designs; his real object being to spread heretical doctrines in Ireland, and thus sow dissension among Friends.  In his journal of this visit to a foreign land, Friend Hopper says:  “It is astonishing what strange ideas some of them have concerning me.  They have been informed that I can find stolen goods, and am often applied to on such occasions.  I think it would be no hard matter to make them believe me a wizard.”  This was probably a serious version of his pleasantry with the Dutchman about finding his goods by calculating the age of the moon.

Many of the Irish Friends had formed from hearsay the most extravagant misconceptions concerning the Friends called “Hicksites.”  They supposed them to be outright infidels, and that the grossest immoralities were tolerated among them; that they pointed loaded pistols at the “Orthodox” brethren, and drove them out of their own meeting-houses by main force.  One of them expressed great surprise when Friend Hopper informed him that they were in the constant habit of reading the Scriptures in their families, and maintained among themselves the same discipline that had always been used in the Society.  Sometimes when he attended Quaker meetings during the early portion of his visit, the ministers preached at him, by cautioning young people to beware of the adversary, who was now going about like a cunning serpent, in which form he was far more dangerous, than when he assumed the appearance of a roaring lion.  But after a while, this tendency was rebuked by other preachers, who inculcated forbearance in judging others; reminding their hearers that the spirit of the Gospel always breathed peace and good will toward men.  As for Isaac himself, he behaved with characteristic openness.  When a stranger, in Quaker costume, introduced himself, and invited him to go home and dine with him, he replied, “I am represented by some people as a very bad man; and I do not wish to impose myself upon the hospitality of strangers, without letting them know who I am.”

The stranger assured him that he knew very well who he was, and cared not a straw what opinions they accused him of; that he was going to have a company of Friends at dinner, who wished to converse with him.  He went accordingly, and was received with true Irish hospitality and kindness.

Upon another occasion, a Quaker lady, who did not know he was a “Hicksite,” observed to him, “I suppose the Society of Friends are very much thinned in America, since so many have gone off from them.”  He replied, “It is always best to be candid.  I belong to the party called Hicksites, deists, and schismatics; and I suppose they are the ones to whom thou hast alluded as having gone off from the Society.  I should like to talk with thee concerning the separation in America; for we have been greatly misrepresented.  But I came to this country solely on business, and I have no wish to say or do anything that can unsettle the mind, or wound the feelings of any Friend.”  She seemed very much surprised, and for a minute or two covered her face with her hands.  But when the company broke up, some hours after, she followed him into the entry, and cordially invited him to visit her.  “What! canst thou tolerate the company of a heretic?” he exclaimed.  She replied with a smile, “Yes, such a one as thou art.”