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College, returned home. His father is said to have received him coldly. Indeed he could not be otherwise than displeased with his son on account of the public disgrace which he had thus incurred: but that which

vexed him most was the change now observable in his habits; for he began to abandon what was called the fashionable world, and to mix only with serious and religious people. It was this dereliction of it which proved the greatest disappointment; for the Admiral was fearful that all the prospects in life which he had formed for his son, and which he could have promoted by his great connexions, would be done away. Anxious therefore to recover him, he had recourse to argument. This failing, like one accustomed to arbitrary power, he proceeded to blows; and the latter failing also, he turned him out of doors.

The Admiral, after a procedure so violent, began at length to relent. He was himself, though perhaps hasty in his temper, a man of an excellent disposition, so that his own good feelings frequently opposed themselves to his anger on this occasion. His wife too,

an

an amiable woman, lost no opportunity of intercession. Overcome therefore by his own affectionate nature on the one hand, and by her entreaties on the other, he forgave his son. But he was desirous of meeting the evil for the future, and he saw no other means of doing it than by sending his son to France. He indulged a hope that the change of scene might wean him from his old connexions, and that the gaiety of French manners might correct the growing gravity of his mind. Accordingly in 1662 he sent him to that country, in company with certain persons of rank who were then going upon their travels.

The place where William first resided was Paris. While here, but one anecdote concerning him is recorded. It happened that he was attacked one evening in the street by a person who drew his sword upon him in consequence of a supposed affront. A conflict immediately ensued. William in the course of it disarmed his antagonist, but proceeded no further, sparing his life when by the confession of all those who relate the fact he could have taken it; thus exhibiting, says Gerard Croese, a testimony

testimony not only of his courage, but of his forbearance.

It is nowhere said how long he remained at Paris; but it is probable that his stay there was very short, and moreover that the gaiety and dissipation of that city was far from pleasing him; for we find him afterwards with his companions a resident for some months, in the years 1662 and 1663, at Saumur; whither he had gone to avail himself of the conversation and instruction of the learned Moses Amyrault, who was a Protestant minister of the Calvinistic persuasion, professor of divinity at Saumur, and at this time in the highest estimation of any divine in France. His works, such as his Paraphrase on the New Testament and Psalms, his Apology for his Religion, his Treatise on Free-will, his Exaltation of Faith and Abasement of Reason, with many others, had been then widely circulated and read. The greatest men in that kingdom, both Calvinists and Catholics, honoured him with their friendship; and he was (so) highly esteemed by the Cardinal Richlieu, that the latter imparted to him his design of uniting the two churches.

The

The learned Monsieur du Bosc, on seeing the print of his friend Moses when it came out, wrote under it this distich:

"A Mose ad Mosem par Mosi non fuit ullus;
More, ore, et calamo mirus uterque fuit."

These lines the English biographer, who has noticed the life of Moses Amyrault, has translated thus:

From Moses down to Moses none,

Among the sons of men,
With equal lustre ever shone

In manners, tongue, and pen.

Under a man so conspicuous William Penn renewed his studies. He read the Fathers he turned over the pages of the ology: he applied himself to the rudiments of the French language, so as to become a proficient in the knowledge of it. // His residence here I beg the reader to remember, because it will throw light upon a circumstance which will require development in the course of the present work.

It appears when he left Saumur that he directed his course towards Italy, and that he had reached Turin in his way thither; for, while there, a letter reached him from his father desiring his return home. His, father

father had then received notice that he was to command the fleet against the Dutch, and wished his son to take care of the family in his absence. William in consequence returned. This was in 1664. During the few opportunities he had with his father, he is said to have given satisfaction; for though he had not gone back (as indeed it would seem impossible under the care of Moses. Amyrault) in his regard and concern for religion, he was yet more lively in his manners than before. He had contracted also a sort of polished or courtly demeanour, which he had insensibly taken from the customs of the people among whom he had lately lived.

It was thought advisable, as he had now returned from the continent, that he should know something of the laws of his own country; and accordingly, on the suggestion of his father, he became a student of Lincoln's Inn. He remained there for about a year, when the great plague making its appearance in London, he quitted it, with many others, on the reasonable precaution of self-preservation. This took place in the year 1665, in which year he became of age.

CHAP

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