By William Penn
At first glance, “Some Fruits of Solitude” by William Penn may appear to be a small book. Rest assured that it is not. The 170 pages of “Reflections and Maxims” are divided by topic. This hardcover edition by Attic Books (www.attic-books.net) released in March of 2012 retains the original 17th century spellings, so it might be a struggle for those not familiar with KJV or Shakespearian language.
This book is a challenging read, not so much for what Penn wrote, but from the conviction that comes from reading it and wanting to improve one’s own life, by following God more closely in each daily step. Number 511 from the section titled “Religion” addresses this inner conviction. “Men may Tire themselves in a Labyrinth of Search, and talk of God: But if we would know him indeed, it must be from the Impressions we receive of him; and the softer out Hearts are, the deeper and livelier those will be upon us.” Or perhaps we are reminded of our needs when reading number 27 from the section “Pride”: “It is too frequent to begin with God and end with the World. But He is the good man’s Beginning and End; his Alpha and Omega.”
It is well worth the time it takes to read all 12 pages of the introduction, as it provides historical background about both Penn and his writing.
This is not a quick read, but rather a devotional style book where one needs to read a selection and meditate on its importance. The book is divided into Parts I and II, so the numbering of the maxims starts over on page 107 with Part II.
I would recommend this book to readers High School aged and above. It would be an excellent gift for those interested in developing their relationship with Christ.
This book was provided to me free of charge by New Leaf Press for review.
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