William Penn (1644–1718)

After reading the first volume of President Eliot's Five Foot Shelf, I'm afraid I really do wonder about the President's mindset. It's not that these works of Mr. Franklin, Mr. Woolman and Mr. Penn are not worth reading--they certainly are, and in the cases of Mr. Woolman and Mr. Penn, in parts "inspiring". But all three raise more questions than they provide answers. I read Franklin in high school and remembered mostly his table or scheme for self-improvement, which to a high school boy show more seemed rather absurd. This time, though, I found more sympathy for old Ben and noticed what I had not seen before, his humorous touches.

But why in the world would these be chosen as the first volume of Mr. Eliot's ambitious effort? Was he serious? If so, what was his point? show less

The book describes how the early Christian church had been restored by the Quakers through their belief in the reality of “the Light of Christ in Man.” This doctrine distinguished Quakers from all other Christians at the time. Penn outlines the beliefs and behaviors that define the Friends’ way of life. The simplicity and precision of Penn’s description is unsurpassed in the three centuries since it was first published, but seventeenth-century English vocabulary and grammar have show more obscured his message. The editor has translated it into modern English, revealing the clarity of Penn’s reasoning. show less

For once, Penn's language doesn't get in the way of what he wishes to convey. An easy read, and a great resource for epigrams. "545. Let us then see what Love can do: For if [People] did once see we Love them, we should soon find they would not harm us."

Appropriate for funerals: "127-34. They that love beyond the World, cannot be separated by it. Death cannot kill, what never dies. Nor can Spirits ever be divided that love and live in the same Divine Principle; the Root and Record of their show more Friendship. If Absence be not death, neither is theirs. Death is but Crossing the World, as Friends do the Seas; They live in one another still. For they must needs be present, that love and live in that which is Omnipresent. In this Divine Glass, they see Face to Face; and their Converse is Free, as well as pure. This is the Comfort of Friends, that though they may be said to Die, yet their Friendship and Society are, in the best Sense, ever present, because Immortal." show less

These proverbs and teachings are the product of William Penn's life, faith, and Quaker roots. He offers these moral principles as guideposts for the life of his children. They resonate today. Covering 165 subjects with almost 300 specific sayings and teachings about friendship, discipline, conversation, religion and more, the book is a deliberate guide to our daily lives and interaction with others.