I (OF 3)***


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A PORTRAITURE OF QUAKERISM, VOLUME I

Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners,
Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of
the Society of Friends

by

THOMAS CLARKSON, M.A.

1806.







[Illustration: THOMAS CLARKSON, A.M.]




CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.


INTRODUCTION

PREFATORY ARRANGEMENTS AND REMARKS



MORAL EDUCATION.


CHAPTER I.

_Amusements distinguishable into useful and hurtful--the latter
specified and forbidden_.


CHAPTER II.

SECT. I.--_Games of chance forbidden--history of the origin of some of
these_.

SECT. II.--_Forbidden as below the dignity of the intellect of man, and
of his christian character_.

SECT. III.--_As producing an excitement of the passions, unfavourable to
religious impressions--historical anecdotes of this excitement_.

SECT. IV.--_As tending to produce, by the introduction of habits of
gaming, an alteration in the moral character_.


CHAPTER III.

SECT. I.--_Music forbidden--instrumental innocent in itself, but greatly
abused--the use of it almost inseparable from its abuse at the present
day_.

SECT. II.--_Quakers cannot learn instrumental on the usual motives of
the world--nor consider it as a source of moral improvement, or of
solid comfort to the mind--but are fearful that, if indulged in, it
would interfere with the Christian duty of religious retirement_.

SECT III.--_Quakers cannot learn vocal, because, on account of its
articulative powers, it is capable of becoming detrimental to
morals--its tendency to this, as discoverable by an analysis of
different classes of songs_.

SECT IV.--_The preceding the arguments of the early Quaker--but the new
state of music has produced others--these explained_.

SECT V.--_An objection stated to the different arguments of the Quakers
on this subject--their reply_.


CHAPTER IV.

SECT I.--_The Theatre forbidden--short history of its origin--and of its
state and progress_.

SECT II.--_Manner of the drama objected to by the Quakers--as it
personates the characters of others--and it professes to reform vice_.

SECT III.--_Contents of the drama objected to--as they hold our false
sentiments--and weaken the sinews of morality_.

SECT IV.--_Theater considered by the Quakers to be injurious to the
happiness of man, as it disqualifies him for the pleasure of religion_.

SECT V.--_To be injurious to the happiness of man, as it disqualifies
him for domestic enjoyments_.

SECT VI.--_Opinions of the early Christians on this subject_.


CHAPTER V.

SECT. I.--_Dancing forbidden--light in which this subject has been
viewed both by the ancients and the moderns--Quakers principally object
to it, where it is connected with public assemblies--they conceive it
productive, in this case, of a frivolous levity, and of an excitement of
many of the evil passions_.

SECT. II--_These arguments of the Quakers, on dancing, examined in
three supposed cases put to a moral philosopher_.

SECT. III.--_These arguments further elucidated by a display of the
Ball-room_.


CHAPTER VI.

_Novels forbidden--considered by the Quakers as producing an affectation
of knowledge--a romantic spirit--and a perverted morality_.


CHAPTER VII.

SECT. I--_Diversions of the field forbidden--general thoughtlessness
upon this subject--sentiments of some of our best poets--law of the
Quakers concerning it_.

SECT. II.--_Consistency of this law examined by the morality, which is
inculcated by the Old Testament_.

SECT. III.--_Examined by the morality of the New--these employments, if
resorted to as diversions, pronounced, in both cases, to be a breach of
a moral law_.


CHAPTER VIII.

_Objections to the preceding system, which includes these different
prohibitions, as a system of moral education_.


CHAPTER IX.

SECT. I.--_Reply of the Quakers to these objections_.

SECT. II.--_Further reply of the Quakers on the same subject_.

       *       *       *       *       *

DISCIPLINE.


CHAPTER I.

SECT. I.--_Outlines of the discipline of the Quakers_.

SECT. II.--_Manner of the administration of this discipline_.

SECT. III.--_Charges usually brought against the administration of
it--observations in answer in these charges_.

SECT. IV.--_The principles of this discipline applicable to the
discipline of larger societies, or to the criminal codes of
states--beautiful example in Pennsylvania_.


CHAPTER II.

_Monthly court or meeting of the Quakers for the purposes of their
discipline--nature and manner of the business transacted there_.


CHAPTER III.

_Quarterly court or meeting for the same purposes--nature and manner of
the business there_.


CHAPTER IV.

_Annual court or meeting for the same purposes--nature and manner of the
business there--striking peculiarities in this manner--character of this
discipline or government_.


CHAPTER V.

_Excommunication or disowning--nature of disowning as a punishment_.



PECULIAR CUSTOMS.

CHAPTER I.

SECT. I.--_Dress--extravagance of the dress of the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries--plain manner in which the grave and religious were
then habited--the Quakers sprang out of these_.

SECT. II.--_Quakers carried with them their plain dresses into their new
society--extravagance of the world continuing, they defined the objects
of dress as a Christian people--at length incorporated it into their
discipline--hence their present dress is only a less deviation from that
of their ancestors, than that of other people_.

SECT. III.--_Objections of the world to the Quaker dress--those
examined--a comparison between the language of Quakerism and of
Christianity on this subject--opinion of the early Christians upon it._


CHAPTER II.

_Furniture--the Quakers use plain furniture--reasons for their
singularities in this respect._


CHAPTER III.

SECT. I.--_Language--Quakers have altered the common
language--substitution of Thou for You--reasons for this
change--opinions of many learned men concerning it._

SECT. II.--_Various other alterations made--as in titled of address--and
of honour--reasons for these changes._

SECT. III.--_Another alteration--as in the names of the days and the
months--reasons for this change--various new phrases also introduced._

SECT. IV.--_Objections by the world against the alteration of Thou for
You._

SECT. V.--_Against that of titles of address and honour._

SECT. VI.--_Against that of the names of the days and months._

SECT. VIII.--_Advantages and disadvantages of these alterations by the
Quaker language._


CHAPTER IV.

_Address--common personal gestures or worldly ceremonies of address
forbidden--no exception in favour of royalty--reasons against the disuse
of these._


CHAPTER V.

_Manners and conversation--hospitality and freedom in Quakers'
houses--their conversation more limited than that of others--subjects of
conversation examined in our towns--and in the metropolis--extraordinary
circumstance that takes place occasionally in the company of the
Quakers._


CHAPTER VI.

_Customs before meals--ancients made an oblation to Vesta--moderns have
substituted grace--account of a Quaker-grace._


CHAPTER VII.

_Customs at and after meals--Quakers never drink healths or
toasts--various reasons for their disuse of these customs--and seldom
allow women to retire after dinner and leave the men drinking--Quakers a
sober people._




INTRODUCTION.


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

From the year 1787, when I began to devote my labours to the abolition
of the slave trade, I was thrown frequently into the company of the
people, called Quakers, these people had been then long unanimous upon
this subject. Indeed they had placed it among the articles of their
religious discipline. Their houses were of course open to me in all
parts of the kingdom. Hence I