wide. Here was a small town, belonging to a colony of Swedes and Dutch, since called Newcastle, with the inhabitants of which Penn remained a short time, giving them assurance of his protection; and then proceeded up the river about forty miles, till a little past the mouth of the Schuylkill, where he gave orders to cast anchor. A site combining so much natural grandeur and convenience, could hardly escape the discerning eye of Penn. Upon the bank of the river at this place, were two Indian towns; and soon as the ship was anchored, the boat with an interpreter was sent on shore, to inform the Indians that the sachem or chief of the whites had arrived, and wished to have a "grand talk with his Red brothers the next day, when the sun was at his half way house in the sky."

17. Soon as the natives saw the boat put off from the ship, they came down from both villages, men, women, and children, to meet them; and although, from a total ignorance of their lanauage, there was no conversation between them except by signs and a few words through their interpreter, yet the interview was highly interesting, each party marking the colour, features, and dress of the other with all the pleasures of surprise. As Penn in the ships that preceded him had appointed commissioners, to treat with the Indians for the purchase of a part of their lands, and for their joint possession of the remainder, but little remained, but to conclude the settlement, and solemnly to pledge his faith, and to ratify and confirm the treaty in sight both of the Indians and planters.-On the return of the boat the interpreter reported to William Penn, that the chiefs had given him to understand, they had been informed by the Raritons, this sachem of the whites was a good man, and that his white children which he had sent into their country in the big canoes, had never done them any harm. The chiefs also agreed to meet Penn at the time proposed, and promised to give in, formation to the inhabitants of the surrounding country, that there might be a good many at the talk.

18. Accordingly on the day following, at the hour

appointed, an innumerable multitude of Indians assembled in that neighbourhood; and were seen, with their dark visages and brandished arms, moving, in vast swarms, in the depth of the woods which then overshaded the whole of that now cultivated region. On the other hand, William Penn, with a moderate attendance of friends, advanced to meet them. He came of course unarmed-in his usual plain dress-without banners, or mace, or guard, or carriages; and only distinguished from his companions by wearing a blue sash of silk net-work, (which, it seems, is still preserved by Mr. Kett of Seething-hall, near Norwich,) and by having in his hand a roll of parchment, on which was engrossed the confirmation of the treaty of purchase and amity. As soon as he drew near the spot where the sachems were assembled, the whole multitude of Indians threw down their weapons, and seated themselves on the ground in groups, each under his own chieftain; and the presiding chief intimated to William Penn, that the nations were ready to hear him.

19. Having been called upon, he began." The Great Spirit," he said, "who made him and them, who ruled the heaven and the earth, and who knew the innermost thoughts of man, knew that he and his friends had a hearty desire to live in peace and friendship with them, and to serve them to the utmost of their power. It was not their custom to use hostile weapons against their fellow-creatures, for which reason they had come unarmed. Their object was not to do injury and thus provoke the Great Spirit, but to do good. They were then met on the broad pathway of good faith and good will, so that no advantage was to be taken on either side, but all was to be openness, brotherhood, and love." He then unrolled the parchment, and by means of the same interpreter, conveyed to them, article by article, the conditions of the purchase, and the words of the compact then made for their eternal union. Among other things, they were not to be molested in their lawful pursuits even in the territory they had alienated, for it was to be common to them

and the English. They were to have the liberty to do all things therein relating to the improvement of their grounds, and the providing of sustenance for their families, which the English had. If any disputes should arise between the two, they should be settled by twelve persons, half of whom should be English, and half Indians.

20. He then paid them for the land, and made them many presents besides from the merchandise which had been spread before them. Having done this, he laid the roll of parchment on the ground, observing again, that the ground should be common to both people. He then added, that he would not do as the Marylanders did, that is, call them children or brothers only ; for often parents were apt to whip their children too severely, and brothers would sometimes differ; neither would he compare the friendship between him and them to a chain, for the rain might sometimes rust it, or a tree might fall and break it; but he should consider them as the same flesh and blood with the Christians, and the same as if one man's body were to be divided into two parts. He then took up the parchment, and presented it to the sachem who wore the horn in the chaplet, and desired him and the other sachems to preserve it carefully for three generations, that their children might know what had passed between them, just as if he himself had remained with them to repeat it.

21. The Indians, in return, made long and stately harangues of which, however, no more seems to have been remembered, but that "they pledged themselves to live in love with William Penn as long as the sun and moon should endure." Having in his own honest and peaceable way obtained of the poor natives a title to that fine province which had so long dwelt on his mind, he then with great joy and thankfulness of heart, set about having it surveyed. The city of Philadelphia, according to its present plan, was immediately laid out; and so ardent was the passion for building, that late as the season was when he arrived, more than fifty houses of

different descriptions were built before winter-a city rising like magic out of the woods, promising, what has actually happened, to become the metropolis of a great state and a principal emporium of commerce, literature, and the arts to a great nation. Nor were all the first settlements of the colony within the limits of the city-they were scattered over several of the neighbouring counties; and, by the end of three months from the arrival of the first ship, they amounted to three thousand souls.

QUESTIONS.

1. At what age did William Penn enter college?-2. What first inclined him to the Quakers?-3. For what was he expelled from college?-4. What severe measures did his father take with him on his expulsion?-5. For what did his father send him to Paris and afterwards to Ireland?-6. What was the occasion of his being recalled from Ireland?-7. What then became of him?-8. Under what circumstances did his father become reconciled to him?-9. What property did his father leave him?-10. How did he obtain a title to Pennsylvania ?— 11. When did he proceed thither himself?-12. How many settlers came the first three months?-13. How many houses were built in Philadelphia, during the autumn in which Penn first arrived?

LIBERTY.

"Tis Liberty alone that gives the flower
Of fleeting life its lustre and perfume;
And we are weeds without it. All constraint,
Except what wisdom lays on evil men,
Is evil; hurts the faculties; impedes
Their progress in the road to science; blinds
The eyesight of discovery; and begets
In those that suffer it, a sordid mind
Bestial, a meagre intellect, unfit

To be the tenant of man's noble form.

CAPTURE OF MRS. DUSTON.

1. In the year 1697, on the 5th day of March, a body of Indians attacked the town of Haverhill, Massachusetts; burnt a small number of houses, and killed and captivated about forty of the inhabitants. A party of them, arrayed in all the terrors of Indian war dress, and carrying with them the multiplied horrors of a savage invasion, approached near the house of a Mr. Duston. This man was abroad at his usual labour. Upon the first alarm, he flew to the house, with a hope of hurrying to a place of safety, his family, consisting of his wife, who had been confined a week only in child-bed; her nurse, a Mrs. Mary Teff, a widow from the neighbourhood; and eight children. Seven of his children he ordered to flee with the utmost expedition, in the course opposite to that in which the danger was approaching; and went himself to assist his wife. But before she could leave her bed, the savages were upon them.

2. Her husband, thus despairing of rendering her any service, flew to the door, mounted his horse, and determined to snatch up the child with which he was unable to part, when he should overtake the little flock. When he came up to them, about two hundred yards from his house, he was unable to make a choice, or to leave any one of the number. He therefore determined to take his lot with them, and to defend them from their murderers, or die by their side. A body of the Indians pursued and came up with him; and from near distances fired at him and his little company. He returned the fire, and retreated, alternately. For more than a mile, he kept so resolute a face to his enemy, retiring in the rear of his charge, returned the fire of the savages so often, and with so good success, and sheltered so effectually his terrified companions, that he finally lodged them all, safe from the pursuing butchers, in a distant house.

3. Another party of the Indians entered the house, immediately after Mr. Duston had quitted it, and found