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Letter to Editor
October 26, 1770
The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle
Portsmouth, Greenland, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
An anecdote shared in a letter to the printer about two young ladies of family who, as penance for a joint fault, wore peas in their shoes for three days. One boiled hers to avoid pain, highlighting blind adherence to religious ritual despite being sensible otherwise.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
To the Printer.
OBSERVING in your paper of the 28th ult. the transcript from the Dublin paper of the Jubilee Revelation, &c. it brought to my mind the following incident.
Two young ladies of family, who both confessed to one spiritual Father, for some fault they had jointly committed, were enjoined the same penance, which was to wear peas in their shoes for three days. The time being expired one of them came to the other to enquire how she did, and the same time complained that her feet were very sore, the peas having almost made holes in her flesh. On hearing her story the other burst into a laugh, and told her she was very well; for (said she) "you foolish Creature, I boiled mine." Yet those Ladies were women of sense in every thing but where their religion was concerned. I heard it from their own mouths, and they really believed that wearing those peas absolved them from sin.
S.
OBSERVING in your paper of the 28th ult. the transcript from the Dublin paper of the Jubilee Revelation, &c. it brought to my mind the following incident.
Two young ladies of family, who both confessed to one spiritual Father, for some fault they had jointly committed, were enjoined the same penance, which was to wear peas in their shoes for three days. The time being expired one of them came to the other to enquire how she did, and the same time complained that her feet were very sore, the peas having almost made holes in her flesh. On hearing her story the other burst into a laugh, and told her she was very well; for (said she) "you foolish Creature, I boiled mine." Yet those Ladies were women of sense in every thing but where their religion was concerned. I heard it from their own mouths, and they really believed that wearing those peas absolved them from sin.
S.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satirical
Religious
Comedic
What themes does it cover?
Religion
Morality
What keywords are associated?
Religious Penance
Blind Faith
Absolution
Peas In Shoes
Anecdote
What entities or persons were involved?
S.
To The Printer.
Letter to Editor Details
Author
S.
Recipient
To The Printer.
Main Argument
the anecdote illustrates how even sensible women can foolishly believe that performing a ritual penance, like wearing peas in shoes, absolves them from sin without genuine discomfort or understanding.
Notable Details
Heard Directly From The Ladies' Own Mouths
Both Confessed To The Same Spiritual Father
One Lady Boiled The Peas To Avoid Pain