ence born in the society, Penn, Barclay and others having come into
it by convincement, and brought their learning with them. The second is,
that the society has never yet furnished a philosopher, or produced any
material discovery. It is rather a common remark, that if the education
of others had been as limited as that of the Quaker, we should have been
probably at this day without a Newton, and might have been strangers to
those great discoveries, whether of the art of navigation, or of the
circulation of the blood, or of any other kind, which have proved so
eminently useful to the comfort, health, and safety of many of the human
race.

This trait will be true, or it will be false, as it is applied to the
different classes, which may be found in the society of the Quakers. The
poor, who belong to it, are all taught to read, and are therefore better
educated than the poor belonging to other bodies of men. They who
spring from parents whose situation does not entitle them to rank with
the middle class, but yet keeps them out of the former, are generally
educated, by the help of a[38] subscription, at Ackworth school, and may
be said to have more school learning than others in a similar situation
in life. The rest, whatever may be their situation, are educated wholly
at the expence of their parents, who send them either to private Quaker
seminaries, or to schools in the neighbourhood, as they judge it to be
convenient or proper. It is upon this body of the Quakers that the
imputation can only fall; and as far as these are concerned, I think it
may be said with truth, that they possess a less portion of what is
usually called liberal knowledge than others in a corresponding station
in life. There may be here and there a good classical, or a good
mathematical scholar. But in general there are but few Quakers, who
excel in these branches of learning. I ought, however, to add, that this
character is not likely to remain long with the society. For the young
Quakers of the present day seem to me to be sensible of the inferiority
of their own education, and to be making an attempt towards the
improvement of their minds, by engaging in those, which are the most
entertaining, instructive, and useful, I mean, philosophical pursuits.

[Footnote 38: Their parents pay a small annual sum towards their board
and clothing. The rest is made up by a subscription among the society,
and by the funds of the school.]

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