ing of these, if acquired, might familiarize their youth with fictions, and produce in them a romantic and lying spirit.

It is a feature, again, in their character, as we have seen, that they are remarkable for their punctuality in the performance of their words and engagements. But such punctuality implies neither more nor less than that the words spoken by them are generally fulfilled; and if they are generally fulfilled, then the inference is, that all such words have been generally truths.

To this I may add, that their notions on the subject of oaths, and their ideas of the character, which it becomes them to sustain in life, must have a powerful effect upon them in inducing an attention to the truth; for they consider Jesus Christ to have abolished civil oaths, because he meant to introduce a more excellent system than that of old; that is, because he meant it to be understood by his disciples, that he laid such an eternal obligation upon them to speak truth, that oaths were to be rendered unne cessary where persons made a profession of his religion.

CHAP

CHAPTER XVIII.

SECTION I.

Character of the Quaker-women- this differs a little from that of the men-women share in the virtues of the former-but do not always partake of all their reputed imperfections-are not chargeable with a want of knowledge-nor with the money-getting spirit-modesty a feature in their character.

HAVING

AVING now amply inquired into the character of the Men, I shall say a few words on the subject of that of the. Women of this Society. For though it might have been supposed at the first sight (all the members being cast as it were in one mould) that the same character would attach to both; yet it must be obvious, on further consideration, that it cannot be wholly applicable to the female sex.

It may be laid down as a truth, that the women of this Society share in the virtues of the men. They possess their benevolence,

2

lence, their independence of mind, and the other good traits in their moral character. But they do not always partake of all their reputed imperfections.

The want of knowledge, which was reckoned among the failings of the men, can have no room as a charge against the wo

men.

For, first, let us compare the Quakerwomen with the Quaker-men. Now it generally happens in the world, that men have more literary knowledge than women; but this is not so generally the case in this Society. As the women here are not taken from their books, like the men, at an early age, and put into trade, they have no bar, like these, to the further improvement of their minds. They advance often in the acquisition of knowledge, while the latter, in consequence of their attention to business, are kept stationary. Hence it happens, that they are generally as well informed, and that they have as great a variety of knowledge, as these; so that they suffer no diparagement, as the women of the world do, by a comparison with the other

sex.

Neither

Neither will the women of this Society be considered as deficient in knowledge, if compared with women of other religious denominations. It is too much the practice, but particularly in the higher circles, to educate females for show. We too seldom see a knowledge of the domestic duties. To dance well, to sing well, and to play well,— these are the usual accomplishments that are insisted on, and they are insisted upon with an earnestness as if they included all the valuable purposes of life. Thus the best part of youth is spent in the acquirement of trivial things; or rather, the acquirement of such things takes up so much time as to leave but little for the moral and intellectual im provement of the mind. The great object, on the other hand, of the education of the females in question, is utility, and not show. They are taught domestic œconomy, or the cares and employments of a house. They are taught to become good wives and good mothers. Prohibited the attainments of music, and dancing, and many of the corruptive amusements of the world, they have ample time for the improvement of the understanding. Thus they have in general as

good

good an education as other females, as far as literary acquirements are concerned,-so that, whether they are compared with the Quaker-men, or with the other women of the island, they will not incur the imputatation of a deficiency of knowledge.

It must be obvious, too, that the moneygetting spirit, which the world has fixed upon as a blemish in the character of some of the men, can seldom be a trait in that of the women in this Society. For men are the principals in trade. They lay their plans for the getting of money.

They see the ac

cumulating surplus rise. They handle it. They count it. They remember it. The women, on the other hand, see it only in the disposition of their husbands or parents, who make probably a larger allowance for domestic wants or gratifications than before. Hence a charge cannot so frequently be. brought against them of a want of that spiritual-mindedness, which is the great characteristic of Quakerism, as they have but little to do with the Mammon of the world.

To these exceptions in Quaker-women from the reputed imperfections of the Quaker-men, I cannot help adding in this place, that the females of this Society are peculi