Mr. Auberon Herbert is a candid man. He writes to
the Times of Tuesday to admit that he has heard that his prote:gis the poor Shakers, in some of their fanatical dances, even when both sexes are represented, do, consciously or unconsciously, sometimes cast off their clothes, and so lend confirmation to the rumours against their morality. He himself, ho says, does not believe that the dances in question are made the occasions of immoral conduct, and he has no objection to new experiments in regard to the principle of clothes. But he does not wish to see them tried by fanatics in a state of religious delirium, and therefore be does not intend to help to re-establish the Shakers as a com- munity, though he will not withdraw the temporary shelter they now have. The former decision is wise. The rejec- tion of clothes in the religions dances may, we fancy, well be due to some ignorant association with St. Paul's words about death:—" If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened ; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life." If that were properly explained to them, it would be an argument against their proceedings. But assuredly the Shakers are not in the beat posi- tion to try successfully a " Sartor-Resartus " experiment on the philosophy of clothes.
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