Notebook of James Lovell, 1757-1760

Marbled paper-covered handwritten notebook of James Lovell. The volume contains three texts written in Latin, “Praecellentissime Domine,” dated 1757, an untitled text beginning, “Cogitanti mihi et superiorum revolti…” dated 1759, and Lovell’s funeral oration for Tutor Henry Flynt titled “Oratio funebris” dated 1760. The Latin texts are followed by blank pages and the volume ends with an untitled English text about orators that begins, “Ridiculous certainly is that Practice of some...” The last page of the text includes the marginal notes: “John Winthrop Esqr. Hollisian Professor” and, “For T.H. of Carolina.” There are verses attributed to the London Magazine written on the inside front cover.

Student notebook of James Varney, 1721-1725

The bound notebook contains academic texts copied by Harvard student James Varney in the early 1720s. The texts are written tête-bêche (where both ends of the volume are used to begin writing). The front paste-down endpaper reads 'James Varney his book 1724,' and the rear paste-down endpaper reads 'Joseph Lovett' [AB 1728].

Letters from Henry Warren to William Tudor,

Two letters providing information and historical sources on James Otis.

James Otis research materials,

Includes copies of correspondence from James Otis, and copies of historical summaries of the Stamp Act and extracts from the annual register, circa 1760s.

James Otis research materials,

Includes extracts from Benjamin Franklin’s works.

James Otis research materials,

Includes notes on activities of the Stamp Act Congress in 1765.

James Otis research materials,

Includes copies of correspondence from James Otis, notes on the American Revolution, and an extract from the Journal of Congress, approximately 1760s-1780s.

James Otis research materials,

Draft of Tudor’s manuscript, interfiled with loose notes and extracts from John Reeves’ work on English law, and a copy of Otis’ supposed work, "An Appeal to the World, or, a Vindication of the Town of Boston," approximately 1760s-1820s.

James Otis research materials,

Draft of Tudor's manuscript, interfiled with loose notes and copies of various documents regarding the Boston Tea Party and the Charter Oak tree.

James Otis research materials,

Notes for a chapter that included the history of two pieces of artillery, the "Adams" and the "Hancock," used in Revolutionary War; epitaph in Latin on William Bollan, and agent for the province of Massachusetts, and Governor William Shirley; clippings regarding the death of General James Warren.

James Otis research materials,

Undated copied and original correspondence and remembrances of James Otis.

Letters from Benjamin Welles to John Henry Tudor, 1799-1801

Benjamin Welles wrote these six letters to his friend and classmate, John Henry Tudor, between 1799 and 1801. Four of the letters are dated, and the dates of the other two can be deduced from their contents. Welles wrote Tudor four times in September 1799, at the onset of their senior year at Harvard, in an attempt to clear up hurt feelings and false rumors that he believed had caused a chill in their friendship. The cause of the rift is never fully explained, though Welles alludes to "a viper" and "villainous hypocrite" who apparently spread rumors and fueled discord between the two friends. In one letter, Welles asserts that "College is a rascal's Elysium - or the feeling man's hell." In another he writes: "College, Tudor, is a furnace to the phlegmatic, & a Greenland to thee feeling man; it has an atmosphere which breathes contagion to the soul [...] Villains fatten here. College is the embryo of hell." Whatever their discord, the wounds were apparently eventually healed; in a letter written June 26, 1800, Welles writes to ask Tudor about his impending speech at Commencement exercises. In an October 29, 1801 letter, Welles writes to Tudor in Philadelphia (where he appears to have traveled in attempts to recover his failing health) and expresses strong wishes for his friend's recovery and return to Boston. This letter also contains news of their classmate Washington Allston's meeting with painters Henry Fuseli and Benjamin West.