Thursday, 17 May 2012

William Penn


 Another thought from William Penn’s Fruits of Solitude:

Have but little to do, and do it thy self: And do to others as thou wouldest have them do to thee: so thou canst not fail of Temporal Felicity.

I love William Penn, I really do.

Here’s a further observation from Fruits of Solitude:

Avoid Company where it is not profitable or necessary; and in those Occasions speak little, and last.

Oh, friends, both these thoughts are such wisdom, such excellent counsel!  It is as though he reached a quiet hand through time flown by and touched lightly on our lives, left a smile.

How may I engrave these words on my heart?


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365 366 Day 138 – Thursday May 17th 
 (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, see here) 



A headband.  I think I must have had it for some time when I was growing out a fringe.  Or as an alternative hatband.  Whatever.  I never wore it.

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18 comments:

  1. DaisyAnon17 May 2012 at 08:36

    Thanks for introducing me to William Penn Ember. I love the quotes.

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  2. Pen Wilcock17 May 2012 at 09:06

    "Fruits of Solitude" is worth getting hold of, and reading about William Penn very rewarding :0)
    If you scroll down the right-hand side-pane of my blog here, there's a section headed Quaker Links, which includes a link to some notes on the life of William Penn. His father (also caled William Penn) was given (!) Pennsylvania by the King of England in gratitude because he paid the Navy's food bills for a while when the king ran out of money. So our William Penn (William Penn the younger) inherited Pennsylvania, and his ideals of freedom, respect and equality shaped what it went on to become. He was a wonderful and extraordinary man.

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  3. Pen Wilcock17 May 2012 at 15:03

    :0( I have just lost some comments again! I felt sure I clicked publish, not delete, but that I may have clicked 'delete' is the only explanation I can think of for why they mysteriously vanished without trace. Sigh. I'll post myself what people said

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  4. Pen Wilcock17 May 2012 at 15:05

    BEAN said:

    "Avoid Company where it is not profitable or necessary; and in those Occasions speak little, and last." I like this quote and think it is good advice to live by.
    But, then I thought, what if you went to a gathering and everyone lived by this quote, how would the conversation ever get started :)?

    Bean

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  5. Pen Wilcock17 May 2012 at 15:06

    :0D Good point, Bean!!

    I have also known people use such tactics as a power play instead of bringing their honest selves to a conversation, and that isn't especially helpful either.

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  6. Pen Wilcock17 May 2012 at 15:07

    MARIA said:

    Thank you for mentioning my home state :) Pennsylvania is a bit different than when Penn wrote these words...but the essence of them is still held quite dear here.

    m.

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  7. Pen Wilcock17 May 2012 at 15:08

    Hi Maria :0)

    Yes, Pennsylvania still has the reputation for freedom and forbearance - people living alongside one another with respect.

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  8. Sherry17 May 2012 at 16:41

    Love the quotes, Pen. There is more wisdom there than I can actually put to use! But we must do what we can, right?

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  9. Pen Wilcock17 May 2012 at 20:38

    :0) Doing what we can is all we can do. We cannot walk among the stars but they light our way.

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  10. Anonymous17 May 2012 at 20:47

    I always enjoy stopping by.
    wimmera

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  11. Pen Wilcock17 May 2012 at 20:49

    :0) Phew! Pressed the right button this time!!

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  12. DaisyAnon18 May 2012 at 08:09

    I have downloaded two versions of 'Fruits of Solitude' onto my Kindle. One in modern language and one in the original. Total cost of £3.32.

    I love my Kindle.

    My experience is that it is very rare to be in a social situation where people generally follow the maxim about speaking little etc. And the advice does apply to occasions 'not profitable or necessary'.

    Generally I find things go more smoothly for everyone if I keep my mouth shut. :)

    And you are right Ember, keeping silent can be as manipulative/disruptive as too much wrong speech.

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  13. Trish18 May 2012 at 11:56

    Such good advice!
    I'm not so good on the "speak little and last" just yet..but I hope to get there one day.
    With God's grace..
    blessings..Trish

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  14. Pen Wilcock18 May 2012 at 12:50

    :0) Hi, ladies! Waving! xx

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  15. Anonymous18 May 2012 at 18:00

    OK, I will tell you that poor Philadelphia has plenty of problems. I wore rose-colored glasses as long as I could, but then I encountered some road signs that astonished me: "Danger: aggressive driver area." And, boy, did they mean it!! And the slums and crime rates are heartbreaking. But it is a beautiful place with lots of history, and it is home to many Quaker organizations. Pendle Hill, the Quaker retreat center, is a special jewel.

    Love, Thy Friend Paula

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  16. Pen Wilcock18 May 2012 at 18:28

    I believe Pennsylvania is one of the places the Amish have been able to settle and flourish, too.

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  17. Anonymous18 May 2012 at 21:05

    Yes. William Penn invited them, and the Swiss Mennonites from which they are descended, to come to Pennsylvania where they could find religious freedom. I have descent from the Mennonites (and other so-called "Pennsylvania Dutch" Germans)who came to Pennsylvania, as well as from Quakers. ~Paula

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  18. Pen Wilcock19 May 2012 at 08:25

    A lineage to be proud of!

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Welcome, friend! I'm always interested to read your comments.