who arrange themselves for that purpose in opposite parties; the men first
divesting themselves of their hats and coats, which they gravely hang against
the wall before they begin; and tying a ribbon around their shirt-sleeves, as
though they were going to be bled. They accompany themselves with a droning,
humming noise, and dance until they are quite exhausted, alternately advancing
and retiring in a preposterous sort of trot. The effect is said to be unspeakably
absurd: and if I may judge from a print of this ceremony which I have in my
possession, and which I am informed by those who have visited the chapel,
is perfectly accurate, it must be infinitely grotesque.
"They are governed by a woman, and her rule is understood to be
absolute, though she has the assistance of a council of elders. She lives, it
is said, in strict seclusion, in certain rooms above the chapel, and is never
shown to profane eyes. If she at all resemble the lady who presided over the
store, it is a great charity to keep her as close as possible, and I cannot too
strongly express my perfect concurrance in this benevolent proceeding.
"All the possessions and revenues of the settlement are thrown into
a common stock, which is managed by the elders. As they have made con-
verts among people who were well to do in the world, and are frugal and
thrifty, it is understood that this fund prospers: the more especially as they
have made large purchases of land. Nor is this at Lebanon the only Shaker
settlement: there are, I think, at least three others.
"They are good farmers, and all their produce is eagerly purchased
and highly esteemed. 'Shaker seeds/ 'Shaker herbs/ and 'Shaker distilled
waters/ are commonly announced for sale in the shops of towns and cities.
They are good breeders of cattle, and are kind and merciful to the brute
cr eation. Consequently, Shaker beasts seldom fail to find a ready market.
"They eat and drink together, after the Spartan model, at a great
pttolic table. There is no union of the sexes, and every Shaker, male and
female, is devoted to a life of celibacy. Rumour has been busy upon this
theme, but here again I must refer to the lady of the store, and say, that if
many of the sister Shakers resemble her, I treat all such slander as bearing
on its face the strongest marks of wild improbability. But that they take as
proselytes, persons so young that they cannot know their own minds, and
cannot possess much strength of resolution in this or any other respect, I
can assert from my own observation of the extreme juvenility of certain
youthful Shakers whom I saw at work among the party on the road.
"They are said to be good drivers of bargains, but to be honest and
just in their transactions, and even in horse-dealing to resist those thievist
tendencies which would seem, for some undiscovered reason, to be almost
inseparable from that branch of traffic. In all matters they hold their own
course quietly, live in their gloomy silent commonwealth, and show little
desire to interfere with other people.