In October, of the same year, he arrived in Baltimore, and brought with him a woman whom he had seduced from her husband, with her two sons; and whom he treated with the utmost meanness and tyranny. It may suffice that he appeared for many months before his death to be sunk to the lowest state of brutality.

The following is an account of the closing scene of his life as related by his medical attendant, Dr. Manley. "During the latter part of his life," says this physician, "though his conversation was equivocal, his conduct was singular. He would not be left alone night or day. He not only required to have some person with him, but he must see that he or she was there, and would not allow his curtain to be closed at any time; and if, as it would sometimes happen, he was left alone, he would scream and halloo, until some person came to him. There was something also, very remarkable in his conduct during the two weeks preceding his death, particularly when we reflect, that he was the author of the "Age of Reason." He would call out during his paroxysms of distress, without intermission, "O Lord help me, God help me, Jesus Christ help me, O Lord help me," &c.

He died at New-York, on the morning of the 8th of June, 1809, in the seventy-third year of his age.

PENN, WILLIAM, founder of Pennsylvania, was born in London, October 14, 1644, and in the fifteenth year of his age entered as a gentleman commoner at Christ church, Oxford. His genius was bright and his imagination lively. Being impressed with the preaching of an itinerant quaker, he, with a number of other students, withdrew from the established worship and held meetings by them

selves. This conduct, which soon became known, gave offence to the heads of the college, who, in consequence of it, fined all of them for non-conformity. This happened in the year 1660, and was afterwards expelled from college; when he returned home.

Soon after, he took up his residence in France, and renewed his studies under the instruction of the learned Moses Amyrault. He afterwards returned to England, and at the suggestion of his father, commenced the study of the law at Lincoln's inn.

In 1666, he was sent to Ireland, to manage the estate of his father, where he attended the preaching of Thomas Loe, a famous quaker-preacher, and shortly after embraced their doctrines.

This turn of his mind greatly displeased his father, and he was dismissed his house. He then became an itinerant preacher and gained many proselytes. In the same year also, 1666, he commenced his career as an author. Though sometimes imprisoned, he was persevering, and such was his integrity and patience, that his father became reconciled to him.

In 1670, he was apprehended for preaching, and was confined in Newgate, and afterwards in the tower. While a prisoner he could not, consistently with his notions of duty, remain idle. To do good by preaching, while immured there, was impossible; he therefore applied himself to writing. His first effort ended in the production of "No Cross, no Crown," which was afterwards followed by other works.

After he was released from prison, he crossed over into Holland, and travelled through Germany, preaching and publishing his doctrines with great

success.

About this time his father died, and he returned to England and inherited a large patrimony. He, however, continued to preach and to write as before

and in conjunction with Barclay and Keith, formed the fraternity into order.

In 1680, he petitioned Charles II. for letters patent for a certain tract of land in America, in lieu of the debt due by the government to his father, and which he was induced to do, from a desire to spread the principles and doctrines of the quakers; and to raise a virtuous empire in the new land, which should diffuse its example far and wide to the remotest ages. In the following year his wish was gratified; he obtained a grant of the tract solicited, under the name of Pennsylvania which the king gave in honour of his father.

He soon after drew up a frame of government, carefully preserving therein the rights of conscience.

In the latter part of the same year he despatched three vessels with passengers and commissioners, and addressed by them an admirable and interesting letter to the Indians, explanatory of his intentions and views in settling among them.

In 1682, he arrived at Newcastle, convened an assembly of the quakers, and afterwards visited New-York and Maryland.

From those places he returned, and made his great treaty with the Indians; went to Pennsbury, fixed on a site for his new city, and called it Philadelphia.

In 1683, he proceeded in the organization of the settlement. The assembly met-juries were appointed-the erection of Philadelphia was menced and prosecuted with great vigour, and he made a journey of discovery into the interior of Pennsylvania, and sent to the free society of traders the natural history of that settlement.

In 1684, he returned to England, and by his exertions was instrumental in setting at liberty upwards of thirteen hundred quakers, who were confined in prison. On the death of Charles II. he became a favourite of James II.; and prevailed

upon him to pardon and release the celebrated Locke from prison.

While he remained in England, he continued to preach and to write, and was a number of times ill treated and cast into prison. At length, after a lapse of fifteen years, the American Lycurgus revisited his province.

He retired to Pennsbury; proposed and carried various resolutions in favour of the Indians and negroes; travelled in the ministry through the province, and in the Jerseys and Maryland; made some alterations in the government; signed the new charter; and constituted and incorporated Philadelphia a city.

He afterwards returned to England, and died in that country July 30, 1718, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. Mr. Penn was a man of great abilities, of quick thought and ready utterance, of mildness of disposition and extensive charity. His labours were exerted for the good of mankind; and with the strictest consistency of moral conduct and religious opinion, he endured persecution and malice with resignation, and guided by the approbation of a pure conscience, he showed himself indefatigable in fulfilling of what he considered as the law of God, and the clear demonstration of the truth of the gospel.

Distinguished alike as a politician, a theologian, a legislator, a philanthropist, and a christian, his name to the latest generations will ever be associated with liberty, truth, and vital christianity.

His select works have been published in five volumes octavo.

PREBLE, EDWARD, commodore in the navy of the United States, was born in Portland, Maine, August 15, 1761.

From early childhood he discovered a strong disposition for hazards and adventures, and a firm, resolute, and persevering temper.

At the age of eighteen he entered as a midshipman in the navy of his country, and distinguished himself in several engagements with the enemy.

Previous to the peace of 1783, he was promoted to a lieutenancy, and was very active in protecting our coasting trade, and taking a number of English privateers.

At the commencement of the rupture with France, in 1798, he was promoted to the command of the frigate Essex, and in the year 1803, was appointed commodore of the squadron which was sent against Tripoli. In this affair he displayed consummate bravery. In consideration of his valuable services, congress voted him the thanks of the nation, and an emblematical medal, which were presented by the president with emphatic declarations of esteem and admiration.

He died August 25, 1807, in the forty-sixth year of his age.

PINCKNEY, CHARLES C. one of the signers of the federal constitution, and a distinguished patriot, was born in South Carolina, in the year 1740. At an early period of the contest with Great Britain, he was a zealous advocate and lover of liberty, and distinguished himself by his courage and intrepidity in repelling an attack made by the British fleet on fort Sullivan.

For his brave conduct in this affair, he received the appointment of aid-de-camp, and was received into the family of general Washington. In this capacity, he served his country in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, and so successfully won the confidence of the commander-in-chief, as