Granville Sharp and the Freedom of Slaves in England (review)

BOOK REVIEWS57 nantly a rural people. Living on isolated farms they were little in touch with the outside world, and their circumstances did not permit of educational activities on a large scale. Hence, doubtless, the scanty evidences of interest in education until well toward the close of the eighteenth century. It is significant that the chief impetus to an increased interest in this subject seems to have come from a letter sent out in 1778 by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, which caught the attention of a few men of light and leading , notably Moses Brown. For over fifty years his was the principal influence in promoting among New England Friends an interest in the education of their children. The early efforts of New England Friends seem to have had scant success . Family schools, Preparative Meeting schools, Monthly Meeting schools,—all were tried. Many parents were indifferent, others preferred to send their children to the public schools, funds were lacking, teachers scarce. The ideal of Friends was a "guarded education." Therefore the early curriculum consisted chiefly of George Fox's Primers and Barclay's Catechism, and the use of the plain language was almost as much stressed as the three R's. As regards primary education Friends fought a losing battle, but to give their children a more advanced training under proper influences they succeeded in establishing two boarding schools which still flourish, Moses Brown and Oak Grove. For many years, however, these schools, though still under Friends' management, have drawn heavily on other than Friends for pupils, and in consequence their original sectarian character has to some extent disappeared. Having, in a way, solved their own educational problems, New England Friends were not slow to develop a sense of responsibility for those less fortunate than themselves. As the record shows, they have given liberally for the education of the Indian, the Negro, and the peoples of Palestine. Of these activities the school at Ram Allah, dear to New England Friends because of the work of Eli and Sybil Jones, is at present the chief monument . Dr. Klain has very properly concentrated his attention upon the official activities of New England Friends, but among Friends official activities are often but half the story. Not until the educational activities of individual New England Friends of both sexes in schools and colleges throughout the land are also recorded can a just appraisal be made of the services of New England Quakerdom to the training of youth. Arthur H. Buffinton Williams College, Williamstown, Mass. Lascelles, E. C. P. Granville Sharp and the Freedom of Slaves in England . London : Oxford University Press. 1928. Pp. 151. 10s. 6d. This altogether delightful book is a model of how biography should be written. It has a literary and humorous touch which enlivens the heaviest 58 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION statistics, and belongs on the Quaker historian's shelf, along with that other charming book which should be familiar to every one of us, Earlham, by Percy Lubbock. Granville Sharp merits close attention as the philanthropist who pushed to a successful conclusion the trial of the negro Somersett , in 1772, and thus put an end, for all time, to the ownership of slaves in England, soon followed by the end of the hideous trade itself in that country, which, two centuries before, had introduced the iniquitous traffic into the civilized world. Born November 10th, 1735, fifteen years younger than John Woolman, the Quaker philanthropist, Granville Sharp came of churchly stock. His grandfather was Archbishop of York in the days of Queen Anne, and in 1722 his father, Thomas Sharp, became Archdeacon of Northumberland. The Archdeacon had a family of fourteen children of whom Granville was the twelfth child. Two of his elder brothers became prominent in the Church of England; James was an eminent engineer, and William, next older than himself, the King's surgeon. A sister, Eliza (later Mrs. Prowse), appears throughout the life of her younger brother as sensible, artistic, and sympathetic to all of his many philanthropies. They were all very musical, and this was one of the ties which bound them so closely as a family. One is tempted to dwell on the social life...