jonathan dymond was the son of a quaker linen-draper of exeter, county devon in england. both his parents were 'recorded ministers' of the society of friends. he had little formal education but used his time off from working in his father's shop to read and to write essays on religious and moral problems, as well as composing poetry. he determined that he should devote his energies to 'the honour of advocating peace'. in his view war was "an evil before which, in my estimation, slavery sinks into insignificance". in 1825 he attended the annual meeting of the peace society in london and went on to help set up a branch of that society in exeter. he soon had to withdraw from taking an active part due to his failing health.