A catalogue of books [donated by Jasper Mauduit] in the library of Harvard College [at]: Cambridge in New England, 1765

This leatherbound volume lists books donated to the Harvard College Library by Jasper Mauduit, who served as an agent in London on behalf of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay. Entries are arranged alphabetically and by format; i.e. the first page lists all folios whose author, title, or keyword begin with "A," the next page lists all quartos beginning with "A," and the following page lists all "octavo &ca" volumes beginning with "A." The volume continues in a similar manner for each letter of the alphabet. Following a devastating fire in 1764 which destroyed most of the books in the Harvard College Library, Mauduit donated books, as well as money for the purchase of books, to the College. He also acted as an agent of the Society for Propagating the Gospel in New England and Parts Adjacent, using the £300 they donated for the rebuilding of the College library to select and purchase a large number of books. It is not known if the books listed in this catalog are those donated by Mauduit himself, or if they are the donations he purchased on behalf of the Society. The creator of this volume is unknown; although all entries are made in the same hand, the identity of the writer has not been determined. The label attached to the front cover, which refers to the Lime Street address of Mauduit's business in London, suggests that the list might have been prepared by Mauduit himself.

Title taken from first page of volume, with bracketed addition from cataloger.

Label attached to front cover reads: "Jasper Mauduit / Lime Street / 1765."

A collection in the Harvard University Archives contains further information about books donated to the College Library during Mauduit's era: UAIII 50.15.30, Early Catalogs and Shelflists of the Harvard College Library, 1723-1822.

Jasper Mauduit, who served as colonial agent in London for the Province of Massachusetts Bay from 1762 to 1765, was the son of Isaac Mauduit (1662/3-1718) and Elizabeth Mauduit (1671/2-1713). The years of his birth and death are not known. He was a prosperous woolen-draper and owned a business on Lime Street in London, called Mauduit and Company, with his brother Israel Mauduit (1708-1787) and his son-in-law, James Wright. They conducted active business in Virginia and were financially successful. In April 1762, Mauduit was appointed as colonial agent for the Province of Massachusetts Bay and served in that role until January 24, 1765, when he was replaced by agent Richard Jackson. He had asked to be relieved of his post in 1764, due to ill health. The most important issues to arise during Mauduit's tenure were the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act, revenue bills brought in by George Grenville which were highly unpopular in the colonies. Mauduit was widely considered ill-suited for the post of colonial agent, and John Adams wrote in his diary that Mauduit was: "a woollen draper, a mere cit[izen]; so ignorant of court and public business, that he knew not where the public offices were and that he told Mr. Bollan that he was agent for New England." Regardless of his aptitude as colonial agent, Mauduit was unquestionably helpful towards Harvard College in the procurement of books and purchasing funds in the wake of the 1764 fire that had devastated the College library.