practical sophistry, for I can find no better name to give to that course they pursue, of still evading (as in the case just cited) any open abandonment of their rigid principles. The celebrated Dr. Franklin has recorded some cases of this nature, which are very curious. He tells us in his Letters, that in America he had frequent occasion to notice the shifts made by the Quakers, when applied to grant aids for military purposes. Being once solicited to agree to a grant of money to government to buy gunpowder, they would not do it, because that was an ingredient of war; but they readily voted an aid of 3000Z. to New England, to be put into the hands of the Governor, and appropriated to the purchase of bread, flour, wheat, or other grain. Provision of bread, flour, wheat, not being amongst the things demanded, the Governor was advised not to accept the proposal; but he was shrewd enough to see through their design, and to comprehend, that under the terms other grain, gunpowder might

*There is extant a very curious address, by the famous Mirabeau, to a deputation of Quakers at the bar of the National Assembly, at the commencement of the French Revolution, in which he plainly charges them with violating their own principles, in the extreme care they take not to violate them.

pass, which he accordingly bought, and they never objected to it.

In Mr. Ramsay's Dictionary of Anecdotes, where the above story is recited, another instance is given of their practical sophistry.-Two vessels being brought to an engagement, in one of them was a Quaker, who on the footing of his religious principles against war and fighting, withstood every solicitation to lend an hand, though the enemy all the time was pouring in his shot with the most fatal effect; but the French having attempted to board, the Quaker very coolly and deliberately went up to the first man who leaped on deck, and taking him by the collar, said, "Friend, thou hast no business here,” and immediately shoved him over the ship's side.

Bishop Parker tells the following story; that they not only met the oftener because they thought they were forbidden to meet by stat. 35th Elizabeth, but that a large assembly of them, in the reign of Charles II. having protracted their sitting to a very long and tedious period, could not be prevailed with to break up till a merry wag thought of this stratagem; he caused it to be proclaimed in the King's name, that no one

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should depart without his leave." On hearing of which they all immediately rose and went away, that it should not be said they paid obedience to any man.

It is quite remarkable that persons who appear to have the most exalted ideas of integrity, should submit to the subterfuges they occasionally adopt. The following is another story to be found in the Dictionary of Anecdotes. A Quaker refused to pay, according to the custom of his sect, the dues of the Minister of the parish; the latter forbore to proceed to extremities till he was compelled by the remonstrances of the other parishioners, who refused to pay any more tithes unless the Quaker paid his. Before however the Clergyman had recourse to compulsory means, he invited the Quaker to dinner, who knowing the temper of the parish, took from his pocket, after dinner, a bank note, saying, "Take that is thy due." The Minister offering the balance above the amount of his tithes, the Quaker refused, adding, "thy meat-offering and drink-offering were very good, and therefore it is but just that thou shouldest be paid for the same." The Minister took the hint, and by adopting the

same method annually, never had any further altercation with him*.

* It has been intimated to me, through my publishers, that none of these statements are true. I have given my authorities, and to say that I look upon them as mere fabrications, would be to acknowledge more than I feel. I have personally witnessed cases not far different, yet I do not wish to be thought to bring them forward illiberally or insultingly-far from it-many Quakers, I can easily believe, are at this moment living examples of every Christian virtne; but yet it ought to be acknowledged, that on the score of their singularities, in dress, speech, and abstinence from all worldly amusements and enjoyments, they are, at the same time, living satires on all other sects of Christians, who are in no manner bound to submit to such reflections on their general conduct. If the Quakers are right, how many other professed Christians must be egregiously wrong!

WIGS.

I WILL freely confess that when I began this work, I had so little design of writing about Wigs, that if any body had told me, I should come to them in the course of my lucubrations, I should not have believed him. And now, if it should appear to any of my readers to be altogether an unwarrantable digression, totally unconnected with what has gone before, I am willing to stand engaged to return them such a proportion of their purchase money, (for having been seduced into the trouble of reading it,) as the precise quantity of the section may be judged to be worth, in comparison with the total amount of pages and sections of which the work at large may consist. As new ideas arise, I cannot help pursuing them, and not having persons constantly at my elbow to talk to about them, I do as Montaigne did, I talk to my paper. Wigs are now reduced in this kingdom, to mere marks of distinction; our Bishops and our Judges are almost