Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-10-22
George FOX'S Residence.

A correspondent of the A. S. Standard
gives the following account of his visit to
Swarthmore Hall. If a pilgrimage there
could revivify the lifeIess forms of some of
our modern Quakers, we would advise them
to make it with all despatch, for they great
ly need some of the moral courage, purity of
heart, singleness of aim, and "plainness of
speech" which distinguished that worthy re-
former.
visited diversion on a pilgrimage TO To-
%calities rendered venerable in connection with
a greater name than Wordsworth's. mean
that Of our ancient and worthy elder, George
Fox. ] wished to visit Swarthmore Hall,
where he resided, and which is in the vicin-
ity of the Westinghouse where he preached.
The former is a dilapidated old building, and
externally presents nothing remarkable in its
appearance; but within, by the help of a sill
yer key, | was admitted into the old hall
where George Fox frequently held forth,
when the good Friends had opportunities"
and into the adjoining parlor, where Judge
Fell sat while he listened to him for it did
not do in those days, (nor, indeed, would it
be very consistent even now,) for a Judge 10
be the avowed adherent of such a DANGEROUS
man as George. The large room is vain
scotted in the curious style of 200 years ago,
and the little parlor is much such a homelv
room as | have seen in snug farm-houses be-
longing to Friends in Ireland. ! walked IN
a wide old staircase, with curious, old-fash-
Toned, carved oak bannisters, into rambling
old roOms,s scattered here and there; and there
was, IN particular, a massive old bedstead-
a medieval affair, heavy and huge-too biz
to carry away, in any of the removals that
have taken place in that house for the last
hundred and fifty years. My mind is made
up that this must have been GEORGE Fox's
bedstead. The noble old fellow! how sweet
ly and soundly he must have slept upon it,
in the intervals of the halings, and insults,
and imprisonments, the voyagings and wan
derings, and the many tribulations which he
underwent during his stormy pilgrimage
Surely it is not too much TO say, that, of all
the reformers, none exhibited a stouter heart,
or a keener perception of principle, more in
doInitable perseverance, or "A more blameless
life, than George Fox. The more expert
ence W. have of the world, the more thor
oughIy and heartily we appreciate the great
ness of such a man. In Swarthmore NEE
ting-house, two rickety old oak arm-chairs,
slightly carved, are preserved. A country
boy, who showed Inc these antiques, told me
that they belonged to George Fox-so | sat
down in one of them, that | might have it to
say. | also saw an old biack-letter Bible.
presented by him to the meeting house, and
intended, ! presume, for the perusal ofFrienjs
who might arrive previous to the gathering
OF meeting. 1t is a large folio; it was prin-
ted in 1911, by Richard Grafton, Printer to
His Hyghness (Henry VIII and is some
times distinguished as the "Treacle Bible
from the word ''traycle,'' being substituted
for the balm in the passage-'Is there nc
balm in Gilead! Is there no physician there?''
The Bible is furnished with a lock and a
chain, after the fashion of the church Bibles
which shortly after the commencement of the
reformation in England, were provided fol
the convenience of congregations. The NEE.
tlng-house is a curious old structure, and
presents some peculiarities of arrangemen
which need not describe to you, for | be
lieve you are neither an architect nor a virtu
oso in meeting-houses.