Quaker Convincement Language: Using Pathos and Logos in the Seventeenth Century

Persuasion (convincement) is described as ‘linguistic choices that aim at affecting or changing the behaviours of others, or strengthening existing beliefs and behaviours of those who already agree’ (Halmari and Virtanen 2005). Many Quaker writers used their pamphleteering to promote a range of politico-religious demands: liberty of conscience, rejection of a separated priesthood and tithe-paying, and so on. This paper explores Friends’ varied approaches to persuasion and identifies a number of Aristotelian strategies observed in a corpus of early Quaker writings. Rhetorical power is generated by the interactions between the writer/speaker and the reader/listener, and Friends were enthusiastic in their attempts to influence the behaviour of their fellow creatures. A 1668 tract by Stephen Crisp is analysed in some detail to illustrate his gentle yet effective approach to promoting the Quaker way.