The Social History of SmokingApperson, George Latimer
History
The Social History of Smoking
Apperson, George Latimer
Smoking
Many of his followers smoked, sometimes apparently to such an extent
as to cause scandal among their brethren. The following is an entry in
the minutes of the Friends' Monthly Meeting at Hardshaw, Lancashire:
"14th of 4th mo. 1691. It being considered that the too frequent use
of smoking Tobacco is inconsistent with friends holy profession, it is
desired that such as have occasion to make use thereof take it
privately, neither too publicly in their own houses, nor by the
highways, streets, or in alehouses or elsewhere, tending to the
abetting the common excess." Another Lancashire Monthly Meeting,
Penketh, under date "18th 8th mo. 1691" suggested that Friends were
"not to smoke during their labour or occupation, but to leave their
work and take it privately"--a suggestion which clearly proceeded from
non-smokers. The smug propriety of these recommendations to enjoy a
smoke in private is delightful.
At the Quarterly Meeting of Aberdeen Friends in 1692 a "weighty paper
containing several heads of solid advyces and Counsells to friends"
sent by Irish Quakers, was read. These counsels abound with amusingly
prim suggestions. Among them is the warning to "take heed of being
overcome with strong drink or tobacco, which many by custome are
brought into bondag to the creature." The Aberdeen Friends themselves
a little later were greatly concerned at the increasing indulgence in
"superfluous apparell and in vain recreations among the young ones";
and in 1698 they issued a paper dealing in great detail with matters
of dress and deportment. Among a hundred other things treated with
minutest particularity, the desire is expressed that "all Idle and
needless Smoaking of Tobacco be forborn."
William Penn did not like tobacco and was often annoyed by it in
America. Clarkson, his biographer, relates that on one occasion Penn
called to see some old friends at Burlington, who had been smoking,
but who, in consideration for his feelings, had put their pipes away.
Penn smelt the tobacco, and noticing that the pipes were concealed,
said, "Well, friends, I am glad that you are at last ashamed of your
old practice." "Not entirely so," replied one of the company, "but we
preferred laying down our pipes to the danger of offending a weaker
brother."
Many of the tobacco-boxes used in the latter part of the seventeenth
century were imported from Holland. They were long or oval and were
usually made of brass. They can be easily identified by their engraved
subjects and Dutch inscriptions. An example in the Colchester Museum
is made of copper and brass, with embossed designs and inscriptions,
representing commerce, &c., on the base and lid. It has engraved on
the sides the name and address of its owner--"Barnabas Barker,
Wyvenhoe, Essex." The similar boxes later made in England usually had
embossed ornamentation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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