[Gutenberg 33831] • A Concise Biographical Sketch of William Penn
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- Authors
- Evans, Charles
- Tags
- william , 1644-1718 , penn
- Date
- 2010-06-19T00:00:00+00:00
- Size
- 0.07 MB
- Lang
- en
Excerpt from A Concise Biographical Sketch of William Penn
The following is a brief sketch of the life of one who, though perhaps more widely known as the Proprietor and Founder of Pennsylvania, was also eminent as a minister of the gospel in the Society of Friends, and distinguished for his superior intellectual abilities, his varied culture, and, above all, for his devoted Christian character, exemplified both in adversity and prosperity. It is taken principally from a work entitled "Friends in the Seventeenth Century."
He was the son of William Penn, who, trained to nautical life, had by his genius and courage risen rapidly in the navy, until at the age of twenty-nine lie became "Vice-Admiral of the Straits." From the account of his life and public career, given by Granville Penn, a descendant, ho appears to have been a man who made self-interest a leading principle of conduct, but who, while eagerly coveting wealth and honor, was never accused of being corrupt as a public servant. His son William was born in London, in 1044, and resided with his mother at Wanstcad, in Essex, while his father was absent with the fleet over which he had command.