Commonplace book of Jonathan Belcher, 1725-1727

This leather-bound volume contains excerpts copied by Jonathan Belcher from books he read while he was a student at Harvard. The excerpts come from a variety of sources including periodicals and contemporary publications. The inside cover has Belcher's bookplate with the motto, "Sustine. Abstine." The back cover has some additional personal information including reference to French lessons with "Mr Law Merciers," and notes of the dates when he began certain books/essays.

The volume contains excerpts from Anthony Blackwall’s Introduction to the Classics, 1718; Joseph Addison and Richard Steele’s The Spectator, 1711-12; Cotton Mather’s The Christian Philosopher; James Janeway’s Heaven Upon Earth, 1721; William Darrell’s The Gentleman Instructed, 1704 (first ed.); Joseph Addison and Richard Steele’s The Guardian, 1713; Laurence Eachard, Roman History, 1698-99; Rene Rapin, The Whole Critical Works of Monsieur Rapin, 1706; Samuel Wright, A Treatise on the Religious Observation of the Lord’s-Day, 1724; Thomas Blount Pope essays (mid-to-late seventeenth century); Benjamin Bennet, A Memorial of the Reformation, 1717; George Savile (Lord Halifax), Advice to a Daughter 1688; “Swedish Officer,” The Persian Cromwell, 1724; Robert South, various sermons, mid-seventeenth century; John Clark, Essay on Education; The Turkish Spy, 1687; Roman History Character of the Caesars in Brief; Basil Kennett, Roman Antiquities, 1713; Plutarch’s Lives; John Ray, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of Creation, 1691; John Ray, Three Physico-Theological Discourses, 1693; Tanaquil Faber (Tanneguy Lefevre), Method of Teaching the Languages.

The volume was purchased by the Harvard College Library on April 12, 1917 with Subscription funds.

Title supplied by cataloger.

Jonathan Belcher, Chief Justice and Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, was born on July 23, 1710 in Boston, the son of Jonathan Belcher (Harvard AB 1699), governor of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Jersey. Belcher graduated from Harvard in 1728 and received an AM from the College in 1731, and later Master of Arts degrees from the University of Cambridge and the University of Dublin. He was admitted to the Bar in 1734. In 1754 he was appointed the chief justice of Nova Scotia, and later served as its Lieutenant Governor from 1761 until 1763. Belcher died on January 2, 1776.