The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-05
From the Chicago Record-Herald.

ltA HE journal OIL 'ohi "oolnsn
'(O is undoubtedly the least known
book in Dr. Eliot's list. 1t evil
IDENTIFY was chosen for its quality OF spir-
ituality rather than its literary value
In accordance with the fundamental idea
of DIR. Eliot that his selections should be
hooks serving the cause of truth. beauty
and wisdom. Written by Quaker taiior
of humble origin, it seems destined 10
become famous more than a century ana
a quarter after it's original publicatloh'
which was in It's. Woolman was Wen
known In his day as preacher OF INC
Society of Friends, or Quakers as they
are more generally known. He was porn
in Northampton, Burlington county, N. j.,
In FRO After some experience on farm
and as a storekeeper, he became tailor.
When q years old he began to speak at
meetings of the Friends. Throughout his
life he supported himself by his trade.
In 174s Woolman began travelling on re-
ligious missions among the B'riends
throughout the American colonies, and
continued In the work until near the close
of his life, which occurred at York, Eng
land, of the smallpox, in 1772 His pub
lished works are numerous and have been
reprinted several times. The Journal
was re-edited by John G. Whittier in
1871. Woolman was especially noted as
one of the pioneer opponents of negro
slavery He may be considered social
reformer also, all his sympathies being
with the poor. 1.-THE larger portion Of
Woolmans Journal" says Whittier, is
devoted to the subjects of slavery, I'M
compensated labor and the excessive toll
and suffering of many to support the lux
ury of few"
"Get the writings of John Woolman by
heart, and love the early Quakers,' adj
yised Charles Lamb in his essay on "A
Quaker Meeting" Henry Crabb Robinson,
the English man of letters, In his pub
lished diary, pronounced the journal"
which he had just finished reading, "a
perfect GEM" And he proceeds:
..His is a scheme seele beautiful soul).
An illiterate tailor, he writes in a~style OF
the most exquisite purity and grace. His
moral qualities are transferred to MS
writings. Had he not been so very hum
BILE he would have written a still better
book for, fearing to indulge in vanity,
he conceals the events in which he was
a great actor His religion is love. His
whole existence and all his passions were
love!'
William PENIS Fruits of Solitude Is
another product of early Quaker life in
America. The celebrated founder of
Pennsylvania in October, 1892, was de-
prived of the government of that colony
by an order Of the English council, for
the ostensible reason, as recited in the
commission Of Colonel Fletcher, PENIS
successor, that by reason OF great neg
lect and miscarriage in the government
of Pennsylvania her majesty found 1t
necessary to take the government into her
hands and under her immediate protec-
tion" In addition to this blow Penn was
afflicted by the illness of his wife ind
by fresh accusation of reasonable cor
respondence with James H., who had
abdicated the throne of England four
years before. In retirement and affliction
the great Quaker wrote the book recon-
mended by DR.. Eliot which the Encyclo-
pedia Britannica pronounces "the most
devotional and charming of his works"
1t is a collection of maxims Of conduct
and religion. At the time he wrote 1t
Penn was IS years old. He was restored
to royal favor in December. 1892 but was
not given the governorship Of the colony
again until August, 1894.
Francis Bacon's New Atlantis" Is per-
haps as unfamiliar to one who has not
made a study of English literature a. his
Essays" are familiar This work, frAg-
ment of the mass of philosophical writ
ings produced by the great Elizabethar.
sets forth conditions in an ideal state.
where the ideas detailed in his TN
stauratio Magma are presumed to BE-