious Quaker, with many apologies, and with much humility, requested permission to reject fee pro- posal, adding, "I fear the air of the court of your Majesty would not agree with my son." The king, who had seldom witnessed a similar rejection of intended royal favour, said, "Well, David, well, well; you know best; but you must not omit to let mo see you occasion- ally at St. James's." Soon after this David Barclay saw his son Robert estab- lished as a banker in Lombard Street; who, instead of becoming a courtier, a position for which Nature never intended him, became the founder of one of the most eminent banking firms of the present day. Lawson's History of Banking. QUAKEB ANECDOTES. 81 GEORGE III., VISIT TO WORCESTER, 1780. An attempt was made to move the spirit in the Quakers of Worcester to address his majesty ; but these people kept in their old dull track of life, and were rather concerned that such a thing as a royal vibit had happened to break in upon their quietude. About a dozen of the more curious among them got leave to step into the court-yard where his majesty's coach left the palace, but they stood unmoved, with their hats on their heads. The king saw they were Quakers, and taking off his hat, bowed to them. They, in return, moved their hands, and the eldest of them said, " Fare thee well, friend George!" The king and queen laughed heartily at this systematic affection. ODD DECISION. Two Quakers resident in Philadelphia, applied to their society, as they do not go to law to decide the following difficulty : A, uneasy about a ship that ought t<> have arri- ved ; meets H, an insurer, and expresses a wish to have the vessel insured. The matter is agreed upon. A returns home, and receives a letter informing him of the loss of his ship. What shall he do '? He is afraid that the policy is not filled up, and should B hear of the matter soon, it is all over with him. He therefore writes to B thus : " Friend J3, if thee hasn't filled up the policy, thee needsn't, for Fv heard of the thip." "Oh! oh ! " dunlu ft to himself "cunning fellow he wants to do m OUT << the premium." So he writes thus to A : " Friend 4, r,oee beo'st too late by half an hour the policy is Alien/' 1 A rub!* his hands with delight. Yet B refuses N> pay. WeiK what is the decision ? The loss is divided between t.hm. This may be even- handed justice, though unquestionably it is an odd decision. QUAKERS' MEETING. I accompanied Mrs. Drummond to their meeting ; she behaved with the greatest steadiness and seriousness. No 82 QUAKER ANECDOTES. whining when she spoke, and scarce any action. Very good language ; particularly full of metaphors, but pretty and well managed ones ; rather a gf-neral discourse, than any one subject pursued : and accordingly the proposition was made, not at the beginning, but at the conclusion. "That we may ail endeavour to amend our lives, and to be always ready for this great change ; is the earnest desire of my heart, and the design of my present exhortation." Then another preached ; and then she made a prayer (at which they all stood up, with their hats off) with good language, and with a good deal of devotion: and, among other things, begged, " that God would enlighten the eyes of those who were at all inclined to see the truth ; and bring them fully and heartily to embrace' it." She sat at the head of the elders in the highest line : there was a row, under all, of women preachers : (three only spolce while I was there; and these all women.) There was above half an hour's silence in the beginning ; for that deep attention, &c., which she spoke of. The people on the speaking benches seemed more particularly moved, both then and afterwards. Some cf them had a great deal of the tranquility in their looks, some were quite impassioned, some looked sullen, but the more general air, especially in the congregation, was that of drowsiness. One of the women in the preacher's seat, had a constant gentle agitation of the head. Another, who seemed extremely pretty when she came in, grew quite ugly before I came out. Her colour, which was very fresh at first, sunk gradually till she was quite pale ; her lips grew lurid, her look wan, and somewhat ghostly ; her eyes lost all their lustre ; and the air of her face all its pleasingness. So that Quakerism is by no means a proper religion for the pretty women of this world ; at least if they think of sitting on the bench of the preachers ; or should affect to appear strongly moved, with the supposed influences which they sit to receive in their congregations. Spence's Anecdotes. QUAKER ANECDOTES. 83 UNEQUAL SALARIES. A poor parson complaining of the unequal salaries which were paid to bishops and curates, a Quaker who was present, observed that it was just the same in ancient time ; " For," added he, " thou knowest we are told, that while the oxen were ploughing in the field, the asses were feeding in the field by the side of them." PRACTICAL JOKE. The only practical joke in which Richard Harris Barham better known by his nom de plume of Thomas Ingoldsby ever personally engaged was enacted when he was a boy, in company with a schoolfellow. Entering a Quaker's meeting-house and looking around at the grave assembly, Barbara's companion held up a penny tart and said solemnly, "Whoever speaks first shall Lave this pie." " Go thy way, boy, and " " The pie's yours sir ! " exclaimed the lad, placing it before the astonished speaker, and he and Barham hastily made their escape. ADVICE TO MONEY-HUNTERS. A prudent and well-disposed member of the Society of Friends once gave the following friendly advice: "John," said he, "I hear thou art going to be married." "Yes," replied John, "lam." " Well," replied the Quaker, "I have one little piece of advice to give thee, and that is, never marry a woman worth more than thou art. When I married my wife, I was worth fifty shillings, and she was worth sixty-two; and, whenever any difference has occurred between us since, she has always thrown up the odd shillings." THE QUAKER AND THE PARSON. A Quaker, that was a barber, being sued by the parson for tithes, Yea and Nay went to him, and demanded the 84 QUAKER ANECUOTES. the reason why he troubled him, as he had never any dealing with him in his whole life. " Why," says the pai'son, "for preaching in church." "For tithes !" says the Quaker; " I pr'ythee, friend, upon what account? " "Why," says the parson, " for preaching in church." " Alas ! then," replied the Quaker, " I have nothing to pay thee ; for I come not there." " Oh, but you might," says the parson ; "for the doors are always open at convenient times ; " and thereupon said he would be paid, seeing it was his due. Yea and Nay hereupon shook his head, and, making several wry faces, departed, and immediately entered his action (it being a corporation town) against the parson for forty shillings. The parson, upon notice of this, came to him, and very hotly demanded why he had put such a disgrace upon him, and for what he owed him the money. "Truly, friend," replied the Quaker, "for trimming." " For trimming! " says the parson ; " why I was never trimmed by you in my life." " Oh, but thou mightsthave come in and been trimmed, if thou hadst pleased ; for my doors are always open at convenient times, as well as thine." A VEHEMENT TIMEPIECE. A clock pedlar was tramping along, hot, dusty, and tired, when he came to a Meeting-house wherin sundry Friends were engaged in silent devotion. The peripatetic tradesman thought he ^ould walk in and rest himself. He took a seat upon a bench, doffed his hat, and placed his clocks on the floor. Thare was a painful stillness in the Meeting-house, which was broken by one of the clocks, which commenced striking furiously. The pedlar was in agony, but he hoped every minute the clock would stop. Instead of that, it struck just four hundred and thirty times, by the actual QTTAXER ANECDOTE8. 85 count of every Friend in the Meeting, for even the best- displined of them couldn't help numbering the strokes. Then rose one of the elder Friends, at the end of the four hundred and thirtieth stroke, and said, "Friend, as it is so very late, perhaps thee had better proceed on thy journey, or thee will not reach thy destination, unless thec art aa energetic as thy vehement timepiece." THE QUAKER AND THE VICAR. A Nobleman was in the habit once-a-year of inviting his tenants, among -whom was a conscientious Quaker, to dine with. him. The Quaker, not anxious to brave the senseless ridicule to which members of the Society of Friends were at that time exposed, invaribly declined the honour. At length his lordship pressed him, as a personal favour, to attend. On the right of the host sat the Vicar, and on the left his Curate. After dinner the Vicar, who stuttered painfully, attempted to put a question, by way of banter, to the Qua- ker. The Quaker made no reply. The clergyman repeated in the same incomprehensible manner, the query. Still the Quaker made no answer, and the Curate, who was of a glib and ready tongue, interfered and said, "I do not think you understand what the Vicar says." " I do not see how I should, friend," quietly replied the Quaker. " Oh," replied the Curate, " he simply asks you whether you can tell him how it was that Balaam's ass spoke?" "Balaam had an impediment in his speech, and his ass spoke for him," was the Quaker's rejoinder. SEASONABLE KINDNESS. -Notwithstanding that the principle of the Quakers will not allow them to sanction war, much less contribute to its support, unless when compelled, yet in the rebellion of 1745, a deputation of this society wnited on Sir Wiliiam Yonge and Lord Ligonier, with an offer to furnish, at their own QUAKER ANECDOTES. expense, to the troops employed in his majesty's service dur- ing the winter in the north, a supply of woollen waistcoats, to be worn under their other clothing. The offer was accepted. QUAKER AXD JUSTICE. A Quaker, having been cited as an evidence at a Quarter Sessions, one of the magistrates, who had been a blacksmith, desired to know why he would not take off his hat ? ' It is a privilege,' said the Quaker, ' that the laws and liberty of my country indulge people of our religious mode of thinking in.' 'If I had it in my power,' replied the justice, I would have your hat nailed to your head. ' I thought,' said Obadiah, drily, ' that thou hadst given over the trade of driving nails." LORD DERBY AND THE QUAKER. In the days when Preston was considered "fashionable," ere the requirements of trade had swallowed up nearly every vestige of green park and spacious gardens formerly connected with many town residences, there were in Stoneygate several neat villas, surrounded by shady trees and luxuriant orchards. One of these was occupied by a rather eccentric Quaker, named John Danson. The house which John occupied was owned by the Earl of Derby, of Sporting notoriety. In their early days the embryo earl and the Quaker boy had been schoolfellows at the Preston Grammar School, which was then in Stoneygate. The Quaker had been for some time very tardy in paying up his rent, and Mr. Baines, the earl's agent, had on sundry occasions threatened him with a descent of the " Philistines," in the shape of bailiffs. One morning he started off on foot to Knowsley, and gaining admission to the park, walked up to the hall-door and rang. On the footman answerirg the bell, John put the simple question, "Is Edward in? " " Edward ! " exclaimed the astonished QUAKEK ANECDOTES. 87 lackey ; " what Edward do you mean ? " "Edward Stanley. He lives here, doesn't he? Is he in ? I want to see him," replied the Quaker. " Go away, you impertinent fellow ! " was the indignant rejoinder, and the footman slammed the door in the Quaker's face. But John was not to be discour- aged by this ua gracious reception ; he had come to see the earl, and did see him. The lackey eventually took in his name, and John was immediately ushered into the presence of the noble earl, whom he saluted with " Well, Edward, how art thou getting on ? " " Very well, thank you, John," replied his Lordship, extending his hand and warmly shak- ing that of his visitor. " It's a long time since thou and I went to Preston Grammar School together," added the blunt Quaker. "It is indeed, John, a very longtime," replied his lordship. "I am very glad to see you. How are you get- ting along? And what has brought you over here to Knowsley ? " " I am sorry to say," responded John, " that I have been getting on but very badly lately. I cannot raise brass to pay my rent, and that man of thine at Preston Baines he's a vast saucy fellow says if I don't pay up before next Thursday he'll send th' bums. So, I've come to to a-k thee to give me a bit longer time." "Well, John," said his lordship, "I suppose you've been rather unfortunate lately ; so I'll forgive you the rent altogether. And," added his lordship, " I'll tell you what I'll do further. You may live in the houee rent free as long as you do live." John's protestations of gratitude for this act of generosity were un- bounded. He took his departure from Knowsley with a much lighter heart than when approaching it. Some time after John's visit to Knowsley, during one of the race weeks, Lord Derby, when proceeding to the Cock Pit, to join in his favourite sport, met John in Stoneygate, when, after a friendly salute, the latter said, "I see, Edward, thou hasn't given up thy silly, sinful practices yet!" "No. John, 88 QUAKER ANECDOTES. replied the earl, " I have not. But if all my tenants paid their rents as you do, I should very soon have to give up al- together j" and with this rebuke his lordship walked on. A FRIEND'S REBUKE. Some years ago the attention of people passing near the drawbridge at Hull was attracted by hearing a man on a barge swearing in a most awful manner. A Weslyan minister spoke to him, but without effect, and the bystanders waiting till the bridge went down had to submit to the pain- ful sounds. Presently a Quaker came up, and with a loud voice called out, "Swear on, man, swear on." The Wesleyan minister expressed surprise that he should tell a man who was blaspheming so dreadfully to swear on. The Quaker said he could hear there was a great deal of bad within the man, and he wanted it to come out. Whether it was the oddness of the advice, or whether the conscience of the man was touched, he was silent from that moment, instead of replying with abuse, as might have been expected. Many months afterwards one of the bystanders met the same boatman in Hull, and asked him if he remembered when he was swearing so under the drawbridge when the Quaker spoke to him. " Yes, I do," he said; " and an oath has never passed my lips since." He learned afterwards that the boatman had become an altered man. and the beginning of his change dated from the time when the pious Quaker's strange advice arrested his attention. J. F. A SHREWD BROKER. A Quaker broker in New York having had a bag of golden eagles (coins) stolen from his counter while he step- ped into his back room for a moment, never mentioned the loss to anybody, but quietly bided his time. Several months afterwards, a neighbour being in his office, careless!}' asked him, " Have you ever heard anything about that bag of QUAKER ANECDOTES. eagles that you lost ? " " Ah, John ! " exclaimed the Quaker, "thou art the thief, or thou couldst not have known anything about it !" The shrewd old Quaker was right, and the gold was restored, with interest. THE LAW. The forbearance of the Quakers was once the subject of a wager, a bully claiming that the Quakers were the quint- essence of meekness, and that he would prove it; which he proceeded to do by find ing out a Friend, whom he smote upon the right cheek. The Quaker immediately turned the left cheek, which the bully struck also, and the Friend quietly rolled up his sleeves, and quaintly remarked, "I have cleared the law, and now I will give thee a beating for thy brutality," which he forthwith proceeded to do very vigoursly, to the evident delight of the bystanders. A MYSTERY EXPLAINED. A Quaker grocer in a country village became notorious for selling small eggs. The village gossips were ready to testify that he bought large and fine-looking eggs, and where could he find so many small-sized eggs as he daily sent out to his customers was a mystery they could not fathom. There were two mysterious-looking holes in his counter about the size of an egg, and curiosity was excited to the highest pitcli to ascertain what use they were put to. The only answer anybody could get from the old man, when questioned concerning the use of the holes, was, "My friend, if I tell thee the truth, it would not benefit me nor thee, and I don't wish to tell a lie. It is a pity that lying is a sin, for it comes so easy in trade." At last it was resolved by some of the spinsters to watch his actions through the cracks of the shutters after he had closed his shop for the night, and thus endeavour to find out their use. This reso- Juaou was put into execution, and the ladies caught the 90 QUAKER ANECDOTES. grocer passing eggs through the holes, by the light of a penny dip. All those that passed through the smaller hole he placed in one basket ; and those that passed through the larger one he put in another ; and all that would not pass through either he placed in a tin pan and took them to his house. On his way thither he heard the rustling of the women's dresses, and saw he was caught; so he called them to him, and in the blandest manner said, " Sisters, ye have given yourselves much trouble to appease this curiosity, and I will therefore explain all to ye. Ye see, I sort my eggs into three sizes by means of those holes. The largest I use in my own family ; the next size I sell a halfpenny cheaper on a dozen than any of my neighbours, for cash; the smallest I send to those who will buy no other way than on credit." The ladies were satisfied with the lesson in trade, and spread the news abroad until we heard it. LORD ELLENBOBOTJGH. A Quaker coming into the witness box at Guildhall with- out a broad brim or dittoes, and rather smartly dressed, the crier put the book into his hand, and was about to admin- ister the oath, when he required to be examined on his affirmation. Lord Ellenborough, asking if he was really a Quaker, and being answered in the affirmative, exclaimed " Do you really mean to impose upon the court by appear- ing here in the disguise of a reasonable being? " THE QUAKER WHO BOUGHT A STOLEN HORSE. Charles Carey lived near Philadelphia, in a comfortable house with a few acres of pasture adjoining. A young horse, apparently healthy, though lean, was one day offered him in the market for fifty dollars. The cheapness tempted him to purchase ; he thought the clover of his pasture would soon put the animal in good condition, and enable him to sell him at an advanced price. He wo* too pour to command the QUAKER ANECDOTES. 9l required sum himself, but he borrowed it of a friend. The horse, being well fed and lightly worked, soon became a noble-looking animal, and was taken to the City for sale. But scarcely had he entered the market, when a stranger stepped up and claimed him as his property, recently stolen. Charles Carey's son, who had charge of the animal, was taken before a magistrate. Isaac T. Hopper was sent for, and easily proved that the character of the young man and his father was above all suspicion. But the stranger produced satisfactory evidence that he was the rightful owner of the horse, which was accordingly delivered up to him. When Charles Carey heard the unwelcome news, he quietly remark- ed, "It is hard for me to lose the money ; but I am glad the owner has recovered his property." About a year afterwards, having occasion to go to a tavern in Philadelphia, he saw a man in the bar-room, whom he at once recognized as the person who had sold him the horse. He walked up to him and inquired whether he remembered th* transaction. Being answered in the affirmative, he said, " I am the man who bought that horse. Didst thou know he was stolen ? " With a stupified manner and a faltering voice, the stranger answered, " Yes." " Come along with me, then," said Charles, "and I will put thee whyre thou wilt not steal another horse very soon." The thief resigned himself to his fate with a sort of hope- less indifference. But before they reached the magistrate's office, the voice within began to plead gently with the Qua- ker, and turned him from the sternness of his purpose. "1 am a poor man," said he, " and thou hast greatly injured me. I cannot afford to lose fifty dollars; but to prosecute thee will not compensate me for the loss. Go thy way, and con- duct thyself honestly in future." The man seemed amazed. He stood for a moment, hesita- . ting and confused ; then walked slowly away. But after 92 QUAKER ANECDOTES. taking n few steps, he turned back and said, to act as interpreter, led him in ; but just as he was enter- ing, some one behind deftly whipped off his hat, and before he had time to look round, the duor was closed. "Weil, there he was, with his hat off in the presence of the Pope ; but there was no help for it, for the door was closed. Tilt- spare old man, with a serious mild countenance, ro. thy m >uth. wouldst tli63?" The interrogated answered : " To do that would be an outrage on all decency, and would show such a wretch was out of the pale of civilised society." "Then," said the Quaker, "with QUAKER ANECDOTES. 113 those impressions upon tb.ee, why shouldst thee wish me to take into my mouth and nostvils the smoke from that cigar which thou art preparing to smoke, after sending the smoke out of thine own mouth?" A BELI.MAKEK AND TIIK QUAKER A bellmaker. endeavouring to sell it large gong to a Quaker gentleman, remarked that it would be very useful in the country, for it would not only serve as a dinner-bell, but would, also, in case of an attempt to break into the house, enable the inmates to give an alarm to the surround- ing neighbourhood. " Friend," replied the Quaker gentle- man, after listening attentively to these recommendations, I will not purchase thy gong ; for if I put it to both these uses, how should my friends distinguish between a late dinner and an early burglary." SAMUEL Fox ASII THE IDLE LADS. "Old Sammy Fox," (as he was, and is, commonly called) was a good old Quaker, of whom Nottingham maybe proud, and of whom the following story is told : One day, about the year 1830, a number of lads, somewhat tired with their play, were hanging about St. Mary's gate, Nottingham. Samuel, in his usual brisk manner, walked up to them, and seizing one of them by the arm, said, " What art thou doing?" " Nothing," replied the lad. " Nothing, didst thou say ? Nothing ! What wast thou made for?" asked Mr. Fox. " I don't know." was the answer. "Don't know," Mr. Fox exclaimed, "don't know?" "Bear in mind, boys, we are all made for some good purpose. Time was when men shut- ting themselves in monasteries, because in ignorance they knew not what to do; but we have now learnt that there is something for everybody to do. Go, boys ; let every one think what his mission is, see what he is best qualified for. 114 QUAKER ANECDOTES. Then let him set to work, and work with all his might." i Then taking another boy by the hand, he added for the bene- fit of all, " Thy duty is to be in the world, and of the world useful in some capacity. Thou must try to leave this world better than thou found it. Some may misjudge thee, many who can do little themselves may misrepresent and malign thee this is the common weapon of little and mean minds ; but heed not, go on, and see how much of that which is good thou canst do." Briscoe's " Nottinghamshire Facts and Fictions." HAT TESTIMONY. I was one day greatly amused, by watching a very plain man Friend, who was paying us a morning visit. It was a hot summer's day, and he had walked a long distance. He came into our room, as all orthodox Friends do, with his broad-brim on, shook hands, and sat down. After bearing his testimony thus for a few minutes, he took off the hat, and laid it on the floor beside him. We were chatting away, when a loud rap at the door announced some more visitors. Friend Hugh in a great hurry popped on his hat, lest any one should see him " shirking his testimony." As soon as he had satisfied himself that his orthodoxy was sufficiently manifested, he yielded again to the natural feeling, and laid the hat beside him. But soon came another visitor, and another, and poor hot-headed Hugh replaced the badge of membership again and again. This happened so often, that it at last became very ludicrous. " Quakerism" by Mrs. J. B. Greer. A GOOD NAME. A Friend writes that when he was a youth his father said to him one day, "Henry, can you make up your mind to live at home an 1 be a farmer ? " "I would rather be a tanner QrAicrr. ANECDOTES. 115 than a farmer." replied Henry. " Very well," responded his father, who was willing to let Henry follow his own tastes, as he was now seventeen years of age " very well, my son, I will try to find a place for you." Very shortly after a place was found for Master Henry with a good Quaker. When the youth presented himself at the tannery, the honest Quaker said "Henry, if thee will be a good boy I will do well by thee ; if not, I will send thee home again. All the bargain I will make by thee is that thee shall do as well by me as I do by thee." ''Very well, sir," said Henry, "I will try what I can do." Henry now went to work with a hearty good-will. He worked hard, read his Bible, was steady, honest, and good-natured. The Quaker liked him He liked the Quaker. Hence the Quaker was sati?fied. Henry was happy, and the years of hi? apprenticeship passed pleasantly away. Just before Henry became of age, his master said to him, "Henry, I think of making thee a nice present when thy time is out." Henry pmiled pleasantly at the scrap of news, and said " I shall be very happy to receive any gift you may please to make uie, sir." Then the Quaker looked knowingly at Henry, and added, " I cannot tell thee now what the present is to be, but it shall be worth more than a hundred pounds to thee." " More than a hundred pounds ! " said Henry to himself, his eyes sparkling at the thought of such a costly gift. " What can it be? " That was the puzzling question which buzzed about like a bee in Henry's brain, from that time until the day before he was of age. On that day the Quaker said to him, "Henry, thy time is out to morrow ; I will take thee and thy present home to-day." Henry breathed freely on hearing these words. Dressing himself in his best suit, he soon joined the Quaker, but could see nothing that looked like a gift worth more than a hundred pounds. He puzzled himself about it all the way, and said to himself, " Perhaps the Quaker has forgotten it." At last they reached Henry's home. After QUAKER ANECDOTES. he had Deen greeted by his friends, the Quaker turned to him and said, "I will give thy present to thy father." " As you please, sir," replied Henry, now on the very tiptoe of expec- tation. "Well," said the Quaker, speaking to Henry's father, " thy son is the best boy I ever had." Then turning to Henry, he added, " This is thy present, Henry A Good- Name. 1 ' Henry blushed ; perhaps he felt a little disappoint- ed because his golden visions were so soon spirited away. Bnt his sensible father was delighted, and said to the Quaker who was smiling a little waggishly, " I would rather hear you say that of my son, sir, than to see you give him all the money you are worth ; for " a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches." REYNOLDS AND THE OKPHAH. A lady applied to the eminent philanthropist of Bristol, Richard Reynolds, on behalf of a little orphan boy. After he had given liberally, she said, " When he is old enough, I will teach him to name and thank his benefactor." " Stop," said the good man, " Thou art mistaken. We do not thank the clouds for rain. Teach him to look higher, and thank HIM who giveth both the clouds and the rain." SMA.ET REBUKE. An English country clergyman was bragging in a large company of the success he had in reforming his parishioners, in whom his labours, he said, had produced a wonderful change for the better. Being asked in what respect, he replied that when he first came among them they were a set of unmannerly clowns, who paid him no more deference than Ihi-y did to one another ; did not so much as pull off their hat when they spoke to him, but bawled out as roughly and familiarly as though he were their equal ; whereas now, they never presumed to address him but with cap in hand, and in % submissive voice made him their best bow when they were QUAKEE ANECDOTES. 117 at ten yards' distance, and styled him "your reverence" at every word. A Quaker who heard the whole patiently, made answer, "And so, friend, the upshot of this information, of which thou hast so much carnal glory, is that thou hast taught thy people to worship thyself! " DANIEL WEBSTER OUTWITTED. A Quaker gentleman of Nantucket once called upon the celebrated advocate Daniel Webster, at his office in Boston, for the purpose of securing his services in a suit which was about to be tried on the island and wound up his appeal by demanding his terms. "I will attend to your case for one thousand dollars," replied Mr. Webster. The client demurred but finding that the lawyer would not visit Nantucket for a less amount than the one specified, he promised to pay the proposed fee, provided Mr. Webster would agree to attend to any other matters that he might present during the sitting of the court, to which Mr. Webster consented. Having thus arranged matters, the Quaker inquired of those persons who had oases to be tried at the Court what they would give him if lie would get the great Daniel Webster to plead their cases. One proffered 400 dollars, one 300 dollars, one 200 dollars, and another 200 dollars. Thus the Quaker secured 100 dollars for himself in excess of the amount of his agreement with Mr. Webster. Tht) appointed time arrived and Mr. Webster was at his post. The leading case of his client was brought forward, argued, and decided in his favour. Another case was taken up, and the Quaker assigned it to the care of Mr. Webster, when it was satisfactorily disposed of; another still, and with the same result ; and still another, and another, until Mr. Webster became impatient and demanded an explanation ; whereupon the client remarked : H'8 QUAKES ANECDOTES. ' I hired thee to attend to all the business of the court, and thou hast done it handsomely ; so here is thy money, one thousand dollars." DB. JOHNSON AND THK QUAKEBS. Boswell in his life of the Doctor, remarks, " I have always loved the simplicity of manners and the spiritual mindedness of the Quake'rs ; and talking with Mr. Lloyd, I observed, that the essential part of religion was piety, a devout inter- course with the Divinity; and that many a man was a Quaker without knowing it. As Doctor Johnson had said to me in the morning, while we walked together, that he liked individuals among the Quakers, but not the sect ; when we were at Mr. Lloyd's, I kept clear of introducing any questions concerning the peculiarity of their faith. But I having asked to look at Baskerville's edition of "Barclay's Apology," Johnson laid hold of it; and the chapter on baptism happening to open, Johnson remarked, " He says there is neither precept nor practice for baptism, in the Scriptures ; that is false.'' Here he was the aggressor, by no means in a gentle manner ; and the good Quakers had the advantage of him ; for he had read negligently, and had not observed that Barclay speaks of infant baptism; which they calmly made him perceive. Mr. Lloyd, however, was in a great mistake ; for when insisting that the rite of baptism by water was to cease, when the spiritual administeration of Christ began, he mantained that John the Baptist said, " My baptism shall decrease, but his s-hall increase." Whereas the words are, " He must increase, but I must decrease." Sunday, July 31, (1763) I told him I had been that morning at a meeting of the people called Quakers where I had heard a womn preach. Johnson: "Sir, a woman's preaching is like a dog walking on his hind legs. It is nut done well ; but you are suprised to find it done at all." QUAKER ANECDOTES. ll'J I saw little of Dr. Johnson till Monday, April 28, when 1 spent a considerable part of the day with him, and introduced the subject which then chiefly occupied ray mind, Johnson: "I do not see, Sir, th^t lighting is absolutely forbidden in Scripture ; I see revenge forbidden, but not self-defence." Boswell : "The Quakers say it is; ' Unto him that smiteth thee on one cheek, offer him also the other.' " Johnson : " But stay, Sir ; the text is meant only to have the effect of moderating passion ; it is plain that we are not to take it in a literal sense. "We see this from the context, where there are other recommendations, which I warrant you the Quaker will not take liter ally ; as, for instance, ' From him that would borrow of thee, turn thou not away.' Let a man whose credit is bad, come to a Quaker, and say, '"Well, Sir, lend me a hundred pounds; ' he'll find him as unwilling as any other man. No, Sir, a man may shoot the man who invades his character, as he may shoot him who attemps to break into his house. So in 1745 my friend Tom Gumming the Quaker, said he would not fight, but he would drive an amunition cart ; and we know that the Quakers have sent flannel waistcoats to our soldiers, to enable them to fight better." DIALOGUE BETWEEN DR. JOHNSON AND MRS. KNOWLF.S. Mr. Boswell, for reasons best known to himself, refused to admit into his book, Mrs Knowle's account of her Theo- logical Dialogue with Dr. Johnson, although he nad previously applied to her for it, and had frankly acknow- ledged to the truth of the particulars therein, which ho after- wards thought proper to suppress. She therefore permitted her own account to be published in the Gentleman's Magazine for June, 1791. Mrs. K. Thy friend Jenny H desires her kind respects to thee, Doctor. 120 QTTAKEK ANECDOTES. Dr. J. To me! tell me not of her! I hate the odious wench for her apostacy : and it is you, madam, who have seduced her from the Christian Religion. Mrs. K. This is a heavy charge, indeed, I must beg leave to be heard in my own defence : and I entreat the attention of the present learned and candid compaEy, desiring they will judge how far I am able to clear myself of so cruel an accusation. Dr. J. (much disturbed at this unexpected challenge) said, You are a woman, and I give you quarter. Mrs. K. I will not take quarter. There is no sex in souls ; and in the present cause I fear not even Dr. Johnson himself. ("Bravo!" was repeated by the company, and silence ensued.) Dr. J. Well then. Madam, I persist in my charge, that you have seduced Miss H from the Christian Religion. 3Jr. K. If thou really knewest what were the principles of the Friends, thou would'st not say she had departed from Christianity. But, waving that discussion for the present, I will take the liberty to observe, that she had undoubted right to examine and to change her educational tenets whenever she supposed she had found them erroneous; as an accountable creature, it was her did;/ so to do. Dr. J. Pshaw ! an accountable creature ! girls account- able creatures ! It was her duty to remain with the Church wherein she was educated ; she had no business to leave it. Mrs. K. What! not for what she apprehended to be better? According to this rule, Doctor, hadst thou been born in Turkey, it had been thy duty to have remained a Mahometan, notwithstanding, Christian evidence might have wrought in thy mind the clearest conviction ! and, if so, then let me ask, how would thy conscience have answered for such obstinacy at the great and last tribunal ? Dr. J. My conscience would not have been answerable. Mrs. K. Whose then would ? QUAKER ANECDOTES. 121 Dr. J. Why the State, to be sure. In adhering to the Religion of the State as by law established, our implicit obedience therein becomes our duly. Mrs. K. A Nation, or State, having a conscience, is a doctrine entirely new to me, and, indeed, a very curious piece of intelligence, for I have always understood that a Govern- ment, or State, is a creature of time only ; beyond which it dissolves, and becomes a non-entity. Now, Gentlemen, can your imagination body forth this monstrou- individual, or being, called a State, composed of millions of people ? Can you behold it stalking forth into the next world, loaded with its mighty conscience, there to be rewarded, or punished, lor the faith, opinions, and conduct, of its constituent machines called men ? Surely the teeming brain of Poetry never held up to the fancy so wondrous a personage I ( When the laugh occasioned by the personification was subsi- ded, the Doctor very angrily replied,} I regard not what you say as to that matter. I hate the nrro^urce of the wench, in supposing herself a more compe- tent judge of Eeligion than those who educated her. She imitated you no doubt ; but she ought not to have presumed to determine for herself in so important an affair. Mrs. K. True, Doctor, I grant it, if, as thou seemest to impiy, a wench of twenty years be not a moral agent. Dr J. I doubt it would be difficult to prove those deserve that character who turn Quakers. Mrs. K. This severe retort, Doctor, induces me charitably to hope thou must be totally unacquainted with the principles of the people against whom thou art so exceedingly preju- diced, and that thou supposest us a set of Infidels or Deists. Dr. J. Certainly, I do think yon little better than Deists. Mrs. K. This is indeed strange ; 'tis passing strange, that a mnn of such universal reading and research has not thought H 122 QUAKER AJTECDOTES. it at least expedient to look into the cause of dissent of a society so long established, and so conspicuously singular ! Dr. J. Not I indeed ! I have not read your Barclay's Apology; and for this reason I never thought it worth my while. You are upstart Sectaries, perhaps the best subdued by a silent contempt. Mrs. K. This reminds me of the language of the Rabbles of old, when their Heirarchy was alarmed by the increasing influence, force, and simplicity of dawning Truth, in their high day of worldly dominion. We meekly trust, our prin- ciples stand on the same solid foundation of simple truth ; and we invite the acutest investigation. The reason thou givest for not having read Barclay's Apology is surely a very improper one for a man whom the world looks up to as a Moral Philosopher of the first rank ; a Teacher, from whom they think they have a right to expect much information. To this expecting, enquiring world, how can Dr. Johnson acquit himself for remaining unacquainted with a book translated into five or six different languages, and which has been admitted into the libraries of every Court and University in Christendom ! (Here the Doctor grew very angry, still more so at the space of time the Gentlemen allowed his antagonist wherein to make her defence, and his impatience excited Mr. Boswell himself, in a vfhisper to say, " I never saw this mighty Lion so chafed before ! "J The Doctor again repeated, that he did not think the Quakers deserved the name of Christians. Mrs K. Give me leave then to endeavour to convince thee of thy error, which I will do by making oefore thee, and this respectable company, a confession of our faith. Creeds, or confessions of faith, are admitted by all to be the standard whereby we judge of every denomination of pro- fessors. QUAKER ANECDOTES. 123 To this every one present agreed, and even the Doctor grumbled out his assent. Mrs. K. Well then, I take upon me to declare, that the people called Quakers do verily believe in the Holy Scriptures, and rejoice with the most full and reverential acceptance of the divine history of facts, as recorded in the New Testament. That we, consequently, fully believe those historical articles summed up in what is called The Apostle's Creed, with these two exceptions only, to wit, our Saviour's descent into Hell, and the resurrection of the body. These mysteries we hum- bly leave just as they stand in the holy text, there being, from that ground, no authority for such assertion as is drawn up in the Creed. And now, Doctor, canst thou still deny to us the honourable title of Christians ? Dr. J. Well ! I must own I did not at all suppose you had so much to say for yourselves. However, I cannot for- give that little slut, for presuming to take upon herself as she HAS done. M rs. K. I hope, Doctor, thou wilt not remain unforgiving ; and that you will renew your friendship, and joyfully meet at last in those bright regions where Pride and Prejudice can never enter ! Dr. J. Meet her.' I never desire to meet fools any where. (This sarcastic turn of wit was so pleasantly received, tba: the Doctor joined in the laugh ; his spleen was dissipated ; Jio took his coffre. and became, for the remainder of the evoniug, very cheerful and entertaining.) RIGHT OK LEFT. Two Uuftturr irls were ironing on the same table. One asked the other which side she would take, the right or left. She answered pjutiU'tly. "It will T< right for me to take the left, and then it will be left ior thee to take the right." 124 QUAKER ANECDOTES. THE WAT TO TOBK. A traveller lost on a Yorkshire moor, after desperately pursuing a rather hopeless track for some time, had the good fortune to meet a member of a shrewd and plain-speaking sect. " This is the way to York, is it not?" said the trav- eller. To which the other replied, "Friend, first thou tellest me a lie, and then thou askest me a question." ADDRESS TO GEORGE I. The Quakers in common with other Christian Communities presented an address to George I. on his accession to the throne in 1714, when the King had made his reply, George White- head, the leader of the deputation, an eminent Quaker of his day, stood forward and said "Thou art welcome to us, King George ; we heartily wish thee health and happiness, and thy son the prince also. King William III was a happy instrument in putting a stop to persecution, by promoting toleration. We desire the King may have further knowledge of us and our innocency, and that to live a peaceable and quiet life, in all godliness and honesty, under the King and his government, is according to our principle aud practice." At the conclusion of this address, the deputation applied for permission to see the Prince of Wales. The application was cheerfully acceded to ; they were at once admitted into the prince's apartment, when again George Whitehead, as their spokesman said " We take it as a favour that we are thus admitted to see the Prince of Wales, and truly are very glad to see thee, having delivered our address to the King, thy royal father, and being desirous to give thyself a visit in true love, we very heartily wish health and happiness to you both ; and that, if it should please God, thou shouldst survive thy father an< I come to the throne, thou mayest enjoy tranquility and peace. I am persuaded that if the King, thy father, and QUAKER ANECDOTES. 125 thyself, do stand for the toleration for liberty of conscience to be kept inviolable, God will stand by you. May Kin^ Solomon's choice of wisdom be thy choice, with holy Job,s integrity, and compassion for the distressed. THE QUAKEK PHYSICIAN. Dr. Fothergill one of the most celebrated medical men of the last century was of Quaker origin. Perhaps assisted in part by the religious community to which he belonged he soon obtained one of the most lucrative practices of the day. He was a most disinterested man, at the outset of his career, he said "My only wish, was to do what little business might fall to my share as well as possible ; and to banish all thought of practising physic as a money-getting trade, with the same solicitude as I would the suggestions of vice or intemperance." When in the height of prosperity he writes " I endeavour to follow my business, because it is my duty, rather than my interest ; the last is inseperable from a just discharge of duty ; but I have ever wished to look at the profits in the last place, and this wish has attended me ever since my beginning." Again he says " I wished most fervently, and I endeavour after it still, to do the business that occurred, with all the diligence I could, as a present duty, and endeavoured to repress every rising idea of its consequences, such a circum- scribed, unaspiring temper of mind, doing every thing with diligence, humility, as in the sight of the God of healing, frees the mind from much unavailing distress, and consequen- tial disappointment." Dr. Fothergill was an enthusiastic student of botany and extensive collector of plants. The late Sir Joseph Banks speaking of him says "At an expense seldom undertaken by an individual, and with an ardour that was visible in the whole of his conduct, he procured from all parts of the world a great number of the rarest plants, and protected them in the amplest buildings which this or any other country haa 126 QtJAKKll ANECDOTES. seen. IT e liberally propo ed iv wards to those whose 'ircum- stances and situations in life gave them opportunities of bringing plants which might he ornamental or probably usn- ful to this country, or her colonies ; and as liberally paid these rewards to all that served him. If the troubles of wnr had permitted, we should have had the Cortex Winteranus, &c. &c., introduced by this moans into this country ; and also the Bread-Fruit, Mangasteen, &c., into the ~Wes^, Indies. For each of these and many others, he had fixed a proper pre- mium. In conjunction with the Earl of Tankerville, Dr. Pitcairn, and myself, he sent a person over to Africa, who was employed on the coast of that country, for the purpose of collecting plants and specimens. Those whose gratitude for restored health prompted them to do what was acceptable to their benefactor, were always informed by him. that pres- ents of rare plants chirfly attracted his attention, and would be more acceptable to him than the most generous fees. Ho\r many unhappy men enervated by the effects of hot climates, where their connexions had placed them, found health on their return home at that cheap purchase ! What an infinite num- ber of plants he obtainrd by these means, the large collection of drawings he left behind will amply testify ; and they were equalled by nothing but royal munificence, at this time largely bestowed upon the botanic gardens at Kew. In my opinion, no other garden in Europe, royal or of a si:>>ject, had nearly so many scarce and valuable plants. That science might not suffer a loss, when a plant he had cultivated should die, he liberally paid the best artist the country afforded, to draw the new ones when they came to perfection ; and so numerous were they at last, that he found it necessajy to employ more artists than one, in order to keep pace with their increase. His garden was known all over Europe, and foreign- ers of all ranks asked, when they came hither, permission to see it ; of which, Dr. Solauder and myself are sufficient QUAKER ANECDOTES. 127 witnesses, from the many applications that have been made through us for that permission." Dr. John Fofhergill. whose attachment to botany was a leading feature in his character, having noticed a spot of land suitable for a garden, on the Surrey side of the Thames, which was to dispose of, agreed for the price. One obstacle alone ivmained t'> make it his own. It was let to a tenant at will, whose little family subsisted on its produce, and whose misery was inevitable, had he expelled him from its fruitful soil. The moment Dr. Fothergill was made acquainted with the circumstance, he broke off the bargain, saying, that "nothing could ever afford gratification to him which entailed misery on another; " and when he relinquished this projected Eden, he made the family a present of the intended purchase money, which enabled them to become proprietor?, where they had formerly only been tenants at will. His disposition was very charitabte, when at his summer residence, Lea Hall, in Cheshire, he gave advice gratuitously one day in the week to the poor at Middlewich, the nearest market-town. It was common for him to refuse fees from persons who were not in opulent circumstances, once a friend expostulated with him for refusing a fee from a clergyman of high position in the church. He replied. "I had rather return the fee of a gentleman with whose rank I am not perfectly acquainted, than run the risk of taking it from a man who ought, perhaps be the object of my bounty." When calling for the last visit to patients in reduced circumstances whilst apparently feeling the pulse he would frequently put money into their hand, sometimes it would be a bank-note and in one instance the present amounted to one hundred and fifty pounds. A poor clergyman settled in London on a curacy of fifty pounds per annum, with a wife and numerous family, was known to Dr. Fothergill. An epidemic disease, at that time 1 28 QUAKER ANECDOTES. prevalent, seized upon the curate's wife and five children. In this sr>ent' of distress he looked to the Doctor for his assist- ance, but dared not apply to \.lrn. from a consciousness of not being able to pay him for his attendance. A friend, who knew his situation, kindly offered to accompany him to the Doctor's house, and give him his fee. They took the advantage of his hour of audience ; and, after a description of the several cases, the fee was offered, and rejected, but a notice was taken of the curate's place of residence. The Doctor called assiduously the next and every succeeding day, until his attend- ance was no longer necessary. The curate, anxious to return some grateful mark of the sense he entertained of his services, strained every nerve to accomplish it ; but his astonishment was not to be described, when, instead of receiving the money he offered, with apologies for his situation, the Doctor put ten guineas into his hand, desiring him to apply without diffi- dence in future difficulties. When during the war the prisons were filled with foreign captives, he was one of the most active and influential mem- bers of the committee appointed to distribute the funds raised for their relief. To the honour of the Quakers be it stated, they, although forming scarcely the two-hundreth part of the nation, contributed one-fourth of the whole subscriptions raised for the purpose by the country Without confining his attention to his own profession he was interested in every scheme calculated to promote the general good. We are told he directed his thoughts at one time to the establishment of public baths and of public cemetrics. He was very instrumental in establishing an ex- cellent school for the children of Quakers, not in affluent circumstances, at Ackworth. Shortly before his death to a friend he expressed the hope " That he had not lived in vain, but in a degree to answer the end of his creation, by sacri- lioing interested considerations, and his own ease, to the QUAKER ANECDOTES 129 good of his fellow-creatures." The memory of the just is blessed. More than seventy carriages filled with sincere mourners followed the remains of this good man to the grave. BOOTH THE ACTOR AND THE QUAKER. The elder Booth or " Eichard III Booth," as he was not improperly designated was at times the victim of strange fancies. Once he took the fancy to be an absolute vegetarian, and while possessed of this idea he was travel- ling on a Western steamboat, and happened to be placed at table opposite a solemn Quaker, who had been attracted by the eloquent conversation of the great actor. The benevo- lent old Quaker, observing the lack of viands on Booth's plate, kindly said "Friend, shall I not help thej to the breast of this chicken?" "No, I thank you, friend," replied the actor. " Then 'shall I not cut thee a slice of the ham? J ' "No, friend, not any." " Then thee must take a piece of the mutton ; thy plate is empty," persisted the good old Quaker. "Friend," said Booth, in those deep stentorian tones, whose volume and power had so often electrified crowded audiences, "friend, I never eat any flesh but human flesh, and I prefer that raw." The old Quaker was speechless, and his seat was changed to another table at the next meal. MRS. FRY AT NEWGATE. When first Mrs. Fry heaid of the condition of the female prisoners in Newgate, their profligacy, their conduct, their hardy and determined recklessness, she was deeply moved at the account. Her determination to visit these people, and try by the might of gentleness to make some impression on th^ni, received the sanction of her husband, friends, and religious socie.y ; but it was considered very hazardous by parties supposed to know the characters 130 QUAKER ANECDOTES. and habits of criminals best. And it must "be borne in mind that, with reference to the female character, while it is capable of reaching the noblest heights of virtue, yet. when perverted and degraded, it is equally capable of sink- ing to the lowest depths of vice. Nothing on earth can be better than a good, or worse than a bad woman. Hence when Mrs. Fry determined to visit Newgate, she was advised to leave her watch and purse behind her; but she declined doing so, wisely resolving to attempt to win confidence by reposing it. Accordingly she appeared among the vilest criminals of our worst metropolitan prisons, and was locked in with them. The effect of her winning, yet authoritative demeanour and instructions, wer soon ap- parent. Order was introduced among a set of human beings supposed to be incapnble of acting on any right im- pulse, and wholly incorrigal'le. Many was the hard heart that melted under the influence of Mrs. Fry's teaching; many the lip that had only known how to curse and scoff, that learned from her to pray. Meanwhile, to suffering innocence unjustly condemned to thor.p-lilless credulity, heartlessly seduced and betrayed Mrs. Fry extended, not merely a comforting, but a rescuing hand. "The cause that she knew not she searched out." " Moral Heroism," by C. L. Kalfour. THE KrNO or PRUSSIA WITH MBS. FRY AT NEWGATE. The following report is taken from the Times Newspaper, January 31st, 1842. His Majesty was received by the Sheriffs, Mrs. Fry * * * * They were conducted to one of the female wardp, in which all the female prisoners at present in custody were assembled round the table, at the head of which Mrs. Fry took hor seat, the King of Prussia occupying a chair on her right, and the Lady Mayoress on Ler left. Mrs. Fry, then addressing His Majesty, QUAKER ANECDOTES. 131 explained that the unfortunates were untried prisoners. She informed His Majesty that much had been effected in respect of the improvement in the character and morals of the offenders who came under their notice. Mrs. Fry then proceeded to read to the prisoners two chapters, commenting on them as she proceeded, with a view to convey to His Majesty the idea of the mode in which she conducted her charitable visitations. Then followed a. Psalm, which being concluded, Mrs. Fry knelt down, an example which His Majesty instantly followed, and with- the most devout attention, listened to a beautiful extemporaneous prayer, to which Mrs. Fry gave utterance. The scene, at this moment was indeed, a strange one, at one view the be- holder witnessed the Monarch of a great nation a portion of the nobles of the realm the wealth and authorities of the great metropolis of the c jmmercial kingdom, approach- ing with prayer their common Creator, in unison with those whom vice and crime had made the occupants of a prison ! The prayer concluded with invoking the Divine blessing upon the Christian Sovereign now present upon his be- loved consort, and upon the kingdom over which he reigned. " His Majesty then rose, and again offering his arm to Jlrs. Fry, was escorted back to the Governor's apartments. He made many inquiries and expressed himself gratified with the cleanliness and order of the prison." "His Majesty then leaving Newgate, proceeded to Mrs. Fry's residence, at West House, Essex, about five miles from the city." The author of " Memoirs of Mrs. Fry " observes " many inquired what good would be likely to result from these visits of this Christian sovereign to the philanthropist, Mrs. Fry. Doubtless much good to many, especially to prisoners iu his own kingdom, and to multitudes beyond its limits. 1 32 QUAKER ANECDOTES. We have it on undoubted authority, that Mrs. Fry improved the opportunity to appeal most powerfully to the King against the wickedness and impolicy of persecution on account of religious opinions, and in favour of complete religious liberty in his own kingdom. His Majesty's tears bespoke the deep feeling at this appeal. And both then and by letter the following day Mrs. Fry entreated His Majesty to use the best influence with the King of Denmark, to put a stop to the shameful persecution carried on against tho Baptists in his kingdom. Multitudes yet unborn, theiefore, will be benefitted by this visit of the King of Prussia, the result of conduct so worthy of the enlightened, philautrophic, and Christian character of Mrs. Fry. QUICK RETOBT. On one occasion, when the father of the " Sherwood Forester " was passing along a street in the lower part of Nottingham, and coming to a corner where a number of gossiping men stood, he was approached by one who meant to raise a laugh at the Quakers expense. Staring him impudently in the face, he said, " I say, master, how long have you worn that big hat?" Pausing for a moment, and looking at his questioner, he turned the tables by saying, loud enough to be heard by all, "I cannot remem- ber exactly, but am afraid not so long as thou'st been a fool." Old Mr. Hall was an excellent pedestrian, and he seldom allowed any person walking the same way to pass him. One day a stout man, who came almost up to him near the seven mile house, between Mansfield and Notting- ham, and who had another person upon a pony for a companion, got so annoyed at his inability to go ahead, as t get talking at the Friend somewhat offensively. At length, becoming even more personal than before, he shouted loudly, " If I had that man's hat, it would make QUAKER ANECDOTES. 133 two for me." " No," quietly retorted Mr. Hall, turning round, and looking calmly at the stout quiz, " it would take a larger hat than this to make two for one big head ! " while the man on the pony made the forest echo with his laughter, and his shout of " Well done, old Quaker ! " Briscoe's " Nottinghamshire Facts and Fictions" AT FAULT. The Duke of Grafton being fox-hunting one day near Newmarket, a Quaker, at some distance upon an eminence, pulled off his hat, and gave a ' Yoicks, tally-ho ! ' The hounds immediately ran to him, and being drawn off the scent, were consequently at fault, which so enraged the duke, that galloping up to the offender, he asked him in an angry tone, ' Art thou a Quaker ? ' 'I am, friend,' replied the man. 'Well, then,' rejoined his grace, 'as you never pull off your hat to a Christian, I will thank you in future not to pay that compliment to a fox ! ' PUBLIC TESTIMONY IN CHURCH. Dr. Cunningham remarks "Toward the end of 1745, when England was recovering from its panic, caused by the inroad of Prince Charles and his Highlanders, a young Quakeress, named Eisdale, of the humble condition of a servant, felt herself called upon to give a public testimony in church. Such exhibitions were very common in the days of Fox ; but, by the strong arm of the law, they had been entirely put down. It is proboble this enthusiastic serving woman had been reading the lives of some of the ancient worthies, and fancied she was commissioned to do like them and play the part of a prophetess. She, accordingly, persua- ded her mistress and some other Friends to accompany her to the steeple-house, and, when the sermon was ended, she stood up and said " Neighbours, I am sent with a message from the high priest of our profession to desire you to turn 184 QUAKER AXECDOTEi. the eye of your inind inward and examine yourselves, and to come to true repentance and amendment of life." Ti.on turning to the officiating Clergyman, she said ' You must come down from your high place, and bow at the footstool of Christ, before you can teach the people the way to the kingdom of heaven." The astonished parson called the churchwarden to put the intruder out, but the church wardeu was as one amazed, and did nothing ; whereupon the parson himself descended from the pulpit, and in wrath thrust her to the door. But this was not all. The poor woman was rined 20 for her misdemeanour; and not being able to pay it, was thrust into jail." MEETING THE DIFFICULTT. Tou remind me of a story which I once heard in England, Concerning a worthy Quaker who lived in a country town there. The Friend was rich and benevolent, his means were put in frequent requisition, for purposes of local charity or usefulness. The townspeople wanted to rebuild their parish Church, and a committee was appointed 'to raise the funds. It was agreed that the Quaker could not be asked to subscribe towards an object so contrary to his principles; but then, on the other hand, so true a friend to the town might take it amiss if he was not at least consulted on a matter of such jreneral interest. So one of their number went and explained to him their project ; the old church was to be removed, and buch and such steps taken towards the construction of a new one. " Thee was right," said the Quaker, " in supposing that my principles would not allow me to assist in building a church. But did'st thee not say something about pulling down a church. Thee may'st put rny name down for a hun- ched pounds." Werivalc's " Historical QUAKER ANECDOTES. 135 FEELJNG IN THE KIGHT PLACE. A gentleman was one day relating to a Quaker a tale of deep distiess, and concluded very pathetically by saying, " I could not but feel tor him." il Verily, friend," replied the Quaker, " thou didst right in that thou didst leel for thy neighbour ; but didst thou feel in the right place didst thou feel in thy pocket ? " How TO GET WAKM. A Quaker gentleman, riding in a carriage with a fashionable lady, decked with a profusion of jewellery, heard her com- plain of the cold. Shivering in her lace bonnet and shawl, as light as a cobweb, she exclaimed, "What shall I do to get warm?" " I really don't know," replied the Quaker, solemnly, " unless thee should put on another breast-pin." ADVICE ON MATKIMONY. " J ohn," said a Quaker to a young friend, " I hear thou art going to be married." " Yes," replied John, " I am." ' Well," replied the Quaker, "I have one little bit of advice to give thee, and that is never marry a woman worth more than thou art. When I married my wife, I was worth just fifty shillings, and she was worth sixty-two, and whenever any difference has occured between us since, she has always thrown the odd shillings in my face." A FINE DISTINCTION. A Quaker being examined by a judicious counsel, as he was retiring, another counsel on the same side asked him a question which he did not like to answer. " I have told all 136 QUAKER ANECDOTES. I know to the counsel," said the Quaker. " I am c< ims4 also," answered the barrister. "Thou mayst be counsel also," replied the Quaker, " but thou art not counsel like- wise." Fox, THE QUAKEB. This individual, many years deceased, was a most remark- able man in his circle ; a great natural genius, which employed itself upon trivial or not generally interesting matters. He deserved to have been known better than he was. The last years of his life he resided at Biistol. He was a great Per- sian scholar, and published some translations of the poets of that nation, which were well worthy of perusal. He was somewhat eccentric, but had the quickest leasoning power, and consequently the greatest coolness of any man of his day, who was able to reason. His house took fire in the night ; it was situated near the sea ; it was uninsured, and the flames spread so rapidly, nothing could be saved. He saw the consequences instantly, made up his mind to them as rapidly, and ascending a hill at some distance in the rear of his dwelling, watched the picture and the reflection of the flames on the sea, admiring its beauties, as if it were a holi- day bonfire. Hone's " Table Talk." PLANTING FEUIT TREES BY THE WAY-SIDE. Fruit was unknown in the early days of the settlement of New York State, but orchards of apple-trees were soon planted between the stumps of cleared forest. One rugged farmer passing through, a neighbouring settlement at a little later period, picked up an apple from under a tree, and was roughly ordered by the owner to replace it on the ground. Obeying, the Quaker turned to the owner with the remark, " Friend, thou art a very close man with thy QUAKER ANECDOTES. 137 fruit. K"ext year, if I live, I will plant 100 apple-trees by my \vayside for the use of travellers," and he fulfilled his piomise. Times, 1879. THE GBEA.T FIRE OF LONDON. The great fire of London which followed the pestilence of 16t6, broke out the day after George Fox was released from Scarborough Castle, and was a confirmation in his belief, of those judgments of God, of which he had a vision while a prisoner in Lancaster Castle. London was fore- warned of this calamity by a Quaker from Huntingdonshire, by name Thomas Ibbott, who entered London on horseback, the Friday preceding the fire, and turning his horse loose, he unbuttoned his garments, and ran about the streets, scattering his money and crying out " So should they run up and down, scattering their money and goods, half un- dressed like mad people, as he was a sign to them," which prediction though no one believed at the time, was fully verified during the conflagration. Life of Fox, by J. Marsh. THEE ANU Tnou. In 1661 appeared a curious little book, called The Battle- d'jre, compiled (jy Jo..n Stubb^ and Benjamin Furley, at the instigation >i George Fox, and was written to prove that Thee and Tl,ou is a proper and usual form of speech to a single person, and you to more than one. Examples were taken out of the scriptures, and from books of instruction and grammars of thirty different languages. A copy was presented to the king and his council, to the bishops, and to the universities, which distr.Lution, he says, "had the effect of informing and convincing people, so that few after its publication, were so ruj^ed to tlieiu for saying, Thou aad Tiiuo." 138 QUAKER ANECDOTES. PRINCE FREDERICK OF WALES. In 1735, a destitution from the Quakers, waited on Frederick, Prince oi' Wales (father of George the Third), to solicit his interest for the tithing bill. The prince replied, "That as a friend to liberty in general, and toleration in particular, he wished that the Society of Friends might meet with support ; but that as for himself, it did not become his station to influence his friends, or direct his servants, he wished to leave them e. ti ely to their own consciences and understandings, which \vus a rule he had hitherto prescribed to himself, and proposed through his whole life to observe." Mr. Andrew Pitt, who was one of the deputation, replied in the name of the body, in the following terms; <% May it please the Prince of Wale*, I am greatly affected with thy excellent notions of liberty, and am still more pleaesd with tiiy answer, than if thou hadst granted our request." JOHN BKIOHT AT GLEN URQUHART. In the visitors' book at Drurnnadrochit Inn, Glen Urqu- hai't, the following lines may be seen : In Highland glens 'tis far too much observed That man is chased away, and Game preserved : Glen Urquhart is to me a lovelier glen Here Deer and Gruusu have iiot supplanted men. A BRIGHT STORT. The President of the Board of Trade was dining witH a well-known citizen of Cottonopolis, aud the conversation turned on the subject of the growth and development of America. ''I should like," said the host, who is an enthu- siastic admirer of the great Eepublic, "to come back fifty years aft.e.r- my death to see what a fine country America had become." "I believe yuu would be glad of .any excuse to cou,e back," said Mr. Bright, lay DR. FRANKLIN'S ADVICB. Franklin," said Myers Fisher, a celebrated Quaker lawyer of Philadelphia, one day, "thee knows almost everything; can thee tell me ho-w I am to preserve my small- beer in the back -yard? my neighbours are often tapping it of nights." '' Put a barrel of old Madeira by the sido of it," replied the doctor; "let them but get a taste of the Madeira, and I'll engage they will never trouble thy small-beer any more." SOMETHING LIKE A FRIEND. Many good anecdotes are told of the late Thomas Garrett, whose life was devoted to the liberation of the slaves. He never lost a chance to assist a fugitive, and many times im- perilled his life and property in so doing. He once forfeited nil his goods to the State of Delaware for having aided a slave to escape. At the close of the auction, the officer turned to Garrett. and said, "Thomas, I hope you'll nerer be caught at this again." "Friend," was the reply, "I hav'nt a dollar iu the world, but if thee knows a fugitive who needs a breakfast, send him to me." ANTnoir/ PCTRVER'S TRANSLATION o* TOT Bram A poor Quaker carpenter, of the above name, conceived that the spirit impslled him to translate the Bible He accordingly learnt Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and published a literal version of the Old and New Testament in two vols., folio, 1764. This Book is curious for its Hebrew idioms By adher- ing to tliose, Anthony has in some rare instance-* excelled the common version ; but when he alters only for the sake of alteration, he makes miserable work 140 QUAKER ANECDOTES. E. G. A kind let gt may exhibit genteel Naphtali ; he gives fine words fov. " Naphtali is a hind let loose; he giveth goodly words." I am he who am, is better than / am that I am. He calls the Song of Solomon, the poem of Solomon ; " Song, (he says) being of profane ii*e." Southey's " Omniana." JOSEPH TOEREY AND THE DISEASED HORSE. A. Quaker who resided in Dublin, by the name of Joseph Torrey, was one day passing through the streets, when he saw a man leading a horse, which was evidently much diseased. His compassionate lit art was pained by the sight, and he asked the man where he was going. He replied, "The horse has the staggers, and I am going to sell him to the carrion-butchers." "Wilt thou sell him to me for a crown!" inquired Joseph. The man readily assented, and the poor animal was led to the stable of his new friend, where he was most kindly tended. Suitable remedies and careful treatment soon restored him to health and beauty. One day, when Friend Torrey was riding him in Phcenix Park, a gentleman looked very earnestly at the horse, and at last inquired whether his owner would be willing to sell him. " Perhaps I would," replied Joseph, " if I could get a very good master for him." " He so strongly resembles a favourite horse I once had, that I should think he was the same, if I didn't know he . was dead," rejuined the stranger. " Did he die in the stable '? " inquired Joseph. The gentleman replied " No. He had the staggers very badly, and I sent him to the carrion-butchers." " I should be very sorry to .-ell an animal to any mm, who would send him to the carrion-butchers because he wo* QUAKEK ANECDOTES. HI deseasod," answered Joseph. "If thou wert ill, how wouldst thou Jike to have thy throat cut, instead of boiag kindly nursed? " With sume surprise, the gentleman inquired whether ho intended to compare him to a horsa. "No," replied Joseph, but animals have feelings, as well as human beinga ; and when they are afflicted with disease, they ought to be care- fully attended. If I consent to sell thee this horse, I shall exact a promise that thou wilt have him kindly nursed when he is sick, and not send him to havo his throat cut." The gentleman readily promised all that was required, and said he should consider himself very fortunate to obtain a horse that so much resembled his old favourite. When he called the next day, to complete the bargain, he inquired whether forty guineas would be a satisfactory price. The conscientious Quaker answered, "I have gooi reason to believe the horse was once thine; and I am willing to restore him to thee on the conditions I have mentioned. I have saved him from the carrion-butchers, but I will charge thee merely what I have expended for his food and medicine. Let it be a lesson to thee to treat animals kind- ly, when they are diseased. Nevar again send to the butchers a faithful servant, that cannot plead for himself, and may with proper attention, again become useful to thee." Tins CLERGYMAN AND nis BOOKS. On board the ship in which Isaac T. Hopper returned from England to America, there was a Clergyman who had brought with him a large quantity of books. When they reached Ne*/ York, he was in some perplexity as at the custom-house high duties were demanded for the books. " Perhaps I can get them through for thoo," said Friend Hopper. "I will try." lie went np to tho officer, and said, "Isn't it a rule of the custom-house not to charge a man QTTAKFT AXKCDOTES. for the tools of his trade ? " Ho replied that it was. Then thou art bound to let ;!iis priest's b joks pass free," rejoined the Friend. " Preaching is the trade he gets his living by ; and these books are the tools he must usa." Thj Clergy- man being aware of the Quaker views with regard to a paid ministry, seemed doubtful whether to be pleasel or not, with such a nude of helping him out of dial julty. How- ever, he took the joke as g jod naturedly asatf it was offered, and the books pissed free, on the assurance that they wer.- all for his own library. OK ARISTOCRATIC PREJUDICES. How little FrienJ Hopper was inclined to minister to aristocratic prejudices, maybe inferred from the following anecdote. One day, while he was visiting a wealthy family in Dublin, a note was handed to him, inviting him to dine the next day. When he read it aloud, his host remarked, " Those people arj very respectable, but not of the first circles. They belong to oar Church, but not exactly to our set. Their father was a mechanic." ' "Well I am a mechanic myself," said Isaac, "Perhaps if thou hadst known that fact, thou wonldst not have in- vited me?" " Is it possible," exclaimed his host, " that a man of your information and appearance can be a mechanic? " " I followed the business of a tailor for many years," .rejoined his guest. " Look at my hands! Dost thou not see marks of shears ? Some of the Mayors of Philadelphia have been tailors. When I lived there, I often walked the streets with the Chief Justice. It never occured to me that it was any honour, and 1 don't think it did to him." THE AGED SLAVE EMANCIPATED. At an early period, it became an established rule of dis- cipline for tha Society (in America) to disown QUAKIU ANTTDOTES. who refused to manumit his bondmen. Friend Hopper used to tell an interesting anecdote in connection with a committee appointed to expostulate in private with those who held slaves. In the course of their visits, they con- cluded to pass by one of their members, who held only one slave, and he was very old. He was too infirm to earn his own living, and as he was very kindly treated, they sup- posed he would have no wish for freedom. But Isaac Jackson, one of the committee, a very benevolent and conscientious man, had a strong impression on his mind that duty required him not to omit this case. He accord- inglv went alone to the master and stated how the subject appeared to him, in the inward light of his own soul The Friend was not easily convinced. He brought forward many reasons for not emancipating his slave; and one of the strongest was that the man was too feeble to labour for his own support and therefore freedom would be of no value to him. Isaac Jackson replied, " He laboured for thee without wages while he had strength :tn I it is thy duty to support him now. Whether he would value free- dom or not is a question he alone is competent to decide." These friendly remonstrances produced such effect, that the master agreed to manumit hi* bondman and give a written obligation that he should be comfortably supported during the remainder of his life, by him or his heirs. When the papers were prepared the slave was called into theparlour, and Isaac Jackson inquired, ' Would'st thou like to be free?" He promptly answered that he should. The Friend suggested that he wa* now too feeble to labour much, and inquired how he would manage to obtain a living. The old man meeklv replied. " Providence has been kind to me thus far ; and I am willing to trust him the rest of my life." 144 QT7AKER AKECDOTES. Isaac Jackson then held up the papers and said, "Thou art a free man. Thy master has emancipated thee, and promised to maintain thee as long as thou mayest live." This was so unexpected, that the aged bondman was com- pletely overcome. For a few moments he remained in profound silence, then, with a sudden impulse, he fell on his knees, and poured forth a short and fervent prayer of thanksgiving to his Heavenly Father, for prolonging his life till he had the happiness to foel himself a free man. The master and his adviser were both surprised and affected by this eloquent outburst of grateful feeling. The poor old servant had seemed so comfortable and contented, that no one supposed freedom was of great importance to him But, as honest Isaac Jackson observed, he alone was competent to decide that question. TESTIMONY AGAINST SLAVERY. Friend Hopper went to Maryland, to visit two sisters who resided there. He was accompanied in this journey by his wife's brother, David Tatum. At an Inn where they stopped for refreshment, the f. >l!owing characteristic incident occurred : a coloured girl brought in a pitcher of water. "Art thou a slave?" said Friend Hopper. "When she answered in the affirmative, he started up and exclaimed, " It is against my principles to be waited upon by a slave." His more timid brother-in-law inquired, in a low tone of voice, whether he were aware that the mistress was within hearing ? " " To be sure I am," answered Isaac aloud. "What would be the use of saying it, if she were not within hearing ? " He then emptied the pitcher of water, and went out to the well to re-fill it for himself. Seeing the landlady stare at these proceedings be explained to her that hu thought it wrorg to avail himself of unpaid labour. In reply, ske complained oi' Uie ingratitude of slaves and QUAKER ASTECDOTE3. 145 the hard condition of their mast r*. "It is very inconve- nient to live so near a free state," said she. " I had sixtp- n slaves; but ten of them have run away, and I expect the rest will soon go." " I hope they will," said Isaac, "I am sure I would run away, if I were a slave." At first she was disposed to be offended ; but he reasoned the matter with her, in a quiet and friendly manmr, and they parted on very civil terms. David Tatum often used to tell this anecdote, after they returned home ; and he generally added, "I never again will travel in a Southern state with brother Isaac, fur I am. sure it would be at the risk of my life." ISAAC HOPPER AND THE CRUEL DRIVER. He very often mingled with affairs in the street, as he passed along. One da} r , when he saw a man beating his horse brutall}', he stepped up to him and said very seriously ; '' Dost thou know that some people think men change into animals when they die?" The stranger's attention was arrested by such an unexpected question, and he answered that he never was acquainted with an\body who had that belief. " But some people do believe it," rejoined Friend Hopper, "and they also believe that animals may become men. Now I am thinking if thou shouldest ever be a horse and that horse should ever be a man. with such a temper as thine, the chance is thou wilt get some cruel beatings." Having thus changed the current of his angry mood, he proceeded to expostulate with him in a friendly way ; and the poor beast was reprieved for that time at least. QUAKER FUNERAL. Buckinghnm, in his work on ' America," remarks. *' During our stay at Saratoga, we had our house of feast- 146 QUAKER ANECDOTES. ing turned to a house of mourning, by the death of two o* its inmates within a few days of each other. The one was an elderly gentleman, whose death, it was believed, if not actually caused, was greatly accelerated by imprudent diet, and an excessive use of the waters. The other was a young Quaker from Providence, here with his parents and brothers and sisters; intended to be married, and his proposed bride daily expecting to meet him. He came here with a slight affection of inflammatory rheumatism, nd was considered tc havo quite recovered from this affection , when suddenly in the night, he was seized with spasms of the hear! and faintness ; and before his futiier could come tc his assistance, though sleeping u the next room, he expired This event, as might be expected, threw sad- ness and gloom over the inmates of the house in which it occured ; and when the funeral uf the deceased took place 011 the day following his death, it Avas attended by all who v ere within the dwelling. It was the first Quaker funeral at which I had ever been present ; and it uffected all very dfp ; >ly, from the simple and unostentatious solemnit by v. ii it-li it was characterized. The coffin, of plain mahogany, without the appearance of breast-plate, handles, or c-fccutelieon, was brought from the bed-room by the young ineu who were his friends and companions in lii'e an I b\ whom also it was alternately carried to the grave and placed uii a large table, prepared with a clean white lineu cloth spread, on which to receive it. It was followed by tin- ] a.tnts, relatives, and personal friends, who walked after it in pairs, but in their ordinary dresses, as neither black clothes, nor any outward emblems of mourning, are ever worn by Quakers. They then took their seats on the sofas and chairs aiound the drawing-room; and soon after this, the remaining space was occupied by nearlv 200 persons, living in the house, and some few from QUAKEIi ANECDOTES. I i" the iJtiylilK-iiilioou, belonging to the Society ol Friends, of which the deceased was a member. A dead silence prevailed, which continued for more than huli'-un-hour ; and so unbroken and profound was the stillness, tiiat the fall of ^ pin might be hoard if dropped (in the flour. There was something indescribably impressive- in this spectacle, of a gaily dressed assemblage of persons coagfegated lor pleasure at this focus of gaiety and thought- lessness, sitting in an ordinary drawing-room, with the doad body of one or their own companions, alive and well hut two day is before, lying in the cold shroud of death in the very midst of them. I do not think, that any spoken discourse, however eloquent, could have more powerfully arrested the feelings, or awakened the attention to tho certainty and frequent suddenness of death, and the hourly necessity of preparation for it, than "was effected by the silent scene before us : and accordingly many eyes besides those of the friends and relatives of the deceased, were filled with tears. At length a venerable old Quaker, upwards of 80 years of age, who had come in from the country to attend tho funeral, arose, and addressed the assembly. It was unusual, he said, but not unpleasing, to see so many strangers con- gregated together, to witness the departure from among them of one of the members of their Society ; and he felt impelled, by an irresistible impulse, to profit by the occasion, and address a few words to those by whom he was surround- ed. His observations were full of piety, and appropriateness; and there could hardly have been one present, who did not respond to tho aspiration with which he concluded, that all might be able to say, in the language of the apostle, ' It was good for me to have been here." Another pause of profound silence ensued, which was quite as impressivu as before ; and another short address from the same veneriiilu QUAKEK ANECDOTES. patriarch, the Last, he thought it probable he might ever be permitted to utter in the presence of others, made almost every one present weep copiously. To the pause which succeeded the close of this, followed a most touching scene, when tho stepmother of the deceased, who had sat beside her most deeply afflicted husband, and surrounded by her numerous sorrowing children, fell gently on her knees from the plnco where she sat ; and while nearly all the strangers present, instinctively followed her in assuming the same supplicating attitude, she poured forth a prayer so full of eloquence, devotion, sweetness, tenderness, and simple beauty, as to penerate every heart, The evident struggles between her own feelings and her sense of duty, which caused her voice every now and then to falter, and her utterance to become choked, and which shook her husband with de~p and convulsive sobs, was so powerful, and so truthful r.n exhibition of the genuine pathos of unaffected nature under a bereavement with which all could sympathize deeply that never, perhaps, was there an assembly of the same number of persons so completely absorbed in devotion, awe, end grief combined, as the knee-ling mourners (for all had so become by sympathy) which surrounded the corpse of the young and suddenly- snatched flower, fading before their eyes, while the sweetest assents of maternal love, piety, and resignation filled their ears, and penetrated to the utmost recesses of their hearts. I have seen many funerals in many different lands, and conducted in many different modes from the " pomps and vanities" which swell the death-pageantry of heroes and kings, to the simple interment of the friendless mariner, who is consigned to a watery grave, without prayer or chaplain, by the hands of his brother shipmates but 1 never remember to have witnessed anything half so heart- searching and mind-impressing as this; and I cannot but QUAKER ANECUOXKS. 149 believe that if so simple, yet purely devotional a moie of interring the dead, were universally adopted by Christian Nations, instead of the " plumed hearse," the hired mourn- ers, the long unmeaning cavalade with scarfs and bands, and sable cloaks, where all within is coldness and indiffer- ence the change would be highly beneficial if the object of accompanying the interment of the dead with any cere- monial at all, be to impress the living with the necessity of preparing to follow them. THE MAN OF PEACE. John Tatum, an American Friend, was remarkable for his love of peace ; always preferring to suffer wrong rather than dispute. The influence of this pacific disposition upon others was strikingly illustrated in the case of two of his neighbours. They were respectable people in easy circum- stances, and the families found much pleasure in frequent intercourse with each other. But after a few years, one of the men deemed that an intentional affront had been, offered him by the other. Instead of good-natured frank- ness on the occasion, he behaved in a sullen manner, which provoked the other, and the result was that eventually neither of them would speak when they met. Their fields joined, and when they were on friendly terms, the boundary was marked by a fence, which they alternately repaired. But when there was a feud between them, neither of them was willing to mend the other's fence. So each one built a fence for himself, leaving a very narrow strip of land between, which in process of time came to be generally known by the name of Devil's Lane in allusion to the bad temper that produced it. A brook formed another portion o the boundary between their farms, and was useful to both of them. But after they became enemies, if a freshet occured, each watched an opportunity to turn the water cm 15 J QUAKER AMCUOTK3. the other's land, by which much, much damage was mu- tually done. They were so much ooriqm'd with injuring e.ich other in every possible way, that thoy neglected their 'a -MIS and grew poorer and poorer. One of thorn became intemperate, and everything about their premises began to wt-tir an aspect of desolutiuu and dciay. At last one of the farms was sold to pay a mortgage, and John Tatum, who was then about to be married, concluded to purchase it. Many people warned him of the trouble he would have with a quarrelsome and intemperate neighbour. But after mature reflection, he concluded to trust to the influence of a peaceful and kind example, and accordingly purchased the farm. Soon after he removed thither, he proposed to do away with the Devil's Lane by building a new fence on the boundary entirely at his own expense. His neighbour acceded to the proposition in a very surly manner, and for a considerable time seemed determined to find, or make some occasion for quarrel. But the young Quaker met all his provocations with forbearance, and never missed an opportunity to oblige him. Good finally overcomes evil. The turbulent spirit, having nothing to excite it, gradually subsided into calmness. In process of time, he evinced a disposition to be kind and obliging also. Habits of tem- perance and industry returned, and during the last years of his life he was considered a remarkably good neighbour. A METHODIST MINISTER FROM THE SOUTH. In the summer of 1844, Friend Hopper met with a Meth- odist preacher from Mississippi, who came with his family to New York, to attend a General Conference. Being intro- duced as a zealous abolitionist, the conversation immediately turned upon slavery. One of the preacher's daughters said . " I couldn't possibly get along without slaves, Mr. Hopper QUAKER ANECDOTES. 15,1 Why I never dressed or undressed myself, till I came to the North, I wanted rory much to bring a slave with me." "I wish thou hadst," rejoined Fi-iend Hopper. " And what would you have done, if you had seen her? " she inquired. He replied, "I would have told her that she was a free woman while she remained here ; but if she went back to the South, she would be liable to be sold, like a pig or a sheep." They laughed at this frank avowal, and when he invited them to com to his house with their father, to take tea, they gladly accepted the invitation. Again the conversation txirned toward that subject, which was never forgotten when North and South met. In answer to some remark from Frien.l Hopper, the preacher said, "Do you think T am not a Christian ? " " I certainly do not regard thee as one," he replied. " And I suppose you think I cannot get to heaven ? " rejoined the slaveholder. " I will not say that," replied the Friend. " To thy own master thou must stand or fall. But slavery is a great abomination, and no one who is guilty of it can be a Christ- ian, or Christ-like. I would not exclude thee from the kingdom of heaven ; but if thou dost enter there, it must be because thou art ignorant of the fact that thou art living in sin." After a prolonged conversation, mostly on the same topic, the guests rose to depart. The Methodist said, " "Well Mr. Hopper, I have never been better treated by any man, than I have been by you. I should be very glad to have you visit us." "Ah! and thou wouldst lynch me; or at least, thy friends would," he replied, smiling. "OK no, we would treat you very well," rejoined the QTTAKEK ANECDOTES. Southerner. " But bow would you talk about slavery if you were there ? " "Just as I do here, to be sure," answered the Quaker. " I would advise the slaves to be honest, industrious, and obedient, and never try to run away from a good master, unless they were pretty sure of escaping ; becau.se if they were caught they would fare worse than before. But if they had a safe opportunity, I should advise them to be off as soon as possible." In a more serious tone, he added, "And to thee, who claimest to be a minister of Christ, I would say that thy Master requires thee to give deliverance to the captive, ami let the oppressed go free. My friend, hast thou a conscience void of offence ? When thou liest down at night, is thy mind always at ease on this subject ? After curing out thy soul in prayer to the Heavenly Father, dost thou not feel the outraged sense of right, like a perpetual motion, restless wit lin thy breast? Dost thou not hear a voice telling thee it is wrong to hold thy fellow men in slavery, with their wives and their little ones ? " The preacher manifested some emotion at this earnest appeal, and confessed that he sometimes had doubts on the subject; though, on the whole, he had concluded that it was right to hold slaves. One of his daughters, who was a widow, seemed to be more deeply touched. She took Friend Hopper's hand, at parting, and said, " I am thank- ful for the privilege of having seen you. I never talked with an abolitioniat before. You have convinced me that slave holding is sinful in the sight of God. My husband left me several slaves, and I have held them for five years ; but when I return, I am resolved to hold a slave no longer." WU.LIAM SAVERY, AN AMERICAN QUAKER, OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD. But more powerful than all other agencies was the prea^h- iag of William Savory. He was a tanner by trade, bat QITAKKR ANECDOTES. 168 remarked by all who knew him as a man who " walked hum- bly with his God." One night a quantity of hides were stolen from his tannery ; and he had reason to believe that the thief was a quarrelsome, drunken neighbour whom I will call John Smith. The next week the following advertisement appeared in the county newspaper : " Whoever stole a lot of hides on the fifth of the present month is hereby informed th it the owner has a sincere wish to be his friend. If poverty tempted him to this false step the owner will keep the whole transaction secret, and will gladly put him in the way of obtaining money by means more likely to bring him peace of mind." This singular advertisement attracted considerable attention ; but the culprit alone knew whence the benevolent offer came. When he read it his heart melted within him, and he was filled with contrition for what he had done. A few nights afterwards, as the tanner's family was about re- tiring to rest, they heard a timid knock ; and when the door was opened there stood John Smith, with a load of hides on his shoulder. Without looking up, he said, " I've brought these back, Mr. Savery . Where shall I put them ? " " Wait till I can light a lantern, and I will go to the barn with thee," he replied : " then perhaps thou \vilt come in and tell me how this happened ; we will see what can be done for thee." As soon as they were gone out his wife prepared some hot coffee, and placed pics and meat on the table. When they returned from the barn she said, " Neighbour Smith, I thought some hot supper would be good for thee." He turned his back toward her and would not speak. After leaning against the fireplace in silence for a moment, he said, in a choked voice, " It is the first time I ever stole anything, and I have felt very bad about it. I don't know how it is. I am sure I didn't think once that I should ever come to be what I am ; bnt I took to drinking, and rhen to quarrelling. Since I .began to go down hill everybody gives me a kick j you are K 164 QUAKER ANECDOTES. the first man who has ever offered ir.e a licljiu^ han 1 My wife is sickly, and my children are starving. You have sent them many a meal, God bless you! and yet 1 stole the hides from you, meaning to sell them the first chance I could get. But I tell you the truth when 1 say it is the first time 1 was ever a thief." "Let it be the last, nay friend," replied William Savery : "the secret shall remain between ourselves. Thou art still young, and it is thy power to make up for lost time. Promise me that thou wilt not drink any intoxicating liquor for a year, and I will employ thee tomorrow at good wages. Perhaps we may find some employment for thy fam- ily also. The little boy can, at least pick up stones. But eat a bit now, and drink some hot coffee ; perhaps it will keep thee from craving anything stronger to-night. Doubt- less thou wilt find it hard to abstain at first ; but keep up a brave heart, for the sake of thy wifn and children, and it will soon become easy. "When thou hast need of coffee, tell Mary, and she will soon give it thee." The poor fellow tried to eat and drink, but the food seemed to choke him. After an in- effectual effort to compose his excited feelings, he bowed his head on the table and wept like a child. After a while he ate and drank with good appetite ; and his host parted wilh him for the night with this kindly exhortation, " Try to do well, John ; and thou wilt always find a friend in me." He entered his employ the next day, and remained with him a many years, a sober, honest and faithful man. The secret of the theft was kept between them ; but after John's death "William Savery sometimes told the story, to prove that evil might be overcome with good. ISAAC HOPPEH, THE AMERICAN PHILANTHROPIST, IN AN OMNIBUS. Until the last few years of his life, Friend Hopper usually walked to and from his office twice a day, making about tir* QUAKER ANECDOTES. 155 miles in the whole ; to which he sometimes added a walk in the evening, to visit children or friends, or transact some necessary business. When the weather was very unpleasant ho availed himself of the Haarlem cars. Upon one of these occasions it chanced that the long ponderous vehicle was nearly empty. They had not proceeded far, when a very respectable-looking young woman beckoned for the car to stop. It did so ; but when she set her foot on the step the conductor somewhat rudely pushed her back, and she turned away, evidently much mortified. Friend Hopper started up and inquired, " Why didst thou push that woman away ?" '' She's coloured," was the laconic reply. " Art thou instruc- ted by the managers of the railroad to proceed in this manner on such occasions?" inquired Friend Hopper. The man answered, "Yes." "Then let me get out," rejoined the genuine republican ; "it disturbs my conscience to ride in a public conveyance where any decently behaved person is re- fused admittance." And though it was raining very fast, aai his house was a mile off, the old veteran of seventy-five years marched through mud and wet, at a pace somewhat brisker than his usual energetic step ; for indignation warmed his honest and kind heart, and set the blood in motion. The next day he called at the railroad office, and very civilly inquired of one of the managers whether conductors were in- structed to exclude passengers merely on account of complexion. "Certainly not," was the prompt reply. "They have dis- cretionary power to reject any person who is drunk, or offensively unclean, or indecent or quarrelsome." Friend Hopper then related how a young woman of modest appear- ance and respectable address was pushed from the step, though the car was nearly empty, and she was seeking shelter from a violent rain. "That was wrong," replied the manager: " we have no reason to complain of coloured people as passen- ger.-. They obtrude upon no one, and always have sixpences 156 QUAKER ANECDOTES. in readiness to pay ; whereas fashionably dressed white people frequently offer a ten-dollar bill, which they know we cannot change, and thus cheat us out of our rightful dues. AY ho was the conductor that behaved in the manner you have described ? "We will turn him away, if he doesn't knew better how to use the discretionary power with which he is entrusted." Friend Hopper replied, " I had rather thou wouldst not turn him out of thy employ, unless he repeats the offence after being properly instructed. I have no wi^h to injure the man He has become infected with the unjust prejudices of the community, without duly reflecting upon the subject. Friendly conversation with him may s'lggett wiser thoughts. All I ask of thee is to instruct him that tl.e rights of the meanest citizen are to be respected. I thank thee for having listened to my complaint in such a candid and courteous manner." "And I thank you for having come to inform us of the circumstance," replied the manager. They parted mutually well pleased; and a few days after the same conductor admitted a coloured woman into the cars without making any objection. ISAAC HOPPEE. A CHEMICAL EXPERIMENT. When he met a boy with a dirty face or hands, he would stop him, and inquire if he ever studied chemistry. The boy, with a wondering stare, would answer " No." <( Well then I will teach thee how to perform a curious chemical experi- ment," said Friend Hopper. " Gro home, take a piece of soap, put it in water, and rub it briskly on thy hands and face. Thou hast no idea what a beautiful froth it will make, and how much whiter thy skin will be. That's a chemical ex- periment : I advise thee to try it." ISAAC HOPPER'S WIT. Sometimes his jests conveyed cutting sarcasm 1 '. One day, when he was riding in an omuibus, he opened a port-nionnaie QUAKER ANECDOTES. 157 lined with red. A man with a very flaming visage, who was somewhat intoxicated and therefore very much inclined to be talkative, said, " Ah, that is a very gay pocket-book for a Quaker to carry !" " Yes, it is very red," replied Friend Hopper ; " but it is not so red as thy nose." The passengers all smiled, and the man seized the first opportunity to escape. A poor woman once entered an omnibus which was nearly full, and stood waiting for some one to make her room. A proud-looking lady sat near Friend Hopper, and he asked her to move a little, to accomodate the new comer. But she looked very glum, and remained motionless. After ex- amining her countenance for an instant he said, " If thy face often looks so I shou.d'nt like to have thee for a neighbour." The passengers exchanged smiles at this rebuke, and the lady frowned still more deeply. THE UMBRELLA GIRL. A young girl, the only daughter of a poor widow, removed from the country to Philadelphia to earn her living by covering umbrellas. She was very handsome; with glossy black hair, large beaming eyes, and " lips like wet coral." She was just at that susceptible age when youth is ripening into womanhood, when the soul begins to be pervaded by " that restless principle, which impels poor humans to seek perfection in union." At a hotel near the store for which she worked, an Eng- lish traveller, called Lord Henry S , had taken lodgings. He was a strikingly handsome man, and of princely carriage. As this distinguished stranger passed to and from his hotel, he encountered the umbrella girl, and was attracted by her uncommon beauty. Hs easily traced her to the stove, where he soon after went to purchase an umbrella. This was followed up by presents of flowers, chats by the wayside, and invitations to walk or ride all 158 QrAKvr ANECTOTES. of -which were gratefully accepted by tlio unsuspecting rustic ; for she was as ignorant of the dangers of u city as were the squirrels of her native fields. Ht- was merely playing a game for temporary excitement. She, with u head full of romance, and a heart melting under the in- fluence of love, was unconsciously endangering the happiness of her whole life. Lord Henry invited her to visit the public gardens on the fourth of July. In the simplicity of her heart, she be- lieved all his flattering professions, and considered herself as his bride elect ; she therefore accepted the invitation with innocent frankness. But she had no dress fit to appear in on such a public occasion, with a gentleman of high rank, who she vainly supposed to be her destined husband. While these thoughts revolved in her mind, her eye was unfortunately attracted by a beautiful piece of silk, belong- ing to her employer. Could she not take it without being seen, and pay for it secretly, when she had earned money enough? The temptation conquered her in a moment of weakness. She concealed the silk, and conveyed it to her lodgings. It was the first thing she had ever stolen, and her remorse was painful. She would have carried it back, but she dreaded discovery. She was not sure that her re- pentance would be met in a spirit of forgiveness. On the evening of the fourth of July, she came out in her new dress. Lord Henry complimented her upon her ele- gant appearance, but she was not happy. On their way to the gardens, he talked to her in a manner which she did not comprehend. Perceiving this he spoke more explicitly. The guileless young creature stopped, looked in his face with mournful reproach, and burst into tears. The noble- man took her hand kindly and said, '' My dear, are you aa innocent girl?" QUAKER ANECDOTES. 159 "I am, E am," she replied, with convulsive sobs. " Oh, what have I ever done, or said, that you should ask rne such a question ? " Tho evident sincerity of her words stirred the deep foun- tains of his bettor nature. " If you are innocent," said he, " God forbid, that I should make you otherwise. But you accepted my invitation and presents so readily, that I supposed you understood me." "What could I understand," said she, "except that you intended to make me your wife ? " Though reared amid the proudest distinctions of rank, ho felt no inclination to smile. He blushed and was silent. The heartless conventionalities of the world stood rebuked in the presence of affectionate simplicity. He conveyed her to her humble home, and bade her farewell, with a thank- ful consciousness that he had done no irretrievable injury to her future prospects. The remembrance of her would soon be to him as the recollection of last year's butterflies. With her, the wound was deep. In the solitude of her chamber she wept in bitterness of heart over her ruined air-cast!*"'. And that dress, which she had stolen to mako an appeara ice befitting his bride ! Oh, what if she should be dib. over jd ? And would not the heai't of her poor wid- owed mother break, if she ever knew that her child was a thief? Alas, her wretched forbodings proved too true. The silk was traced to her ; she was arrested on her way to the store and dragged to prison. There she refused all nourish- ment, and wept incessantly. On the fourth day, the keeper called upon Isaac T. Hopper, and informed him that there was a young girl in prison, who appeared to be utterly friendless, an 1 determined to die by starvation. The kind- hearted Frit n 1 immediately went to her assistance. He found her lying on the floor of her cell, with her face buried QTTAKEK ANECDOTES. in her hands, sobbing as if her heart would break. He tried to comfort her, but could obtain no answer. " Leave us alone," said he to the keeper. " Perhaps she will speak to me, if there is no one to hear." When they were alone together, he put back the hair from her temples. laid his hand kindly on her beautiful head, and said in soothing tones, " My child, consider me as thy father, tell me all thou hast done. If thou hast taken this silk, let me know all about it. I will do for thee as I would for my own daughter; and I doubt not that "I can help thee out of this difficulty." After a long time spent in affectionate entreaty, she sobbed out, " Oh, I wish I was dead. What will my poor mother say, when she knows of my disgrace ? " "Perhaps we can manage that she never shall know it," replied he. Alluring her by this hope, he gradually obtain- ed from her the whole story of her acquaintance wi*h the nobleman. He bade her be comforted, and take nourish- ment ; for he would see that the silk was paid for, and the prosecution withdrawn. He went immediately to her employer, and told him the story. " This is her first offence," said he. " The girl is young, and she is the only child of a poor widow. Give her a chance to retrieve this one false step, and she may be restored to society, a useful and honoured woman. The man readily agreed to withdraw the prosecution, and said he would have dealt otherwise by the girl, if he had known all the circumstances. ' ' Thou shonldst have inquired into the merits of the case," replied Friend Hopper. " By this kind of thoughtlessness, many a young creature is- driven into the downward path, who might easily have been saved.'" The kind-hearted man next proceeded to the hotel, and with Quaker simplicity of speech inquired for Henrv J5 QUAKER ANECDOTKS. 161 The servant said his lordship had not yet risen, "Tell him my business is of importance," said Friend Hopper. The servant soon returned and conducted him to the chamber. The nobleman appeared surprised that a stranger, in plain Quaker costume, should thus intrude upon his luxurious privacy. When he heard his errand, he blushed deeply, and frankly admitted the truth of the girl's statement. His benevolent visitor took the opportunity to " bear testimony " against the selfishness and sin of profligacy. He did it in such a kind and fatherly manner, that the young man's heart was touched. He excused himself, by saying he would not have tampered with the girl, if he had known her to be virtuous. ''I have done many wrong things," said he, "but thank God, no betrayel of confiding innocence weighs on my conscience. I have always es- teemed it the basest act of which a man is capable." The imprisonment of the poor girl, and the forlorn situation in which she had been found, distressed him greatly. When Friend Hopper represented that the silk had been stolen for his sake, that the girl had thereby lost profitable em- ployment, and was obliged to return to her distant home, to avoid the danger of exposure, he took out a fifty dollar note, and offered it to pay her expenses. " Nay," said Isaac. " Thou art a very rich man, I pre- sume. I see in. thy hand a large roll of such notes. She is the daughter of a poor widow, and thou hast been the means of doing her great injury. Give me another." Lord Henry handed him another fifty dollar note, and smiled as he said, "You understand your business well. But you have acted nobly, and I reverence you for it. If you ever visit England, come to see me. I will give you a cordial welcome, and treat you like a nobleman." " Farewell, frieud," replied the Quaker. " Though much to blame in this affair thou too hast behaved nobly. 162 QTTAKEU ANECDOTES. Mayst tliou be blessed in domestic life, and trifle no more \vitli the feelings of poor girls ; not even with those whom others have betrayed and deserted." When the girl was arrested, she had sufficient presence of mind to assume a false name, and by that means, her true name was kept out of the newspapers. " I did this," she said, "for my poor mother's sake." With the money given by Lord S , the silk was paid for, and she was sent home well provided with clothing. Her name and place of residence for ever remained a secret in the breast of her benefactor. Years after these events transpired, a lady called at Friend Hopper's house, and asked to see him. When he entered the room, he found a handsomely dres.se J. young matron, with a blooming boy of five or six years old. She rose quickly to meet him, and her voice choked as she said, " Friend Hopper, do you know me ? " He replied ho did not. She fixed her tearful eyes earnestly upon him, and said, "You once helped me when in great distress." Hut, the good missionai-y of humanity had helped too many in distress, to be able to recollect her without more preciso information. With a tremulous voice, she bade .her son go into the next room for a few minutes ; then dropping on her knees, she hid her lace in his lap, and sobbed out, " I am the girl who stole the silk. Oh, where should I now be, if it had not been for you ! " When her emotion was somewhat calmed, she told him that she had married a highly respectable mau, a senator of his native state. Being on a visit in Friend Hopper's vicinity, she had again and again passed his dwelling, looking wistfully at the windows to catch a sight of him ; but when she attempted to enter, her courage failed. " But I must return home to morrow," said she, ' and 1 could not go away without once more seeing and thanking QITAKFT: ANECDOTES. liim who saved me from ruin." She recalled her little boy, and said to him, "Look at that gentleman, and remember liim well ; for he was the best friend your mother ever had." With an earnest invitation to visit her happy home, and a fervent " God bless you ! " she bade her benefaitor farewell. IN DANGER AT SEA. Returning from England, the vessel encountered a dense fog, and ran on a sand bank as they approached the Jersey shore. A tremendous sea was rolling, and dashed against the ship with such force, that she seemed every moment in dan- ger of being shattered into fragments. If there had been a violent gale of wind, all must have been inevitably lost. The passengers were generally in a state of extreme terror. Screams and groans were heard in every direction. But Friend Hopper's mind was preserved in a state of great equanimity. He entreated the people to be quiet, and try to keep possession of their faculties, that they might be ready to do whatever was best in case of emergency. Seeing him so calm, they gathered closely round him, as if they thought he had some power to save them. There was a naval officer on board, whose frenzied state of feeling vented itself in blas- phemous language. Friend Hopper, who was always disturbed by irreverent use of the name of Deity, was pe- culiarly shocked by it under these circumstances. He walked up to the officer, put his hand on his shoulder, and luoking him in the face, said, "From what I have heard of thy mili- tary exploits, I supposed thou werta brave man ; but here thou art pouring out blasphemies, to keop up the appearance of courage, while thy pale face and quivering lips show thou art in mortal fear. I am ashamed of thee. If thou hast no reverence for Deity thyself, thou shouldst show some regard for the feelings of those who have. The officer ceased swear- 164 QUAKEK ANECDOTES. ing, and treated his adviser with marked respect. A frieadship was formed betweea them, which continued as long as the captain lived. .V clergyman on board afterwards said to Friend Hopper, "If any other person had talked to him in that manner, he would have knocked him down. AN UNCOMPLIMENTARY INVITATION. A preacher of the Society of friends felt impressed with the duty of calling a mee ting for vicious people ; and Isaac T. Hopper was appointed to collect an audience. In the course of this mission, lie knocked at the door of a very infamous house. A gentleman who was acquainted with him was pass- ing by, and he stopped to say, " Friend Hopper, you have mistaken the house." " Xo, I have not," he replied. "But that is a house of notorious ill fame," said the gen- tleman. "I know it," rejoined he; "but nevertheless, I have business here." His acquaintance looked surprised, but passed on without further query. A coloured girl came to the door. To the inquiry whether her mistress was in, she answered in the affirmative. "Tell her I wish to see her," said Friend Hopper. The girl was evidently astonished at a visitor in Quaker costume, and of such grave demeanour; but she went and did the errand. A message was returned that her mis- tress was engaged and could not see any one. " Where is she ? " he inquired. The girl replied that she was upstairs. " I will go to her," said the importunate messenger. The mistress of the house heard him, and leaning over the balustrade of the stairs, she screamed out, " What do you want with me, sir ? " In ?ery loud tones he answered, "James Simpson, a min- QUAKER AXECDOTEP. 165 i>ter of the Society of Friends, has appointed a mooting to be held this afternoon, in Pe arose store, Almond-street. It is intended for publicans, sinners, and harlots. I want thee to be there, and bring thy whole household with thee. Wilt thou come ? " She promised that she would; and he afterwards saw her at the meeting melted into tears by the direct and affectionate preaching. THE TITLE REVEREND. Isaan T. Hopper, being called upon to give a receipt to a Catholic priest for some money deposited in his hands, he pimply wrote " Received of John Smith." When the priest had read it, he handed it back and said, "I am disbursing other people's money, and shall be obliged to show this m-eipt ; therefore, I should like to have you write my name, the Reverend John Smith." " I have conscientious scruples against using titles," replied Friend Hopper. " However I will try to oblige thee." He took another slip of paper, and wrote, " Received of John Smith, who calls himself the Reverend." The priest smiled, and accepted the compro- miy of the intellect that he could turn in the lock ; but if a man had nothing but the key of love he could not come in. H. W. Beeeher. THE QUAKER WRESTLES. Mr. Smiles informs us that George Moore arrived in London the day before Good Friday, 1825. On the follow- ing morning all the shops were shut. What was he to do on Good Friday ? He knew that all the Cumberland men in London were accustomed to have their annual wrestling match on that day, and he accordingly went to Chelsea to oba ?rve the sports. George Moore found amongst the crowd a young Quaker (a former acquaintance) from Torponhow, who had won the belt at Keswick, a few years before. It was not with the consent of his family that this young Quaker followed the sport of wrestling. But little boys in the north take to it as ducklings take to water. When the Keswick match, above referred to was about to come off, the young man's mother hid his Sunday clothes to prevent him going to take 198 QUAKER ANECDOTES. part in it. But he had another set of second-best clothes hid under a berry-bush in the garden ; and after he had donned them, he set off for Keswick, running the whole way about sixteen miles before he had got his breakfast. Arrived at the toll-bar, outside the town, he went into the house and bought a penny bun. He could not afford to buy a breakfast, for he had only a shilling which he had borrowed for the occasion. In the town he went into a public house and drank a glass of porter. This made him terribly sick. He made his way to the wrestling-ground where he arrived as white as a sheet. Nevertheless his name had been entered, and when he was called he went into the ring. He threw the first man that stood against him. Then he threw another, and another, and another, all heavier men than himself. He had still four of the beat men to throw men who had carried off the best prizes in former years Armstrong, Frears, Eichardson, and Look. The second last he threw by his slick at lack o' heel, and the last by the outside stroke. When the last man was thrown, the victor was taken on the shoulders of the on-lookers and carried round the ring, with a fiddler and a piper playing before him. He was then invested with the belt, and after he had got his prize, he hurried home again. WHITE QUAKERS. It was, I think, in the years 1835 and 1836, that a Friend, named Joshua Jacob, took a very prominent part in the Dublin Monthly Meeting. His wife also became particularly efficient in the Women's Meeting. In some respects, like the modern Puseyites, they were for reviving the obsolete customs of the early Quakers. To adhere strictly to the phraseology of George Fox, to imitate his eccentricities to throw back the innovations which had crept in, and to revivify the Society in all its original quaintnesa appeared QUAKEK ANECDOTES. 199 to be their object. As George Fox had been " inspired by the shining of the light within " to originate, and had been enabled, in "best wisdom," to establish the Society, and, aided by Robert Barclay, William Penn, and some other*, who were equally gifted ; had published rules, and laws, and bye- laws ; and as their teaching was principally directed to exalt the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of man, in contra-distinction to the great error of the day an exaltation of the outward forms and ceremonies of religious worship , so these Friends, Jacob and a few others, claimed for themselves the same "inspiration," and the same "bei wisdom," with which now to dictate, and to govern. The Dublin Friends were greatly pleased with what they deemed and called a "New Light which had been vouchsafed to the Society, to preserve it from the degeneracy which for some previous years, had been assimilating them to Christians of other Churches." With deferential submission, they accepted " the leadings and guidings" of those "gifted individuals ;" and, at their suggestion, the Yearly Meeting added to the Book of Discipline several stringent rules, which according to the custom of Friends, being one* inserted there, must remain until the end. The Jacobs, mistaking their imaginings for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and greatly puffed up in their estimation by the deference conceded to them, yielded very naturally to that inherent desire which man has to assume control over the intellect of his fellow-man, and to bend another to his own opinion. So much of their " best wisdom " haring been thus accepted by the Society at large, "fresh guidings" were frequently volunteered, until at last common sens* revolted, and reason in some degree resumed her sway. Jacob had succeeded in convincing the Meeting, that to go "to any place of common worship," to " wear mourning for a deceased relative or Friend," to " allow a musical 200 QUAKER ANECDOTES. instrument inside the door," &c.. Jeo., were sins of such enormity, as required that the offender should immediately be disowned. He now wished to go further and set an example for their imitation. Blue ha I long been a forbiddea colour for Friends to wear. Jacob declared, that "the simplicity of godliness required all men and women should array themselves in white." With untanned shoes, unbleached stockings, flannel-coloured knee breeches, coat and waistcoat, and a light drab broad-brimmed hat, he appeared in the Meeting, accompanied by his wife, who was clad from head to foot in coarse, unbleached calico. He would not allow anything to be in his house, except it were white. His walls were whitewashed, and his doors painted white. His wife united heart and hand in his "guiding." One morning she collected every article of china and earthenware in her house, on which was any colour, or even gilding. She opened her hall door, and on the door steps smashed them all to pieces. Her husband applauded her "noble deed," as he called it ; delighted at such praise from bam, she continued the work of demolition ; her looking-glasses were brought out next and destroyed with a large stone which she picked up in the street; for this he called her "a noble- minded woman." His mahogany and rosewood furniture were replaced with common white wood; and even the patchwork quilt was banished from his white abode. The majority of the Friends stoutly resisted these "leadings and guidings." * * * Jacob and his disciples, who altogether numbered more than one hundred, finding they were not allowed to have the entire governing of the Society, separated from it, and incorporated themselves into a sect called White Quakers. The original Friends, now denominated Black Quakers in contra-distiuction, disowned the White Quakers, and they in return, disowned them. Quakerism by Mrs. J. H, GKEEB, QUAKER ANECDOTES. 201 IXWARD PERCEPTION. Arthur Howell a preacher in the Society of Friends, and also a currier in Philadelphia, was characterized by kindly feelings, and, a very tender conscience. Upon one occasion, he purchased from the captain of a vessel a quantity of oil, which he afterwards sold, at an advanced price. Under the&e circumstances, lie thought the captain had not received so much as he ought to have ; and he gave him an additional dollar on every barrel. This man was remarkable for spiritual-mindedness and the gift of prophecy. It was no uncommon thing for him to relate occurrences which were happening at the moment many miles distant, and to foretell the arrival of people, or events, when there appeared to be no external reason on which to ground such expectation. One bunday Morning, he was suddenly impelled to proceed to Germantown in haste. As he approached the village, he met a funeral procession. He had no knowledge whatever of the deceased ; but it was suddenly revealed to him that the occupant of the coffin before him was a woman whose life had been saddened by the suspicion of a crime, which she never committed. The impression bejame very strong on his mind that she wished him to make certain statements at her funeral. Accordingly, he followed the procession, and when they arrived at the meeting house, he entered and listened to the prayer offered by her pastor. When the customary services were finished, Arthur Howell rose, and asked permission to speak. "I do not know the deceased, even by name," said he. ' But it is given me to say, that she suffered much and unjustly. Her neighbours generally suspected her of a crime, which she did not commit ; and in a few weeks from this time, it will be made clearly manifest to the world that she was innocent. A few hours before her death, she talked with the clergyman who attended upon her, and who is now present ; and it is givou M 202 QUAKER ANECDOTES. me to declare the communication she made to him upon that occasion." He then proceeded to relate the particulars of the interview; to which the clergyman listened with evident astonishment. When the communication was finished, he said, "I do not know who this man is, or how he has obtained information on this subject ; but certain it is, he has repeated word for word, a conversation which I supposed was known only to mvself and the deceased." The woman in question had gone out in the fields one day, with her infant in her arms, and she returned without it. She said she had laid it down on a heap of dry leaves, while she went to pick a few (lowers ; and when she returned, the baby was gone. The fields and woods were searched in vain, and neighbours began to whisper that she had committed infanticide. Then rumours arose that she was dissatisfied with her marriage ; that her heart remained with a young man to whom she was previously engaged ; and that her brain was affected by this secret unhappiness. She was never publicly accused ; partly because there was no evidence against her; and partly because it was supposed that if she did commit the crime, it must have been owing to aberration of mind. But she became aware of the whisperings against her, and the consciousness of being an object of suspicion, combined with the mysterious disappearance of her child, cast a heavy cloud over her life, and made her appear more and more unlike her former self. This she confided to her clergyman, in the interview shortly preceding her death; and she likewise told him that the young man, to whom she had been engaged, had never forgiven her for not marrying him. A few weeks after her decease, this young man confessed that he had stolen the babe. He had followed the mother ? unobserved by her, and had seen her lay the sleeping infant QUAKER ANECDOTES. 203 on its bed of leaves. As he gazed upon it, a mingled feeling of jealousy and revenge took possession of his soul. In obedience to a sudden impulse, he seized the babe, and carried it off hastily. He subsequently convoyed it to a distant village, and placed it out to nurse, under an assumed name and history. The child -was found alive and well, at the place he indicated. Thus the mother's innocence was made clearly manifest to the world, as the Quaker preacher had predicted at her funeral. A singular case of inward perception likewise occurred in the experience of the mother of Isaac T. Hopper. In her Diary, which is still preserved in the family, she describes a visit to some of her children in Philadelphia, and adds: "Soon after this, the Lord showed me that I should lose a son. It was often told to me, though without sound of words. Nothing could be more intelligible than this still, small voice. It said, Thou wilt lose a son ; and he is a pleasant child." Her son James resided with relatives in Philadelphia, and often went to bathe in the Delaware. On one of these occasions, soon after his mother's visit, a friend who went with him sunk in the water, and James lost his own life by efforts to save him. A messenger was sent to inform his parents, who lived at the distance of eight miles. While he stayed in the house, reluctant to do his mournful errand the mother was seized with sudden dread, and heard the inward voice saying, "James is drowned." She said, abruptly to the messenger, " Thou hast come to tell me that my son James is drownec Oh, how did it happen ?" He was much surprised, and asked why she thought so. She could give no explanation of it, except that it had been suddenly revealed to her mind. " I have heard and read of many such stories of Quakers which." seem too well authenticated to admit of doubt. They 204 QTTAKEK ANECDOTES. themselves refer all such cases to "the inward light;" and that phrase, as they understand it, conveys a satisfactory explanation to their minds. I leave psychologists to settle the question as they can." "Those who are well acquainted with Quaker views, are aware that by "the inward light," they signify something higher and more comprehensive than conscience. They regard it as the voice of God in the soul, which will always guard man from evil, and guide him into truth, if reverently listened to, in the stillness of the passions, and obedience of the will. These strong impressions on individual minds constitute their only call and consecration to the ministry, and have directed them in the application of moral principles to a variety of subjects, such as temperance, war, and slavery. Men and women were impelled by the interior monitor to go about preaching on these topics, until their individual views became what are called "leading testi- monies " in the Society." JACOB LTXDLEY AND THE SriKnrAL WOULD. Once, when Jacob Lindley, a minister in the Society of Frieuds, was dining with Friend Hopper, the conversation turned upon his religious experiences, and he related a circumstance to which he said he very seldom alluded, and never without feelings of solemnity and awe. Being seized with sudden and severe illness, his soul left the body for several hours, during which time he saw visions of heavenly glory, not to be described. When consciousness began to return, he felt grieved that he was obliged to come back to this state of being, and he was never after able to feel the same interest in terrestrial things, that he had felt before he obtained this glimpse of the spiritual world. ANECDOTES. 205 QUAKERS AT FAMILY "Won SHIP. Jamea Backhouse who was accompanied by George Washington Walker on a visit to the Australian Colonies writes in his Journal while staying at Ho/bart Town, Van Dieman's Land, 5th 4th M., 1837, At six o'clock we joined the family of W. B at dinner, and paid them a pleasant visit. As, on some former occasions, I was requested to read a chapter in the Bible, at the time of their family worship, and to make any addition I might then, think proper. This I accepted, again distinctly stating that it was with the understanding that it was with the liberty to keep silence, or to speak, as I might find my duty. After I had read, my mind was calmly stayed upon the Lord, under a comforting sense of his presence, but nothing was impressed for expression. When a season- able time had been spent in silence I made a movement for separation, which not appearing to be thoroughly understood, I stated that I did not apprehend it to be my duty, at that time, to engage in any vocal labour, such as preaching or prayer: on this "W. B kneeled down with his family and domestics, and repeated some petitions from the prayers of the Episcopal Church, my companion and myself retaining our seats, in testimony to our not recognizing, as being properly prayer, anything not avowedly expressed under the fresh sense of the putting forth of the Divine Spirit. These circumstances, together with the remarks afterwards made by myself, that having now very much finished the work that was given me to do in these colonies, it was rarely I had anything to express in the line of ministry, but rather that I generally found it my place to set an example of silently waiting upon God, gave rise to an explanatory conversation on the subject, elucidating the views and practiced of Friends in these respects. 206 QUAKER ANECDOTES. DAVID BARCLAY. Few men were ever more active than David Barclay, in promoting whatever might ameliorate the condition of man largely endowed by Providence with the means, he felt it to be his duty to set great examples ; and when an argument was set up againts the emancipation of the negroes from slavery, "that they were too ignorant and too barbarous for freedom," he resolved at his own expense to demonstrate the fallacy of the imputation. Having had an estate in Jamaica fall to him, he determined at the expense of 10,000, to emancipate the whole gang (as they Avere termed) of slaves. He did this with his usual prudence as well as generosity. He sent out an agent to Jamaica, and instructed him to hire a vessel, in which they were all transported to America, where the little community was established in various handicrafts and trades ; the Members of it prospered under the blessing of his care, and lived to show that the black skin enclosed hearts as full of gratitude, and minds as capable of improvement, as that of the proudest white. A QUAKER PREACHING IN THE HALL OF CONGRESS. Joseph John Gurney writes " The principle object which I now had in view, in visiting Washington, was the holding of a meeting for worship with the officers of government and the members of Congress. My mind was attracted towards these public men, uuder a feeling of religious in- terest ; and far beyond my expectation, did my way open for accomplishing the purpose, Colonel Polk, the Speaker of the representative assembly, granted me the use of the Legislation Hall ; the chaplain of the House (a respectable Wesleyan Minister), kindly surrendered his accustomed service for our accommodation; public invitation was give in the newspapers ; and when we entered the Hall the QUAKER ANECDOTES. 207 following First-day morning, we found it crowded with the members of Congress, their ladies, and many other persona. Tin* President, and other officers of the government, were also of the company. Undoubtedly, it was a highly res- pectable and intellectual audience ; and it was to me a serious and critical occasion. One of my friends sat down with me in the Speaker's rostrum; a fee-ling of calmness was graciously bestowed upon us ; and a silent solemnity overspread the meetiag. After a short time, my own niind became impressed with the words of our blessed Redeemer, ' I am the way, the truth, and the life.' Speaking from this text, I was led to describe the main features of orthodox Christianity ; to declare that these doctrines had been faith- fully held by the Society of Friend--, from the first rise to the present day ; to dwell on the evidences, both historical and internal, which form the credentials of the Gospel, considered as a message to mankind from the King of heaven and earth ; to urge the claims of that message on the world at large, on America in particular a country so remarkably blessed by Divine Providence, and, above all, on her statesmen and legislators ; to advise the devotional duties of the closet, as a guard against the dangers and temptations of politics ; to dwell on the peaceable government of Christ by his Spirit; and, finally, to insist on the perfect law of righteousness, as applying to nations as well as individuals, to the whole affairs of men, both private and public. A solemn silence again prevailed at the close of the meeting ; and after it was concluded, we received the warm greetings of Henry Clay, John Quirteey Adams, and many other members, of whom we took leave In the flowing of mutual kindness. Thus was I set free from the heavy burden which had been pressing on ine." 208 - CTTAKEB ANECDOTES. WILLIAM HOWITT'S MARRIAGE TOUR. It was in 1821, not 1823 as the papers have been sayin-r, that the late William Howitt married at Uttoxeter a fair Staffordshire Quakeress, Mary Both am, who has been known to the English speaking world for more than half a century as a writer of the most charming books, both in prose, and verse, for the young. Many have supposed that William and Mary Howitt were brother and sister; whereas they were husband and wife, and to his intimate friends he would proudly say, "My wife is the best poetess and the best wife in England." Their marriage tour was unique. The young couple walked on foot all over the classic scenes in Scotland actually tramping upwards of 500 miles. The results of this delightful trip were perceptible in many oi their books written in after days, and they both cherished the warmest affection for Scotland and its people. Mary Howitt found the motto for one of her first volumes of poetry in Burns; and her husband never wrote a more attractive sketch than his description of a morning walk to the banks of Boon in company with a working man of Ayr. It is included in his " Homes and Haunts of the Poets,* 1 one of las best books. Nottingham Journal. , ANECDOTE OF THE QuEEN. About this time 'William Allen records "I accompanied E. J. Fry to Kensington Palace, to meet the Duchess of Kent, and her daughter the Princess Victoria. It was * satisfactory interview. The Princess has much of her father's countenance, and appears exceedingly amiable." On one of these interviews at Kensington Palace, the following incident occurred, which Mr. Allen used to relate with great interest : Y 7 heu our present beloved sovereign was a little girl, she was at a window looking out on the QTJAKEn ANECDOTES. 209 ei-owd of persons in the gardens. Her amiable mother, to whose education this country owes so much, begged her to come from the window, which the little Princess, either did not, or would not, hear. The command was repeated, and when she slowly came away, her mother asked her what was the reason she did not come immediately. With an air of majesty that intimated the 1'uture Queen, she replied, "I was surveying my people." Life of William Allen, by J. SHERMAN. ABSTAINING FROM THE USE OP SLAVE-GROWX SUGAB. William Allen met with the Emperor Alexander in Vienna, shortly befoie the Congress of Verona. After some conver- sation about the slave trade, the Emperor said, "Will you not take some tea with me?" " 1 shall be happy," said the Quaker, whereupon the Emperor rings a little silver hand- bell, and servants appear bearing in the refreshing beverage; but the Quaker, on tasting his cup, discovers it is sweetened with sugar, and sugar he has vowed not to taste for it is in the produce of slave labour, and, therefore he communicates his scruples to the Emperor, who orders a cup to be brought into which the saccharine element has not entered. Mr. Allen writes in hi* diary " Eighth month, 1st, 1834. A day of jubilee. Eight hundred thousand of our fellow creatures released from slavery this day, in our West India Islands! My spirit is clothed with thankfulness. * * * Alter having for more than forty years abstained from the use of sugar, on account of its being the produce of the labour of slaves, now, that they are declared free by the government I recommenced taking it this day at Peter Bedford's P. Elout, a judge and celebrated philantrophist at the Hague, was much impressed at this testimony against slavery he said to Mr. G. W. Alexander, It is to William Allen I attribute all I have felt and done for the cause of the slave. When 210 QUAKER ANECDOTES. he was at the Hague many years since, I was invited, together with a number of serious individuals, to take tea with him. 1 was then quite a youth. He took no sugar with his tea, which surprised me. I was more surprised for the reason he gave for this. He told the company that he had long abstained from the use of it, because he could not, with peace of mind, partake of that as a gratification, for which thousands of innocent people were compelled to labour in cruel and hopeless bondage. I was struck with this example ol self-denial, by so great a man as I thought him to be, in a thing so seemingly small in itself, and I was led to consider how great must be the evil of a system which could make so deep and so religious impression upon his feelings. From that period my own sentiments have been engaged in the cause of the negro, and my efforts given to procure their emancipation in the colonies of Holland." WILLIAM ALLEN'S KINDNESS TO ANIMALS. The simplicity and tenderness of Mr. Allen's mind were evinced on many occasions, especially in his kindness to the brute creation. "When little more than eighteen years of age we have the following record: "A day of bitterness and sorrow, occasioned by the death of my faithful, loving dog, who was killed by accident in the street. I assuredly bestow too great a share of affection on the animals I have the care of. Resolved not to have any more at present." In one of his journeys with his niece he saw by the road side an old and worn out horse, around which a number of boys haci gathered, who were teasing the wretched animal. Mr. AlisM stopped his carriage to remonstrate with the boys, and, fimiinjt. the poor horse a burthen to itself, ascertained where the owner lived, went to his house, bought the animal, and had Jum shot, and then pursued his journey. QUAKER ANECDOTES. 211 Towards the close of life he had a little Norwegian pony which hud been ill for some days. - On going to see it, he reuiaiks : " Poor Pony came up to me to be caressed; I had hopes of his recovery, but in the evening my dear little grandson brought me word that he was dead. I felt low at the loss of this poor animal ; it was a beautiful, affectionate, and useful creature : I never had occasion to strike it with the whip in my life. I hope not to repine, but really things which I set my affecteons upon, are taken from me in a remarkable way." Life of William Allen, by J. SHEBMAN. LONGEVITY AMONG THE QUAKEBS. Quakers attain great ages. In the obituary of the Friend Magazine, I860, we find the following ages of some deceased members of the Society of Friends : 84, 84, 85, 85, 85, 86, 86, 87, 87, 88, 88, 89, 89, 91, 91, 91, 91, 91, 91, 92, 92, 93, 93, making a total of 2,188 years, with an average for each life of rather more than 88g years. Fifty lives in the same period give 4,258 with an average of 85 per life The average duration of life in the Society of Friends dnring 1860 was 58 years and 6 months; but one girl died under 6 months old ; five girls and thirteen boys in all 18 out of 324, or 5^ per cent did not reach the age of one year. THE QUAKER AND His HOKSE. A man once went to purchase a horse of a Quaker " Will he draw well?" asked the buyer. " Thee will be pleased to see him draw." The bargain was concluded, and the farmer tried the horse, but he would not stir a step. He returned and said, " That horse will not draw an inch." " I did not tell thee that it would draw, friend, I only remarked that it would please thee to see him draw, so it would me, but he would never gratify me in that respect." 212 QUAKER ANECDOTES. COMPULSORY OBEDIENCE. A Quakeress informed a friend in reference to the Quaker formula of marriage, "It is true I did not promise to obey when I was married ; but I might as well have done so, for I had to do it." REMONSTRANCE UNAVAILING. A Quaker maiden of sixty accepted an offer from a Presbyterian elder, and being remonstrated with by a delegation of Friends appointed to wait upon her for marrying out of the meeting, she replied, "Look here ' I've been waiting just sixty years for the meeting to marry me, and if the meeting don't want me to marry out of it, why don't the meeting bring along it's young men ?" The delegation departed in silence. MAD QUAKERS. Sydney Smith remarks: "The Quakers always seem to succeed in any institution which they undertake. The gaol of Philadelphia will remain a lasting monument of their skill and patience ; and in the plan of their retreat for the insane, they have evinced the same wisdom and perseverance. The great principle on which it appears to be conducted is that of kindness to the patients. The generosity of the Quakers, and their courage in managing mad people, are placed, by this institution, in a very striking point of view. This cannot be bettor illustrated than by the two following cases : "The superintendent was one day walking in a field adjacent to the house, in company with a patient who was apt to be vindictive on very slight occasions. An exciting circumstance occurred. The maniac retired a few paces, and seized a large stone, which he immediately held up, as in the act of throwing at his companion. The superintendent QtJAKEK ANECDOTES. 213 in no degree ruffled, fixed his eye upon the patient, and in a resolute tone of voice, at the same time advancing? commanded him to lay clown the stone. As he approached, the head of the lunatic gradually sank from its threatening position, and permitted the stone to drop to the ground. He then submitted to be quietly led to his apartment." " Some years ago, a man, about thirty-four yoars of age, of almost herculean size and figure, was brought to the house. He had been afflicted several times before ; and so constantly, during the present attack, had he been kept chained, that his clothes were contrived to be taken off and put on by means of strings, without removing his manacles. They were, however, taken off when he entered the Retreat* and he was ushered into the apartment where the super- intendents were supping. He was calm ; his attention appeared to be arrested by his new situation. He was desired to join in the repast, during which he behaved with tolerable propriety. After it was concluded, the superintendent conducted him to his apartment, and told him the circumstances on which his treatment would depend; that it was his anxious wish to make every inhabitant of the house as comfortable as possible ; and that he sincerely hoped the patient's conduct would render it unnecessary for him to have recourse to coercion. The maniac was sensible of the kindness of his treatment. He promised to restrain himself; and he so completaly succeeded that, during his stay, no coercive means were ever employed towards him. This case affords a striding example of the efficacy of mild treatment. The patient was frequently very vociferous, and threatened his attendents, who, in their defence, were very desirous of restraining him by the jacket. The superintendent on these occasions went to his apartment; and though the first sight of him seemed rather to increase the patient's irritation, yet, after sitting some 214 QUAKER ANECDOTES. time quietly beside him, the violent excitement subsided, and he vrouid listen with attention to the persuasions and arguments of his friendly visitor. After such conversations, the patient was generally better for some days or a week ; and in about four months he was discharged perfectly recovered." "Can it be doubted that, in this case, the disease had been greatly exasperated by the mode of management ? or that the subsequent kind treatment had a great tendency to promote his recovery ?" And yet, in spite of this apparent contempt of danger, for eighteen years not a single accident has happened to the keepers. THE QUAKER STATESMAN. The following extracts are taken from an article in 'Trui . .' It has been said that eloquence is "reason penetrated and made red hot by passion." Few men illustrate the truth of this definition better than Mr. Bright. He is passionately in earnest; and there is the secret of his strength for the rest a secret easy enough to divine. Then a circumstance which I have heard Mr. Bright regret, has probably been of some service to him as an orator; he knows no language but our mother-tongue, resembling in this respect the greatest speakers that the world has ever known those of the Athenian Republic. He has to address Englishmen, and he does so in a perfectly English way, out of an English mind filled with English thoughts (to the exclusion of all others.) His words and sentences too, are pure English, disfigured by no Gallicisms or Teutonicisms, or Hellenisms. He knows nothing of "Solidarity," or of "Geist," and may well have sighed at being obliged to claim "autonomy'' for the Bulgarians, while Turkish "hegemony" must have been doubly odious to him. QUAKEK ANECDOTES. 215 And how has Mr. Bright acquired his command of nervous English ? By almost learning by heart the works of the purest English writers. I remember some one once saying in his presence that it would be difficult to find a man who had read through Milton's "Paradise Regained." "I have read it many times," he said, and then he proceeded to cite several magnificent passages from it. But few men are so well acquainted as he is with the literature of his own country, not forgetting the Bible or the Daily News. The " Fairy Queen " is read through about once in a hundred j-ears. In the eighteenth century Chatham accomplished the feat; in the nineteenth, Mr. Bright. The two men seem sxifliciently unlike each other, and yet the fact reminds one of Bulwer Lytton's couplet: Let Bright the Minister of England be, And straight in Bright a Chatham we should see. No wonder Mr. Bright is an incomprehensible phenomenon to foreign liberals. I remember seeing him and Louis Blanc erga^Gfl in a political discussion. The French Radical learnt with amazement and sorrow that his English confrere was in favour of shutting up public houses during certain hours on Sundays. "Ah, you have no liberty in England," he remarked bitterly. Mr. Bright rejoined with a polite hope that the immortal principles of '89 might bring the French (in their good time) some greater benefit than that of increased facilities for drunkenness on Sundays. Mr. Bright himself, by the way, is now a teetotaller, and smokes mxich less than formerly. In old times he and Lord Stanley (the present Lord Derby) might often be seen in the smoking room of the House of Commons puffing away, according to the elegant expression of a friend, like a couple of chimneys. The two were (and are) fast friends; and, strange as it may seem, there can be little doubt that the 216 QUAKER ANECDOTES. mail who recently flung away his. chance of becoming a Tory Prime Minister was the apt pupil of Mr. Bright. The Quaker statesman very early imbued him with iha. dislike of war which made him the despair of the Jin >es. Mr. Blight's influence?, too, contributed to make -_,jrd Stanley df-iine a place ia the War Cabinet of 18-3.3. For Mr. Gladstone, his admiration is unbounded. Last summer, at a garden party, he happened to find himself amongst a number of ladies and gentlemen who were one and all speaking with extraordinary bitterness of the Member for Greenwich. A Princess of the Blood led the attack, ably seconded by a Dowager of social mi^ht. Mr. Bright said nothing for a while ; then quietly turned to a lady and asked her if her children had ever seen Mr. Gladstone? "No," she replied. "Then," he remarked, "You should give them the opportunity of doing so, that they may be able in after days to say they have seen one of the greatest men that England ever produced." Mr. Bright has small respect for the red coat, and scarcely any more for the blue jacket. In the album of a village inn he described England as an ass heavily laden with two packs the army and navy. Again, he has spoken of our naval and military expenditure ''as a gigantic system of outdoor relief for the aristocracy." Yet he lived to be a member of a Cabinet which actually declared war. True, it was only f ^a'rist the King of Ashantee. He is a staunch friend and a serviceable one, for in later years he has uevt-lopod an extraordinary amount of tact. They say, indeed of Jacob, that he is John without John's tact. This is 7iot quite true ; but it is certain that John shows wonderful dexterity in steering clear of all crotchet- mongers and hobby horses. When there is a Woman's Rights division he votes with his brother; but is hopelessly unenthusiastic about the subject. I have heard one of the v-*^w* M>V Thju 4yr i i JritU^< vex* 2 ^ wXx/ !&&/ QUAKER ANECDOTES. 217 tuneful sisterhood denounce him as a " weakling." Higher praise could hardly be accorded him. A Quaker mellowed into a man of the world would not be a bad description of Mr. Bright. Careful of the public money, Mr. Bright is generous with his o\vu. It is not so well rtmeoibered as it deserves to be that during the cotton famine when Mr. Bright,' a operatives were thrown out of work, he allowed them two-thirds of their regular wages without exacting any sort of return. He is even said to have seriously impaired his fortune by this splendid act of munificence. This is the man whom a Tory paper abused at the time for not subscribing to the Lancashire .Relief Fund. He disdained to reply, but the late Lord Derby took care that the fact should be known. No man ia complete without a pet inconsistency. Mr. Bright thinks fox hunting cruel; but cannot be made to look upon salmon fishing (at which he is an adept) in the same light." THE NOXSTRIKIXQ QUAKES. "I will not strike thee, bad man," said a Quaker one day ; but I will let this billet of wood fall on thee ;" and at that precise moment the "bad man was floored by the weight of the walking-stick that the Quaker was known to carry." A SERMON BY A QUAKERESS. "My dear friends there are three things I very much wonder at The first, is that children should be so foolish as to throw stones, clubs, and brick-bats up into fruit trees, to knock down fruit ; if they would let it alone it would fall itself. The second is that men should be so foolish, and even so wicked, as to go to war and kill each other; if let , they would die themselves. Aad the third and iaat 518 QrAKER AXECDOTE8. thing: that I wonder at, is that young men should be so unwise as to go after young women ; if they would stay at home, the young women would come after them." JOHN WESLEY AND THE QUAKERS. After the sermon, this unbaptized woman, (a Quakeress) abruptly addressing Wesley, asked, "Dost thou think water baptism an ordinance of Christ?" Wesley replied, "What saith Peter? Who can forbid water that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost even as we?" Wesley adds: "I spoke but little more, before she cvied out, " 'Tis right ! 'tis right ! I will be baptized." And so she was the same hour." In his wide wanderings, Wesley met with numbers of friendly Quakers, of whom he speaks in terms of com- mendation; but their system was one which he abhorred, and, in his " Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion," he speaks of the inconsistencies of their community in the most withering terms. "A silent meeting," said he in a letter to a young lady, "was never heard of in the Church of Christ for sixteen hundred years." And, in one of his letters to Archbishop Seeker, he remarks : " Between me and the Quakers there is a great gulf fixed. The sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper keep us at a wide distance from each other; insomuch that, according to the view of things I have now, I should as soon commence deist as Quaker." Tyerrnan's Life and Times of John Wesley. CURIOSITY REPROVED. A' iarly visiting Newgate with Mrs. Fry says P>oing much struck with the appearance of a young female convict, I asked Mis. Fry the crime for which she wa<* tlu'rc*. Tier answer reproved, me; for she said, "I never k their QtJAKEli AJSECDOTEd. crimes, for ice have all come short." Also upon this occasion she rewarded one of the women, who had f..und a trinket belonging to one of the Ladies in Committee, and had restored it. Mrs. Fry gave her a cotton, gown, sa)iug, "Now you see honesty u the best policy." EEilARKABLB CIRCUMSTANCE. Mrs. Fry's penetration and discernment in prosecuting her benevolent works, were very remarkable. Though charitable in the highest degree, and sometimes, it is probable, imposed upon in her acts of benevolence, she was not often deceived or mistaken in forming an estimate of the real characters of those whom she had even but seldom seen. This may be illustrated by the following remarkable fact : Walking one morning in Lombard Street with the author, we met a decently dressed female, who yet appeared to be very sorrowful. She asked no relief, nor did she seek to attract attention. But Mrs. Fry, as if prompted or impelled by some superior power, let go his arm, and turned to the woman, saying, "Thou appearest to be in trouble: tell me, I beseech thee, the cause, of thy sorrow : perhaps I can assist tiieo, and afford thee relief." She hesitated; but Mrs. Fiy perceiving her burdened spirit, led her to the house of her brother, in the same street ; and, by her kind solicitude, obtained a statement of her griefs. She needed no pecuniary assistance; but only the counsels of a judicious and pious friend, whom she had thus mosi unexpectedly found. And thus this distressed creature was saved from misery and self-destruction; and as she afterwards declared, that when first met by Mrs. Fry, she was on her way to dxown herself in the river Thames! M.:ntn as she found hei-M-lf alone with their guest, she began to specify, in rather significant terms, what she should require of a man who \si>hed to marry her. Her remarks made Isaac rather fidgety; but he replied in general terms, that he thought her ideas on the . ubject were very correct. " I suppose you think my father will give me considerable money," said s-he; " but that is a mistake. Whoever takes me must take me for myself alone." The young man tried to stammer out that he did not come on any such errand ; but his wits were bewildered by this unexpected siege, and he could not frame a suitable reply. She mistook his confusion for the natural timidity of love, and went on to express the hijjh opinion she entertained of him. Isaac looked wistfully at the door, in hopes her brother would come to his rescue. But no relief came from that quarter, and fearing he should find himself engaged to be married without his own consent, he caught up his hat and rushed out. It was mining fast, but he splashed through mud and water, without stopping to choose his steps. Crossing the yard in this desperate haste, he encountered the brother, who called out, "Where are you going?" "I'm going home," he replied. "Going hon^e!" exclaimed his astonished friend, "Why it is raining hard ; and you came to stay all night, \7hat does possess you, Isaac ? Come back ! Come back, I say !" " I won't come back !" shouted Isaac from the distance. I am oing home." And home he went. His new clothes were well spattered, and his red-top boots loaded with mud; but though he prided himself on keeping his apparel in neat condition, he thought lie had got off cheaply on this occasion. 230 QTTAKEH ANECDOTES. While the experiences of life were deepening and strengthening his character, the fair child, Sarah Tatum, was emerging into womanhood. She was a ^re-at belle in her neighbourhood, admired by the young men for her conu-ly person, and by the old for her good sense and discreet manners. He had many competitors for her iavour. Once, when he went to invite her to ride to Qualerly Meeting, he found thrt e Quaker h^iux, already there, with horses and sleighs for th.H sd.-ne purpose. But though some of her admirers abounded in worldly gi-od6 ; her mind never swerred from the love of her childhood The bright affd'otiouatt, school- boy who delighted to sil with her under the thady trees, and twist hez shining curls- ovtr hex fingeis, retamed hia hold upon her heart as lori as its pulses throbbed. Her father at first folt some uneasiness, lest his daughter should marry out of the Society of Friends. But Lssac had been for some time seriously impressed with the principles they professed, and when he assured the good old gentleman that he would never take Sarah out of the Society, of which she \* ap bom a member, he was perfectly satisfied to receive him as a son-in-law. The letters which passed between him and his betrothed are rather of a sedate character; but through the unimpassioned Quaker style gleams the steady warmth of sincere affection. There is something pleasant in the simplicity with which he usually closed his episilea to her. " 1 am, dear Sally, thy real friend, Isaac." They were married on the eighteenth of the ninth month (September) 1795 ; he being nearly twenty four years of age, and she about three years younger. The wordly comforts which a kind Providence bestowed on Isaac tnd his bride, were freely imparted to others. After living most happily together for nearly 27 years the wiw wulloU, Co pm % t with tke stoutly trMJiul und plt QTTA1TER ANECDOTES. 231 companion of his brightest and his darkest hours. She passed from him into the spiritual world in June 1822, in the forty seventh year of lier age. She left nine children, the youngest but six years old, to mourn the loss of a most tender, careiul, and self sacrificing mother. Time soothes all afflictions ; and those who have dearly loved their iirst compauions are sometimes more likely than others to form, a second connection ; for the simple reason that they cannot learn to do without the happiness to which they have been accustomed. There was an intimate friend of the family, a member of the same religious Society, named Hannah Attmore. She was a gentle and quiet person, of an innocent and very pleasing countenance. Her father, a worthy and tender spirited man, had been an intimate friend of Isaac T. Hopper, and always sympathized with his efforts for the oppressed. A. strong attachment had likewise existed between her and Friend Hopper's wife; and during frequent visits to the house, it was her pleasure to volunteer assistance in the numerous household cares. The fact that his Sarah had great esteem for her, was doubtless a strong attraction to the widower. His suit was favourably received, and they were married in February 1824. She was considerably younger than her bridegroom ; but vigorous health and elastic spirits had preserved his youthful appearance, while her sober dress and grave deportment made her seem older than she really was. See became the mother of four children, two of whom died in early uhildhood. The character of his wife was extremely modest and reserved; and he took mischievous pleasure in telling: strangers of their courtship in a w;iy that made her blush. " Dost thou know wh'tt FTannnh answered, when I asked it' she would marry me?" said ho. " I will tell thee how it, was. I was walking home with her one evening, son utter the death, of hex mother, aud. i uiouuouod to k.. r that us *ke 232 QUAKER ANECDOTES. was alone now, I supposed she intended to make somechanpe in her mode of living. When she said yes, I told her I had been thinking it would be very pleasant to have her couie and live with me. ' Thit would suit me exactly,' said she. This prompt reply made me suppose she might not have understood my meaning; and 1 explained that I wanted her to become a member of my family ; but she replied ugaiu, 'There is nothing I should like better.' " The real lact was, the quiet and timid Hannah Attmore was not dreaming of such a tiling as a proposal of marriage. She supposed he spoke of receiving her as a boarder in his family. When she at last peiceived his meaning, she slipped her arm out of his very quickly, and was too much confused to utter a word. But ii amused him to represent that she sei/t d the opportunity the moment it was offered. But clefirly above all other things, did he remember every look anil tone of his beloved.Sariih : pvm in the days when they trudged to school together, hand in hand. The recollection of the first love, closely intertwined with his first religious impressions, was the only flowery spot of romance in the old gentleman's very practical character. When he was seventy years of age, says Maria Child, he shewed me a piece of writing she had copied for him, when she was a girl of fourteen. It was preserved in the self- same envelope, in which she sent it, and pinned with the same pin, long since blackened by age. I said, " JBe careful not to lose that pin." "Lose it!" he exclaimed. "No money could tempt me to part with it. I loved the very ground she trod upon." He was never weary of eulogizing her comely looks, beautiful manners, sound principles, and sensible conver- sation. The worthy companion of his later life never seemed troubled by such remarks. She not only " listened to a sister's praises with unwounded ear," but often added till uu u> Uifc viituuj oi iiw QUAKER ANECDOTES. 233 LEONAUD FELL AND THE HIGHWAYMAN. It is related of Leonard Fell, that as he was travelling alone, he was once accosted by a highwayman who demanded his money, which he gave him. He next required Lis horse also, when Leonard Fell dismounted andlethiui take it. i>ut beibre the robber rode away, he solemnly warned him against the evil course he was pursuing. The highwayman became enraged ; asked him why he preached to him, and threatened " to blow out his brains." But Leonard Fell replied, "Though I would not give my lite for my money or my horse, I would give it to save thy soul ;" an answer, which so went to the heart of the robber, that he declared, if he were such a man as that, he would have neither his money nor his horse; both of -which he returned and went his way, leaving Leon- ard Fell in the enjoyment of that peace which attends the conscientious discharge of duty. .biographical Memoirs of Friends. EAKLY-RISING FKIKNDS FAU WESX. The Western Friends, like their neighbours, have to be very early risers. In summer it is common for them to be up at three a.m., or at the very earliest daybreak. An English Friend, who had just come to one of the rural settlements of Indiana, determined to accommodate himself to the ways of the place, and to rise early with the rest. He woke about five o'clock in the morning, and immediately dressed and joined the family, who were evidently amused at something, and expressed general hopes that he had slept "well," adding, "Why, we've all had breakfast an hour ago." The new comer was astonished to find that five a.m. was about two hours later than the ordinary time for getting up. Tallack's Friendly Sketches n America. p 234 QUAKER AXECUOXES, 'S HOUSE PRESERVED. A most remarkable case occured at the siege of Copenhagen under Lord Nelson. An officer in the fleet says: " 1 was particularly impressed with an object which 1 saw three or four days after the terrific bombardment of the place. For several nights before the surrender, the darkness was ushered in with a tremendous roar of guns and mortars, accompanied by the whizzing of those destructive and burning engines of warfare, Congreve's rockets. The dreadful effects were soon visible in the brilliant lights through the city. The blazing houses of the rich, and the burning cottages of the poor, illu- minated the heavens; and the widespreadmg flumes, reflecting on the water, showed a forest of fhips assembled round the city for its destruction. This work of conflagration went on for several nights ; but the Danes at length surrendered ; and on walking some days after among the ruins, consisting of the cottages of the poor, houses of the rich, manufactories, lofty steeples, and humble meeting-houses, I descried, amid this barren field of desolation, a solitary house unharmed ; all around it a burnt mass, this alone untouched by the fire, a monument of mercy. ' Whose house is that?' I asked. 'That.,' said the interpreter, 'belongs to a Quaker. He would neither fight nor leave his house, but remained in prayer, with his family during the whole bombardment.' Surely, thought I, it ts well with the righteous God lax been a shield to thee in battle, a wall of fire rouuduljuut thce, a very present help in time of need." ADVICE. A pretty girl was complaining to a young Quaker, last week,' that she was dreadfully troubled by chaps on her lips. 'Friend Marv ! " replied the Quaker, " thou shouldst not the chaps to tuiue so near thy Jijis." QUAKER ANECDOTES. 235 THE QUAKER AND THE OFFICER. Mr. Dillwayn's son told me that his father in his younger - days, was in a stage-coauh with a party of military officers. One of them, a pert effiminate dandy, undertook to quiz the plain Quaker, and alter some indefinite jokes, asked him at an inn where they stopped to hold his sword for a minute, supposing he would consider it an abomination to touch it. Mr. Dillwayn, however, eyeing the young man from head to foot., said, " As I believe, from its appearance, it has never filled Mood, and is not in the least likely to do BO, I have not the slightest objection. A AYARNING. A staid Quaker replied to a fellow who was abusing Mm, "IJavo a care, friend, or thoe rnayest run thy countenance gainst iny fist." COURTSHIP. " Martha, dost thou love me ?" asked a Quaker youth of one at whose shrine his heart's holiest feelings had been offered up. " Why, Seth," answered she, "we are com- manded to love one another, are we not ? " Ay, Martha, but does thee regard me with the feeling the world calls love?" " I hardly know what to tell thee, Seth, I have greatly feared that my heart was an erring one. I have tried to bestow my love on all, but I have sometimes thought,' perhaps, that thee was getting rather more than thy sham" . THE BULLY. A genuine bully called upon a Friend, avowedly to thrash him. " Friend," remonstrated the Quaker, knocking aside his fists, "before thou proceed<. to chastise me, wilt thou- not take some dinner?" The bully was a glutton, aud at : 286 QUAKER ANECDOTES once accepted, washing down the solids with strong libations of ale. He rose up ag.iin to fulfil his original errand, " Friend," said the Quaker, " wilt thou not take some punch ?" The bully, now staggering, attempted to thrash his entertainer ; but quoth the Quaker, "Friend, wilt thou not take a pipe ?" This hospitality was also accepted, but still the bully staggered across the room to belabour the Quaker. The latter, opening the door and pulling him towards it, thus addressed him, " Friend, thou earnest here Hot to be pacified , I gave thee a meat-offering, but this did not assuage thy rage , I gave thee a drink-offering, still thou wert beside thyself ; I gave thee a burnt-offering, neither did that suffice ; now I will try thee with a heave- offering." And with that he tossed him out of the door, and that sufficed THE CntracH ORGAN "Friend Maltby, I am pleased that thou hast got snch a fine organ in thy church." " But," said the clergyman, " I thought you were strouglv opposed to having an organ in a church ?" " So I am," said Friend Obadiah ; " but then if thou wilt worship the Lord by machinery, 1 would like thee to have a first-rate instrument." STKANGE TITLE. A Quaker who was suffering in prison published a book entitled " A Sigh for the Sinners in Zion, coming from a Hole in the Wall, by an Earthen Vessel, known among men as Samuel Fish." CONSCIENTIOUS LAWYER. Nicholas Wain was educated in the Society of Friends- in America, but in early life seems to have cared little about their principles. He was then an ambitious, money- QUAKER ANECDOTES. 237 loving man, remarkably successful in worldly affairs. But the principles inculcated in childhood probably n mained latent within him; for when he was rapidly acquiring wealth and distinction by the practice of law, he suddenly relinquished it, from conscientious motives. This change of feeling is said to have been owing to the following incident, lie had charge 01 am important case, where a large amount of property wa. &i stake. In the progress of the cause, he became more and more aware that right was not on the ?ide of his client ; but to desert him in the midst was incompatible with his ideas of honor as a lawyer. This produced :{v the rescue and reformation of juvenile del.i.^uc.i.l.- It was theic fixed that Di. Lushington should meet roc afttrwarde at m\ house, to obtain ai. interview with Kiip lit V father. Wo found the poor man so crushed and stupifitd as hardly to be able to give us an answer to any of our questions. He said he was going into Shoreditch, and might perhaps be able to bring us some useful information on the matter. Just after he had gone out, I said to the Doctor, " Hadn't I better bring him back, and let him take us to the Virginia Planter?" "Oh, yes, by all means," said the Doctor. I then went after the man and brought him back, and said, "Now, Knight, take us to the Virginia Planter." This was a public-house at the corner of Thrall Street, Spitalfields, and a most notorious place of resort for thieves. When we arrived there we sent Knight in at the taproom door, and told him to stop everybody in the place. We went into the bar door, and said we wanted to se the young folks that were in the bar-room, adding that we had come about Knight, the prisoner under sentence of death. We had them invited into a back parlour, and there 1 met with a well-known low character, one Bill Home. We now stated the anxiety we felt to save the life of poor Knight, if we could prove his inuoceuce. Bill knew all about it, and QUAKER ANECiJUTKa. 241 said, "The real thief was John Grew." "Well," we said, "we mu t have him tu-n ght; tor Knight is about to be executed." Bill leplied, " \ ou can't have him to-uifjht; we dou't know where he is; but you shall know to-morrow." Bill's heart was touched with the kindness of the motive we had in view, and promised he would do the best he could to find hiir out. We requested that, as soon as any information wae obtained, Hill and his companions would come to my house, as I lived in the neighbourhood. But here, again, I was iu some difficulty, because i had only two female servants in the house, in which al>o was a good deal of property. I did not know what might happen with such visitors as I expected ; so I deliberated as to what I t-hould do, and whether I should stay at home from going to our usual Friends' meeting for worship. I decided to let everything go on as usual. Just before going to meeting I informed the single servant left at home as to what kind of people might possibly come during my absence, and, should such be the case, requested her to send them on to me. o I went off to 'meeting, at Devonshire House, Houndsditch, and had been there only about twenty minutes when I saw the door slowly Dpen, and the father of poor Knight enter. I then left my seat and went out with him, and in the yard we found Bill Home, Grew himself, and the young man that received the watch from his hand, together with some other companions. Grew accosted me, and said, "As soon as I knew, Mr. Bedford, that you were wishing to find me out, I determined I would come to you ; and there is the person that received the watch." I said, " Walk with me to my house." And thither I went, escorted by such a company as that. When we reached it, I took them into the parlour, brought out my portable writing-desk, sat down, and recorded, in the form of depositions, all the information I could gain, especially that of the culprit himself. 1 then fixed for them to be at my 242 UUAKfcK AMXlX, 1 ES. house aa-nin thf next morning at eight o'clock. Meanwhile 1 sent off to Dr. Lushiugton, to let him know that at that hour I had appointed an. interview with these people, and invited him to be at my house by nine, and also to inform Fowell uxton of the matter. The Doctor accordingly got his horse, and rode oiT to Buxton, who also sent information to our Friends Thomas and Edward Foster, of St. Helen's Place. Next day Dr Lushington met the party at my house, and investigated the case most thoroughly, and in consequence became perfectly satisfied that Knight had only made the attempt to steal the watch, but though innocent of the fact, was guilty of being concerned. All our evidence was now complete, except the proof afforded by the watch itself. On inquiry, we ascertained that it had been lodged with a pawnbroker in the Borough for 3. I thought it was most important for us to have the watch, and resolved to obtain it ; but as it was stolen property, and I knew it to be such, the Doctor said to me, " Bedford, mind what you are doing." I replied, "Yes, Doctor; I think I do know what I am about." I then took Knight's fathur a*ide, and said, ' ' Knight, we must have that watch " He replied, "I have not got the money to get it." I answorel, " The watch must be bad." I then talked to him about his son's case for some time. The poor man was extremely distressed. At length I dismissed him previously, however, putting my hand into my pocket, and giving him 3. Ead I not a right to give him 30 if I had liked? And had I not said, " We must have the watch ?" We now arranged that all our party were to meet at Edward Foster's, at St. Helen's Place, at ten o'clock. There were there Fowell Buxton, Dr. Lushingion, Edward Foster, and myself, and also all those other people, and the watch. Thomas Foster had beea sent forward to the Home Office to request an interview with Lord fSiduioutk, After jjoing fairly into our plans, m L A K. Kit A_\ ECJJ OTES . two coaches were ordered. We went in one (with the watch), and Knight, Grew, and Home in the other. Thomas Foster was waiting at the Home Office for us, and we promptly obtained an interview with Lord Sidmouth; Fuwell Buxton on this occasion, took up the subject, stating all the details of the case. Then Dr. Lushington spoke on the awfulnesa of taking away human life under such circumstances. It was my belief that Lord Sidmouth's political feelings towards the Doctor operated very sadly against poor Knight. He waid, " Dr. Ltuhington, you cause horrible feelings in my mind ; but I tell you that if, after investigating the < ase, or any such ea^e, and giving it the best attention I could, even if I were mistaken, I should think it right, under the circumstances, that the execution should go on ; for the person who lost the watch swore positively that he seized the man by the collar, and never let hiro. go." I believe Lord Siduiouth entertained that idea of the case most sincerely; but he was in error. We entreated Lord Sidmouth to see the young man. "No," he replied; "but Mr. ISo-and-oS at the office will examine him." We went with Grew to the official named, and after his examination, when we got outside the building, Dr. Lushington clapped his hands, and said, " Oh, Bedford, we have saved his life 1" But Buxton, who entertained doubts on the subject, answered, "I am not sure of that." I now went into the country, and on the Thursday morning I received a note from Dr. Lushington, saying, " My dear Bedford, I have just seen Mr. Bowler at Newgate, and I find that Knight was executed, declaring his innocence three times when the cap was drawn over his face." On my return to London we called together a number of gentlemen interested in the subject, and their opinion was that there was something further for us to do in the matter, and that we . his character was bad. You know that he had been living in a course of life that was disreputable , and to that may, in a great measure, be attributed our want of success in endeavouring to save him, though we believe that he was not guilty of the crime for which he suffered However, you know that his life has been forfeited : and I have to tell you. young men. overy one of you. that your fate will be .similar to that of your poor associate Knight, if you do not forsake the course of life that you are in ; or at least you will be transported to another country." The Doctor began upon a low key. but rose as he continued. It was most interesting He then described the horrors of 'transportation and concluded by recommending them to alter their course of life He said, " There are probably some amongst you that would be glad to alter your conduct, but who, very likely, may be so circumstanced, that it is impossible for you to maintain yourselves in a respectable manner, having lost your characters, and having departed frcai the paths of rectitude and honesty. But 1 have to tell you that some gentlemen have made arrangements for the assistance of any such characters as those who may be sorry for their past wicked course, and who may now repent and wish to alter their mode of living Such may now be put into the way of becoming respectable and reputable members of the community." I then made a few observations, and told them that any further information they might desire on the subject might be obtained on applying to myself, as I should be happy to aid them. It was about ten o'clock at 246 QI7AX"BT< AJTECDOTES. night wlien wo turned out of this place, and were surrounded by a crowd of thieves of different a^es. One of them said to me. " Mr. Bedford, nrc you afraid." " Afraid ! " I said, " what have I to he nfraid of? I am sure that none of you would hurt me or this irontloman." " No, sir," was the reply; "if you were covered with jewels, you would not lose one of them. But if vou are at all afraid, we will form a pufird. and see you safo o your own house." Wishing to inquire about onr proposed plan, some of them came to my house, and I told them of the Refuge for the Destitute at Hoxton. Several of them went to see it, and concluded to accept the offer at once. They first went bark, however, having some matters to se'tle. and fell in with some of their old companions, who discouraged them from going to the Ri-fuge. One young man of their company called on me afterwards alone, and, after stating his case, an 1 learning what I had in view, said. "Oh, sir, can you do anything for my poor sister?" Tie marched up and down the room in the greatest agony imaginable. I never saw a poor creature more distressed than he was. I asked him what was the case of his sister. Then he described it, He had placed her on the brink of ruin, as on a precipice, having introduced her to some of his associates. But she was a virtuuus young woman. I said, " I will try to do something." I conferred \vith the clergyman of the parish, and we got her into an institution ; and she proved one of the best cases they ever had upright and virtuous, yet just snatched from destruction. But it was shocking to witness the agony of the poor fellow. His gratitude afterwards was very great. The girl subsequently obtained a good situation. There was a tradesman in Spitalfields with several sons, one of whom formed an attachment to her; but before accepting his proposals, she said to his father, "I cannot listen to any offer until you go and QUAKER ANECDpTES. 247 ascertain from Mr. Bedford all that he knows of tho circumstances of my case." Accordingly the tradesman camo to my house, and explained to m 3 how the matter stood. I answered that I had only to say that, if it was left to me, I should encourage the young woman to accept of his son. 1 found that this person had been to my houe before. He attended one of the Friends' public meetings, at which a minister from America had preached on some subject in a manner which this man did not understand, and he afterwards called at my house to ask for some explanations. The young couple married, and set up in business not far from London. A year or two afterwards I was passing their shop, and saw the husband behind the counter, and his wife with a nice little child in her arms, and looking so thoroughly happy that I could not muster courage to revive old remembrances, BO I passed on without going in. William Tallack's Life of Peter Bedford. SHOPKEEPER'S TRICK. An honest rustic went into the shop of a Quaker to buy a hat, for which fifteen shillings was demanded. He offered twelve shillings. " As I live," said the Quaker, <% I cannot afford to give it thee at that price." " As you live !" exclaimed the countryman ; "then live more moderately, and be handed to you." '' Friend," said the Quaker, "thou shalt have the hat for nothing. I have sold hats for twenty years, and my trick has never been found out till now." A MANS CONFOUNDED. Two of Dr. Priestly's followers, eminent men, once called on an old gentleman of the Society of Friends, to ask iiim what was his opinion of the person of Christ. .Ai'u 1 . a iutle consideration, lie replied.: " The apjstle says, IMS QUAKE II W preach Chi 1st crucified, unto the Je\vs a atumbling- bluck, i.ocause tliey expected a tempor d Me^siali,; to tiie Greeks foolishness, because he waser. icitio i as a Qiulefuctor ; but uuto tlu-iu which are called, both Jews and Giveks, Christ tlie powei of God, and the wisdom of God. Now, if you can separate the pcwer of God from God, and the wisdom of God from God. I will come overto your opinions." They were both struck duu?.b, and did not attempt to utter a single woid in reply. HUMANITY OF WALKER. The following anecdote of Di. Walker, well known as the Director of the London. Jennerian and w Vaccine Insti- tutions, is extracted froix his memoir : While our troops were using the weapons of destruction, Dr. Walker was busily employed iu saving life. His work of vaccination being completed, ho attended the sick of the British navy and of the Turkish army. The sense of weariness while engaged in these works of mercy, he seems hardly to have known ; being assisted by his friend General Sir John Doyle, in prosecuting these labours of goodness. The following extract of a letter from that worthy officer speaks volumes. "The general can never forget the im- pression made upon him by tlio extraordinary situation in which he tirst made an acquaintance with that amiable and benevolent individual, Dr. Walker. The day after the action, near Alexandria, where the brave Abercrombie fell, the general was riding ovor the field of battle, attended by two orderly dragoons, to see if there were any wounded, French or English, who had escaped notice the evening before ; when, on turning round a wall by the sea-side, he was struck with an appalling sight of more than a hundred French soldiers, with their officers, huddled together, des- perately wounded by grape and cannon shot from an QUAKER ANECDOTES. 249 English ship of war. From being collected in the recess of the wall, they had escaped notice on the previous day of search, and were exposed to the night air, and with un- dressed wounds. Here the general saw a man, evidently English, in the garb of a Quaker, actively emplo3 r ed in the heavenly task of giving his humane assistance to those poor brave sufferers ; giving water to some, dressing the wounds of others, and affording consolation to all. Upon inquiry he found the benevolent individual to be Dr. John Walker, who was himself almost exhausted, having been thus nobly employed from daybreak without intermission." THE GRAVE QUAKER AND Miss LANDON. (L.E.L.) William Howitt remarks : "I recollect meeting her in company at a time there was a strong report that she was actually though secretly married. Mrs. Hofland, on her entering the room, went up to her in her plain, straight- forward way, and said, " Ah! my dear, what must I call you, Miss Landon, or whom ?" After a well-feigned sur- prise at the question, Miss Landon began to talk in a tone of merry ridicule at this report, and ended by declaring that as to love or marriage, they were things that she never thought of. " What, then, have you been doing with yourself this last month ?" " 0, I have been puzzling my brain to invent a new sleeve ; pray, how do you like it?" showing her arm. " You never think of such a thing as love ! " exclaimed a sentimental young man ; " you, who have written so many volumes of poetry upon it !" "0 that's all professional, you know," exclaimed she, with an air of merry scorn. "Professional!" exclaimed a grave Quaker who stood near; "why dost thou make a difference between what is a l.V',0 QfAKKK AXECDOTKS. professional and what is real ? Dost thou write cne thing and think another? Does not that look verj much like 1) ypocrisy ?" " To this the astonished poetess made no reply, but by a look of genuine amazement. It was a mode of putting the matter to which she had evidently never been ac- customed. And, in fact, there can be no question that much of her writing was professional. She had to win a polden harvest for the comfort of others as dear to herself ; and she felt, like all authors who have to cater for the public, that she must provide, not so much what she would of her free-will choice, but what they expected from her." PHYSIOGNOMY OF FRIENDS. The serene, placid, peaceful countenances of the people ca'led Quakers, display, in very striking characters, the ab-ence of all the turbulent passions As a sect they excel all others in the almost perfect command they have over tlielr p.oaons. They may be denominated a gruat and strong people, if it were only from the innocent, perhaps laudable, ingenuity, which they manifest in concealing their weaknesses. Long habits of self-examination, and its accompanying virtue, self-control have stamped upon their features a most obvious expression of internal com- posure and tranquility of soul. Moving in the centre of thir o\vn circumference, and abstracting their thoughts from the vices and frivolities of the age and country they live in, all their looks, gestures, and actions bespeak them persons of one business bent upon one object aiming at one end and aspiring at perfection in even-thing they attempt. In those who are what ancient Friends (to use one of their own terms) would have called true and steady followers of the light of grace in the heart, the most sober zeal and piety are painted in the features mildness and QUAKEtt ANECBOTKB. 251 benevolence beam on the cheek love and complacency shine through the eye ; whilst fortitude and courage char- acterize their forehead. And even in those Friends who d^^^are merely so from birth and education, the same characteristics of perseverance, steadiness, and attention, though directed to worldly pursuits, are strikingly visible. A Quaker, who is one from conviction and principle, cannot be a morose, vindictive, malicious, or impious char- acter; he who is one from birth only may possibly be all these; but even he will never be accused of indolence or inatten- tion, so long as he preserves the outward forms of the sect to which he belongs. In both cases, the Quakers furnish a demonstrative evidence of the truth of the physi- ognomical maxim, that habits of mind beget corresponding habits of countenance. Cooke's View of the Science of Physiognomy. GEORGE III AND HANNAH LIGHTFOOT. Although George the Third condemned, with great severity, the first amour of his eldest son with Mrs. liobinson, the youth of the King was not spotless ; but he fell into a like derelection himself. The story is variously told ; but the following version, written by Sir Richard Phillips, who knew some of the parties, and took great pains to elicit the truth in the Monthly Magazine, may be relied on. About the year 1756, there lived at the corner of Market- street, St. James' s-market, a linen draper named Wheeler, a Quaker, who had a beautiful niece, named Hannah Light- foot, known as "the fair Quakeress," from serving in her uncle's shop. The lady caught the eye of Prince George, in his walks and rides fromjjeicester House to St. James's Pal- aue, and she soon returned the attentions of such a lover. She is said to have been privately married to the Prince, in Kew Chapel : another story states that the marriage was 252 QUAKEB ANECDOTES. celebrated at Curzon-street Chapel, by the Rev. Alexander Keith, with the Prince's brother, the Duke of York, as a wit- ness; and it is stated that children were born of the marriage, of whom, a son, was sent, when a child, to the Cape of Good Hope, with the name of George Rex. This portion of the story, by Dr. Doran, receives some corroboration, from there being, in 1830, at the Cape a Mr. George Rex, at the Knysna; a Correspondent of Notes and Queries, second series, vol. xi. understood from Rex that he had then (1830) been about thirty-four years a resident of the country, was about sixty- eight years of age, of strong, robust appearance, and the ex- act resemblance in featu_js to George III. This would bri> g him to about the time of the Prince's marriage to Hannah, as stated by Dr. Doran. On Mr. Rex's first arrival in the colony, he occupied a high situtation iu the Colonial Goverment, aud received an extensive grant of land at the Knysna. We now return to Sir Richard Phillip's version. The acquaintance alarming the Royal Family, it was contrived to marry the Quaker to a young grocer and former admirer, of the name of Oxford, of Ludgate-hill. The Prince, however* was inconsolable ; and a few weeks after, as Oxford was one evening from home, a royal carriage came to the door, and the lady was hurried into it by the attendants, and carried off at full speed. Where she was taken to, or what became of her, was never known. Some reported that she survived her lover; others, that she died in 1765, after having had three sous, since general officers. Her death disturbed the royal mind. Oxford, broken-hearted, retired to AVarminster, set up a grocer's shop, married again, and had a family : he died in old age, about 1810, but not without having sought clam- oursly for information about his wife, at Weyrnouth and other places. Tiuibs " Century oj Anecdote" QUAKT/R A>'WmnTE8. 2.53 HAT PROTEST. Fox, the founder of Quakerism, was in the habit of attending public worship at the established church. When the preacher uttered sentiments of which he disapproved, he would most solemnly put on his broad-brimmed hat, and take it off again whenever a more welcome strain of doc- trine occurred. If he had sat long with his hat on, and the ill-sounding propositions or fulrninations continued he would rise slowly, and silently walk out. Thus it appears that it was for purposes of habitual protest that the Quakers first learned to sit in places of worship with" heir hats on. GEOHQE Fox AND His HAT. George Fox and companions were brought before Chief Justice Q-lynne at the assizes in the early part of 1656. Upon entering the court they stood for some time with their hats on, and the court remaining silent, Geore Fox was moved to say, " Peace be amongst you." The judge then asked the gaoler who they were, and on being informed they were prisoners, he said, "Why do you not pull off your hats?" The Uuakers stood silent. Judge. "Put off your hats. ' Still they remained silent. Judge. " The court commands you to put off your hat? G. Fox: " "Where did ever any magistrate, king, or judge from Moses to Daniel, command any to put off their hats, when they came before them in their courts, either among the Jews, (the people of God) or among the heathens? And if the law of England doth command any such thing, show me that law either written or printed." Judge, angrily " I do not carry my law books upon my buck." 254 QUAKER ANECDOTES. G. Fox. " Tell me then, where it is printed in any statute hook that I may read it." Judge. " Take him away, prevaricator, I'll ferk him ! " They were then removed out of court, and put among the thieves; hut presently afterwards were ordered back. Judge. " Come ! where had they any hats from Moses to Daniel ? Come, answer me, I have you now fast." G. Fox. "Thou mayst read in the third of Daniel, that the three children were cast into the fiery furnace by Nebu- chadnezzar's command, with their coats, their hose, and their hats on." This clever reply nonplussed the judge who ordered them to be re-conducted to prison. Afterwards when brought before the same judge, none of the accusations against them being proved, he ordered them back again to prison, and fined them twenty marks a-piece, for not taking off their hats in court, and to be imprisoned till they paid the fine. REMARKABLE TRIAL OF WILLIAM PEXTT. Clarkson in his Life of William Penn writes, On the 1st of September the trial came on; and here I have to ex- press my regret that the limits which I have proposed to this work should prevent me from presenting it at full length to the notice of the reader, because altogether it is a very interesting event in our history, and one of which no part that is recorded ought to be lost to posterity. The persons whn were present on the bench as Justices, on this day, were Sr Samuel Starling, lord mayor ; John Howel, recorder ; Thomas Blud worth, William Peak, Richard Ford, John Robinson, Joseph Sheldon, aldermen, and Richard Brown, John Smith, and James Edwards, sheriffs. The jury, who were impanelled, and whose names ought to be handed down to the love and gratitude of posterity, QUAKER ANECDOTES. 23 J were Thomas Veer, Edward Bushel, John Hammond, Charles Milson, Gregory Walklet, John Brightrnan, William Plumstead, Henry Henley, James Damask, Henry Michel, William Lever, and John Bailey. The indictment stated among other falsehoods the pris- oners hd preached to an unlawful, seditious, and riotous assembly ; that they had assembled by agreement made beforehand ; and that they had met together with force and arms, and this to the great terror and disturbance of many of his Majesty's liege subjects. Very little was done on this day. The prisoners were brought to the bar ; and having made their observations on several things as they passed, they pleaded not guilty to the indictment. The Court was then adjourned. In the afternoon they were brought to the bar again ; but they were afterwards set aside, being made to wait till after the trial of other prisoners. On the 3rd of September, the trial of those last men tioned being over, William Penn and William Mead were brought again into court. One of the officers, as they en- tered, pulled off their hats. Upon this the Lord Mayor became furious, and in a steru voice ordered him to put them on again. This being done, the Eecorder fined each of the prisoners forty marks, observing that the circum- stance of their beiug covered there amounted to a^contempt of Court. The witnesses were then called in and examined. It appeared, from their testimony, that on the 15th of August between three and four hundred persons were assembled in Gracechurch-street, and that they saw William Pena speaking to the people, but could not distinguish what he said. One, and one only, swore that he heard him preach > but, on further examination, he said that he could not ou account of the noise, understand any of the words spokau. 256 QTTAKF.H The witnesses h. iving finished their testimony, William Penn acknowledged that both he and his friend were pres- ent at the place and time mentioned. Their object in beii there was to worship God. "We are so far," says he, "from recanting, or declining to vindicate the assemblii T of ourselves to preach, pray, or worship the eternal, hoi), just God, that we declare to all the world, that we do believe it to be our indispensable duty to meet incessant v upon so good an account ; nor shall all the powers up( Ji earth be able to divert us from reverencing and adoring oi,r God, who made us." These words were scarcely pronoun- ced, when Brown, one of the sheriffs, exclaimed, that he was not there for worshiping God, but for breaking the law. William Penn replied, that he had broken no law, and de- sired to know by what law it was that they prosecuted him, and upon what law it was that they founded the indict- ment. The Recorder replied, the common law. William asked, where that law was. The Recorder did not think it worth while, he said, to run over all those adjudged cases for so many years, which they called common law, to satisfy his curiosity. William Penn thought, if the law were common, it should not be so hard to produce. He was then asked to plead to the indictment ; but, on delivering his senti- ments on this point, he was pronounced a saucy fellow. The following is a specimen of some of the questions and answers at full length, which succeeded those now men- tioned : W. Penn. The question is not, whether I am guilty of this indictment, but whether this indictment be legal. It is too general and imperfect an answer to say it is the common law, unless we know where and what it is ; for where there is no law, there is no transgression ; and that law which is not in being, is so far from being common, that it is no law at all QTTATCEK ANECDOTES. 257 Recorder. You are an impertinent fellow. Will you teach the Court what law is ? It is lex non scripta, that winch many have studied thirty or forty years to know, and would you have me tell you in a moment ? W. Penn. Certainly, if the common law be so hard to B understood, it is far from being very common ; but if the Lord Coke, in his Institutes, be of any consideration, ho tells us, that common law is common right, and that common right is the Great Charter privileges confirmed. Recorder. Sir, you are a troublesome fellow, and it is not to the honour of the Court to suffer you to go on. W. Penn. I have asked but one question, and you have not answered me, though the rights and privileges of every Englishman are concerned in it. Recorder. If I should suffer you to ask questions till to-morrow morning, you would never be the wiser. W. Penn. That is according as the answers are. Recorder. Sir, we must not stand to liear you talk all night. W. Penn. I design no affront to the Court, but to be heard in my just plea ; and I must plainly tell you, that it' you deny me the oyer of that law, which you say I have 1 broken, you do at once deny me an acknowledged right, and evidence to the whole world your resolution to sacrifice the privileges of Englishmen to your arbitrary designs. Recorder. Take him away. My Lord, if you take not eome course with this pestilent fellow to stop his mouth, we shall not be able to do anything to night. Mayor. Take him away. Take him away. Turn him into the bale-dock. "W. Psnn. These are bat so many vain exclamations. Is this justice or true judgment ? Must I therefore be taken awttv, because I plead for the fundamental laws of England? However, this I leave upon the consciences of you, who 258 QUAKER ANECDOTES. are of the Jury, and my sole Judges, that if these ancient fundamental laws, which relate to liberty and property, and which are not limited to particular persuasions in matters of religion, must not be indispensably maintained and observed, who can say that he hath a right to the coat on his back? Certainly our liberties are to be openly invaded ; our wives to be ravished ; our children slaved J our families ruined ; and our estates led away in triumph by every sturdy beggar, and malicious informer; as their trophies, but our (pretended) forfeits for conscience sake. The Lord of heaven and earth will be Judge between us in this matter. Recorder. Be silent there. W. Penn. I am not to be silent in a case where I am so much concerned ; and not only myself, but many thousand families besides. Soon after this they hurried him away, as well as William Mead, who spoke also, towards the bale-dock, a filthy, loathsome dungeon. The Recorder then proceeded to charge the Jury. But William Penn, hearing a part of the charge as he was returning, stopped suddenly, and, raising his voice, exclaimed aloud, "I appeal to the Jury, who are my judges, and this great assembly, whether the procee cl- ings of the Court are not most arbitrary, and void of all law, in endeavouring to give the jury their charge in the absence of the prisoners. I say it is directly opposite to and destructive of the undoubted rights of every English prisoner, as Ooke on the chapter of Magna Charta speaks." Upon this some conversation passed between the parties, who were still distant from each other ; after which the two prisoners were forced to their loathsome cells. But now out of all hearing the Jury were ordered to agree upon their verdict. Four, who appeared visibly to favour the prisoners, ware abused and actually threatened by the QUAKER AXECDOTTS. '259 Recorder. They were then, all of them seat out of Court. On being brought in again, they delivered their verdict unanimously, which was, "Guilty of speaking in Grae- church-street." The Magistrates upon the bench now loaded the Jury with reproaches. They refused to take their verdict, and immediately adjourned the Court, sending them away lor half an hour to reconsider it. The time having expired, the Court sat again. The prisoners were then brought to the bar, and the Jury again called in. The latter having taken their place, delivered the same verdict as before, but with this difference, that they then delivered it in writing, with the signature of all their names. The Magistrates were now more enraged at the Jury, and they did not hesitate to express their indignation at it in terms the most opprobrious in open court. The Recorder then addressed them as follows : " Gentleman, you shall not be dismissed till we have a verdict such as the Court will accept; and you shall be looked up without meat, drink, fire, and tobacco : you shall not think thus to abuse the Court : we will have a verdict by the help of God, or you shall starve for it." William Penn, upon hearing this address, immediately spoke as follows: "My Jury, who are my judges, ought not to be thus menaced : their verdict should be free, and not compelled : the Bench ought to wait upon them, and not to forestall them. T do desire that justice may be done me, and that the arbitrary resolves of the Bench may not be made the measure of my jury's verdict Other words passed between them ; after which the Court was about to adjourn, and the Jury to be sent to theii chamber, and the prisoners to their loathsome hole, when William Penn observed, that the agreement of twelve uieu SGO QPAKER ANECDOTES. was a verdict in law ; and such a verdict having been given by the Jury, he required the Clerk of the Peace to record it, as he would ans\ver it at his peril; and, if the Jury brought in another verdict contrary to this, he affirmed that they would be perjured in law. Then, turning to the Jury, he said additionally, "You are Englishmen. Mind youi privilege. Give not away your right." One of the Jury now pleaded indisposition, and desired to be dismissed. This request, however, was not granted. The Court, on the other hand, swore several persons to keep the Jury all night without meat, drink, fire, tobacco, or any other accomodation whatever, and then adjourned till seven the next morning. The next morning, which was September the 4th, hap- pened to be Sunday. The Jury were again called in, but they returned the same verdict as before. The Bench now became outrageous, and indulged in the most vulgar and brutal language, such indeed as would be almost incredible if it were not upon record The Jury were again charged, and again sent out of court ; again they returned ; again they delivered the same verdict; again they were threateud. William Penn having spoken against the inju-tice of the Court in having menaced the Jury, who were his judges by the Great Charter of England, and in having rejected their verdict, the Lord Mayor exclaimed, " Stop his mouth, jailor, bring fetters, and stake him to the ground." William Penn replied, " Do your pleasure, I matter not your fetters." The Recorder observed, " Till now I never understood the reason of the policy or prudence of the Spaniards in suffer- ing the Inquisition among them ; and certainly it will never be well with us till something like the Spanish Inquisition be in England." Upon this the Jury were ordered to with- draw to find another verdict ; but they refused, saying, they had already given it, and that they could find no QUAKKU ANECDOTES. 261 other. The Sheriff then forced them away. Several persons were immediately sworn to keep them without accommodation as I) v e, and the court adjourned till seven the next morn On the 5th of September, the Jury, who had received m refreshment for two days and two nights, were again calif in, and the business resumed. The Court demanded a pu~ itive answer to these words, " Guilty or not guilty ?" The Foreman of the Jury replied, " Not Guilty." Every Jury- man was then required to repeat this answer separately. This he did to the satisfaction of almost all in Court The following address or conversation then passed. Recorder: Gentlemen of the Jury, I am sorry you have followed your judgments rather than the pood advice which was given you. God keep my life out of your hands ! But for this the Court fines you forty marks a man, and imprisonment till paid. W. Penn : I demand my libery, being freed by the jury. Mayor : No. You are in for your fines. W. Penn: Fines for what? Mayor : For contempt of Court. W. Penn : I ask if it be according to the fundamental laws of England, that any Englishman should be fined or amerced but by the judgment of his peers or jury, since it expressly contradicts the fourteenth and twenty ninth chapters of the Great Charter of England, which says, ' No freeman bhall be amerced but by the oath of good and lawful men of the vicinage." Recorder : Take him away. "W. Penn : I can never urge the fundamental laws of England but you cry, Take him away; but it is no wonder, since the Spanish Inquisition has so great a place in the [Recorder's heart God, who is just, will judge you for all these things. These words were no sooner uttered than William p enn G2 QUAKER AXECDOTES. and his friend William Mead, were forced into the bale-dock, from whence they were sent to Newgate. Every one of the Jury were sent to the latter prison. The plea for this barbarous usage was, that both the prisoners and the Jury re.'used to pay the fine of forty marks which had been put upon i>a--h of them ; upon the former, because one of the Mayor's officers had put their hats upon their heads by his own command ; and upon the latter because they would not bring in a verdict contrary to their own consciences, in compliance with the wishes of the Bench. THOMAS ELLWOOD THE FEIEXD OF JOHN MILTOX. A writer in the Leisure Hour remarks, Thomas Ellwood was the son of a country gentleman and also related to Lord Wenman. Of this nobleman he says, "I have reason to think I should have received of the lord advantageous preferment, had I not been called into the service of the best and highest Lord, and thereby lost the favour of all my friends, relations and acquaintances of this world." (Tiiii. loss of favour was caused by his uniting himself with the followers of George Fox.) Of his introdmtlon to Milton Ellwood gives the following account: "My friend Isaac Peniugton had an intimate acquaintance with Dr. Paget, a physician of note in London ; and he, with John Milton, a gentleman of great note for learning throughout the learned world for the accurate pieces he had written on various subjects and occasions This learned person having filled a public station in the former time, now lived a retired life in London; and having lost his sight, kept always one to read to him, who usually was the sou oi some gentleman of his acquaintance whom in kindness he took to improve him in his learning. Thus by the mediation of Isaac Penington with Dr. QVAKFV. AXKCIHiTKS. 2G3 P.iget, and l>r. Paget with John Milton, was, I admitted, to come to him at certain hours, and to read to him what books he should appoint me. At our first meeting- he received me courteously, and having inquired divers things of me concerning my former progression in learning, he dismissed me to provide myself with such accommodation as might be suitable to my future studies. I went, therefore, and took myself a lodging as near to his house, which was then in Jewyn Street, as conveniently as I could; and from thenceforth went every day in the afternoon, except on the first day of the week, and sitting by him in his dining- room read to him such books in the Latin tongue as he pleased to hear me read. " At my first sitting to read to him, observing that I used the English pronunciation he told me, if I would have the full benefit of the Latin tongue, not only to read and understand Latin authors, but also to converse with foreigners either abroad or at home, I must learn the foreign pronunciation. To this I willingly consenting, he instructed me how to sound the vowels, so different from the common pronunciation used by the English that the Latin thus spoken seemed as different from that which was delivered as the English generally speak it, as if it were another language. This change of pronunciation proved a difficulty to me, but my master perceiving with what earnest desire I pursued learning, gave me, not only all the encouragement but all the help he could, for having a sure and curious ear he knew by my tone when I understood what I was reading and when I did not, and according]}- would stop me, examine me, and open the most difficult passages unto me." After his return from the country where he had been on account of ill-health, Ellwood again pursued his studies with Milton. He observes, "I was very kindly received 264 QUAKER ANECDOTES. 'y my master, whn had conceived so good an opinion of me that my conversation I found was acceptable unto him ; he seemed heartily ^iad of my recovery and return, and into our old method of study we fell again I reading to him, and he explaining to me as occasion required." These agreeable studies were soon to be interrupted persecution of the Nonconformists and Quakers again broke out. Their meetings were disturbed by armed men and thousands of faithful men were cast into prisons. We quote Ellwood's description of his imprisonment, as it is lull of incident and may serve to give some idea of the state of the country in those troublous times. "I was on the 26th day of the 8th month, 1662, at the meeting at the Bull and Mouth, by Aldersgate, when on a sudden a party of soldiers of the trained bands of the City rushed in with noise and clamour, being led by one called Major Eosewell. As soon as he was come within the room, having a file or two of musketeers at his heels, he com- manded his men to present their muskets at us, which they did. Then he made proclamation that all who were not Quakers might depart. The soldiers had come so early that the meeting was not fully gathered when they came! and when the mixed company had gone out, he that commanded the party gave us a general charge to come out of the place, but we having come there at God's requiring, to worship Him, we stirred not, whereupon he sent his soldiers among us, with command to drive or drag us out, which they did roughly enough. When we came. into the street we were received by other soldiers, who, with pikes holden lengthwise, encompassed us about as sheep in a pond, and there we stood while they were picking up more to add to our number, in which work none were so active and eager as their leader, which I observed stepped to him as he was passing by me, and asked him if he QTTAKER ANECDOTES 265 intended a massacre, for of that in these troublous times there was great apprehension. The suddenness of my question startled him, but recollecting himself he answered, ' No; but I intend to have you all hanged by the wiiole&ome laws of this land.' " When he had gotten as many as he could, he ordered the pikes to be opened before us, went at the head of us, the soldiers with their pikes making a lane to keep us frota scattering; he led us up Martin's and turned down to Newgate, where I expected he would lodge us, but to my disappointment he went on through Newgate, and turning through the Old Bailey brought us into Fleet Street. I was wholl}' at a loss whither h^ would lead us unless it was to Whitehall, for I knew nothing then of the Old Bridewell, but on a sudden, turning short, he brought us before the gate of that prison, where knocking, the wicket was forth- with opened, and the gaoler with his porter ready to receive us. As soon as I was in, the porter directed me to a fair pair of stairs, and bade me go up and on till I could go no further; wherefore following my directions I went up a storey higher, which brought me into a room which I perceived to be a court room, and observing the door on the further side I opened it with intent to go in, but quickly drew back affrighted at the dismalness of the place, for besides that the walls were laid with biack there stood in the middle a great whipping post, which was all the furniture it had. " In one of those two rooms judgment was given, and in *he other it was execu'ed; it was so contrived that the court mi^ht not only hear but see, if they pleased, their sentence executed "A sight so unpl< asing gave me no encouragement to enter, until looking earnestly I espied on the opposte side a door which led me into one of tke fairest rooms that, so & 260 QUAKER ANECDOTES. far as I remember, I was ever in, and no wonder, for though it was now put to this mean use it had for many ages past been the royal seat or palace of the kings' of England until Cardinal Wolsey built Whitehall, and offered it as a peace- offering to King Henry VIII, who until that time had kept his court in this house, and had (his, as the people in the house reported, for his dining-room, by which name it then went. This room, in length, for I had lived long enough in it to have time to measure it, was threescore feet, and had breadth proportionable thereto. In it on the front side were very large bay windows, in which stood great tables; other large tables were in it with benches round, and the fljor was covered with rushes. Finding I had now followed my keeper's direction to the utmost point, be\-ond which I could not go, I sat down and considered that rhetorical saying, ' that the way to heaven lay by the gates of hell,' the black room through which I passed to this bearing some resemblance to the latter, as this comparatively might in some sort be thought to bear to the former; but I was quickly put out of these thoughts by the flocking in of my fellow-prisoners. So n;any Friends having been made prisoners, great work had the women to run from prison to prison to find their husbands, fathers, brothers, and servants; and no less care and pains, when found, to furnish them with provisions and other needful accommodations. But an excellent order was practised among the Friends of that City, by which certain friends of either sex were appointed to have the oversight of the prisons in every quarter, and to take care of all Friends, the poor especially, that should be commuted. This prison of Bridewell was under the care of two grave, discreet, motherly women, both widows. They provided hot meat and broth, for the weather was so cold, and ordering their servants to bring it, with bread, cheese, and beer, came themselves also with it QUAKER ANECDOTES. and having placed it on a table gave notice to us that it was provided tor all those that had not others to provide for them or wcie not able to provide for themselves. " As for my part tenptnce was all the money 1 had about me, and this was a small estate to enter upon imprisonment with, yet was 1 not discouraged nor had I a murmuring thought. I had known what it was moderately to abound, and it' J should now suffer want I knew 1 ought to be content, and 1 was s,o, through the grace of God. I made no doubt that He who sent the ravens to feed Elijah, and who clothes the lilies of the field, would find some means to sustain me with needful food and raiment; and I had learnt by experience the truth of that saying, Nature is content with few things. " When the evening was far spent, I bethought myself of a lodging. Wherefore, gathering up a good armful of the rushes wherewith the floor was covered, and spreading them under one of the tables, I crept in upon them in my clothes, and, keeping on my hat, laid my head upon the table frame instead of a bolster. My example was followed by the rest. Having a quiet mind, I was soon asleep, and slept till the middle of the night, when awaking cold, I crept ont of my cabin to walk about and warm myself, afte? i which I lay down again and rested until morning. . " Next day many who belonged to families had bedding brought them, but I, who had none to look after me, kept to my rushy pallet, and through the merciful goodness of my God towards me, I rested, and slept well, without taking cold, until one William Mucklow (who, through the mediation of his friends with Sir Richard Browne, at that time a great master of misrule in the city, and over Bridewell especially, being with some others released) courteously offered me the use of his hammock. This was a providential accommodation, which I received thankfully, ^ both 'its- from the Lord and from him. Before my tenpenee 268 QUAKER ANECDOTES. was spent, Providence, on whom I relied, sent mo a fresh supply, for William Penington, a friend and merchant of London, came in love to see me, and among other things asked me how it was with me as to money. I told him I could not say I had none (his estate was now reduced to twopence), whereupon he put twenty shillings into my hand. I saw a Divine Hand in thus opening his heart towards me, and I received it as a token of love both irom th Lord and from him. The week following, my affectionate friend, Mary Peniiigton, sent me forty shillings, and not many days after I received twenty shillings from my father, who being then at his house iu Oxfordshire, and by letter from my sister hearing I was a prisoner in Bridewell, sent this money for my support. "Now was my pocket from the lowest ebb risen to a full tide. I was on the brink of want, yet my confidence did not fail nor my faith stagger, and now I had supplies, shower upon shower, so that I could in all humility say 'This is the Lord's doing,' and without defrauding any of the instruments, mine eye looked over and beyond them unto the Lord, and with a grateful heart I returned thanks- givings and praises to Him. And now the chief thing I wanted was occupation, and many of the company being tradesmen, tailors, etc., I settled among the tailors and made waistcoats of red and yellow flannel for a hosier in Cheapside, and so spent those hours with innocency which want of occupation would have made tedious, which, indeed, was all the advantage I had of it. My employer, though he knew not what I had to subsist on, when I had made dozens of waistcoats, and bought the thread myself, gave me one crown piece and no moie, but I wanted work more than wages, and took what he gave me without complaint." When Thomas Ell wood and his companions had been in, QUAKER AITEODOTE8. 269 Bridewell more than two months they were brought before Sir John Etowell, the Recorder, where, refusing the oath of allegiance (the Frieud-s taking the command of our Lord ">S\vear not at all" in its strictest sense), the prisoners were committed to Newgate, and ' thrust into the common side." This prison was very full of " Friends and others," and our addition caused a great throng. We had the liberty of the hall, which in the day time was common to all the prisoners on that side, felons as well as others, to walk in, and we had also the liberty of some rooms over that Lai' to walk in ; but in the night we all lodged in one room, which was large and round, having in the middle of it a great oaken pillar, which bore up the chapel that is over it. To this pillar we fastened our hammocks at the one end, and to the opposite wall on the other, quite round the room three stories high, ono over the other, so that they who lay in the upper and middle row were obliged to go to bed first, because they climbed to the higher by getting into the lower. And under the lower rank by the wall side were laid beds on the floor, in which the sick and such weak persons as could not get into the hammocks lay. Though the room was large and pretty airy, yet the breath and steam from so many bodies packed so close together was enough to cause sickness amongst us, and I believe did so, for there were many sick, and some very weak, and though we were not long there, yet in that time one of our fellow- prisoners, who lay in one of those pallet beds, died. ' ' This caused some bustle in the house, for the body of the deceased, being put into a coffin, was carried down and set in the lodge, that the coroner might inquire into the cause and manner of his death, and the manner of their doing it is this : As soon as the coroner is come, the turnkeys run into the street under the gate and seize upon every mau that passes by, until they have got enough to 270 QUAKER ANECDOTES. make up the coroner's inquest, and so resolute are these rude fellows, that if any man resist or dispute it with them, they drag him in by main force, not regarding what condition he is of. " It so happened that at that time they lighted on an indent man, a grave citi/en, who was trudging through the gate in great haste, and him they laid hold on, telling him that he must serve upon the coroner's inquest. He besought them to let him go, assuring them he was on urgent business, aud that the stopping of him would be greatly to his prejudice, but they were deaf to his entreaties. When they had got their compliment, and were shut in together, the rest of them said to this ancient man, ' Come, father, you are the oldest amongst us, you shall be our foreman ; ' and when the coroner had sworn them on the jury, the coffin was uncovered that they might look on the body. But the old man said to them, ' To what purpose do you fhow us a deu-1 body here ? You would not have us think, sure, that this man died in this room ! How then shall we be able to judge how this man came by his death unless we see the place "wherein he died, and wherein he had been kept prisoner? How know we but that the incommodiousuess of the place where he was kept may have caused his death ? therefore show us the place wherein he died.' This displeased the keepers, who began to banter the old man, thinking to beat him off it. But he stood firmly to them. 'Come, come,' saith he, 'though you have made a fool of me in bringing me in hither, ye shall not find a child in me now I am here. I understood my place and your duty, and I require you to conduct me and my brethren to the place where this jnan died ; refuse it at your peril.' The coroner .then, told them they must show him the place. QUAKER ANECUOtES. 271 "It was evening when they began this work, and by this time it was bedtime with us, so that we had taken down our hammocks and were undressing, when on a sudden we heard a great noise of tongues and trampling of feet coming up towards us, and one of the turnkeys openirg the door cried ' Hold, hold ! do not undress yourselves ; here is the coroner's inquest corning to see you.' As soon as they came to the door, for within the door there was soarce room for them to comp, the foreman, who led them, lifting up his hands, said ' Lord bless me ! What a sight is here ! I did not think there had been such cruelty in the hearts of Englishmen, to use Englishmen in this manner! We ?ieed not now question how this man came by his death, we may rather wonder that they are not all dead. Well, if it please God to spare my life till to-morrow, I will find means to let the King know how his subjects are dealt with." "Whether he did so or not I cannot tell, but I am apt to think he applied to the Mayor or Sheriffs of London, for the next day one of the Sheriifs came to the press yard, and having ordered the porter of Bridewell to attend hiii., sent up a turnkey to bid all the Bridewell prisoners come down to him, for they knew us not, but we knew our company. Being come before him, he looked kindly upon us, and spake courteously. ' Gentlemen,' said he, 'I understand the prison is very full, and am very sorry for it. I wish it were in my power to release you ; but since I cannot do that, I am willing to do what I can ; I would have all you that come from Bridewell return thither again, where will be better accommodation for you; and here is the porter of Bridewell, your old keeper, to attend you thither.' "We duly acknowledged the favour of the Sheriff, who bidding us farewell the porter of Bridewell came to us and QUAKER ANECDOTES. told us we knew our way to Bridewell without him, and he could trust us; therefore he would not go with us, but left us to take our own time, so we were in before bedtime. Then went we up to our friends in Newgate, and taking a eolemn leave of them made up our pack* to be gone, and taking our bundles on our shoulders walked two and two through the Old Bailey into Fleet Street, and so to Old Bridewell ; and the shopkeepers and passengers in the way stopped us to ask us what we were, and whither we were going; and then we told them we were prisoners going from one prison to another. ' What !' said they, ' without a keeper?' ' No,' said we, 'our word which we have given us is our keeper.' Thereupon some would advise us to go home, but we told them we could not do so; we could suffer for our testimony, but could not fly from it. " When we were come to Bridewell we were not put in the great room where we were before, but into a room in another fair court, which had a pump in it, and here we were not shut up, but had the liberty of the court to walk in, and indeed we might have gone away if we would, but both conscience and honour stood engaged for our true imprisonment. Under this easy restraint we lay until the court sat at the Old Bailey, and then, whether it was that the heat of persecution was somewhat abated, or bj what other means Providence wrought it, I know not, we \\ ere called to the bar, and without further question discharged. "Whereupon we returned to Bridewell, and having raised some money among us, and therewith gratified the master and his porter for their kindness to us, we spent some time in a solemn meeting to return our thankful acknowledgment to the Lord, both for his preservation of us in prison, and deliverance of us out of it ; and then taking a solemn farewell of each other departed." We will conclude this notice of Ellwood by quoting what QUAKER ANECDOTES. 273 further lie says of Milton in his autobiography: "Some little time before I went to A)lesbury prison I \vas desired by my quondam master. Milton, to take a house for him in the neighbourhood where I dwelt, that he might go out of the city for the safety of himself and his family, the pestilence then growing hot in London. "I took a pretty box for him in Giles Chalfont, a mile from me, of which I gave him notice, and intended to wait for him, and see him well settled in it, but was prevented by that imprisonment. 15ut now being released I soon made a visit tc him, to welcome him into the country. " After some discussion had passed between us, he called for a manuscript of his, which, being brought, he delivered to me, bidding me to take it home and read it at my leisure, and when I had so done return it to him with my judgment thereon. " When I came home and had set myself to read it, I found it was that excellent poem which he entitled 'Paradise Lost.' After I had with best attention read it through, I made him another visit, and returned him his book with due acknowledgment of the lavour he had done me in communicating it to me. He asked me how I liked it, and what I thought of it, which I modestby but freely told him ; and after some further discourse I pleasantly said to him, 'Thou hast said much hereof Paradise Lost, but what hast thou to say of Paradise Found ? He made me no answer, but sat some time in a muse; then broke off that discourse, and fell upon another subject. After the sickness was over, and the city became safely habitable again, he returned thither. And when afterwards I went to wait on him there, which I seldom failed to do whenever my occasions drew me to London, he showed me hit second poem, called ' Paradise Regained,' and in a pleasant tone said to ine, 'This is owing to you, for you put it into my 274 QUAKEK ANECDOTES. he id by the question you put to me at Chalfont, which, before I had not thought of.' " MKLA.NCHOLT DEATH. Barclay in hi* Memoir-* of the Friends in Scotland writes: **It happened about the year 1666, that James Urquhart, for his conscientious separation from the National church of tte day, fell under the censure of the Presbytery, and wt.6 excommunicated. The excommunication was sent to one William Forbes, a minister of the place where Urquhait lived, with an injunction of the Presbytery for him to publish it from the pulpit. The minister, conscious in himself of tl e honesty and integrity of the person, against whom he was enjoined to read the sentence, fell under strong conviction?, and great reluctancy of mind against the performance of win t he was commanded. But when he considered, that t e consequence of his disobeying the Presbytery would, in ail probability, issue in the loss of his stipend, covetuusne.'S overcame his convictions; and he publicly pronounced the sentence against James Urquhart, in direct opposition to the dictates of his own conscience. This, afterward, gave him much uneasiness, and his mind became so discomposed, that he could not, for some time, proceed in performing the usual offices of his function; until, at length, he publicly and ingeniously came to confess, that his discomposure was a just judgment of God upon him, for cursing with his tongue a person, whom he believed in his own conscience to be a very honest mau. Yet, notwithstanding his convictions were so clear and overpowering, he again fell into the like error, and in a way moro nearly affecting him. His own daughter, Jane Forbes, was convinced of the Truth, and joined the people called Quakers. Church proceedings were carried on against her to an excommunication, which her father was required by the Presbytery to pronounce. The poor man's QTTAKKR AXTVT>Of ES. case, under so difficult a dilemma, was really to be pitied. Hard was his choice, cither to lose his living by disobeying tho Presbytery, or wound his conscience by pronouncing excommunication against his own daughter, whom ho know t be a virtuous and religious woman. But alas! both his cot-science and natural auction gave place to the love of money ; so that he was determined to read the excommuni- cation, and had uttered some kind of prayers previous thereto, when he was suddenl}' struck by death, at the verj' time he had purposed to deliver that sentence. A melan- choty and remarkable exit, wherein nature was observed to sink under tho weight and oppression of a conflict between conscience aud self-interest. REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE. Barclay remarks, Sir John Keith, who in those days, and afterward, was very violent against Friends having, in the year 1657, brought away, under a guard, several of his people from Inverury, where they had been previously imprisoned ; the magistrates of Aberdeen, to whom they were delivered, after keeping them in confinement some time, caused them to be conducted through the streets, with great contempt and reproach, to the Bow bridge, where a guard was provided to conduct them southward to Edinburgh, from shire to shire, as the worst of malefactors. When they had proceeded a little way out of the town, one of the prisoners, AV r illiaui Gellie, a man of very weakly and infirm habit, sat down ; and the rest of the Friends followed his example, refusing to go furl her, unle ;s horses were provided. Alexander, who attended, in orJer to see them set out, was much enraged, commanding William Gellie to rise and go forward on loot; and because of his refusal he struck him piteously. Friends, however, continued to pit still; upon which, the magistrate with all his train, not being able to prevail in their 276 1TTAXER ANECDOTES. purpose, returned to Aberdeen, and the Friends to their respective dwelling places. But, what was remarkable, the fir'-.t object that presented itself to this persecutor on reaching his own house, was his son, who had by a fall broken his arm, and in the very same time that the father had been using his arm to strike the harmless servant of the Lord ; which circumstances, thus coinciding, so awakened the conscience of this person, that he said, (ard afterwards told it to some Friends,) he should never strike a Quiker again. RUDE TKEATMENT OF QUAKERS. An occurence in 1062, took place which affords a specimen of the kind of rude treatment to which the Quakers were subjected at their religious meetings, even from people of the higher classes. An Ambassador in company with an Irish Colonel and some other riotous officers, came one day to the meeting at Pall Mall, with the intention of disturbing the meeting and dispersing the Friends. I3ut the meeting having broken up just before their arrival, George Fox had stepped into an adjoining room, from which, however, he was soon brought back again by the great disturbance and uproar that suddenly burst forth. Upon re-entering the meeting-house, he found the Colonel storming and threatening, "that he would kill all the Quakers," upon which George Fox relates, " he was moved of the Lord to speak to him, and to tell him, that the old law enjoined, ' an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth ;' but thou threatenest to kill all the Quakers, although they have done thee no hurt." He then said, ' But here is gospel for thee, here is my hair, here is my cheek, here is my shoulder;" and suiting the action to the word, he turned his cheek and back to the smiter, which took so sudden an effect upon him and his companions, that they stood gazing with amazement; and the Colonel at last paid, "If that is your principle, and you act thereby, we QUAKER ANECDOTES. 277 never met with such men before." George Fox replied, " What he was in words, he was the same in life." They then entered upon an explanatory discourse, which ended in a mutual good understanding, and they pi.rted on friendly terms ; " for," he continues, " the truth came over them, and the colonel as well as the ambassador earried themselves very lovingly towards the Friends, the Lord's power being over all." PERSECUTION. Sewell observes that in 1674. One Robert Tillett, in Buckingham, sick of a consumption, and believing his death to be nigh at hand, desired some of his friends to visit him. At this invitation some came to his house, yet not above the number of fourteen persons ; and two informers went and acquainted a justice of the peace thereof, who recorded this small assembly as a seditious meeting, and fined thy sick man twenty pounds for this pretended transgression ; and so his goods were seized, and six cows taken from him. And one Eobert Smith, being overheard by the informers to have spoken five or six words, was fined also twenty pounds as a preacher; which fine was afterwards extorted from some others then piesent. In Norfolk in 1675, the rage of the persecutors was such, that some having been bereaved of all, were obliged, evem in winter-time (as among the rest, Joseph Harrison, with his wife and children) to lie on straw ; and yet they, unwearied, did not leave frequenting their religious meeting : nay, even the dead were not suffered to rest, for outrageous barbarity came to that pitc' r i, that Mary, the wife of Francis Larder, being dead and buried, was, by order of Thomas Brethim], dug up again, whereby the coffin was broken, which they tu-d together, and carrying it away, exposed the corpse in the market-place. Thus this deceased woman was no more suffered to lie quiet in her grave, than in her sick-bed, when 273 ftUAKEH AXECDOTES. the day before her death she had been threatened by order of one Christopher Bedingfield to have her bed taken away from under her while living. Now the reason of this taking up the corpse was, that though her husband was one of those called Quakers, yet she not being properly a member of that society, it was taken ill that she had been buried in a plain way, without paying to the priest his pretended due, lor the ordinary service over the dead. PERSECUTIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS. The first settlers of the New England states, as is pretty well known, were men who fled from civil and religious per- secution in England in the early part of the seventeenth century. As they had felt in their own persons and fortunes the sorrows of oppression for conscience sake, it might nat- urally be expected that they would have had some sympathy for others in like circumstances. In this respect, however, the Pilgrim Fathers, as they have been termed, were no better than the men before whom they had fled. A volume might be written of their doings in the way of intolerance; but the following short chapter may suffice. In the year 1656, when the colonists of Massachusetts were complacently congratulating themselves on having es- tablished a vigorous system of uniformity in religious matters, and expressing great thankfulness for havir g escaped from the troubles which had lately agitated England, they were very much surprised to learn that two women of the sect which had begun to be called Quakers were arrived in Boston from liarbudoes. There was no law in the colony against such persons but that was considered unimportant ; it was easy to make a little law for the occasion, or easier still to act without any law at all. This alternative was adopted. The two unfortunate women, against whose character there was no reproach, were .seized and put in prison;, a few book s . QUAKER ANECDOTKS. found in their trunks were burnt by the hangman ; and after suffering various indignities, they were turned out of the country. Persecution requires only a little spark to kiudle it into a great flame. It would almost seem as it' the mis--, usage of the two women caused a flocking of Quakers from all the points of the compass to Boston, only for the sake of getting ill treated. In a short time eight made their appear- ance, and they in a like manner were imprisoned and ban- ished. Thinking it now time to get a little law to regulate proceedings, a local court passed an enactment, declaring that any Quakers who should hereafter arrive in the colony yhould be severely whipped, and confined at hard labour in the house of correction. Immediately afterwards several came, were whipped, confined, and dismissed; and others took their place. It was evident the law was too lenient, so a fresh 'nactuient was passed. Fines were imposed oil every person who gave house-room to Quakers, or who attended their meetings, or otherwise sanctioned their pernicious opin- ions. Every Quakei, after the first conviction, if a man, was to lose one ear, and the second time the other ; if a woman, she was each time to be severely whipped ; and for the third cflence, both men aud women were to have their tongues bored through with a red-hot iron. Quakers now arrived in the colony in great numbers. Gioiying in their sulferings, the more they were persecuted, the more they came to testify their sincerity in their belief. Whippings, confinement, hard labour, fines, cutting; off the ears, and boring the tongue being thus found ineffectual, a new law was passed in 16o8, declaring that in future all Quakers who intruded themselves into Massachusetts ^houid be banished on pain of death. Three Quakers forthwith offered themselves as the first victims; they had returned from banishment. Their names were Mary Dyer, Marmaduke Stepheuson, and William Eo bin -jon- . _ Froia-.-th.tjip defence,. ,a1j 280 QUAKEK ANECDOTES. their trial, nothing is more plain than that they were persons in a state of frenzy : their general argument was, that by means of visions they had been induced to come to Massachu- setts and brave the worst that could be done to them. On the 19th of October 1659, they were condemned to die as malefactors ; and three days later they were led out to exe- cution. Mary Dyer saw her two brethren die before her eyes ; and she was on the point of. meeting the same dreadful doom, the rope being already round her neck, when a faint shout was heard in the distance, which grew stronger and stronger, and was soon caught and repeated by a hundred willing hearts. "A reprieve, a reprieve!" was the cry, and the execution was stopped ; but she, whose mind was intently fastened on another world, cried out, that she desired to suffer with her brethren, unless the magistrates would repeal their wicked law. She was saved by the intercession of her son, but on the express condition that she should be carried to the place of execution, and stand upon the gallows with a rope about her neck, and then be carried out of the colony. She was accor dingly taken home to Rhode Island ; but her resolution was still unshaken, and she was again moved to return to the " bloody town of Boston," where she arrived in the year 1660. This determination of a feeble and aged woman, to brave all the terrors of their laws, might well fill the magistrates with astonishment ; but the pride of consistency had already in- volved them in acts of extreme cruelty, and they thought it impossible now to recede. The other executions were con- sidered acts of stern necessity, and caused much discontent ; a hope was entertained till the last moment that the con- denned would consent to depart from the jurisdiction; and when Mary Dyer was sent for by the court, after her second return, Govenor Endicott said, "Are you the same Mary Dyer that was here before ? " giving her an opportunity to QUAKER ANECDOTES. 281 escape by a denial of the fact, there having been another of the name returned from England. But she would make no evasion. "I am the same Mary Dyer that was here the lust general court." " You will own yourself a Quaker will you not?" "I own myself to be reproachfully called so;" and she was sentenced to be hanged on the morning of the next day. "This is no more than thou saidst before," was her intrepid reply, when the sentence of death was pronounced. "But now," said the governor, "it is to be executed; there- fore prepare yourself, for to-morrow at nine o'clock you die . " "I came," was the reply, "in obedience to the will of God, the last general court, desiring you to repeal your unright- eous laws of banishment on pain of death ; and the same is my work now, and earnest request, although I told you if you refused to repeal them, the Lord would send others of his servants to witness against them." At the set time on the next day she was brought forth, and with a band of soldiers led through the town, about a mile to the place of execution, the drums beating before and behind her the whole way. When she was upon the gal- lows, it was told her that if she would return home she might come down and save her life ; to which she replied, "Nay, I cannot, for in obedience to the will of the Lord I came, and in his will I abide faithful unto death." Another said that she had been there before ; she had the sentence of banishment upon pain of death, and had broken the law in coming again now, and therefore she was guilty of her own blood. " Nay," she answered, " I came to keep blood- guiltiness from you, desiring yon to repeal the unrighteous and unjust law of banishment upon pain of death, made against the innocent servants of the Lord; therefore my blood will be required at your hands, who wilfully do it ; but for those who do it in the simplicity of their hearts, I desiiv the Lord to forgive them j I cauie to do the will of 282 QUAKER ANECDOTES. my Father, and in obedience to his will I standeventodeath " A minister who was present then said, "Mary Dyer, rejxiit, oh repent, and be not so deluded and car.ied away by the deceit of the devil! " But she answered, " Nay man, I am not now to repent." She was then asked to have the elders pray for her; but she said, "I know never an elder here." "Perhaps," said one scoffingly, "she thinks there is none here." Then looking round she said, " I kno\v but few here." Being again asked to have one of the elders pray for her, she said, "Nay, first a child, then a young man, then a strong man, before an elder in Christ Jesus." She spoke of the other world and of the eternal happiness into which she was about to enter; and "in this well-disposed condition was turned off, and died a martyr of Christ, being twice led to death, which the first time she expected with undaunted courage, and now she suffered with Christian fortitude." "She hangs as a flag for others to take ex- ample by," said a member of the court, as the lifeless body hung suspended from the gallows. Instead of being a warning, her death was only an en- couragement. Another Quaker, named William Leddra, Boon made his appearance, and after a tedious imprison- ment, during which he was chained to a log of wood, he was brought to trial on the usual charge of returning from banishment. There was a dash of the ludicrous in the pro- ceedings. One of the charges against him was that he re- fused to take off his hat in court, and another was that he persevered in saying "thee" and "thou." "Will you put me to death," he asked, "for speaking good English, and for not putting off my clothes ? " "A man nm}' speak trea- son in good English," was the reply. "Is it treason to say thee and thou to a single person?" No good rejoinder could here be made by the judges, and while they were trying to stop his mouth by a few more questions, to their QUAKEK ANECUOTES. 283 exceeding dismay another Quaker, named Winlock Christi- sou, who had also returned from banishment, entered the court and placed himself beside the prisoner. The case of Leddra was first dispatched, by condemning him to be exe- cuted, and this atrocity was committed on the 14th of March. Christison, at a second appearance before the court, received a like sentence, but leaving him choice of voluntary banish- ment, and this latter alternative he appears to have em- braced. The next culprits of the same class were Judah Browne and Peter Pierson, who, for no offence that we can perceive but that of being Quakers, were condemned to be tied to a cart's tail and whipped through several towns in the colony. Immediately after, as appears from the records of the court, a day of thanksgiving was appointed to be kept in acknowledgment of the many mercies enjoyed for years past " in this remote wilderness." According to Mr. Chandler, from whose interesting work we have derived these melancholy details, the persecutions in Massachusetts gave offence to Charles II., who had other reasons to be dissatisfied with the colonists. He therefore enjoined all the governois of New England to proceed no farther with corporal punishment against Quakers, but to send them to England, with their respective crimes speci- fically set forth, in order that they might be disposed of according to law. The Quakers in London immediately chartered a vessel, and the mandamus being committed to Samuel Shattock, who had been banished from Massachu- setts on pain of death, he arrived in the harbour of Boston in six weeks. The king's messenger and the commander of the ship landed on the day after their arrival, and pro- ceeded directly to the governor's house. Admitted to his presence, he ordered Shattock's hat to be removed, but after perusing the letters, restored it and took off his own. After consultation with the deputy governor, he informed the 284 QUAKER ANECDOTES. messenger that they should obey the king's command. In the evening the passengers of the ship came on shore, and, with their friends in the town, held a meeting, "where they returned praises to God for his mercy, manifested in their wonderful deliverance." Chambers'* Journal. SUFFERINGS OF FRIENDS. When James came to the throne, there were in the prisons of his kingdom about 1,400 Quakers, more than 200 of them women, unoffending people, forced by the very tenet 8 of that faith for which they suffered to be loyal subjects and peaceable citizens, whose sole alleged crime was their obedience to the voice of conscience. For this obedience, from the time that they had first gathered together as a sect, each religious party, as it gained political sway, had measured its power by their persecution. As Penn said, when stating their wrongs to the Parliament of 1679, they had been as the " common whipping-stock of the kingdom; all laws had been let loose upon them, as if the design had been, not to reform, but to destroy them." More than 320 Quakers had died in confinement between 1660 and James' accession ; at that very time many " were tending towards their destruction;" and very shortly before "several poor innocent tradesmen had been so suffocated by the closeness of Newgate, that they had been taken out sick of a malignant fever, and had died in a few days " Nor were their sufferings restricted to imprisonment ; their meetings for worship were dispersed, their wives and daughters ill-treated, their goods spoiled, often "not a bed left to rest upon;" informers hardened wretches, their own consciences being seared in sin were set upon them, encouraged to turn their consciences to profit, to make QUAKER ANECDOTES. 285 merchandise of their misery. These bloodhounds of the law were the missionaries sanguinary enactments were the arguments employed in the conversion of the Quaker alike by cavalier parson and puritan preacher. Few persecutions, indeed, have been more cruel or severe than that endured by the first generation of the "Friends," and in none have the patience and faithfulness of its victims been exceeded. History records no instance in which they, any one of them, denied or concealed their principles, or attempted to retaliate on their oppressors. Thus long and fiercely had the storm of bigotry raged against Penn's fellow-religionists, nor had he fled from its fury. Bravely had he borne up against it. Four times he had been imprisoned, twice sent to the Tower; once at the instigation of the Bishop of London, he had for writing a book in defence of his faith, been immured there in close confine- ment, none of his friends allowed access to him: his father* the old Admiral, whose distaste for enthusiasm was almost equal to Mr. Maeaulay's, then managed to inform him "that the Bishop was resolved he should either publicly recant or die a prisoner." "Tell my father," he replied, "that my prison shall be my grave before I will budge a jot, for I owe my conscience to no mortal man. I have no need to fear. God will make amends for all !" W. E. Forster's Preface to Clarksorfs Life of William Penn. EEV. TITUS WEXDNEY'S TROUBLES. The above named clergyman in the diocese of London had among his parishioners some Quakers who occasioned him much trouble by their refusal to pay tithes, Easter offerings, and marriage fees. Their grievances, prosecutions, and imprisonment were printed in the early part of the last century. The Incumbent was much annoyed at his conduct being publicly called in question, and he endeavoured by 286 QUAKER ANECDOTES. means of the press to vindicate the course he had pursued " The three following reasons induced me in the year 17 '21 ," he says, to file a Bill against four Quakers (two of which immediately comply'd in the Exchequer.) FIRST REASON. The Justices refused to act. saying, They would not be troubled every year with such complaints. So that then I had no other remedy, but to apply to the Honourable Court of Exchequer. It was not matter of choice, but necessity that forced me to that expedient ; unless I would give up my right and lose my just dues. It was by their obstinacy and management, six years in the Exchequer, before I could obtain a Decree. During that time, one of them sold his estate, and made over all that he had, on purpose, as he boasted, to cheat me of my tithes, and then went to gaol. I at last obtained a Decree for 59 13s. 4d. of which I received of the two Quakers but 44 10s. including costs and tithes, and my Attorney's bill came to 92 6s. 3d., so that I was out of pocket 47 16s. 3d., and it cost them according to their own accounts, David Chapman 29 3s , James Eawlins 24 9s., so that I am apparently the greatest sufferer SECOND REASON. I found myself yearly cheated and defrauded of my tithes by the Quakers, who would never inform me of their tithes, if I charged them too little, as I often did ; nor would they rectify any such mistakes ; but if I made the least mistake on the other hand, they were very clamorous and abusive. Besides, it is next to an impossibility to come to the truth of small tithes ; and the Exchequer being a Court of Equity as well as Law, where the Farmer is bound by oath or solemn affirmation to set forth the quantity and quality of their tithes, small as well as great; it was the chief inducement to me, and I believe is to the Clergy in QUAKER ANECDOTES. 'JS7 general the chief reason, why they so often apply to the Honourable Court of Exchequer for relief in case of tithes, and not because (as has been suggested by the Quakers) that it is an expensive Court. THIRD REASON. I have, after many years experience, found a very ill use made of taking tithes by a Justice's Warrant. Pint, the Quakers have thereby grown very abusive, saying, I was afraid to sue them in the Exchequer, &c. They have also stopt and insulted me on the road with the most approbrious language, even on a Sunday as coming from doing my duty. Nay, I have had threatening notes thrown into my yard, viz., Remember Cvsar's Fate, &c. Secondly, I have found that method of proceeding by a Justice's Warrant very prejudicial to my own interest; for the Justices rarely gave me above four or five shillings cost, and I am forced to give their clerks six shillings, and to ride about 60 miles backwards and forwards with an Evidence, before I can obtain a Warrant of Distress. Besides, and what adds still to my expense, the Quakers use all their endeavours to hinder my selling the goods (corn or cattle) taken by Distress, to any of the neighbours; for they persuade the people, the // ,^ls are stolen; so that I am forced to send 12 miles to a Market. Further yet; more than once, the officer who made the Distress, and had the goods in his custody \\&t\\ failed, so that I have lost my Trouble, Tithes, and Charges. It may be asserted, without breach of truth that thr-re has been but one Prosecution carried on to Effect; meaning by that expression that there has been but one Cause carried on against the Quakers, so as to obtain a Decree. There was indeed a Bill filed 1719, against three Quakers, but it was soon ended, and thev were not at the expense of putting in an Answer. The same was done in 1735, against John 288 QUAKEB ANECDOTES. Jasper, for one year's Tithe for 6 6s. (and not four years) and two other Quakers; but this suit also was soon ended, and without putting in an Answer. I may add further, that there has been no Prosecution in the Ecclesiastical Court, that could deserve that name. The case was this. In 1719, John Foster married his maid servant, for which 1 demanded the usual Fee of 10s. (not of 7 Is. as he sets forth) for the recovery of which, I applied to the Justices, but they made such mistakes in their order and warrant of distress, that I could not make UPC of them, wi'hout involving myself in a tedious and expensive law suit. For the said John Foster did keep in his house a whole day a certain Attorney, to be ready to take all advantages of us, if we made a Distress ; but the Attorney finding that we did not come, in the evening' he called at my honso. and threatened me, that if I had made a Distress, he would hare ruined me> then boasted, how good clients the Quakers were; for let him bring in never such extravagant or exorbitant Bills, they made no defalcations, no abatements, but paid him to the utmost farthing ; for they gloried in spending their money to oppose the Priests, and to make the recovery of their dues as chargeable to them as possible; for they had a fund to support them. After this, I did apply to the Ecclesiastical Court, for the recovery of the marriage-fee, and John Foster did appear there once by his Attorney, but was put to no expense by the Court, that I ever heard of; for the cause was immediately dropt. The Fee is unpaid to this day, notwithstanding the saving clause in the Act of Toleration ; ''That nothing therein contained, shall be construed to exempt any of the Persons tolerated from paying Tythes, or other Parochial Dues, or any other Duties to the Church or Minister, or from any Prosecution in any Ecclesiastical Court, or elsewhere, for the QUAKER ANECDOTES. 289 same." And I do solemnly declare, that the said John Foster was never prosecuted by me at Common Law for a marriage- fee, or upon any other account, but as before mentioned. INTERVIEWS WHxI THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA AND TUB KING OF Puussu. Mr. Sherman in his Lite of William Allen remarks "During the year 1814, the Emperor of Russia and the King of Prus-ia, with many of the foreign nobility, visited London* Mr. Allen took advantage of the opportunity to seek an in- teiview, in order to plead with them on behali of peace nnd education. As Clerk of the meeting, he wrote two addresses which the Friends adopted. That to the King of Pru>sia f besides congratulating him on his arrival, and expressing desires for his welfare, solicited the continuance of his kind protection to members of their own persuasion who had been sufferers on account of their peculiar opinions, and faithfully tells him, 'Our conviction, King! is, that the regard of n monarch to his conscientious subjects is a sure means of promoting the best ends of government, as well as the draw- ing down upon himself the favour of Almighty God ! ' That to the Emperor of Russia, after stating their peculi- arities, and the religious freedom they now enjoyed, contin- ues: 'The Lord has put it into thy heart to promote the circulation of the Holy Scriptures among thy subjects ; may he bless the endeavour to promote their general improvement, and as religious enquiry is now widely spreading among the nations, and many pious persons are searching for themselves into the things pertaining to salvation, we entreat thee, great Prince, to continue to be an indulgent protector of such up- right, and conscientious subjects wheresoever found in thy extensive empire.' Luke Howard and William Allen called upon Baron Jacobi, the ambassador from the king of Prussia, and showed him 291 QUAKER ANECDOTES. the address, which he seemed to approve, and promised to show it to the king. On the 16th of June Mr. Allen reports : " Stephen Grellet, John Wilkinson, Luke Howard, and T, attended at James' Palace according to appointment with Baron Jaoobi, to present the address to the king of Prussia ; after waiting some time, we were told thnt the king had been up all night, and was much hurried, and that the only chance we ha 1 of seeing him, was by standing in the passage through which he was to pass to his carriage. When he came up. Baron Jacobi directed the king's attention to us, and the adtlieps, together with some books, was presented; S Grellet had only time to say a few words in French, and on adverting to some of our society in his dominions, and to the Society's testimony against war, the king observed, that they were excellent people ; but without waiting for the con- clu^ion of the sentence, said, ' war was necessary to procure peace ' " The interview with the Emperor of Russia was so pleasing and is so graphically written, that it will be best told in Mr. Allen's language. He had previously obtained an in- troductory letter from the Marquis of Tavistock to Count Lieven, the Russian Ambassador. " 18th. This morning Luke Howard accompanied me to Count Lieven's, Harley-street. I first made an apology to him for not taking oft' my hat, on the ground of our religious scruple in this particular, which he received in a very affable manner. We then explained the nature of our mission, and gave him a copy of the address from our religious society to the Emperor Alexander, in English. He appeared to read every word with the most marked attention, and very delib- erately ; I watched his countenance, and observed that his mind was considerably affected by it. He assured us that he would lay it before the Emperor, and take his pleasure upon it. He requested me to attend at the Pulteuey Hotel that QUAKER ANECDOTES. evening at nine o'clock, which I did, but the Emperor not arriving, 1 left at between twelve and one, and arrived at Plough-court about half-pa>t one." " The next day I went up to Count Lieven's. Soon after eleven, one of the servants came into the room, and said that the Count was at the door in his carriage, and requested me to go to him ; he smiled, and made me got into the carriage, and, driving off immediately, informed me that the Emperor wished to attend one of our meetings, and that there was no other time for it but the present. I replied, theu it was plain we must go to the nearest, which was Westminster, and lose no time, otherwise it might be broken up. We were soon in the midst of a crowd of carriages and people, I think at Count Nesselrode's, Curzon-street, Mayfair. My mind was much exercised for the honour of the Truth, and my secret petitions were put up to the alone Source of Divine help. The Count was dressed in his regimentals, gold epauletts, stars, crosses, &c., with a large hat and feathers, sword, &c. On entering the house I was shown into a parlour on the left hand, the steps, passage, &c., being lined with people. I suggested, that to prevent annoyance from the mob, the Emperor had better go as privately as possible. The Emperor and Duchess soon came down, the former in a plain dress- I was introduced to them, and then gave the coachman di* rections where to drive. The Emperor and Duchess, with the two Dukes, went in one carriage, and Count Lieven took me in his. The plan was for the Emperor's carriage to follow us, but in the crowd we lost each other ; however, we met much about the same time at Martin 's-lane. A number of persons had collected, but not one of them had gone up the court. The Emperor alighted, and the Count, taking me by the arm, made way through the crowd. I went, at a respect- ful distance, before th> Emperor, and had just time to beckon out four Friends who sat near the door. I desired them to 292 QUAKER ANECDOTES. ge f behind the E-nperor and keep the crowd back, which they managed exceedingly well. I showed the EmpiTui, the two Dukes, and the Count, to a seat fronting the meeting ; the Duchess preferred the first cross form on the women's side. I sat opposite the Emperor on the first cross form. "The Emperor and the whole party conducted themselves with great seriousness. The meeting remained in silence about a quarter of an hour. Richard Phillips then stood up with a short but acceptable address to the meeting, and soon after John Wilkinson was engaged in explaining the effects of vital religion, and the nature of true worship, beautifullr applying the text, 'He is their strength and their shield.' After he sat down, John Bell uttered a few sentences, and John Wilkinson sweetly concluded in supplication. I think I may say, Friends were evidently owned in this their strait, and that nothing could have answered better, if it hud been ever so well contrived. After meeting, the Emperor and his companions, with the Grand Duchess also, very kindly shook hands with the Friends about them, and a passage being made through v.he meeting, I went before them to tho carriage, they continuing to shake hands with the Friends as they passed. At the step of the carriage, the Emperor, in French, appointed the 21st, at ten o'clock, for Friends to to meet him at the Poulteney Hotel, limiting the deputation to me and the person who spoke second, which was John Wilkinson." "21st. We took up the address; the Emperor having been engaged till six o'clock that morning, was not up when we arrived, and we had to wait about two hours and a half. A.t last a message came for us, and Stephen Gr^llett, John Wilkinson, and I, were introduced into an apartment where the Emperor stood to receive us ; he was quite alone, ami dressed in a plain suit of clothes, and, with a look of benig- nity, seemed to receive us as friends, rather than as strangers. QUAKER AXECUOTES _>9i I put the address into his hands, which, as he had seen the copy, he did not open, and then on behalf of the Society, presented him with some books. He lo^ ked into each of them, but seemed desirous of employing all the time in conversation, which was carried on partly in English, which he pronouced very well, and partly in French. His questions were chit-fly in reference to the doctrine and practices of our Society, and evidently showed that he was acquainted with the operation of the Holy Spirit in the soul, and considered forms and ex- ternal observances but of secondary importance. On the subject of worship, he said, he agreed entirely with Friends, that it was an internal and spiritual thing ; he said that he himself was in the habit of daily prayer ; that at first he employed a form of words, but at length grew uneasy with them, as not always applicable to the present state of his mind, and that wow? the subject of his prayer was according to the impression he felt of his wants at the time, and in this exercise he felt sweet peace. ' He was desirous if knowing whether any among us were set apart for the ministry, and whether we had any particular form on such occasions, or appointed any to preach at partic- ular times. We stated the principles of Frien-is, which drew from the Emperor many interesting and feelirg expressions. He remarked that Divine woaship consisted not in outward ceremonies or repetitions of words, which the wicked and the hypercrite might easily adopt, but in having the mind pros- trate before the Lord. " In conversation with S. Grellet in French, the Empero r feelingly remarked upon the importance of the trust commit- ted to him the many temptations to which he was surround- ed, and the few to whom he could open his heart upon such subjects, saying that it would be a profanation of holy things to speak of them to persons in general Our dear friend S- Grellet, under the impression of gospel love, addressed a 294 QUAKEK ANECDOTES. few sentences to him in French: the Emperor, pressing S. Grellet's hands, with both of his, was much contrited, and with tears in his eyes, said, ' These, your words, are a sweet cordial to my soul, they will long be engraved unon my heart,' indeed, several times during the opportunity, he took onb or other of us by the hand, and to John Wilkinson he expressed how fully his spirit united with him in prayer, at the meeting, on first-day. He said he desired to have this opportunity, apprehending that he was in sentiment with us and though, from his peculiar situation, his practice must be different, yet the religion of Chirst being one, and his wor- ship spiritual, he believed that in this we might all unite. " He stated how the Lord had made him acquainted with spiritual religion, after which he had much sought it, and that herein he found strength and consolation; adding, that he^ and all of us, were only placed in this life to glorify God, and be useful to one another, and that we ought to strive to be prepared for another life. "He expressed how much he was disgusted with the practice which prevailed in this country, of sitt'ng several hours after dinner, saying it was a waste of that time which might be employed for the good of our fellow creatures. "On S. G. congratulating him with having such a .-ister as the Duche-ss of Oldenburg, who appeared to be one in religious sentiment with him, he said it was a great favour that they could freely converse together on such subjects, and profit by each other's experience. " S. G. having directed his attention to suffering Africa the Emperor went into the subject with warmth of feeling, saying that the Africans were men, and objects of redeeming love as well as ourselves; and that when the articles of peace were framing, he had done all he coul I for them, and irorn what passed, it appeared very plain, that if the cause of Africa were given up in the treaty, it was no fault of the Emperor's. QUAKER ANECDOTES. 295 "I then addressed him on the subject of establishments for training the poorest of the people in habits of morality and virtue, and in useful knowledge, and re-pectfully remin If d him that he possessed the poA-er, in a greater decree than any other persun now in existence, for doing mcilculdble good in this way. 1 briefly stated the plans now pursued in th's country, and the preJerence claimed by the British and F->ro'p;u School Society, and t'i-it it was well calculated to assist liible Societies: the Emperor listened with markel atu-ntion, and Baid, 'It is indeed a subject of great importance .' "The interview lasted about an hour, and the Emperor stood during all that time ; his conduct throughout, though familiar and affectionate, was dignified, and he said, ' If any of your Friends should visit Petersburg on a religious account, let them not wait for any introduction, but come direct to me, and I will do everything to promote your views.' He remarked that he should never forget this opportunity, and, as we withdrew, he took each of us by the hand, and said, ' I part from you as from friends and brethren.' " The Emperor, when at Portsmouth, expressed an inclination to "visit a family of the persuasion of Friends, and stop for half an hour to have a little friendly conversation." Lord Sidmouth signified the Emperor's desire, and airangements were accordingly made for John G-laisyer to receive him : but when he reached Brighton, the crowd was so great, that he passed on without fulfilling his intention. Mr. Glaisyer, however, writes to Mr. Allen : "I think thou will be pleased to learn that the Emperor wa* not willing readily to give up his wish to see a Friend' 8 family. My cousin, Nathaniel Rickman, and his wife, were standing at their own gate last first-day afternoon, to see the Emperor pass; he, seeing they had the appearance of Friends, desired the driver to stop, when he alighted, and asked N. li. 296 QUAKE* ANECDOTES. if they were not of the people called Quakers. Being answered in the affirmative, he requested liberty to go into the house, which, of course, was most willingly granted The Duchess then alighted, and they all went together shortly afterwards the Duchess asked if they might go over the house, and they were accordingly conducted into the principal apartments, the neatness of which they praised ; On returning to the parlour they were invited to take some refreshments, which they did, and seemed much pleased with the attention. On finding that the family had not heard of the Emperor having had any communication with Friends in London, he gave them an account of his having been at meeting, and also of the conversation he had had with some members of the Society, in an interview out of meeting. They seemed unwilling to take leave, but said, two or three times> that they had to go as far as Dover that night, and they wished to know whether they should pass any more Friends houses on the road; they said they had intended to go to one at Brighton, but could not get there for the crowd; they wished to be remembered to Friends generally, said it was not likely they should see each other again, but they hoped they should not be forgotten. On parting, the Emperor kissed Mary Rickman's hand, and the Duchess kissed her ; they shook hands cordially with N. R., saying 'Farewell.' They stayed about twenty minutes, and, during their conver- sation, the Emperor spoke in praise of the Friends he had seen in London, and behaved throughout in the most free and affable manner possible." Who, after reading this touching narrative, is not ready to exclaim, May all future Emperors of Russia resemble the good Emperor Alexander, and all the uneducated poor children in his vast dominions have as earnest and disinterested a friend to plead on their behalf as William Allen ! QT7AKEH ANECDOTES. 297 MODERN PERSECUTION OF QUAKKRS. A writer in a well established journal remarks : The record now lies before us in A Narrative of the Cruel" ties inflicted upon Friends during the years 1861 to 1805, in consequence of their faithfulness to the Christian View of the Unlawful ness of War; and a very remarkable narrative it i3. The statements, says its preface, may be accepted as literally true, taken down in most instances from the lips of the suffer- ers themselves; and the pamphlet is issued by direction and on behalf cf the representatives of the North Carolina yearly meeting of Friends, in July 1868. At the breaking out of the civil war in America, if the Quakers were unpopular with the North as being non-com- batants, they were doubly odious in the South, on account of their hostility to slavery. Upon that subject, they were far in advance of their southern fellow-countrymen. In 1740, this same North Carolina Meeting contented itself with pro- nouncing an ' advice ' that all slaves be well used ; but thirty years later, it declared the importation of negroes from Africa to be iniquitous; and in 1776, the practice of slaveholding was formally condemned. For more than thirty years after, there were ' Friends ' who were not fully convinced of this evil, or were so involved in it as to make their extrication difficult; but in 1818, slaveholding was abolished in the Society, and the brief record of the yearly meeting ran thus : 'None held slaves.' To begin with, therefore, the Friends had placed themselves jn antagonism with the people of the Southern States, and, when hostilities commenced, the ill-feeling towards them took a practical shape, and increased with the duration of the contest. By the passage of the Conscription Act in the Con- federate Congress in 1862, every man- between eighteen and thirty-five years of age was required to enter the army ; in I 298 QUAKER AXECDOTES. 1863, it was made to include all between eighteen and forty- five; and in 1864, all between seventeen and fifty. The Friends petitioned Congress for relief; and ia tlin first instance, obtained exemption on the payment of one h uidred dollars each, which tax however, was raised a few months later to five hundred dollars. As the war proceeded, and the necess- ities of the Southeners increased, the Quakers were more and more severely treated, llude arrests, short but uncertain im- prisonments, and violent inena^ces, were at first, the lot of those who were drafted and refused to fight. Some escaped to the West ; others felt at liberty to engage in the state salt- works, though not a few of the latter, finding their work too closely connected with war (probably the making of gun- powder), relinquished it. Then the Southern gentry began to use sharpness, and to hang up Quakers by the thumbs. Here is one instance out of many. ' In the spring of 1865 about forty men, professing to be in the search of conscrints came to a mill belonging to J. D., of Cane Creek, Chatham Co. The miller was first hung up by a rope three times, to force him to betray his sons, who were hidden. Upon hearing the screams of the miller's wife and children, J. D. went out to the crowd. The same information was demanded of him but he assured them of his entire ignorance as to their retreat. He was at once seized and carried into the barn. A rope was tied around his neck, and thrown over a beam, while he was mounted on a box. Then, beginning to tighten the rope, they said: " You are a Quaker, and your people, by refusing to fight, and keeping so many out of the irmy, have caused the defeat of the South ;" adding, that if he had any prayers to offer, he must be quick, as be had only five minutes to live. J. D. only replied that he was innocent, and could adopt the language, "Father, forgive them; they know not what they do." They then said they would not hang him j ust then QUAKER ANECDOTES. 299 but proceeded to rob him ; then ordered him under a horse- trough, threatening to shoot him if he looked up. While lying there he could hear them hanging up the miller three different times, till the sound of stt angling began. After iinully extorting a prora.se from him to find his sons, they left, charging T D. to lie still till they came back with some others to hang. They did not return, however, but went on. to one of his Methodist neighbours, whom they hung until unconscious, and then left him in that state ; and the next night they found one of the missing conscripts, whom they hung until dead. This was not a mere ebullition of angor on the part of a pressgang. The officers of the Southern army were instructed to carry out these precautions; at all events, they did so. On their refusal to take a gun, the 'infortunate Friends wero subjected by the military i'uth.irities to something very like torture. Not only were gu:is tied to the arms of these non-combatant?, and straps round their necks, by which they were dragged about, but they were married to a sort of Scavenger's Daughter. ' S. F.,' for instance, was subjected for two hours to the brutal punishment known as Bucking, in which the person is placed in a stooping position, the wrists firmly tied and brought in front of the knees, with a pole thrust between the elbows and the knees, thus keeping the body in a painful and perfectly helpless positi >n. Alter this, he was made to carry a pole for two or three hours, and then tied during the night. The next morning, he was tied up by the hands for two hours. The same afternoon, a gun was tied to his right arm, and a piece of timber to his neck. Unable longer to endure the weight of it, he sat down, in order to support the end of it upon the ground, when he was pierced by a bayonet. Then they bucked him down again, aiid gagged him, with a bayonet br the rest oi the day. Enraged 300 QUAKER ANECDOTES. at the meekness with which these cruelties and indignities were borne, the captaiu began, to swear at him. telling him it was useless to Contend further; he must now take u gun or die. As the captain proceeded to tie the gun upon his arm, 8. F. answeivd quietly, "If it is thy duty to inflict this punishment on me, do it cheerfully don't get angry about it." The captain then left him, saying to his men, " If any of you can make him tight, do it I cannot." Two young men now appeared with their guns, telling him they were going to take him off and shoot him. "It is the Sabbath," he replied, " and as good a day to die as any." The next day, the Bucking was again resorted to. There are, in fact, so many examples given of this practice, that Bucking a Quaker seems to have been an amusement as popular with the Southern army as the game called ' fighting-cocks ' is with schoolboys. Friend H. M. H. suffered a still more severe punishment. "At three different times, he was suspen.led by his thumbs, with his feet barely touching the ground upon the toes, and kept in this excruciating position for nearly two hours each time. They next tried the bayonet : their orders were, they said, to thrust them in four inches deep; but, though much scarred and pierced, it was not so severely done as they had threatened. One of the men, after thus wounding him came back to entreat his forgiveness." If the ' four inches deep ' strikes the reader as a little exaggerated in the martyr's recital, this mention of entreat- ing his foi'iiivene>s must be set down per contra. It seems to us, indeed, that Friend H. \l. H. was not only a martyr, but a fanatu 1 , since he declined to make use of such means of relief as Provir] -r>c > placed within his reach, though with what prtci e objeat, unless, through extra sufieriug T to increa-e the auuaequent spiritual penalties of hi* persecutors, does not appear. His story runs as iollows QVAKER ANECDOTES 801 "In the Spring of 18G2, two brothers, H. M. H. and J. D. H., were drafted, arrested, and taken to Kaleigh. Being allowed to return home . for ten days, they faithfully reappeared. They were soon sent to Welden, where they were required to drill, and were warned of their liability to be shot if they proved refractory. They were, however, only kept in close custody in the guardhouse, and the next month were discharged, and sent home. About a year after this, they were included in the conscription. They were assigned to an artillery company at Kinston, and after various threats, were sent to Gen. E, , who declared that his orders should be carried out at all hazards. They were now confined in an upper room without food or drink. Various persons were allowed to converse with them, and, as day after day passed on, so far from sinking under the suffering, they used their little remaining strength gladly in explaining their testimony, and telling of their inward consolation. They felt that, in this time of fiery trial, this did indeed turn to them for a testimony, and that they knew the promise fulfilled : "It shall be given in that same hour what ye shall speak." Their sufferings from thirst were the most acute. On the third night, the brothers were wakened from a peaceful sleep by the sound of rain. A little cup had been left in their room, and from the open window they could soon have refreshed themselves. The first thought of each was to do so. They were in nowise bound to concur in this inhuman punishment; yet an impression was dearly made upon their minds, before consulting each other, that they must withhold, and they scarcely felt the copious showers tempt them. The next morning several officers entered the room and questioned them closely: they claimed it to be impossible lor them to retain so much strength without any food, and charged them with secretly having obtained it. They then, iu much simplicity, told 802 QUAKER ANECDOTES. them of their feeling not easy to take even the rain that fell. This evidently touched the hearts of the officers. Soon after the end of four and a half days' abstinence, a little water was allowed, and about the end of five days their rations were furnished again. MARRIAGES. It has been observed, "Among other matters ordered in the monthly meetings were marriages, fto Quaker might dare under the impulse of any sudden affection to solicit the hand of a maiden without the previous consent of his or bar parents, nor might he woo any but a Quakeress, for no allow- ance was made for the erratic tendencies of love. The con- sent of the parents and the daughter being obtained, the matter was propounded in a meeting of the Friends, iest any might have something to object. This done, at the next monthly meeting the parties appeared, and, if no hindrance arose, they publicly took each other, as hu-band and wife, and promised, with God's assistance, to be loving and faith- ful in that relation till death should seperate them. A record of this was entered in the register of the meeting, to which the couple attached their names, and there the matter ended. The Quakers had aimed at being a distinct people, but eventually under the pressure of modern ideas that was no longer possible. The marriage-law of the Society was felt to be a grievance no Quaker could marry out of his Society without being expelled ; no Quaker could allow a clergyman or magistrate to marry him without subjecting himself to the censures of his Society. Now, it so happened that Quakers, having their eyes wide open, sometimes saw women who were beautiful to look upon though they did not dress in drab or grey ; and, sometimes even when their furtive glances were returned, such a commotion was raised ia their heart that love became stronger than religion, and QTJAXER ANECDOTES. 303 they resolved to abandon the Friends th it they miiiht get a wile after their own heart. So the Society lost some of its memhers who were otherwise good and true The quarterly meeting for Yorkshire was the first to feel that allowance must be made for human frailty, and that under cer- tain restrictions, the Friends might wed with the (laughters of the land. The subject was debated three several years, and then referred to a conference of three hundred sages of the Society, who met in London, in November, 1858, and by whom, after much talk and some wrath, it was finally allowed. So the marriage-law of the Q-iakers was altered, and Friends allowed to look upon a maid, though, she was not a Quakeress, provided only she sometimes came to their meetings, and had some sympathy with Quaker ways a thing to be easily supposed, if her heart was set upon a Quaker husband." The Quakers " by Dr. Cunningham* A GREAT CHANGE. A writer in Eraser's Magazine, October, 1878, remarks, " Thoh^ whose lot it may have been to live near a Quaker's meeting-house thirty years ago, and to revisit the same neigh- bourhood lately, must have been struck by the transformation which a generation has produced. Amon the elders the old costume, picturssqly simple in form but often costly in mater- ial, may still be seen, but it is thrown into an insignificant minority by the j'ounger folk, who, as far as outward appear, ance goes, might be the congregation of a Ritualistic church, while as to dialect it is doubtful if a young member of the Society would not be floored by Macaulay's famous "divinity" question which he is recorded to have set a niece ambitious of being examined. " Translate the following passage into the Quakeric dialect : You and Sir Ed \yard Ryan breakfasted wiih me on Friday the eleventh of December." QUAKER ANECDOTES. THE QUAKER MAYOU OF LEEDS AXD ASSIZE SUITDAY. Two amusing circulars have just (Jan., 1880) been issued to the members of the Leods Corporation. Mr. Alderman Tatliam, a Quaker and a Teetotaller, who lias no wine on s his table, even when the Judges dine with him, is the present Mayor of Leeds. It is customary for the Mayor to go to Church with the Judges, arrayed in his insignia of office, and accompanied by the Corporation. Alderman Tathani has informed the members of the Corporation by circular that next Sunday the Judges and himself will be present at the Parish Church in the morning, and at the Friends' Meeting House in the evening. He says: " Divine worship being tho most solemn act in which a human being can engage, display and parade appear to me to be out of harmony with the occasion. I therefore propose to meet at the respective places without acy official gathering or insignia, as private worshippers, with the object of obtaining all the spiritual good that can be derived from the service " The pleasant novelty of a Quaker Mayor going to Church, and the Judges on circuit going to a Quaker Meeting House, has not been allowed to pass without a kind of indirect protest. Three past Mayors of Leeds have issued another circular, in which they invite the other members of the Corporation to meet at the Town Hall on fcunday morning, " in order to robe and proceed to the Parish Church in the usual manner." Echo. THE EOT). Printed by J. Dtrry, Albert Slrcet, Nottingham. &CSB LIBRARY A 000 557 081 7