And there are certainly men, who were never taught either the military exercise or dancing, whose deportment is harmonious and graceful.
The Quakers think it unnecessary to teach their children dancing, as an accomplishment, because they can walk, and carry their persons with sufficient ease and propriety without it.
They think it unnecessary also, because, however the practice of it may be consistent with the sprightliness of youth, they could never sanction it in maturer age.

They expect of the members of their society, that they should abandon amusements, and substitute useful and dignified pursuits, when they become men.

But they cannot consider dancing but as an employment that is useless, and below the dignity of the christian-character in persons, who have come to years of discretion.

To initiate therefore a youth of twelve or thirteen years of age into dancing, when he must relinquish it at twenty, would, in their opinion, be a culpable waste of his time.
The Quakers, again, cannot view dancing abstractedly, for no person teaches or practises it abstractedly; but they are obliged to view it, in connection with other things.

If they view it with its usual accompaniment of music, it would be inconsistent, they think, to encourage it, when they have banished music from their republic.