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There will be no difficulty in imagining, if the Quakers have found
fault with the words and expressions adopted by others, and these the
great majority of the world, that the world will scrutinize, and find
fault with, those of the Quakers in return. This in fact has turned out
to be the case.--And I know of no subject, except that of dress, where
the world have been more lavish of their censures, than in that before
us.
When the Quakers first appeared as a religious community, many
objections were thrown but against the peculiarities of their language.
These were noticed by Robert Barclay and William Penn. But, since that
time, other objections have been started. But as these have not been
published (for they remain where they have usually been, in the mouths
of living persons) Quaker writers have not felt themselves called upon
to attempt to answer them. These objections, however, of both
descriptions, I shall notice in the present place.
As the change of the pronoun thou for you was the first article, that I
brought forward on the subject of the language of the Quakers, I shall
begin with the objections, that are usually started against it.
"Singularity, it is said, should always be avoided, if it can be done
with a clear conscience.
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