casion had a considerable effect on his health, though we cannot but suppose he resigned himself to the afflictive dispensation with the submission becoming a Christian. He was however drawn from the contemplation of this melancholy event by the attention which his colonial concerns required. His first care was to secure the possession both of the land first granted, and of another portion lying contiguous to it, and which was obtained from the duke of York. He next drew up and published a frame of government or constitution of Pennsylvania, to which he annexed a preface which shews how deeply the subjects of law and government had engrossed his attention. A short extract from this preface we will here insert, believing that the just and philosophical sentiments which it contains are not beyond the comprehension even of juvenile readers.

"But, lastly, when all is said, there is hardly one frame of government in the world, so ill designed by its first founders, that in good hands would not do well enough; and story tells us, that the best in ill ones can do nothing that is great and good; witness the Jewish and Roman states. Governments, like clocks, go from the motion men give them; and as governments are made and moved by men, so by them they are ruined too. Wherefore, governments rather depend upon men than men upon governments. Let men be good,

and the government cannot be bad. If it be ill, they will cure it. But if men be bad, let the government be never so good, they will endeavour to warp and spoil it to their turn.

"I know some say, let us have good laws, and no matter for the men that execute them. But let them consider, that though good laws do well good men do better; for good laws may want good men, and be abolished or invaded by ill men ; but good men will never want good laws, nor suffer ill ones. 'Tis true good laws have some awe upon ill ministers, but that is where these have not power to escape or abolish them, and where the people are generally wise and good: but a loose and depraved people (which is to the question) love laws and an administration like themselves. That therefore which makes a good constitution must keep it; namely, men of wisdom and virtue, qualities that, because they descend not with worldly inheritances, must be carefully propagated by a virtuous education of youth, for which after ages will owe more to the care and prudence of founders and the successive magistracy, than to their parents for their private patrimonies.

"These considerations of the weight of government, and the nice and various opinions about it, made it uneasy to me to think of publishing the ensuing frame and conditional laws, foreseeing

both the censures they will meet with from men of different humours and engagements, and the occasion they may give of discourse beyond my design.

"But next to the power of necessity, which is a solicitor that will take no denial, this induced me to a compliance, that we have, with reverence to God and good conscience to men, to the best of our skill contrived and composed the frame and laws of this government to the great end of government, to support power in reverence with the people, and to secure the people from the abuse of power, that they may be free by their just obedience, and the magistrates honourable for their just administration; for liberty without obedience is confusion, and obedience without liberty is slavery. To carry this evenness is partly owing to the constitution, and partly to the magistracy. Where either of these fail, government will be subject to convulsions; but where both are wanting, it must be totally subverted: then where both meet, the government is like to endure, which I humbly pray and hope God will please to make the lot of this of Pennsylvania. Amen.”

As the time for his setting sail drew near, however, the claims of conjugal and parental affection began to weigh heavy on his heart. The important subject of education could not fail to be looked

upon by him, with such a mind as he possessed, in the serious light it deserved, and he no doubt felt considerable reluctance to leave his children at a time when his guiding hand might be of so much consequence to their future character, as well as to throw the whole of such a charge upon his wife. To make up, in the best way in his power, to his children for the loss of his personal instruction, and to his wife of his assistance, he determined to leave them his best advice in writing, which he did in the following letter, the careful perusal of which we cannot too earnestly recommend to our young readers:

"My dear Wife and Children,

"My love, which neither sea, nor land, nor death itself, can extinguish or lessen towards you, most endearedly 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!-Some things are upon my spirit to leave with you in your re spective capacities, as I am to one a husband, and to the rest a father, if I should never see you more in this world.

"My dear wife! remember thou wast the love of my youth, and much the joy of my life; the most beloved, as well as most worthy, of all my earthly comforts: and the reason of that love was more

thy inward than thy outward excellencies, which yet were many. God knows, and thou knowest it, I can say it was a match of Providence's making; and God's image in us both was the first thing, and the most amiable and engaging ornament in our eyes. Now I am to leave thee, and that without knowing whether I shall ever see thee more in this world, take my counsel into thy bosom, and let it dwell with thee in my stead while thou livest.

"First: Let the fear of the Lord and a zeal and love to his glory dwell richly in thy heart; and thou wilt watch for good over thyself and thy dear children and family, that no rude, light, or bad thing be committed: else God will be offended, and he will repent himself of the good he intends thee and thine.

Secondly: Be diligent in meetings for worship and business; stir up thyself and others herein; it is thy duty and place; and let meetings be kept once a day in the family to wait upon the Lord, who has given us much time for ourselves: and, my dearest, to make thy family matters easy to thee, divide thy time, and be regular: it is easy and sweet; thy retirement will afford thee to do it: as in the morning to view the business of the house and fix it as thou desirest, seeing all be in order; that by thy counsel all may move, and to thee ren