body of disciples, some of whom went beyond himself in absurdity. He has told us that one of his friends walked naked through Skipton declaring the truth, and that another was divinely moved to go naked during several years to market places, and to the houses of gentlemen and clergymen. Fox complains bitterly that these pious acts, prompted by the Holy Spirit, were requited by an untoward generation with hooting, pelting, coach-whipping, and horse-whipping. But, though he applauded the zeal of the sufferers, he did not go quite to their lengths. He sometimes, indeed, was impelled to strip himself partially. Thus he pulled off his shoes and walked barefoot through Lichfield, crying Woe to the bloody city.' But it does not appear that he ever thought it his duty to appear before the public without that decent garment from which his appellation was derived."

6

The extravagances of Fox were hardly greater than those of other dissenters of his day, the Praise God Barebones and Tribulation Holdforths of the Independent Party, all exhibiting the mistake of those who receive the Scriptures in a literal sense, and would found sects upon such literal interpretation. The Quaker sect has lasted long, because its bundle of extravagance and delusion has contained a great and preserving truth, a truth which is becoming more and more recognized, as the sect, with its uncouth dress, its thees and thous, its yeas and its nays, is

passing away into oblivion. Who shall say it has not performed a good work, aided it may be by those very mistakes which have ensured its dissolution.

It is said that when a congregation of Quakers were once assembled in a small square building now standing in Plymouth County, and were communing each with his own thoughts and inquiring of the evil that was in him, a stranger rode up to the door, dismounted, walked into the meeting-house and took his seat with the rest. In a few moments he rose and addressed the assembly in a manner so forcible and eloquent, with matter so suited to the occasion and to the audience, that the honest Quakers were filled with admiration, for he seemed to them almost to have dropped from the clouds, bringing with him a message for their especial benefit. As soon as he had finished his discourse the stranger walked out as abruptly as he had entered, mounted his horse and rode away. It was afterwards ascertained that the new preacher was a man of very extended reputation, although not in the particular in which he had figured on this occasion. His name was RUFUS KING.

I shall never forget a simple, honest and childlike Quaker, from one of the Western States, with whom I once travelled from Cincinnati to Pittsburg. On the day after our arrival we sallied out together to see what sights the coal-smoked city could afford. The principal if not only one appeared to be the Catholic

Cathedral, a large and imposing structure, built on the highest eminence in the city and overlooking the country in all directions. Seeing but one or two persons in the church, we walked in and strolled up towards the altar, which we had nearly reached, when some one in authority called out to my good friend to take off his hat. To this he of course objected,when the official demanded if he would not take off his hat in the presence of God. Friend, said the Quaker, I thought we were always in the presence of God. No, said the other, not when you are in hell, and forthwith drove him out of the sacred presence. I made haste to join him, and we departed quite edified and instructed by the lesson we had received.

The Quaker, thought I, cannot carry his hat with him into the other world, but he may carry a pure and devout spirit, that will be more acceptable than burnt offerings, gilded altars, smoking incense, and all the tithes of mint, anise and cummin, which, without charity, are but as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.

FILLIBUSTERS.

HARDLY anything has happened of late in Washington more to be regretted than the recent attempt, in the Senate of the United States, to censure Commodore Paulding for seizing Walker and his confederates in Nicaragua, on the ground that such seizure is a violation of the law of nations. The Senate is supposed to represent the dignity, conservatism, experience, wisdom and learning of the nation, and to hold the highest rank among the representative bodies of the world. Who would have supposed that senators could have been found to accuse a naval officer, who performed only his duty, on the pretence that he acted contrary to the law of nations when he pursued a fugitive from legal process in Louisiana, and denounced by a proclamation of the President, and seized him and his confederates as they were about to make war upon a people with whom we are at peace?

If the law of nations had been violated, it was for the aggrieved party to complain of it, and for no one