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.
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