Notebook of John Allen, 1772

Paper-covered notebook containing handwritten poems and verse by Harvard graduate John Allen. Some of the poems refer to Allen’s illnesses in October 1772. The notebook also contains a short list titled “The Gentleman that I wrote diplomas for," with a list of sixteen individuals who received degrees from Harvard. The inside cover includes the inscription: “John Allen – November 4, 1772. Poetic Composition.” “Dr. T. C. Gilman” is stamped on cover.

“A Wish, or, The Author’s Soliloquy” beginning “Catch, Catch, each golden Minute as it flies…”-- “The Happy Man. A Poem” beginning “Tell Me, O Muse, where I shall find…”-- “The Conclusion, or an Invocation on the Muse to delineate the truly Happy Man”-- “A Prayer” beginning “O Though! Who makest the Clouds My Chariot…”-- “Roving Fancy. (A Verse newly invented by J. Allen)”-- “A Prayer” beginning “To Thee, to Thee Omnipotent Parent of the Universe…”-- “A Prayer” beginning “All Bounteous and eternal Jehovah!”-- “Curious Books” listing two books and an untitled poem beginning “Hail! Nature’s God, who Earth combin’d…”-- “An Ode. (in Latin.)-- (To my Sickness.) Oct. 27, 1772”-- “In My Sickness Oct. 15 1772” beginning “Come, sweet Redeemer, come, thy Grace impart!”-- “The Gentleman that I wrote Diplomas for.”-- Untitled poem beginning “I once was striving hard for fame…”-- “An Evening Hymn” beginning “Great God! I own thy mighty Hand…”-- “To my sickness, Oct’r 16 1772” beginning “Sweet life with me, seems almost o’er…” [fragment]-- Untitled poem beginning “When I in Cato’s Posture do sit down…”-- “Christ’s Love manifested to Mankind by his Death & Suffering” beginning “The Theme how vast, important, grand, sublime!

Title supplied by cataloger. Received in the Harvard College Library on July 9, 1935 from Greenleaf Whittier Pickard. Transferred to the Harvard University Archives on October 20, 1948.

John Allen (1751-1773), a Harvard graduate, was born on November 15, 1751. He received an AB from Harvard in 1772. Allen was known for his penmanship skills and was hired by the Harvard Corporation on April 5, 1773 to prepare a catalogue of the College’s library holdings. However, Allen died later that month on April 23, 1773.