cation. But he certainly must be allowed to manage his fraternity, and their economical affairs, with skill and success. Under his direction, I was informed, the Society have acquired considerable and valuable possessions; consisting of good houses, and lands of the best quality, well enclosed, and well cultivated. The members of the fraternity, are principally farmers, gardeners, and mechanics; and the business of all is done in the neatest, and most effectual, manner within their knowledge. Whenever they hear of an improvement in any business, pursued within their pale, they regularly possess themselves of it, if within their reach. Of course, whatever they do is well done; and whatever they offer in the market is in good reputation, and sold at a good price.

Among themselves they are said to be very harmonious and friendly; and in their treatment of others to be fair, sincere, and obliging. In seasons, when the yellow fever has prevailed in New-York, they have distinguished themselves by very honourable and liberal donations to the poor of that city.

Incredible as it may seem, one is tempted, from the apparent sincerity of these people in other cases, to believe them sincere in the adoption of those mental vagaries, by which they are distinguished as a religious society. They profess, and appear to believe, that they are regularly inspired in their worship; that they are enabled to speak, and to sing, in unknown languages; that they derive their sentiments, their knowledge, their devotion, their unnatural actions, and even their tunes, from the same divine source.

I was once detained by a snow storm at an inn, in Chequapee, a small village mentioned heretofore in the account of Springfield. A considerable number of these people were also compelled to stop at the same house. As my companions and myself had shewn them some civility, they, in their turn, were civil also; and became frank and communicative, beyond their common custom. One of their considerable men was present; at least one who thought himself of this character; and he passed with his companions, as well as with himself, for a theologian of no January 1783.

+ John Meacham.

common attainments. In the course of a long conversation, however, I found him acquainted with the Bible, just as parrots are acquainted with words. What he knew, he knew only by rote, and without meaning; and was destitute of any coherent views concerning religious subjects, and of any arguments to support his opinions. At the same time, he was replenished with spiritual pride and self-sufficiency; and when hardly pushed, betook himself, like all other enthusiasts, to disingenuous methods, in order to avoid acknowledging that he was vanquished.

In their worship these people sung in what they called an unknown language. It was a succession of unmeaning sounds, frequently repeated, half articulated, and plainly gotten by heart; for they all uttered the same sounds in succession. The tune, with which they were at this time inspired, was Nancy Dawson.

As I found by various trials, that arguments were lost upon their leader, I determined to make an experiment of the efficacy of contempt; and was not disappointed. In spite of his professions, he felt the pungency of this weapon equally with other men. From the moment that I appeared to despise him, he laboured solicitously to obtain my favourable opinion; and did not desist from his efforts until we finally parted.

Here also I learned, that these people attached a religious character to modes of dress; and esteemed it criminal to have clothes made according to any existing fashion.

In their worship they practised many contortions of the body, and distortions of the countenance. The gesticulations of the women were violent, and had been practised so often, and in such a degree, as to have fixed their features in an unnatural position; made them goggle-eyed; suffused their eyes with blood; covered their faces with a sickly paleness; and made them appear like persons just escaped, or rather just escaping, from a violent disease. The motions of the men were very moderate, and seemed rather to be condescendingly than earnestly made.

These people confidently informed me, as a proof that their fraternity possessed miraculous powers, that they had restored the broken limb of a youth at that time living in Enfield. I was soon after at Enfield, and was informed by some of the respecta

ble inhabitants, that the friends of this youth, who were Shakers, had been induced, by the importunities of their brethren, to trust his cure to their prayers, instead of committing him, as they intended to the care of a surgeon. The use of the limb was lost,

and the patient's health ruined.

The power of working miracles, they still claim; and in the book, which I have so often mentioned, a number of instances are produced in which the effects of these powers are said to have been realized by several members of the fraternity. The writer expressly says, that "the gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophesying, discerning of spirits, divers kinds of tongues, the interpreting of tongues, &c. have been abundantly ministered through Mother, and the first witnesses; and from them to others; and frequently used on various occasions." Ten instances, in which persons have professedly been healed of various wounds and diseases, are recorded. Five of these are testified to by the patients themselves; four are testified by one other witness, to each, beside the patient; two by two witnesses, together with the patient; and one, by two witnesses, without the testimony of the patient, who was a child of two years old.

The first of these cases existed in 1780; three of them in 1781; three in 1783; one in 1785; and two in 1789. Of the remaining two cases, one was a child two years old; and the other a boy nine or ten years of age.

The testimony, such as it was, was all taken on the 21st, 22nd, 23d, and 25th of April, 1308.

The witnesses are all Shakers. The testimony is taken by two men, reputed to be leaders of the Brotherhood; one of them supposed to be the writer of this book; and was plainly taken for the mere purpose of giving currency to the book, and to the system. Upon the whole, it deserves just about as much credit, as those stories, which begin with "Once there was a man." I have mentioned, that the company, at whose worship I was present, declared that they could speak with tongues; and that both the words and the tune, which they sung, were inspired. It is unnecessary to add any thing concerning the tune. I observed to

them, that the sounds, which they made, and which they called language, could not be words, because they were not articulated. One of the women replied, "How dost thee know, but that we speak the Hotmatot language? The language of the Hotmatots is said to be made up of such sort of words." I challenged them to speak either Greek, Latin, or French; and told them, that, if they would do this, I would acknowledge that they had the power of speaking with tongues: but they were silent. They professed, not only that Mother was perfect, but that a considerable number, at least, of the fraternity were perfect also. I accosted the only man among them, who appeared to have any sincerity, in this manner. "Look me directly in the face, and remember that you are in the immediate presence of the All-seeing God, who is your Judge and mine; and tell me, if you dare, that you are perfect, or that you ever saw any person, whom you believed to be perfect." The man trembled like an aspen leaf; and after declaring, that he did not consider himself as a perfect man; refused to say, and most evidently was afraid to say, that he ever had seen any person, even Mother herself, whom he believed to be perfect.

Probably there never was a sillier enthusiasm than this; yet, by a singular combination of circumstances, it has become to society the most harmless, and in some respects the most useful perhaps, of all the mental extravagances, of this nature, recorded in history. The doctrines are so gross, that they can never spread far; while the industry, manual skill, fair dealing and orderly behaviour of the Brotherhood, render them useful members of society.

I ought to add that Mother was boldly pronounced by them to be immortal. But after she was taken out of their sight in the ordinary way of all living, this magnificent story, of which she was undoubtedly the author, was told no more. Had Christ uttered such a declaration concerning himself; and it had terminated in the same manner; it would have ruined all his pretensions in a moment. But this event has never disturbed the faith of the Shakers at all. Of her they plainly think as favourably, as if she had been actually immortal. I am, Sir, yours, &c.

LETTER II.

Account of the Shakers continued.

Dear Sir,

In several subsequent journeys through New-Lebanon I found the reputation of the Shakers, for fairness of character, sensibly lowered in the estimation of those discreet people in the neighbourhood, with whom I had opportunity to converse. From the sequestered state of the Society, and the little and cautious intercourse, which they carry on with the rest of mankind, you will easily determine, that it must be difficult to obtain an accurate knowledge of what passes within their walls. Several individuals, however, who were once members of the brotherhood, and finally left them, have published accounts of some things, which took place behind the curtain, drawn between them and the rest of mankind. From these accounts their character has begun to be better understood; and an opportunity is furnished for the acquisition of a better knowledge of some parts of their history. One of these accounts is before me; entitled "An account of the people called Shakers, their faith, doctrines, and practice; exemplified in the life, conversations, and experience, of the Author, during the time, while he belonged to the society; to which is added a history of their rise, and progress, to the present day: by Thomas Brown, of Cornwall, Orange County, State of NewYork." The book is a duodecimo volume of three hundred and seventy-two pages, closely printed. It is written with a very commendable spirit of moderation, with strong appearances of integrity, and with a respectable share of good sense and information. The writer was originally a Quaker; and, though plainly enthusiastic to a considerable degree, was not sufficiently so to yield his faith, ultimately, without conviction, or against the dictates of his own judgment. For this reason, only, he was dismissed. They were very desirous to retain him; but he had too much sense, integrity, and independence, to become a victim to the doctrines of implicit faith, and passive obedience.