108 
which muit not be accepted as izdividually 
applicable, but~as gezerally pertinent ; 
and which, though they may be erroneous 
- and defective in point of fagacity, are at 
Jeaft the refult of long, attentive, and 
sommedious infpeétion ; nor dccompanied 
by any conf{cioufnefs of a difpofition to 
mifreprefentation, partiality, and preju- 
dice. I fhall attempt to eftimate the pub- 
lic character of thefe people under the 
three-fold divition of peculiarities praife- 
worthy, dvious, and reprehenfirle. 
1. Their fobriety of drefs, their gentle- 
nefs of manners, their guarded and de- 
corous language, the general charaéter of 
their external demeanour, at once digni- 
fied, ref{pectful, and unaffeming ; 
tranquil and toenfive deportment in 
public, free from the brawls, the tumults, 
the indelicacies, the difguftfulnefs of 
riot, redenefs, and intemperance; their 
unqueftionable love and ftrenuous aifertion 
of peace, both as individuals and citizens ; 
their refolute difencagement from every 
connection with hoftility, war, and blood- 
fhed; their unwearied and unequalled 
exertions in oppofition to the enflavement 
of their fpecies:—thefe principles and 
practices of pre-eminent laudability en- 
title them to a degree of admiration, ap- 
laufe, and efteem, which has never yet 
we due to any fociety, civil or religious, 
befides themfelves ; and richly merit, not 
only the cordial teftimony, but the uni- 
verfal imitation, of mankind. 
2. What I fhail mention under this 
head, will be offered with reluétance, nor 
without much difiidence and uncertainty. 
They are poffibly the cenfures of a man 
very egregioufly, though very unwitting- 
ly, miftaken. | ; . 
The /crupulsus peculiarity, not the plain- 
nefs, of their drefs, appears to me liable 
to much exception. If we avoid parade, 
expenfivenefs, and finefy, at once vain and 
vicious, fuch objeéts as the colour of cloth, 
and the difpofal of duitons, feem to me 
not only degrading to rationality, but an 
actual commiffion of all that religion con- 
demns in this particular, by a degeneracy 
from indifference and difregard into that 
{cruple and /olicitude, which are decidedly 
and folely forbidden by our divine Pre- 
ceotor. Yet Iam not fure, whether fuch 
fingularity of drefs may not admit de- 
fence as an external political diftinétion, 
and a prominent exhibition of principles 
and character to the ocular obfervation 
of their countrymen.—T hat rigorous at- 
tention to certain forms of language in 
perfonal addrefs, dates, and fupericrip- 
tions, at a period, when no fupesttitious 
On the Peculiarities of Quakers. 
their 
[Aug. 
reverence is implied, without any ap- 
parent advantage to compenfate a general 
Oppofition to the fentiments and manners 
of all other men, will never procure my 
approbaticn, till I fee better reafons ad- 
vanced for thefe peculiarities, than have 
yet occurred to my notice. Thefe de- 
fe&ts, however, (if defe€ts they be) and 
fome others of a congenial complexion, in 
contraft with the numerous and fuperla- 
tive excellencies of thele people, are but 
an evaneicent fpeck on the broad furface 
of a burnifhed mirror ; and caule no per- 
ceptible diminution of the general radi- 
ance. 
3- A ftoical unconcern to the public 
good amidft political corruptions and per- 
turbations cf an alarming nature (if we 
except an occafional formality of verbal 
remonitrance) at a time, when the moft 
‘important and permanent interefts of hu- 
manity are at ftake, I deem utterly in- 
confiftent with that fympathy in the uni- 
verfal happinefs of our {pecies , which is 
enjoined by the gofpel. If the world 
were perfectly reformed, the fyftem af 
this fociety would certainly never bring 
back a national depravity of manners; 
but in the midft of fo much mifchief and 
debaiement, that fyftem of mere. example 
without pofitive energy will never pro- 
duce an eflential melioration of civil life, 
As well might you expeét the full bene- 
fits of {cholaftic tuition from the filent 
obfervance of the mafter’s induftry and 
learning by his unimpaffioned“and in- 
active pupils. On this fubject I would 
recommend to the reader’s contemplation 
the example of St. Paul; and to his 
perufal, Milton’s effufion of unrivalled 
eloquence in the exordium to his fecond 
book on ‘* The reafon of church-govern- 
ment urged againft Prelacy:” and indeed 
the whole of what this moft pure’and pa- 
triotic citizen has urged on correipondent 
fubjects througheut his: profe works; 
works, in my judgmént, not lefs admi- 
rable than his poetical compolifions. 
The Quakers are, I think, the moft 
uniformly, the moft diligently, and the 
moft unremittingly occupied in the pur- 
{uit of evorldly interef? through life of any 
men whatever. ‘Thts remark I have fre- 
quently made to very many moft virtuous 
and intelligent peopieeut of their fociety; 
and never yet heard a diflenting voice. 
But furely, if any one peculiarity of 
heart and conduct be diametrically op- 
pofed to the {pirit and precepts of re- 
velation, it is worldly-mindeduefs. My 
notion is altogether tounded on aétual 
obiervation, and miuit be determined ses 
the 
