Letters on England [3]
thou appearest to me too well
read not to know that in Christ's time no nation was so ridiculous
as to put the plural number for the singular. Augustus Caesar
himself was spoken to in such phrases as these: 'I love thee,' 'I
beseech thee,' 'I thank thee;' but he did not allow any person to
call him 'Domine,' sir. It was not till many ages after that men
would have the word 'you,' as though they were double, instead of
'thou' employed in speaking to them; and usurped the flattering
titles of lordship, of eminence, and of holiness, which mere worms
bestow on other worms by assuring them that they are with a most
profound respect, and an infamous falsehood, their most obedient
humble servants. It is to secure ourselves more strongly from such
a shameless traffic of lies and flattery, that we 'thee' and 'thou'
a king with the same freedom as we do a beggar, and salute no
person; we owing nothing to mankind but charity, and to the laws
respect and obedience.
"Our apparel is also somewhat different from that of others, and
this purely, that it may be a perpetual warning to us not to imitate
them. Others wear the badges and marks of their several dignities,
and we those of Christian humility. We fly from all assemblies of
pleasure, from diversions of every kind, and from places where
gaming is practised; and indeed our case would be very deplorable,
should we fill with such levities as those I have mentioned the
heart which ought to be the habitation of God. We never swear, not
even in a court of justice, being of opinion that the most holy name
of God ought not to be prostituted in the miserable contests betwixt
man and man. When we are obliged to appear before a magistrate upon
other people's account (for law-suits are unknown among the
Friends), we give evidence to the truth by sealing it with our yea
or nay; and the judges believe us on our bare affirmation, whilst so
many other Christians forswear themselves on the holy Gospels. We
never war or fight in any case; but it is not that we are afraid,
for so far from shuddering at the thoughts of death, we on the
contrary bless the moment which unites us with the Being of Beings;
but the reason of our not using the outward sword is, that we are
neither wolves, tigers, nor mastiffs, but men and Christians. Our
God, who has commanded us to love our enemies, and to suffer without
repining, would certainly not permit us to cross the seas, merely
because murderers clothed in scarlet, and wearing caps two foot
high, enlist citizens by a noise made with two little sticks on an
ass's skin extended. And when, after a victory is gained, the whole
city of London is illuminated; when the sky is in a blaze with
fireworks, and a noise is heard in the air, of thanksgivings, of
bells, of organs, and of the cannon, we groan in silence, and are
deeply affected with sadness of spirit and brokenness of heart, for
the sad havoc which is the occasion of those public rejoicings."
LETTER II.--ON THE QUAKERS
Such was the substance of the conversation I had with this very
singular person; but I was greatly surprised to see him come the
Sunday following and take me with him to the Quakers' meeting.
There are several of these in London, but that which he carried me
to stands near the famous pillar called The Monument. The brethren
were already assembled at my entering it with my guide. There might
be about four hundred men and three hundred women in the meeting.
The women hid their faces behind their fans, and the men were
covered with their broad-brimmed hats. All were seated, and the
silence was universal. I passed through them, but did not perceive
so much as one lift up his eyes to look at me. This silence lasted
a quarter of an hour, when at last one of them rose up, took off his
hat, and, after making a variety of wry faces and groaning in a most
lamentable manner, he, partly from
read not to know that in Christ's time no nation was so ridiculous
as to put the plural number for the singular. Augustus Caesar
himself was spoken to in such phrases as these: 'I love thee,' 'I
beseech thee,' 'I thank thee;' but he did not allow any person to
call him 'Domine,' sir. It was not till many ages after that men
would have the word 'you,' as though they were double, instead of
'thou' employed in speaking to them; and usurped the flattering
titles of lordship, of eminence, and of holiness, which mere worms
bestow on other worms by assuring them that they are with a most
profound respect, and an infamous falsehood, their most obedient
humble servants. It is to secure ourselves more strongly from such
a shameless traffic of lies and flattery, that we 'thee' and 'thou'
a king with the same freedom as we do a beggar, and salute no
person; we owing nothing to mankind but charity, and to the laws
respect and obedience.
"Our apparel is also somewhat different from that of others, and
this purely, that it may be a perpetual warning to us not to imitate
them. Others wear the badges and marks of their several dignities,
and we those of Christian humility. We fly from all assemblies of
pleasure, from diversions of every kind, and from places where
gaming is practised; and indeed our case would be very deplorable,
should we fill with such levities as those I have mentioned the
heart which ought to be the habitation of God. We never swear, not
even in a court of justice, being of opinion that the most holy name
of God ought not to be prostituted in the miserable contests betwixt
man and man. When we are obliged to appear before a magistrate upon
other people's account (for law-suits are unknown among the
Friends), we give evidence to the truth by sealing it with our yea
or nay; and the judges believe us on our bare affirmation, whilst so
many other Christians forswear themselves on the holy Gospels. We
never war or fight in any case; but it is not that we are afraid,
for so far from shuddering at the thoughts of death, we on the
contrary bless the moment which unites us with the Being of Beings;
but the reason of our not using the outward sword is, that we are
neither wolves, tigers, nor mastiffs, but men and Christians. Our
God, who has commanded us to love our enemies, and to suffer without
repining, would certainly not permit us to cross the seas, merely
because murderers clothed in scarlet, and wearing caps two foot
high, enlist citizens by a noise made with two little sticks on an
ass's skin extended. And when, after a victory is gained, the whole
city of London is illuminated; when the sky is in a blaze with
fireworks, and a noise is heard in the air, of thanksgivings, of
bells, of organs, and of the cannon, we groan in silence, and are
deeply affected with sadness of spirit and brokenness of heart, for
the sad havoc which is the occasion of those public rejoicings."
LETTER II.--ON THE QUAKERS
Such was the substance of the conversation I had with this very
singular person; but I was greatly surprised to see him come the
Sunday following and take me with him to the Quakers' meeting.
There are several of these in London, but that which he carried me
to stands near the famous pillar called The Monument. The brethren
were already assembled at my entering it with my guide. There might
be about four hundred men and three hundred women in the meeting.
The women hid their faces behind their fans, and the men were
covered with their broad-brimmed hats. All were seated, and the
silence was universal. I passed through them, but did not perceive
so much as one lift up his eyes to look at me. This silence lasted
a quarter of an hour, when at last one of them rose up, took off his
hat, and, after making a variety of wry faces and groaning in a most
lamentable manner, he, partly from