A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 1: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of FriendsClarkson, Thomas
Religion
A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 1: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of Friends
Clarkson, Thomas
Society of Friends
It must be obvious again, that some people are of a grave, and that
others are of a lively disposition, and that these will probably never
dress alike. Other members again, but particularly the rich, have a
larger intercourse than the rest of them, or mix more with the world.
These again will probably dress a little differently from others, and
yet, regarding the two great objects of dress, their cloathing may come
within the limits which these allow. Indeed if there be any, whose
apparel would be thought exceptionable by the society, these would be
found among the rich. Money, in all societies, generally takes the
liberty of introducing exceptions. Nothing, however is more true, than
that, even among the richest of the Quakers, there is frequently as much
plainness and simplicity in their outward dress, as among the poor; and
where the exceptions exist, they are seldom carried to an extravagant,
and never to a preposterous extent.
From this account it will be seen, that the ideas of the world are
erroneous on the subject of the dress of the Quakers; for it has always
been imagined, that, when the early Quakers first met in religious
union, they met to deliberate and fix upon some standard, which should
operate as a political institution, by which the members should be
distinguished by their apparel from the rest of the world. The whole
history, however, of the shape and colour of the garments of the Quakers
is, as has been related, namely, that the primitive Quakers dressed like
the sober, steady, and religious people of the age, in which the society
sprung up, and that their descendants have departed less in a course of
time, than others, from the dress of their ancestors. The mens hats are
nearly the same now, except that they have stays and loops, and many of
their clothes are nearly of the same shape and colour, as in the days of
George Fox. The dress of the women also is nearly similar. The black
hoods indeed have gone, in a certain degree, out of use. But many of
such women, as are ministers and elders, and indeed many others of age
and gravity of manners, still retain them. The green apron also has been
nearly, if not wholly laid aside. There was here and there an ancient
woman, who used it within the last ten years, but I am told that the
last of these died lately. No other reasons can be given, than those
which have been assigned, why Quaker-women should have been found in the
use of a colour, which is so unlike any other which they now use in
their dress. Upon the whole, if the females were still to retain the use
of the black hood and the green apron, and the men were to discard the
stays and loops for their hats, we should find that persons of both
sexes in the society, but particularly such as are antiquated, or as may
be deemed old fashioned in it, would approach very near to the first or
primitive Quakers in their appearance, both as to the sort and to the
shape, and to the colour of their clothes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account