their members such a calmness and quietness of character.

There will be no difficulty in substantiating this second trait.

There are circumstances, in the first place, in the constitution of the Quaker-system, which, as it must have already appeared, must be generative of quiet personal habits. Among these may be reckoned their education. They are taught in early youth to rise in the morning in quietness; to go about their ordinary occupations in quietness; and to retire in quietness to their beds. We may reckon also their discipline. They are accustomed by means of this, when young, to attend the monthly and quarterly meetings, which are often of long continuance. Here they are obliged to sit patiently. Here they hear the grown-up members of the Society speak in order, and without any interruption of one another. We may reckon, again, their public worship. Here they are accustomed occasionally to silent meetings, or to sit quietly for a length of time, when not a word is spoken.

There are circumstances, again, in the constitution of the Quakers, which are either preventive

preventive of mental activity and excitement of passion, or productive of a quiet habitude of mind. Forbidden the use of cards, and of music, and of dancing, and of the theatre, and of novels, it must be obvious that they cannot experience the same excitement of the passions, as they who are permitted the use of these common amusements of the world. In consequence of an obligation to have recourse to arbitration, as the established mode of decision in the case of differences with one another, they learn to conduct themselves with temper and decorum in exasperating cases. They avoid in consequence the phrensy of him who has recourse to violence, and the turbid state of mind of him who engages in suits at law. It may be observed also, that if, in early youth, their evil passions are called forth by other causes, it is considered as a duty to quell them. The early subjugation of the will is insisted upon in all genuine Quakerfamilies. The children of Quakers are rebuked, as I have had occasion to observe, for all expressions of anger, as tending to raise those feelings which ought to be suppressed. A raising even of their voice is

discou

discouraged, as leading to the disturbance of their minds. This is done to make them calm and passive, that they may be in a state to receive the influence of the pure Principle. It may be observed, again, that in their meetings for worship, whether silent or vocal, they endeavour to avoid all activity of the mind, for the same reason.

These different circumstances, then, by producing quiet personal habits on the one hand, and quiet mental ones on the other, concur in producing a complacency of mind and manner; so that a Quaker is daily as it were at school, as far as it relates to the formation of a quiet character.

CHAPTER V.

Third trait is, that they do not temporize, or do that which they believe to be improper as a body of Christians-subjects in which this trait is conspicuous-Civil oaths-Holy or consecrated days -War-Tithes-Language-Address-Public Illuminations-Utility of this trait to the Quaher-character.

Ir is a third trait in the character of the Quakers, that they refuse to do whatever, as a religious body, they believe to be wrong.

of

I shall have no occasion to state any the remarks of the world to show their belief of the existence of this trait, nor to apply to circumstances within the Quakerconstitution to confirm it. The trait is almost daily conspicuous in some subject or another. It is kept alive by their discipline. It is known to all who know Quakers. I shall satisfy myself, therefore, with a plain historical relation concerning it.

It has been an established rule with the Quakers, from the formation of the Society, not to temporize, or to violate their con

sciences;

sciences; or, in other words, not to do that which as a body of Christians they believe to be wrong, though the usages of the world, or the Government of the country under which they live, should require it; but rather to submit to the frowns and indignation of the one, and the legal penalties annexed to their disobedience by the other. This suffering, in preference of the violation of their consciences, is what the Quakers call "the bearing of their testimony," or a demonstration to the world, by the "testimony of their own example," that they consider it to be the duty of Christians rather to suffer, than have any concern with that which they conceive to be evil.

The Quakers, in putting this principle into practice, stand, I believe, alone; for I know of no other Christians who as a body pay this homage to their scruples, or who determine upon an ordeal of suffering, in preference of a compromise with their ease and safety*.

*The Moravians, I believe, protest against war upon scriptural grounds. But how far in this, or in any other case, they bear a testimony, like the Quakers, by suffering, I do not know.

The