Description:

Quakers

Quaker 1751 Broadside Explaining That They Do Not Call the Months of the Year or the Days of the Week by Their Names Because They Are Vulgar, Heathenish, & Idolistic



Rare Broadside headed, “Extract from the Epistle of the Meeting for Sufferings in London, dated the Sixth Day of the Seventh Month, 1751,” 16” x 20.25”. “Philadelphia: Printed by Joseph Crukshank, in Third-street, opposite the Work-House.” Crukshank printed at this address from 1771-1773. The entire broadside has been silked on verso for preservation, strengthening the previously torn and missing portions at the separated folds which affected some of the text. On verso are 18 unsigned lines with medical content, including illnesses and possible remedies, penned by a patient (“...I was taken with the Dropsey in the 10th Mo. 1783 and in November following I was so much swelled as to be almost incapable of helping myself – my Doctor had tried every thing without Success, except tapping which I refused...”). Very Good condition.



Joseph Crukshank was a member of the Society of Friends, and printed books, pamphlets, and broadsides for them as well as for his own sales. He opened a printing house in Philadelphia in 1769. This broadside is subheaded, “To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of Friends in Great-Britain, Ireland and America.” A similar extract was reprinted in 1791 by Isaac Collins, also a Quaker, and briefly Crukshank’s partner in a stationery and bookstore, Crukshank & Collins. Beginning, “Dear Friends, We think it may be useful and expedient to revive in your remembrance some of the Motives which induced our Ancient Friends to forbear the vulgar Appellations of the Months and Days, and to observe in their Conversations and Writings of such Names as were agreeable to Scripture, and the Practice of good Men therein recorded...our Ancient Friends were conscientiously concerned to refrain from the Use of those Names of Months and Days which had been ascribed by way of Honour to the Idols of the Heathen, and in Conformity to their false Worships...” Listed is “A Brief Account of the Origin of the Names of some Months of the Year, and of all the days of the Week, now customarily and commonly used.” After listing only the first eight months, explaining that the last four months “still retain their numerical Latin Names,” it is pointed out that “As the Idolatrous Romans thus gave Names to several of the Months in Honour of their pretended Deities: So the like Idolatry prevailing among our Saxon Ancestors, induced them to call the Days of the Week by the Name of the Idol which on that Day they peculiarly worshipped.” The origin of the names of the days of the week are explained as worshipping the Sun, the Moon, the idols Tuisco, Woden, and Thor, an “imaginary Goddess” called Friga, and Saturn. Since the medical-content writing on verso refers to the “10th Mo. 1783,” it was probably penned by a Quaker, even though November and January are also mentioned.



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