ii8 OLD-FASHIONED GARDENING 



the Quakers, to their own material profit, when the 

 latter began to build their city. 



It was never the intention of William Penn to 

 dwell in the midst of a city, however, even though it 

 were "a greene Country Towne." In the beautiful 

 letter of family counsel which he wrote to his wife 

 from Worminghurst almost the last thing before his 

 departure for America, he says : "Let my children be 

 husbandmen and housewives. This leads to consider 

 the works of God and nature, and diverts the mind 

 from being taken up with the vain arts and inventions 

 of a luxurious world. Of cities and towns of Con- 

 course, beware. The world is apt to stick close to 

 those who have lived and get wealth there. A coun- 

 try life and estate I like best for my children." 



To the end that their country seat should be ready 

 for them when they were brought to America, his 

 deputy Markham was already engaged on the work at 

 "Pennsbury," some distance above the site chosen for 

 the city, even when this letter was written. Some of 

 the ornamental work which was to adorn the man- 

 sion had been taken over from England the year 

 before; and the house was built, although not fin- 

 ished, when Penn paid it his first visit a month 

 after landing from the "Welcome." The original 

 tract as purchased from the Indians by Markham con- 

 tained about 8400 acres, but this was reduced, by 



