266 JEALOUSY OF THE SHAKEKS. 



liberty to practise also upon the lives of the lieges in the 

 British provinces on the St Lawrence, and which was 

 rejected only by a small majority. One would suppose 

 that the extension of education rather favoured quacking 

 than otherwise, from the freedom which is here granted 

 to empirics of every kind. That this &quot; herb system &quot; has 

 obtained a considerable extension among the people is 

 shown by the fact, that large respectable-looking shops 

 are met with which occupy themselves solely with the 

 sale of the dried herbs and extracts. 



The jealousy of the ultra-democratic party as to the 

 independence of the people had lately awakened a con 

 siderable outcry against the Shakers. It was asserted 

 that they were increasing, prospering, and buying land 

 so fast, that they were forming a dangerous monopoly 

 of the lands of the State ; and, to give strength to the fear 

 and indignation which this was intended to excite, it was 

 added, that immoral practices were prevalent among the 

 members of different sexes; and that the education 

 given to the children was fitted to &quot; lead into darkness 

 rather than light.&quot; A committee of the Legislature was 

 therefore appointed to make inquiry and report ; and the 

 result of their inquiry was, that all the charges were 

 groundless, and that there was no cause for legislative 

 interference. The matter, therefore, for the present, has 

 been allowed to drop. 



According to this report, which has something of the 

 air of an u Apology for the Shakers,&quot; it appears that 

 Ann Lee, the founder of the sect, was born at Manches 

 ter in 1736, was not taught either to read or write ; 

 worked, when young, in a cotton-mill ; and was married 

 to Abraham Stanley, a blacksmith, by whom she had 

 four children, who all died young. In 1758, she joined 

 the sect of a James Wardley in Manchester, which, from 

 their jumping, whistling, and dancing exercises, appear 

 already to have been called &quot; Shakers.&quot; In 1770, she 



