They could not conscientiously pay the fines which had been imposed upon them; and until these were paid they could not obtain their discharge. The Admiral being informed of this, and being particularly anxious to see his son, sent the money privately, and thus procured the liberation of both of them. As to the poor Jurymen, who had been fined at the same time, I can no where learn what became of them, or how long they were allowed to languish in their prison.

The Admiral had been now long ill, and for some time confined to his chamber. His constitution in consequence of hard service, change of climate, and anxiety of mind, though he was not then fifty years of age, had begun to break, and this so rapidly as to create in him an expectation of his approaching end. He wanted therefore the conversation, kind offices, and consolation of his son. He had now a great regard for him. He had always indeed set a due value on the goodness of his heart, and on his exemplary moral conduct, though he had differed from him on the score of religion; but when he saw a person of such qualities and character seized, imprisoned, and punished,

nished, he considered his treatment in no other light than that of oppression, and therefore clave to him more than ever. Besides, having no hope of his own recovery, he wished to confer with him as to the settlement of his family affairs.

The more he saw of his son during his confinement, the more he esteemed him; and the worse he grew in body, the more he became interested about his temporal welfare. He was sensible, while his religious turn and resolution, and while the existing laws of the country remained, that he would have many trials and much suffering to undergo. Impressed with this notion, he sent one of his friends to the Duke of York to desire of him, as a death-bed request, that he would endeavour to protect his son as far as he consistently could, and to ask the King to do the same, in cases of future persecution. The answer was gratifying, both of them promising their services on a fit occasion.

After this he grew worse. At a time of serious reflection, and not long before his death, he spoke thus: "Son William, I am weary of the world! I would not live over my days again, if I could command them

with a wish; for the snares of life are greater than the fears of death. This troubles me, that I have offended a gracious God. The thought of this has followed me to this day. Oh, have a care of sin! It is that which is the sting both of life and death. Three things I commend to you. First, let nothing in this world tempt you to wrong your conscience. I charge you, I charge you, do nothing against your conscience; so will you keep peace at home, which will be a feast to you in a day of trouble. Secondly, whatever you design to do, lay it justly, and time it seasonably; for that gives security and dispatch. Thirdly, be not troubled at disappointments; for if they may be recovered, do it if they cannot, trouble is then vain. you could not have helped it, be content; there is often peace and profit in submitting to Providence; for afflictions make wise. If you could have helped it, let not your trou ble exceed instruction for another time. These rules will carry you with firmness and comfort through this inconstant world."

If

At another time he addressed his son in terms of complaint against the great profaneness and impiety of the age. He lamented

that

that many of the nobility, and those in other respectable stations in life, should be so dissolute in their morals, and afford so grievous an example. He expressed his fear, too, lest his country, thus overwhelmed with corruption, should sink to ruin.

Look

of

He seemed to be never less concerned and disordered than just before he died ing at his son with the most composed countenance, he said, "Son William! if you and your friends keep to your plain way preaching, and keep to your plain way of living, you will make an end of the priests to the end of the world-Bury me by my mother-Live all in love -Shun all manner of evil-and I pray God to bless you all; and he will bless you all."-Soon afterwards he expired.

These were some of the last expressions of Vice-Admiral Sir William Penn. They are very important, on account of the instruction they give us, as well as of the light they throw upon his character. his character. With respect to life, indeed, they afford us an important lesson. They furnish a proof, that even where a man has been glutted with the honours of the world, it is so full of snares, and subject

to

to so many drawbacks, that it is not worth living over again. They lay open to us, again, the true path to be pursued in our passage through it. The Admiral at length found, though he had been twice so grievously displeased with his son, that nothing could make a man amends for wronging his own conscience. With respect to his character, they show him to have had a mind ingenuous and open to conviction; for we see that the religious prejudices which he had imbibed in his youth had been succeeded by candour. They show him to have been a well-disposed man; or that, however unwarrantable his conduct was to his son on certain occasions, it was to be set down rather to sudden warmth of feeling, or to a temper suddenly irritable by untoward circumstances, than to any badness of heart. And here it ought to be recollected, that he had been brought up as a naval officer, and accustomed to undisputed command, to a profession, where orders are no sooner issued than obedience is required, and slowness to execute is punished. Neither must it be forgotten, how grievous his disappointment must have been as a parent on these occa