In the beginning of their discourses, they
generally utter their words with slowness; indeed, with a slowness,
which sometimes renders their meaning almost unintelligible to persons
unaccustomed to such a mode of delivery; for seconds sometimes elapse
between the sounding of short sentences or single words, so that the
mind cannot always easily carry the first words, and join them to the
intermediate, and connect them with the last. As they proceed, they
communicate their impressions in a brisker manner; till, at length,
getting beyond the quickness of ordinary delivery, they may be said to
utter them rapidly. At this time, some of them appear to be much
affected, and even agitated by their subject. This method of a very
slow and deliberate pronunciation at first, and of an accelerated one
afterwards, appears to me, as far as I have seen or heard, to be
universal: for though undoubtedly some may make less pauses between the
introductory words and sentences than others, yet all begin slower than
they afterwards proceed.
This singular custom may be probably accounted for in the following
manner. The Quakers certainly believe that the spirit of God furnishes
them with impressions on these occasions, but that the description of
these is left to themselves Hence a faithful watch must be kept, that
these may be delivered to their hearers conformably to what is delivered
to them.
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