the Christian's peace, in which hope and persuasion she reared the child of so much grief. The girl, now a Quaker, gladly received the youthful Penn, who had earned among his sect a high fame. And wedding him, dutifully, she kept her vows, loving him with a woman's true love, attending him in journeys, soothing him in reverses, calming him in conflicts, and never parting from him through weal or woe till death divided them. He, dutiful and true, came back from his wanderings to the home of so much love, and mingled a husband's grateful thanks with the aspirations of the Christian, and the plans of the patriot. Such was the course of Penn's domestic life.

But, that we may appreciate better the tenor of that life, and the depth of those family feelings, which are most seen when sorrow or separation break their even course, we must turn to the letter which, on the prospect of his separation, Penn addressed, before sailing for America, to his wife and children; "My love, he says, which neither sea nor land nor death itself can extinguish or lessen towards you, visits you with eternal embraces, and will abide with you for ever, and may the God of my life watch over you and bless you and do you good in this world and for ever! My dear wife, remember thou wast the love of my youth, and much the joy of my life, the most beloved as well as the most worthy of all my earthly comfort." After advising her to be regular in the division of her time, and to live

within compass, till his debts are paid, he says, "I know thou lovest plain things, and art averse to the pomps of the world, a nobility natural to thee. I need not bid thee be humble, for thou art so, nor meek and patient, for it is much of thy natural disposition; but I pray thee, be oft in retirement with the Lord, and guard against encroaching friendships." In commending to her the care of his children, "to breed them up in the love of virtue, and that holy plain way of it which we have lived in," he bids her "be liberal for their learning, and on that spare no cost. Give them useful and practical knowledge, and mix it with bodily exercise."

To his children he says; after urging them to the fear of God and obedience to their mother, "Be sure to live within compass, let your industry and parsimony go no further than for a sufficiency for life, and to make a provision for your children, and that in moderation. Love not money, nor the world, use them only and they will serve you. I charge you, help the poor and needy, make your conversation with the most eminent for wisdom and piety, and shun all wicked men, as you hope for the blessing of God and the comfort of your Father's living and dying prayers." And those of his sons, who were likely to be concerned in the government of Pensylvania, he advises "to be lowly, diligent, fearing God, loving the people and hating covetousness. Live the lives yourselves, you would

have the people live, and then you have right and boldness to punish the transgressors.' And he ends his letter with a "farewell to my thrice dearly beloved wife and children, yours as God pleaseth, in that which no waters can quench, no time forget nor distance wear away."

We may anticipate here still, further to shew the strong affection of Penn, and present him, as he watched in 1695, for two long years, the sick bed of his eldest boy. Very deep was that affection; very true that father's love, and very touching is the picture which his own hand gives of his sorrow. "My very dear child and eldest son did, from his childhood, manifest a disposition to goodness, and gave me hope of a more than ordinary capacity, and time satisfied me in both respects. For more than half a year before it pleased the Lord to visit him with weakness, he grew more retired, and much disengaged from youthful delights. But when he saw himself doubtful as to his recovery, he turned his mind and meditations more apparently towards the Lord, secretly, as also when his attendants were in the room, praying often with great fervency, and uttering very many thankful expressions and praises. One day he said to us, I am resigned to what God pleases, He knows what is best; I would live, if it pleased Him that I might serve him. But O Lord, not my will, but Thine be done. Being ever almost near him, and doing anything for him he wanted

or desired, he broke out with much sense and love, My dear father, if I live I will make thee amends; and to another remark he replied upon me, with a serious yet sweet look, All is mercy, dear father, every thing is mercy! At another time, as I stood by him, he looked up upon me and said, Dear father, sit by me: I love thy company, and I know thou lovest mine, and, if it be the Lord's will that we must part, be not troubled, for that will trouble me. The day but one before he died, he went to take the air in a coach, but said at his return, Really, father, I am exceeding weak, thou canst not think how weak I am! My dear child, I replied, thou art weak, but God is strong, who is the strength of thy life. Aye, that is it, said he, which upholdeth me. His time drawing on apace, he said to me, My dear father, kiss me, thou art a dear father, I desire to prize it, how can I make thee amends? He also called his sister, and said to her, Poor child, come and kiss me, between whom seemed a tender and long parting. All were in tears about him; turning his head to me, he said softly, Dear father, hast thou no hope for me? I answered, I am afraid to hope, and I dare not despair, but am and have been resigned, though one of the hardest lessons I ever learned. He paused a while, and with a composed frame of mind he said, Come life, come death, I am resigned, Oh! the love of God overcomes my soul. Feeling himself decline apace, somebody fetched the doctor, but, as

soon as he came in, he said, Let my father speak to the doctor, and I'll go to sleep, which he did, and waked no more, breathing his last on my breast."

The course of Penn's domestic life was as simple as from such a man we should have expected. He watched over his servants with the care of a father. At 12 was their patriarchal time of dinner, supper at 7, and at 10 to bed. Early in the morning, they assembled for worship, again in the evening at six, while at 11 they met to read together some religious work. After supper, the servants rendered an account of their acts through the day, and received instructions for the ensuing day.