years; while her mother was granddaughter of Robert Barclay, the author
of the _Apology for the People called Quakers_. It might be supposed
that a daughter of Quaker families would have been trained in the
strictest adherence to their tenets; but it seems that Mr. and Mrs. John
Gurney, Elizabeth's parents, were not "plain Quakers." In other words,
they were calm, intellectual, benevolent, courteous and popular people;
not so very unlike others, save that they attended "First-day meeting,"
but differing from their co-religionists in that they abjured the strict
garb and the "thee" and "thou" of those who followed George Fox to
unfashionable lengths, whilst their children studied music and dancing.
More zealous brethren called the Gurneys "worldly," and shook their
heads over their degenerate conduct; but, all unseen, Mrs. Gurney was
training up her family in ways of usefulness and true wisdom; while
"the fear of the Lord," as the great principle of life and action, was
constantly set before them. With such a mother to mould their infant
minds and direct their childish understandings, there was not much fear
of the younger Gurneys turning out otherwise than well. Those who shook
their heads at the "worldliness" of the Gurneys, little dreamt of the
remarkable lives which were being moulded under the Gurney roof.

One or two extracts from Mrs. Gurney's diary will afford a fair insight
into her character:--

If our piety does not appear adequate to supporting us in the
exigencies of life, and I may add, death, surely our hearts cannot
be sufficiently devoted to it. Books of controversy on religion are
seldom read with profit, not even those in favor of our own
particular tenets. The mind stands less in need of conviction than
conversion. These reflections have led me to decide on what I most
covet for my daughters, as the result of our daily pursuits. As