ogether. They
resemble the little wooden figures of the man and the woman, which, by
moving backwards and forwards in a small painted house, denote the
changes of the weather. While one of these is within, the other is out
of doors. But this is not the case with the Quakers. The husband and
wife are not so easily separable. They visit generally together. They
are remarked as affectionate. You never hear of intrigues among them.
They are long in each others society at a time, and they are more at
home than almost any other people. For neither the same pleasures, nor
the same occupations, separate these as others. The husband is never
seen at a play, nor at a tavern, nor at a dance. Neither the naval nor
the military profession summons him abroad. He is seldom concerned in
voyages as a mariner. Hence he must of necessity be much at home. Add to
this, that the Quakers have generally families, with the power of
providing for them. But these circumstances render their homes agreeable
to them, and increase their domestic delights.

A third source of the happiness of the Quakers arises from the
circumstance of their being almost constantly employed. Few are so
miserable as those who have nothing to do, or who, unable to find
employment, feel a dull vacuum in their time. And the converse of this
proposition is equally true, that the time of those flies pleasantly
away, who can employ it rationally. But there is rarely such a being
among the Quakers as a lazy person, gaping about for amusement. Their
trades or callings occupy the greater portion of their time. Their
meetings of discipline, as has been already shewn, occupy their time
again. The execution of the various offices to which they may be
appointed, such as of overseers, or elders, or committee-men, or
arbitrators in disputes, occupies more. Few Quakers, but particularly
the more respectable, have many vacant hours. And here it may not be
improper to remark, that the discipline of the society, organized as it
is, is productive of a cheerful and friendly intercourse of the
members, or of a sociable manner of spending their time, one with
another. The monthly meetings usually bring two or three particular
meetings together. The members of these, when they have dispatched their
business, retire to the houses of their friends, where they take their
refreshment, and indulge in the pleasures of conversation. The quarterly
meetings again bring the monthly meetings of the count