WILLIAM PENN. WILLIAM PENN was born in London, Tower Hill, on the 14th of October, 1644. He was descended from an ancient and highly respectable family, and was the only son of Admiral Sir William Penn, who held at different times many important stations, and rendered valuable public services to the government. The son was early put to school at Chigwell, in Essex, where he was instructed in the elements of learning. According to his biographers, he received while at this school the impressions, which marked the strong peculiarities of his future life. Anthony Wood relates, that when he was eleven years old, being in his room at Chigwell," he was so suddenly surprised with an inward comfort, and, as he thought, an external glory in the room, that he has many times said, that from that time he had the seal of divinity and immortality, that there was also a God, and that the soul of man was capable of enjoying his divine communications."* And William Penn himself after * Athenae Oxonienses, Vol. II. col. 1050. wards stated, in the account of his travels on the continent, "that the Lord first appeared to him about his twelfth year," and that, during the three years following, "the Lord visited him, and gave him divine impressions of himself.”* Whatever part the imagination may have had in creating and fixing these impressions, it cannot be doubted that they exercised a strong influence in deciding the bent of his mind and cha racter. From Chigwell he went at the age of twelve years to a private school on Tower Hill, where, with the aid of a tutor in his father's house, he was prepared for the University. At the age of fifteen he was entered at Christ's Church, Oxford, as a gentleman commoner. Among his companions and intimate friends at the University was the celebrated John Locke, for whom he ever afterwards cherished a warm attachment. In the first part of his collegiate course Penn was distinguished for his attainments and devotedness to study, as well as for the spirit and vivacity with which he entered into the amusements and exercises suited to his age. But an incident soon happened, which revived the impressions of Chigwell school, involved him in immediate difficulty, and laid the foundation of his future conspicuous career in the character of a powerful, zealous, and unwearied champion of a peculiar religious faith. A man by the name of Thomas Loe came to Oxford, and preached the doctrines of the Quakers. The mind of William Penn kindled at the discourses of this preacher; they communicated sentiments in harmony with his own, which at the same time enlisted his feelings, and gained the assent of his understanding. With a few of his fellow students, who were wrought upon in a similar manner, he established meetings, in which they had devotional exercises according to their own views, and gradually deserted the regular forms of religious service in the University. This gave offence to the heads of the colleges, and Penn and all his associates were fined for nonconformity. Such a step, although it might comport with the majesty of law, was scarcely dictated by the counsels of prudence. It was little calculated to tame the ardent spirits of young men, who believed themselves guided by the imperious calls of duty and truth in worshipping their Creator, and whose conscience, at least to their own minds, bore witness to their sincerity. Gentleness and persuasion, properly applied, may soothe the heat of youthful enthusiasm, but force will commonly add fuel to the flames. So it proved on the present occasion. It was at this time, that king Charles the Second resolved to restore the ancient costume to the University, and he sent orders accordingly that the students should be habited in the surplice. This relic of external forms and observances was extremely odious in the eyes of William Penn and his associates, who held simplicity of dress, and plainness of deportment, to be among the |