William Penn’s narrative from 1683 of the Pennsylvania colony explains the potential for success of the colony. His narration is careful to promote the colony as a trade partner for the committee to which he sends this letter. Considering his background as a wealthy Quaker and his goals for the colony the letter is a good representation of Penn’s intents and purposes.
William Penn
William Penn was born into a wealthy, elite British family, but converted to the Quaker Faith during his youth. In American Colonies, Taylor emphasizes the dissonance that his wealth and Quaker faith created for Penn. Quakers at the time were typically untrusting of the wealthy, but with new converts like Penn the Friends changed to a more moderate view. The wealthier Quakers became an important part of the religious community that spurned all church systems and processes. According to Taylor, Penn acted as a political defender in a time when many Quakers were imprisoned for their beliefs. The Catholic Duke of York played an important role in Penn’s life as he supported Penn’s efforts for Christian tolerance in return for support of the Duke who became the king. Because the Quakers were persecuted for their religious views in England, forming a colony of relative religious tolerance was a great help. However, this altruistic goal was not Penn’s only motive as Taylor explains. He, like others, hoped for a two-part success in America involving fiscal success and altruism that Taylor describes as, “Wished to do well by doing good” (266). The colony was a great success but as a result of generous donations to Quakers and overspending Penn actually ended up in debt.
In America, after having gathered financial supporters, Penn founded the colony of Pennsylvania, which originally also included what is now Delaware. The narrative, “Letter from William Penn to the Committee of the Free Society of Trades” describes Penn arriving in the colony on the Welcome (the name is ironic considering the whole of American colonization but perhaps more appropriate as Penn’s goal was a place to welcome all Protestants), but his was not the only ship. In fact, Taylor describes two waves of colonists each with twenty or so ships and two thousand colonists arriving in 1682 and 1686. Taylor describes the endeavor positively saying, “Masterfully employing that seed capital, Penn organized the fastest and most efficient colonization in the seventeenth-century English empire” (267). Taylor outlines that initial success was in part due to Penn’s careful planning of the city of Philadelphia. Another part of the success was due to the timing relative to other colonies. Taylor explains that because other colonies such as Chesapeake were already established and experiencing a downturn Pennsylvania was able to take advantage of their trade connections and learn from their mistakes.
The location of the Pennsylvania colony was also a major factor in the success of the colony. Taylor explains how not only was the geography good for farming but one of the major Indian groups had been already wiped out by disease leaving only the Lenni Lenape. Penn bought the land from the Indian’s who had more land than they needed for their small population. These Indians also acted as a sort of barrier from other Native American groups and a military protection for the passivist Quakers. In his narrative, William Penn highlights these same benefits that Taylor mentions. Penn describes the Native American relations in detail relating what kinds of interactions they have and how he personally is learning their language and monitoring interactions to ensure peace and fair treatment of the Indians. He goes into great detail listing the types of plants and animals that the area offered and could cultivate. In relation to the geography he describes a long growing season and weather, the gravel bottom Delaware River, and diversity of soil. Penn tempers the glowing report by mentions of some less productive soil locations and a frosty winter but generally his narrative is a descriptive account intended to encourage settlers and funding.
His narrative falls into the genres of descriptive and promotional. Penn’s use of lists and careful mentions of geography, weather, flora, and fauna are characteristic of a descriptive mode of narration. Yet, judging by the writing style and language Penn’s purpose is promotional as he directly addresses his letter to the Committee of the Free Society of Traders in hopes of encouraging trade with his colony and thus monetary success for Pennsylvania. We can see evidence of his purpose in his comparisons to England. He deliberately points out items that might be of interest for a trade company such as flowers native to the area that would be good for the European flower market and native grapes that would make good wine. Yet he is careful to not over-compare his area in a way that might insult their pride in England. For example, in a discussion of peaches he says, “they make a pleasant Drink and I think not inferior to any Peach you have in England, except the true Newington” (Penn 228). He walks the line between explaining how produce is better in America and still flattering the Committee’s sensibilities about England. Because Penn is sending a letter to a trade company his language is predominantly economic. Even mentions of the geography highlight the potential for economic and colonial success. Though Penn was deeply religious the letter is devoid of any religious diction as his status as a Quaker might interfere with trade agreements if the Committee has its own religious leanings. Penn maintains the commercial tone by leaving out his personal beliefs.
A Lenni Lenape Man
Although his relation of the contact with the local tribe of Native Americans is not so directly connected with his purpose of conveying economic benefits as the lists of produce eligible for trade, Penn maintains his interest in the financial success of the colony in the sections about the Lenni Lenape. Penn describes various aspects of the Native American culture, which contribute to an impression that these people are good neighbors for the colony. For example, in describing how they invite guests with food and then are hurt if invited themselves as guests and not offered even a little. The focus of the description is on how the Lenni Lenape value kindness. Also, in describing their physical character he is careful to explain that they are darker skinned but otherwise characterized by strong Roman or European traits. This perhaps exaggerated description of the people would have made their presence as allies and equals more palatable to his English audience. Having the Lenni Lenape as peaceful friends would have been particularly important to Pennsylvania as most of its citizens were Quakers and unwilling to fight should antagonism characterize their relations with the Indians. I found Penn’s description of the Lenni Lenape to seem constructed for a purpose more that it was accurately informational about the people group.
In reading William Penn’s narrative I was a bit surprised by the lack of religious dictions. Having recently read Cabeza de Vaca’s narrative that was filled with credits to and mentions of God, I did not expect for such a religious person like William Penn to omit mentions of God. In hindsight, his intention may have been to give the Committee no possible cause to doubt or think negatively of Penn or Pennsylvania due to his Quakerism even thought they likely were also Protestant. William Penn’s goal of doing good while making money with his colonial ventures is clearly demonstrated in his narrative.
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