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THE QUAKERS.

the Cancan quadrille-what shall we say large amount of the morality, intelligence, of them? The fiddles of course are inno- influence, and general prosperity which cent agents in those cases, where they ac- characterize the Friends as a body; and to company the voice of the gross woman and the same cause he attributes the small the movements of the coarse women. they promote mischief and evil, just as they rarity of the occasions in which they come unYet amount of privation amongst them, and the may, as we have suggested, promote piety der the care of the police or the magistracy. and pure love. It may be doubted, indeed, But may not the provision made for educawhether music is, as Johnson said, a com- tion be dependent on some cause which in pletely innocent sensual pleasure. It may itself would account for the absence both have been to Johnson, who had quite a pas- of privation and crime from the Quaker sion for listening to the Scotch bag-pipes body? We think we find such a cause in an instrument, we may venture to think, their affluence, and the reason given for which has seldom stirred in any one feelings that affluence is, that the eclectic character other than indignation and a burning desire which Mr. Tallack claims for Quakerism for universal murder; but it is possible to extends to the circumstances as well as to conceive where music may immediately the disposition of candidates for admission prompt to low desires and actions, even into the sect. where it is orchestral, and aided but slightly admission of something not unlike this, from without by scenery or dancing. Into both in the fact of the paucity of numbers We suspect there is a quasithis part of the subject however it is not belonging to it, and in the avowal which we necessary to go. should guard and cherish with caution, re-desired that the Friends should gain many Music is an art which we find at p. 14, that perhaps it is not to be spect, and solicitude. We are almost tempt- converts "as mankind is now constituted." ed to write that if you see after the fiddle-"For if," the author continues, “the socistrings the heart-strings will take care of ety were swamped with a mass of converts themselves. An unmusical man or woman not prepared to enter fully into the spirit is not only defective and mentally crippled, of its communion, the tone of the whole but is, it is not perhaps too much to say, a body would be lowered, and possibly its dangerous person to deal with. We have constitution become radically altered. The Shakespeare's authority for thinking so at Quakers are a select and disciplined body, least. But then the sirens were musical | better qualified for influencing outsiders ladies also, and were not altogether harmless. Comic singers have ears for music, and are as insensible to the degraded nature of their calling as a pickpocket to his pursuit.

From The London Review.
THE QUAKERS.*

than for uniting with them in perfect communion. They have exercised very great influence on the surrounding world; far more in proportion to their very small number, than any other sect that ever existedthe Jesuits not excepted. But the retention of this beneficial influence is only compatible with their maintenance of the strict disTHE speciality of this book is that it is This would hardly be practicable with any the first work in which the doctrines and considerable accession of persons not precipline and high morality of their body. constitution of Quakerism have been defi-pared for the abstract views and decided nitively and minutely traced mainly to the principles of the Society." early Baptists, and also that in its pages is would not be practicable with the admisto be found, for the first time, a detailed sion of all comers, poor as well as rich. review of the influence exercised by the But from this point of view, Quakerism is It certainly Friends in the various departments of phi- hardly to be considered a religious sect, but lanthropy, social progress, political reform, partakes more of the nature of a religious literature, science, and commercial enter- order, which receives into its sodality only prise. It is not without reason that the such candidates as can pass through the orauthor boasts of the labours of his sect in deal of a novitiate specially designed to these various departments; and when it is test their possession of those qualities which remembered that at the present time the total the order requires in its members. Mr. number of Friends in Great Britain and Ire-Tallack says, that the Quaker system is land barely amounts to 15,000, the provision suited only for the more thoughtful and semade by them for education is something re- rious of Christians, and for persons with markable. Mr. Tallack traces to it the minds disciplined to deep feelings and abGeorge Fox, the Friends, and the Early Bap-erences for individual freedom of religious stract contemplation, and with strong prefaction. It is not a body with which men in

tists. By William Tallack. London: S. W. Partridge & Co.

66

general, or many men, are likely to seek to spiritual vanity and conceit, that there communion. Is not this, rather than edu- must be some reason for the fact that Quacation, the reason why there is an absence kerism numbers so few adherents in these of privation and of crime amongst the islands, and that its numbers are rather Quakers? Is it not also the cause of much, dwindling than increasing. For example, at least, of the influence which they are in Norwich, which forty years ago contained said to exert upon society? How, other- five hundred Friends, there are now barely wise, does it come to pass that the Quakers, thirty. during the last quarter of a century, have Mr. Tallack endeavours to explain this sent their preachers to Hindostan, the Pa- surprising state of things. "It thus apcific Islands, Australia, New Zealand, the pears," he says, "that the Quaker system Cape Colony, the West Indies, California, is an admirable one for developing a small Greenland, Iceland, Russia, the Faroe band of active, independent, philanthropic, Islands, Lapland, Madagascar, Egypt, and spiritual Christians, but fails most deSyria, and the Holy Land, without any ap- cidedly in gathering in the masses of manpreciable accession to their number? Mr. kind. This," he continues, "is now genTallack gives, as an example of the paucity erally admitted by the Friends. One of of converts, the case of Jonathan Grubb, them, an aged minister, lately remarked to an "excellent gentleman," who has for the writer, 'Well, I must confess that if years "laboured assiduously in preaching the evangelization of the great body of the to the poor, especially in the rural districts people had depended upon us, very little of Suffolk, Essex, and Norfolk. His meet- would have been done."" This is a laings have been largely attended, and have mentable confession, after upwards of two also been occasions of much solemnity and centuries of missionary labour. It would tenderness of spirit. They have often been appear," Mr. Tallack continues, "that, in followed up by sympathising private con- aiming at perfection, the Friends have arversations with some of the most impressed rived at many conclusions incompatible with amongst the hearers. Great religious edifi- the actual constitution of imperfect and cation has doubtless ensued in consequence. frail humanity. It is often observed that, But we have not heard of any fresh acces- in the communication of religious instrucsions to the ranks of Quakerism from any tion to the poor, a rough and ready, but or all of those meetings." But when more comparatively uneducated, yet zealous than two centuries ago the Quaker boy, working man is far more effective than a James Parnell, sixteen years of age, calm, refined, and highly-educated speaker. preached to the people of the same eastern Similarly, the very agencies which the counties, he "gathered in hundreds, and Friends deprecate and avoid as imperfect, probably thousands, to the fold of his peo- namely, the one man system,' hearty conple in the very district where Mr. Grubb gregational singing, untrammelled zealous (a man far superior to young Parnell in preaching, outwardly visible sacraments, most Christian virtues) can barely secure settled pastorages and paid ministersone proselyte in several years' ministerial these or other such arrangements are eviactivity." Parnell's success and Grubb's dently and practically essential to the evanfailure, notwithstanding the "solemnity and gelization of the great masses of mankind, tenderness of spirit" observable at his meet-in spite of all the arguments of Quakerism, ings, would lead us to suppose that the terms of admission into the Quaker body are more exacting now than they were two centuries ago. But, once in, the conditions of Quaker life are not repulsive. There are the great educational advantages to those who stand in need of them. There is the fact stated by Mr. Tallack, "that every poor Friend who may be unable to earn a livelihood, usually receives aid from his brother members, to the extent of from £20 to £40 per annum, generally administered privately, exclusive of the money spent upon the education of his offspring." Then the absence of what is known amongst Friends as "the one man system," the right of all to preach if they are moved to do so, even women, is so soothing and indulgent

and notwithstanding the admirable results (on a very limited scale) of a system from which the agencies have been almost entirely excluded." This argument is not wholly destitute of force; but, on the other hand, what is to be said of a body which deprecates and avoids agencies which it holds to be essential to the evangelization of the great masses of mankind? We must conclude that it desires to be a select and exclusive body, "a small band of active, independent, philanthropic, and spiritual Christians," well off in point of funds, having little or no poor to speak of, and rather averse to letting them into the fold than otherwise. But where, then, is the merit of its supporting its own poor, or of the large provision it makes for education?

thing that is bad, it has no right to boast of the efficacy of its principles. We do not deny that the Friends have been active in many good works; all we maintain is that it would have been surprising had they not been so. We have left ourselves hardly space to speak of Mr. Tallack's "Life of

Why does Mr. Tallack reproach the denominations with not having "bestowed upon their poor a small proportion of the systematic and individualizing care experienced by the Friends in such cases"? The comparison is ridiculous. Out of a population of thirty millions, the Friends reckon in their community fifteen thousand. They George Fox," the most important part of are notoriously a wealthy body; and "the his work appearing to us to consist in the pecuniary and educational privileges of false pretensions we have been discussing. membership are so many," says Mr. Tal- It is an interesting sketch, a contribution lack, "that a constant vigilance is requisite to the history which will one day give us a to avoid the reception of candidates for ad- picture of the efforts made in an age of mission who may be prompted by interested abominable licentiousness, by earnest bemotives." Where is the difficulty of such lievers, to awaken consciences which had a body supporting its own poor, or what fallen asleep. Mixed up with those efforts credit is due to its members for keeping there was doubtless a great deal of perclear of the police? The Quakers begin sonal vanity, and Mr. Tallack candidly adby admitting none within their pale who are mits the grave faults of which Fox was not thoughtful and 'serious Christians; men occasionally guilty. But on the whole the who are removed by a greater or less de- tendency was good. It aimed at the revival gree of affluence from the temptations of of religion, which was suffering from the want; men well schooled and disciplined reaction consequent upon the upheaving of in the exterior and interior respectability. the Reformation. And with all its faults it Now if a sect admits into its sodality noth- was not destitute of beneficial results. ing but what is good, and rejects every

From Macmillan's Magazine.

A SEA-SHELL.

Cool lips of shell, sing, Sea-shell, warm and sweet,

Of ripples curling on the creamy beach,

Of soft waves singing in each other's ear,
Small wavelets kissing one another's feet,
Where flakes of foam make music, a low speech
Tenderly sad to hear.

Tell me of half-formed little broken words,
Sung by the ripples to the still sea-flowers
In silent sleeping tideless deeps of sea;
For there the flowers have voices like to birds,
That sing full-throated in this world of ours
On each melodious tree.

Not now, not now, sweet shell, some other day
Tell me of sighings on the lonely shore,

And seas that sob to birds that scream above;
Tell me not now of earth grown weak and gray,
Nor longing for the things that come no more,
Nor any broken love.

To me thy breathing bears another tone,

Of fresh cool currents running under sea,

And happy laughter of the sunny spray :Ah! hearest thou the words that are thine own, Know'st thou the message that they bear to me, The things they seem to say?

Ah, Sea-shell, it is this-"The soft blue deep, Which thrills with a heart that knows thee and is kind,

Sighed for thy sorrow, now it laughs with thee;

Love is a secret which man cannot keep;
Hide it from heaven and the heedless wind,
But trust it with the sea!"

A. C. BRADLEY.

From Bentley's Miscellany.

THE BRIDE'S DREAM.
BY J. E. CARPENTER.

THE young bride she is dreaming,
Ah! who that dream can tell?
It may be of some loved one

Ere falsehood broke the spell;
It may be of the bridegroom

Who watches by her side,
And deems she must be happy
Because she is his bride.

Oh! if that be her dreaming
May time ne'er break the spell,
But the tears flow in her slumber,
And who that dream can tell?

The young bride she is dreaming!
Of the future, or the past?
But she'll wake, and smiles around her
Like a ray of sunshine cast;
Her pride will keep her silent,

She may speak of other themes,
But her lips will never whisper
What she wept for in her dreams.

Oh! if those dreams were happy
May time ne'er break the spell,
But the tears fell in her slumber,
And who that dream can tell?

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HEADLAND HOME; OR, A SOUL'S PILGRIMAGE. By Madame de Lesdernier. New York:
James Miller.
YANG-PIH-WE-WING-TZONGA-FOH; OR, MUSINGS OVER A CUP OF TEA. New
York: "Evening Mail" Office.

JUST PUBLISHED AT THIS OFFICE :

LINDA TRESSEL, by the Author of Nina Balatka. Price 38 cts.
ALL FOR GREED, by the BARONESS BLAZE DE BURY. Price 38 cts.

PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION AT THIS OFFICE:
THE BRAMLEIGHS OF BISHOP'S FOLLY, by CHARLES LEVER.
OCCUPATIONS OF A RETIRED LIFE, by EDWARD GARRETT.
PHINEAS FINN, THE IRISH MEMBER, by MR. TROLLOPE.

PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY

LITTELL & GAY, BOSTON.

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FOR EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually for warded for a year, free of postage. But we do not prepay postage on less than a year, nor where we have to pay commission for forwarding the money.

Price of the First Series, in Cloth, 36 volumes, 90 dollars.

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Any Volume Bound, 3 dollars; Unbound, 2 dollars. The sets, or volumes, will be sent at the expense of the publishers.

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For 5 new subscribers ($40.), a sixth copy; or a set of HORNE'S INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE, unabridged, in 4 large volumes, cloth, price $10; or any 5 of the back volumes of the LIVING AGE, in numbers, price $10.

From Blackwood's Magazine.
ORESTES.

Hope holds his hands, joy strikes the sounding strings,

creeps

Love o'er him fluttering shakes his purple wings, How tranquil is the night! how calm and deep And sorrow hides her face, and dark death This sacred silence! Not an olive leaf Is stirring on the slopes; all is asleep -All silent, save the distant drowsy streams That down the hillsides murmur in their dreams. The vast sad sky all breathless broods above, And peace and rest this solemn temple steep. Here let us rest: it is the hour of love, Forgetting human pain and human grief.

But see.! half-hidden in the columned shade,
Who panting stands, with hollow eyes dismayed,
That glance around as if they feared to see
Some dreaded shape pursuing? Can it be
Orestes, with that face so trenched and worn-
That brow with sorrow seamed, that face for-
lorn?

Ay, 'tis Orestes! we are not alone.

What human place is free from human groan?
Ay, 'tis Orestes! In the temple there,
Refuge he seeks from horror, from despair.
Look! where he listens, dreading still to hear
The avenging voices sounding in his ear-
The awful voices that, by day and night,
Pursue relentless his despairing flight.
Ah! vain the hope to flee from Nemesis !
He starts
again he hears the horrent hiss
Of the fierce Furies through the darkness creep.
And list! along the aisles the angry sweep,
The hurrying rush of trailing robes, as when,
Through shivering pines asleep in some dim
glen,

Fierce Auster whispers. Yes, even here they
chase

Their haunted victim-even this sacred place
Stays not their fatal footsteps. As they come,
Behold him with that stricken face of doom
Fly to the altar, and there falling prone,
Strike with his brow Apollo's feet of stone.
"Save me!" he cries; "Apollo! hear and

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Peace, O Apollo! give the victim peace!”

See the white arm above him seems to wave,
And all at once is silent as the grave,
And sleep stoops down with noiseless wings out-
spread,

And brooding hovers o'er Orestes' head;
And like a gust that roars along the plain
Seaward, and dies far off, so dies the pain,
The deep remorse, that long his life hath stung,
And he again is guiltless, joyous, young.
Again he plays, as in the olden time,
Through the cool marble halls, unstained by
crime.

Into the shade, and every Fury sleeps.
Sleep! sleep, Orestes! let thy torments cease!
Sleep! great Apollo grants thy prayer for peace.
Sleep! while the dreams of youth around thee
play,

And the fierce Furies rest. Let us away.

W. W. S.

From St. James's Magazine. TWILIGHT VOICES.

I.

Now, at the hour when ignorant mortals
Drowse in the shade of their whirling sphere,
Heaven and Hell from invisible portals
Breathing comfort and ghastly fear,
Voices I hear;

I hear strange voices, flitting, calling,
Wavering by on the dusky blast,—
"Come, let us go, for the night is falling,
Come, let us go, for the day is past !'

II.

Troops of joys are they, now departed?
Winged hopes that no longer stay?
Guardian spirits grown weary-hearted?
Powers that have lingered their latest day?
What do they say?

What do they sing? I hear them calling,
Whispering, gathering, flying fast,—
"Come, come, for the night is falling;
Come, come, for the day is past!"'

III.

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