William Penn (1644–1718) was an English Quaker. He established the colony of Pennsylvania and played a principal role in the history of New Jersey and Delaware. Penn also co-founded the city of Philadelphia.
The scion of a prosperous London family, Penn attended Oxford, studied law, and supervised the family’s estates before becoming a Quaker in the mid-1660s. For the rest of his life, Penn engaged in Quaker preaching and writing. He was jailed four times for publishing pamphlets about his religious beliefs.
In 1681, Penn convinced King Charles II to settle up a huge debt that the king owed Penn’s father by granting him the rough land in America that would become Pennsylvania. The following year, Penn leased and added the region now identified as Delaware.
Penn used his proprietary colony of Pennsylvania to settle Quakers and others seeking sanctuary from religious persecution. Pennsylvania remained a Penn family ownership until the American Revolutionary War (1775–83.)
In 1697, Penn proposed a federal union of the American colonies. He suggested creating a “congress” with two representatives from each colony.
In 1701, Penn granted the residents of Pennsylvania a “Charter of Privileges” that instituted a unicameral legislature and advanced colonial self-government. He also established Delaware as a separate colonial entity.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by William Penn
To be like Christ is to be a Christian.
—William Penn
Topics: Christians, Christianity
The only gratification a covetous man gives his neighbors, is, to let them see that he himself is as little better for what he has, as they are.
—William Penn
Let the people think they govern and they will be governed.
—William Penn
Topics: Democracy, Government
Rarely promise, but, if lawful, constantly perform.
—William Penn
Topics: Promises
Were the superfluities of a nation valued, and made a perpetual tax or benevolence, there would be more alms houses than poor, more schools than scholars, and enough to spare for government beside.
—William Penn
Much reading is an oppression of the mind, and extinguishes the natural candle, which is the reason of so many senseless scholars in the world.
—William Penn
Topics: Reading, Books
Love, therefore, labor; if thou shouldst not want it for food, thou mayest for physic. It is wholesome to the body and good for the mind; it prevents the fruit of idleness.
—William Penn
Topics: Labor
Death is only an horizon, and an horizon is only the limit of our sight. Open our eyes to see more clearly … .
—William Penn
Topics: Death
Frugality is good, if liberality be joined with it. The first is leaving off superfluous expenses; the last bestowing them to the benefit of others that need. The first without the last begets covetousness; the last without the first begets prodigality. Both together make an excellent temper. Happy the place where that is found.
—William Penn
Topics: Money
For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.
—William Penn
Topics: Sympathy, Death, Eternity
The smaller the drink the clearer the head and the cooler the blood, which are great benefits in temper and business.
—William Penn
Excess in apparel is another costly folly.—The very trimming of the vain world would clothe all the naked ones.
—William Penn
Next to God, thy parents.
—William Penn
Topics: Parents
Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.
—William Penn
He that lives in love lives in god, says the beloved disciple: and to be sure a man can live no where better.
—William Penn
Nothing but a good life here can fit men for a better one hereafter.
—William Penn
Topics: Life
It were happy if we studied nature more in natural things; and acted according to nature, whose rules are few, plain, and most reasonable.
—William Penn
Topics: Nature
Kings, in this chiefly, should imitate God; their mercy should be above all their works.
—William Penn
Topics: Royalty, Queens, Kings
When thou art obliged to speak, be sure to speak the truth; for equivocation is half way to lying, and lying is the whole way to hell.
—William Penn
Topics: Lying
Some men do as much begrudge others a good name, as they want one themselves; and perhaps that is the reason of it.
—William Penn
Topics: Names
Do what good thou canst unknown, and be not vain of what ought rather to be felt than seen.
—William Penn
They have a Right to censure, that have a Heart to help: The rest is Cruelty, not Justice.
—William Penn
The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves.
—William Penn
Topics: Jealousy, Envy
The tallest trees are most in the power of the winds, and ambitious men of the blasts of fortune.
—William Penn
Topics: Fortune, Ambition
Content not thyself that thou art virtuous in the general; for one link being wanting, the chain is defective. Perhaps thou art rather innocent than virtuous, and owest more to thy constitution than to thy religion.
—William Penn
Topics: Virtue
God is better served in resisting a temptation to evil than in many formal prayers.
—William Penn
Topics: Temptation
Silence is Wisdom where Speaking is Folly.
—William Penn
Topics: Silence
The wisdom of nations lies in their proverbs, which are brief and pithy. Collect and learn them; they are notable measures of directions for human life; you have much in little; they save time in speaking; and upon occasion may be the fullest and safest answers.
—William Penn
Topics: Proverbs
To be innocent is to be not guilty; but to be virtuous is to overcome our evil inclinations.
—William Penn
Topics: Virtue, Innocence, Virtues
In all things reason should prevail; it is quite another thing to be stiff, than to be steady in an opinion.
—William Penn
Topics: Opinion
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
Richard Branson British Entrepreneur
Mary Kay Ash American Entrepreneur
Seth Godin American Entrepreneur
Walt Disney American Entrepreneur
Herb Kelleher American Entrepreneur
Robert Ringer American Entrepreneur
William C. Durant American Industrialist
Lady Bird Johnson First Lady of the United States
Martha Stewart American Businesswoman
Russell Simmons American Music Promoter