Thomas Clarkson. A Portraiture of Quakerism.

Thomas Clarkson. A Portraiture of Quakerism. Taken From a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles, and Character of the Society of Friends. First Edition. New York: Samuel Stansbury, 1806. 3 volumes, 12 mo, 363, 382, and 372 pages. Edge worn, leather covers, foxed and browned paper, owner names handwritten in volume I (Ann Allen, Francis R. Taylor), a decorative gilt stamp of Ann H. Allen’s name is in the other two volumes. Thomas Clarkson (28 March 1760 –  26 September 1846), abolitionist, was born at Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England, and became a leading campaigner against the slave trade in the British Empire. As an Anglican, Clarkson’s “Portraiture” looks at peculiar Quaker practices and reverse-engineers them to show how they help Quaker stay in that Christian zone.
 -- While working for the abolition of slavery, the author encountered many Quakers and was impressed by their moral history. Thomas Clarkson wrote, “I felt also a great desire...to do them justice; for ignorance and prejudice had invented many expressions concerning them, to the detriment of their character, when their conduct never gave me reason to suppose, during all my intercourse with them to be true.” These three volumes form a sympathetic history of the Quakers written by a non-Quaker, with a focus on their moral character, discipline, beliefs, peculiar customs, and moral education."

LAST PUBLICLY SPOKEN WORDS OF THOMAS CLARKSON: (from The Leisure Hour journal, March, 1865) Slavery everywhere was attacked after it had fallen in the British dominions. Joseph Sturge, from the beginning of the new endeavors to the end of his life, was one of the main elements of strength and support. Readers will remember the celebrated conference held at the Freemason's Hall, June 1840, when and where were gathered between 500 and 600 delegates, from all parts of the world, we may say, besides all that was great and good in every philanthropic undertaking. It was a noble assembly. There Thomas Clarkson appeared for the last time in public. We give our readers a condensed account of the scene from the pen of the painter Haydon, who was present as an artist to find materials for one of the greatest pictures.
"In a few minutes," he says, "an unaffected man got up and informed the meeting that Thomas Clarkson would attend shortly : he begged no tumultuous applause might greet his entrance, as his infirmities were great, and he was too nervous to bear any such expressions for feelings." This was Joseph Sturge. In a few minutes the aged Clarkson came in, gray and bent, leaning on Joseph Sturge for support, and approached with feeble and tottering steps, the middle of the convention. Immediately behind him were his daughter-in-law, the widow of his son, and his little grandson. The old man first appealed to the meeting for a few moments of silent prayer; and says Haydon, "for a minute there was the most intense silence I have ever felt." He spoke a few feeble words : every word was uttered from his heart.
After urging the members to persevere to the last, til slavery was extinct, lifting his arm and pointing to heaven, his face quivering in emotion, he ended by saying, "May the Supreme Ruler of all human events, at whose disposal are not only the hearts, but the intellects of men -- may He, in His abundant mercy, guide your counsels and give His blessing upon your labours." There was a moment's pause; and then, without an interchange of thoughts or look, the whole of the vast meeting, men and women, said in a tone of subdued and deep feeling, "Amen and amen!"
-- Thomas Clarkson's 1808 First Edition of, The History of the Rise, Progress, and Accomplishment of The Abolition of the African Slave trade by the British Parliament. -- Clarkson starts out by saying, "No subject more pleasing that that of the removal of evils -- Evils have existed almost from the beginning of the world -- but there is a power in our nature to counteract them -- this power increased by Christianity -- of the evils removed by Christianity one of the greatest is the Slave Trade -- The joy we ought to feel on its abolition from a contemplation of the nature of it -- and of the extent of it -- and of the difficulty of subduing it -- Usefulness also of the contemplation of this subject."

-- First Edition (1854) "Life Of Thomas Clarkson" by James Elmes. Thomas Clarkson (1760 – 1846), abolitionist, was born at Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England, and became a leading campaigner against the slave trade in the British Empire. This book details his contributions toward the abolition of the Slave-Trade and Slavery. Published by Blackader & Co., London. Hardbound in tan waxed cloth. It is an important piece of social history pertaining to this turbulent period in both British and American History. Author, James Elmes (1782 – 1862) was an English architect, civil engineer, and writer on the arts, he was born in London.

-- Thomas Clarkson's book, "The History of the Rise, Progress, and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade by the British Parliament" -- 1836 edition written under the supervision of New York University, 276 pages. Published by John S. Taylor, corner of Park-Row and Nassau-Street, Opposite the City Hall. This is the first of a 3  volume set. "The Cabinet of Freedom" under the supervision of  the Hon. William Ray Rev. Prof. Bush of the University of New York, and Gerrit Smith, Esq. There is an engraving of a slave in chains and above the picture are the words "Am I Not a Man and a Brother?" The size is 7 1/2"  X  5".  The book talks about how the slaves were treated on board the slave ships.