Books and Manuscripts

(Philadelphia), ca. 1782-88. A rare group of seven consecutive American printed epistles from the yearly London meetings of the Society of Friends, each discussing the issues of slavery and abolition. Bifolium sheet, sizes vary (approximately 8 1/2 x 13 1/2 in.) (216 x 343 mm).

1.The Epistle from the Yearly-Meeting, in London, Held by Adjournments, from the 20th of the Fifth Month 1782, to the 25th of the same, inclusive. To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of Friends in Great-Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere.
(Joseph Crukshank), ca. 1782. Signed in type by clerk Sampson Lloyd. Creasing from old folds, lightly foxed; edges untrimmed, a few small chips to margins. Evans 17540, Sabin 86051, ESTC W9418 (locates only six copies) "…on the American continent, where the sufferings of friends, on account of their adherence to our peaceable principles, appear to have increased…[Friends] are also enabled to proceed in their charitable endeavours for the liberty of the African captives…We mark with peculiar satisfaction the continuance of your endeavours for the relief of the poor oppressed Africans, and their descendants…We greatly desire that ye may be encouraged to persevere in this good work…”

2.The Epistle from the Yearly-Meeting in London, Held by Adjournments, from the 9th of the Sixth Month 1783, to the 16th of the same, inclusive. To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of Friends in Great-Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere.
Ca. 1783. Signed in type by clerk William Tuke. Docketed on verso in type "The London Epistles, For 1783.” Creasing from old folds; edges untrimmed. Bristol B5708, Shipton & Mooney 44367, ESTC W34091 (locates only five copies) "…and that their [Quaker’s] fervent labour for the restoration of the poor enslaved Africans to their due liberty, is still continued; which we cannot but highly approve, and concur with them in, as it is for the removal of an oppression supported by cruelty for the sake of a corrupt interest, in direct opposition to the spirit and precepts of the Gospel, and even repugnant to humanity...the subject of the slave trade...was solidly before us, and a weighty concern was renewed among us to bear our testimony against a commerce attended with so much iniquity and cruelty...What effect our endeavours may have, we cannot foresee, but think it highly becoming us, as a people professing to be actuated by the spirit of chirstianity, to be found bringing forth such fruits…"

3. The Epistle from the Yearly-Meeting held in London, By Adjournments, from the 31st Day of the Fifth Month 1784, to the 5th Day of the Sixth Month inclusive. To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of Friends in Great-Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere.
Ca. 1784. Signed in type by clerk Richard Chester. Docketed on verso in type "The Yearly-Epistle, 1784." Creasing from old folds, large split along center fold; edges untrimmed. Bristol B5896, Shipton & Mooney 44534, ESTC W34092 (locates only six copies) "...our minds have been renewedly affected in sympathy with the poor enslaved Africans; whom avarice hath taught some men, laying claim to the character of Christians, to consider as the refuse of the human race, and not entitled to the common privileges of mankind. The contempt in which they are held, and the remoteness of their sufferings from the notice of disinterested observers, have occasioned few advocates to plead their cause. The consideration of their case being brought weightily before the last yearly-meeting, friends were engaged to recommend endeavours for putting a stop to a traffick so disgraceful to humanity...it is our earnest desire, that none under our name may weaken or counteract our endeavours by contributing, in any way, to the support of this iniquitous commerce."

4.The Epistle from the Yearly-Meeting, held in London, By Adjournments, from the 16th of the Fifth Month 1785, to the 23d of the same inclusive. To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of Friends in Great-Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere.
Ca. 1785. Signed in type by clerk Thomas Bland. Docketed on verso in type "The Yearly-Epistle, 1785." Creasing from old folds, very lightly foxed; edges untrimmed. Shipton & Mooney 44687, ESTC W10607 (locates only six copies) "The late accounts from our brethren in North-America inform us, that our Christian testimony against holding our fellow creatures in bondage, not only continues to prevail and spread among those in religious profession with us, but that some of the governments have gone so far, as to pass laws for the discouragement and gradual abolition of slavery...and as the slave trade, whereby such multitudes of the human race are violently subjected to a state so abject and deplorable, is extensively carried on by persons resident in these kingdoms, we earnestly exhort all in profession with us, not to defile themselves by having any concern whatever in this unrighteous traffick; from which, if persisted in, very distressing consequences to this nation and its dependences may be justly apprehended."

5.The Epistle from the Yearly-Meeting, held in London, By Adjournments, from the 5th of the Sixth Month 1786, to the 12th of the same inclusive. To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of Friends in Great-Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere.
Ca. 1786. Signed in type by clerk Richard Reynolds. Docketed in type on verso "The Yearly-Epistle, 1786." Creasing from old folds, lightly foxed; edges untrimmed; two contemporary manuscript notations near printed docket. Evans 19660, ESTC 10608 (locates only four copies) "We have received intelligence from various quarters, that the testimony which we have borne against slavery, continues to gain ground; and we have great encouragement to persevere in our endeavours to excite a general abhorrence of that oppressive practice."

6.The Epistle from the Yearly-Meeting, held in London, By Adjournments, from the 28th day of the Fifth Month to the 4th Day of the Sixth Month, 1787 inclusive. To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of Friends in Great-Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere.
(Joseph Crukshank), ca. 1787. Signed in letterpress by clerk Joseph Storrs. Docketed on verso in type "The Yearly-Epistle, 1787." Creasing from old folds; edges untrimmed. Evans 20378, ESTC W10609 (locates only five copies) "We have also thankfully to believe, there is a growing attention in many, not of our religious society, to the subject of negro-slavery; and that the minds of the people are more and more enlarged to consider it as an aggregate of every species of evil, and to see the utter inconsistency of upholding it by the authority of any nation whatever; especially of such as punish, with loss of life, crimes whose magnitude bears scarce any proportion to this complicated iniquity."

7.The Epistle from the Yearly-Meeting, held in London, By Adjournments, from the 12th day of the Fifth Month, 1788, to the 19th Day of the same, inclusive. To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of Friends in Great-Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere.
Ca. 1788. Signed in letterpress by clerk William Jepson. Docketed on verso in type, "The Yearly-Epistle, 1788." Toned with scattered foxing; edges untrimmed. Evans 21099, ESTC W10610 (locates only seven copies) "The increasing solicitude for the suppression of the slave trade, which appears among all ranks of people, is cause of thankfulness to the common Father of mankind; and encourages us to hope, that the time is approaching when this nation will be cleansed from that defilement. Let us, in the mean time, continue, with unabating ardour, to be intercessors for the greatly injured Africans."

An interesting contemporary look at Quaker abolitionism in the years immediately following the American Revolution. Throughout the 18th century, English Quakers began settling throughout the world, with one of the largest populations being in North America. Although the faith spread globally, congregations began forming their own doctrinal differences. As one of the longest-standing communities, the London Yearly-Meeting became an ideological epicenter for the Society of Friends, and its epistles were often republished by many local meetings, as here. The issue of slavery was one of their gravest concerns, and Quakers in both Europe and America were at the forefront of their abolition movements. The Committee on the Slave Trade, the first British abolitionist society, was founded in 1783, entirely by Quakers, who regularly petitioned Parliament to end the slave trade, until it became outlawed throughout the British Empire in 1833. When the first American abolitionist society was founded in 1775, 17 of the original 24 members were Quakers, including Joseph Crukshank, the Philadelphia printer attributed to three of the above epistles. Today it is still the oldest abolitionist organization in the United States.

All seven epistles are scare to the market.