Analysis of Luke 14, 1761 October

Two notebook sheets with handwritten summaries in English of Luke 14 beginning, "The contents of this chapter may be reduced to 5 General Division..." The document is a draft with edits and struck-through words, and is dated and signed "Boston, 1[9] October 1761. J. Belknap" with the note, "Read in the Chapel of Harvard College at Even'g Prayers Octob. 1761."

The Death of John the Baptist, [ca. 1761]

Four-page handwritten English composition containing a sketch of the death of John the Baptist beginning "John was imprisoned in the Castle of Machaerus..."

[College Declamation of Andrew Fuller, 1761]

One-page handwritten Latin composition by Andrew Fuller with an epitaph of two lines from Perseus beginning, "Respice quod non es..." The document is a draft with edits and struck-through words.

[Admittatur of Benjamin Dolbeare (Harvard AB 1763)], 1760

Notebook with a handwritten copy of the 1734 College laws and additional laws approved by the Corporation between 1756 and 1760 in English prepared by Harvard undergraduate Benjamin Dolbeare and signed by President Edward Holyoke, Tutors Belcher Hancock and Thomas Marsh, and William Kneeland and Josephus Jackson on January 12, 1760.

[Admittatur of Benjamin Merrill (Harvard AB 1804)], 1800 August 12

Published copy of the 1790 College Laws with the admittatur of undergraduate Benjamin Merrill signed by President Joseph Willard on August 12, 1800. Four pages of amendments of and additions to the Harvard Laws "enacted since the Summer of 1798, and are now in force Dec. 1, 1800" are tipped in at the beginning of the volume.

Recentes approbati, 1761

List of the matriculating members of the Harvard Class of 1765.

II. Benjamin Wadsworth's Index to College Books 1-6, created ca. 1736

This paper-bound index was created by Benjamin Wadsworth, probably around 1736. Although most entries are in his hand, additional entries have been made in other, unidentified hands. It is arranged alphabetically, though the keywords used to alphabetize topics are not always logical or intuitive. Each entry lists the College Book and page number where information on the given topic can be found.

Annotated almanac, 1761

Almanac with one laid-in leaf. The calendar pages contain minimal annotations and two entries by John Winthrop: "John Rhodes came to talk about Stoughton land" (May 31) and a note about walnuts. The laid-in leaf contains entries by both Winthrops listing deaths in the community, a bill of mortality by John Winthrop, an entry about an earthquake (November 1), and a few entries by Hannah Winthrop about the weather, a northern light, and a short list of the "wine of Dr. Kneeland" (December 29).

Poem (manuscript copy owned by Jonathan Remington and Benjamin Parker), 1782

Paper notebook lacking covers with a handwritten copy of John Davis's 1781 Commencement poem titled “Poem. ” The verso of the last page is inscribed: “Benj’a Parker’s property Given him by Remington March 4th 1782.” The last page has a Latin phrase, "Finis cum fistilo jig," and the phrase, "He that has [some] hair cannot wear a wig."

College Book 7, 1750-1778

This volume contains a fair copy of minutes from Corporation meetings held from Sept. 17, 1750 through April 23, 1778. It begins with an alphabetical index and contains entries related to a wide range of topics, including the challenges of operating the Charlestown ferry (due to the river freezing, fear of smallpox, and other issues); increases in "pecuniary mulcts" (fines) for breaches of specific College laws; the establishment of the Dudleian lecture; the selection and financial support of missionaries to various Indian tribes; honorary degrees awarded to Benjamin Franklin and George Washington; gifts to the library as it was rebuilt in the wake of the fire of 1764 (many entries provide the title and author of books donated); the management of land and property belonging to Harvard; Treasurers' reports and other financial accounts; changes in the College laws; gifts to the College, ranging from two Egyptian mummies to a solar microscope; the construction of the First Parish Meeting House in Cambridge and the use of adjacent College property by parishoners; rules of endowed professorships; salaries and appointments; closures due to the threat of smallpox; rules governing Commons and the College Library; reports of various Visiting Committees; class schedules, according to subject; student disorders; the establishment of a designated museum space to display "Curiosities"; the effects of the Revolutionary War on Harvard, including repeated requests to the General Court after the war for compensation for damage to College buildings; the cost of various foods and changes in what was served at Commons; and the danger of the chapel's roof, built of too-heavy slate, falling in. Also of interest are minutes from a May 5, 1761 meeting, which note that the General Court voted to pay for Hollis Professor John Winthrop to travel to Newfoundland to observe the transit of Venus "over the Suns disc."

II. Benjamin Wadsworth's Index to College Books 1-6, created ca. 1736

This paper-bound index was created by Benjamin Wadsworth, probably around 1736. Although most entries are in his hand, additional entries have been made in other, unidentified hands. It is arranged alphabetically, though the keywords used to alphabetize topics are not always logical or intuitive. Each entry lists the College Book and page number where information on the given topic can be found.