A Brief Memoir with Portions of the Diary, Letters, and Other Remains,: of Eliza Southall, Late of Birmingham, EnglandSouthall, Eliza Allen
Religion
A Brief Memoir with Portions of the Diary, Letters, and Other Remains,: of Eliza Southall, Late of Birmingham, England
Southall, Eliza Allen
Christian biography -- England; Quakers -- England -- Biography; Southall, Eliza Allen, 1823-1851
It was very interesting, having been at Pardsey Crags
last week, where the thousands had listened to George
Fox's preaching, now to see Swarthmore and remember
how things used to be when he "left the north fresh
and green;" but G. Fox never saw the meeting-house.
It was built, I believe, after his death, though the inscription
"_Ex dono G.F._" is over the porch. His black-oak
chairs stand in the meeting-room, and his two bed-posts
are at each side of the foot of the stairs. Swarthmore
Hall is an ancient-looking, high farm-house, with
stone window-frames, as we have seen it drawn. The
Hall, where the meetings used to be held, looks very
antique: black-oak panels remain in parts. Judge
Fell's study is just inside, and his desk in the window,
whence he could hear what passed, though he never went
to the meetings. The house is in sad repair. It seems
strange to lay aside our daily companions, the map and
the guide-book, and tarn our backs wholly on the mountain
land, for the level and busy plains of England, with
their "daily round and common task." But I know that
the bright and beautiful mountain-scenes will often come
again before the mental eye--"long-vanished" beauty
that "refines and paints in brighter hues;" and I hope
the pleasure will long be gratefully remembered.
The new home was reached on the 16th, from whence she writes,--
To her sister.
EDGBASTON, 20th of 9th Month, 1851.
MY BELOVED L.:--
* * * I do not like to end this eventful week
without trying to send you a few lines. * * * Please
tell mother, with my dear, dear love, how very acceptable
her note was, and how much I hope that her kind good
wishes may be realized, and how frequent a thought of
pleasure it has been while we have been setting things
in order, that before long I may enjoy to show our little
territory to her and father,--to have her kind advice and
opinion about my little household. * * * I yet feel
as strongly as ever a daughter's love to the home of my
childhood. When I think of you, I can fully share in
the illusion thou spoke of, fancying that before long I
shall be among you just as before. * * *
To her sister, P. Tregolles.
YEW-TREE ROAD, 9th Month, 1851.
* * * I could not have thought I should have felt
so easy amongst so many, lately, such strangers; but
every day I feel more strongly that on one nail "fastened
in a sure place" many things may hang easily;
and truly all treat us with such kindness, that I should
be ungrateful not to value highly my connection for its
own sake, whilst that on which it hangs grows firmer
too. * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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