Letter from Dr. Nathaniel Lardner to Jasper Mauduit listing books donated to Harvard, July 12, 1764, and manuscript copy of the letter

A pencilled note in the hand of John Langdon Sibley reads: "Probably the handwriting of Dr. Lardner." Sibley based his attribution on a letter from Nathaniel Lardner to Edward Wigglesworth, also written July 12, 1764, in the Houghton Library's autograph file during the nineteenth century. Verso of letter contains list, in another hand, of books donated to Harvard by Joseph Jennings.

List of Dr. Avery's books donated to Harvard by Jasper Mauduit, Oct. 5, 1764

"Dr. Avery" is Benjamin Avery, chairman of the British Committee of Protestant Dissenters, who died in 1764. Mauduit took responsibility for shipping the books which Avery had bequeathed to Harvard.

Lists of books granted to Harvard by the Massachusetts General Court, ca. 1778

The books listed were sequestered from "Cox & Berry's Collection" (British booksellers Cox and Berry) and from Province House, home to the royal Governors of the Massachusetts Bay Colony prior to the American Revolution. To the left of each book's title is a number indicating how many copies of that title were received.

"A Catalogue of books given to Harvard College Library," undated

Lists books donated by a Dr. Chauncy, Mr. Pemberton, Joseph Green, William W. Kitwell(?), Mr. Sec[retar]y Oliver, William Greenleaf, Moses Gill, Mr. Bradstreet, Dr. Isaac Foster, Brigadier General Royall, Nicholas Sever, M.(?) Condy, Mr. Dolbear, Rev. Mr. Harris, Mr. Browne, Stephen Greenleaf, Thomas Cushing, Mr. Orne, Mr. Agar, Mr. Marion, Mr. Fleet, Mr. Davies, Mr. Barrett, Dr. Grant, and possibly others. Entries include author, title, volume number, and occasionally format.

I. Calculation of the length of printed lines of all the volumes in the Harvard Library, ca. 1789

This series contains one small leaf with handwritten calculations related to the number of volumes in the Harvard College Library. The verso has the note: "No. of Vol: in Harvard College 11465 vol. making one line 15380 miles long. The document is in the hand of Loammi Baldwin Sr., and may have been created in 1789 while the Library was compiling a catalog of its holdings.

Subseries E. Admittatur to Harvard College, 1785

This document, dated Sept. 9, 1785 and signed by Harvard's President, Joseph Willard, and its Steward, Caleb Gannett, granted Shapleigh admission to Harvard College.

I. Harvard College Papers, 1st series, Volume 1, 1650-1889 (bulk 1650-1765)

The first volume of the College Papers contains original documents dating from 1651 to 1763. It also contains documents dating from 1787, 1817, and 1889, a 1886 photograph of the Charter of 1650, 19th century manscript and 20th century photostat copies of original documents. The documents span the tenures of presidents Increase Mather, John Leverett, Benjamin Wadsworth, and Edward Holyoke.

X. Harvard College Papers, 1st series, Volume 10, 1821-1824, 1831

The tenth volume of College Papers contains original documents dating from 1821 to 1824, spanning the tenures of president John Thornton Kirkland and treasurer John Davis. Much of the volume consists of general administrative correspondence exchanged between Kirkland and Davis, as well as correspondence between Davis and Steward Stephen Higginson. It also contains a printed document from 1831, during the tenure of president Josiah Quincy.

XI. Harvard College Papers, 1st series, Volume 11, 1824-1825

The eleventh volume of College Papers contains original documents from 1824 to 1825, spanning the tenures of president John Thornton Kirkland and treasurer John Davis. Much of the volume consists of general administrative correspondence exchanged between Kirkland and Davis, as well as correspondence between Davis and Steward Stephen Higginson.

II. Harvard College Papers, 1st series, Volume 2, 1764-1785, 1793

The second volume of the College Papers contains original documents dating from 1764 to 1785, spanning the tenures of presidents Edward Holyoke, Samuel Locke, Samuel Langdon, acting president Edward Wigglesworth, and Joseph Willard, as well as treasurers Thomas Hubbard, John Hancock, and Ebenezer Storer. It also contains a document from 1793.

III. Harvard College Papers, 1st series, Volume 3, 1785-1796

The third volume of the College Papers contains original documents dating from 1785 to 1796, spanning the tenures of president Joseph Willard and treasurer Ebenezer Storer. The series chiefly consists of incoming correspondence for Storer.

V. Harvard College Papers, 1st series, Volume 5, 1805-1809

The fifth volume of College Papers contains original documents dating from 1805 to 1809, spanning the tenures of president Samuel Webber and treasurers Ebenezer Storer and Jonathan Jackson.

VI. Harvard College Papers, 1st series, Volume 6, 1809-1811

The sixth volume of College Papers contains original documents dating from 1809 to 1811, spanning the tenures of presidents Samuel Webber and John Thornton Kirkland, and treasurers Jonathan Jackson and John Davis. Much of the volume consists of general administrative correspondence exchanged between Kirkland and Davis.

VII. Harvard College Papers, 1st series, Volume 7, 1811-1815, 1819

The seventh volume of the College Papers contains original documents dating from 1811 to 1815, spanning the tenures of president John Thornton Kirkland and treasurer John Davis. Much of the volume consists of general administrative correspondence exchanged between Kirkland and Davis. It also contains one document from 1819.

VIII. Harvard College Papers, 1st series, Volume 8, 1815-1820 (bulk 1815-1819)

The eighth volume of College Papers contains original documents dating from 1815 to 1819, spanning the tenures of president John Thornton Kirkland and treasurer John Davis. Much of the volume consists of general administrative correspondence exchanged between Kirkland and Davis. It also contains a document from 1820.