Now this is a temper, which they consider to be peculiarly detrimental to their religion.

They consider themselves also in this life as but upon a journey to another, and that they should get through it as quietly and as inoffensively as they can.

They believe again with George Fox, that, "in these lower regions, or in this airy life, all news is uncertain.

There is nothing stable.

But in the higher regions, or in the kingdom of Christ, all things are stable: and the news is always good and certain." [56] [Footnote 56: There is always an exception in favour of conversation on politics, which is, when the government are agitating any question, their interests or their religious freedom is involved.] As politics do not afford matter for much conversation in the Quaker-society, so neither do some other subjects, that may be mentioned.
In a country town, where people daily visit, it is not uncommon to observe, whether at the card, or at the tea-table, that what is usually called scandal forms a part of the pleasures of conversation.