Notebook on geography, navigation, mensuration, and other subjects, ca. 1723-1743

This heavily illustrated notebook contains entries on the following topics, among others: geography; mensuration; navigation and the history of navigation; "the use of Gunter's Scale in plain sailing;" compasses; quadrants and their use; "the refraction of the stars observed by the famous Tycho Brahe;" the latitude and longitude of coasts in America, Europe, and Africa; oceans and islands; mountains and "burning mountains" (volcanoes); rivers and lakes; forests and deserts; maps and sea charts; and the uses of geometry and other measurements by carpenters, joiners, painters, glaziers, masons, and bricklayers. Many pages contain navigational problems and their detailed solutions, as well as chronologies of global exploration and lists of all known rivers, mountains, and other geographic features across the world, many with vivid descriptions. The last pages of the notebook contain entries made in December of 1743 regarding celestial measurements Prince took in Stratford, Connecticut, where he was staying with his brother.

A Chaldee grammar, founded upon the writings of Daniel and Ezra, ca. 1776

This manuscript grammar notebook, written in Chaldean Aramaic and English, appears to have originally belonged to William Bentley (Harvard A.B. 1777); Bentley's name and a date, "December 1776," appear on the volume but have been struck through, and the handwriting appears to be his. The names of Elisha Parmele and Polly Parmele are also on the volume; presumably it was given to Elisha by Bentley, and upon Elisha's death in 1784 it was passed to Polly.

Chaldee verb notebooks, ca. 1778

These three small volumes, written in Chaldean Aramaic and English, are in Parmele's hand.

A Syriac Oration: copy of Paul's oration to the Athenians, Acts 17th, ca. 1778

Edward Everett Hale has speculated that Parmele prepared this document, written primarily in Syriac, for an event at Harvard. It is unknown whether or not it was delivered.

Notes/Observations on the Trinity by William Jones, ca. 1784

These appear to be Parmele's notes on a work by the scholar William Jones (1726-1800) regarding the Catholic doctrine of the Trinity.

Letter to Moody Noyes from unknown author, ca. 1802

This letter is a memoir about John Henry Tudor, written after his death in 1802. It is addressed to Moody Noyes, who asked the author to record his sentiments and memories of Tudor. The author graduated from Harvard in the class behind Tudor, in 1801, and writes of him with great affection.

A Poetical essay delivered at Commencement H. College, July 18th AD 1781, by Mr. Jno Davis (manuscript copy), ca. 1780s

Paper-notebook copy lacking covers with a copy of John Davis's 1781 Commencement poem. The Harvard College Library stamp is on the front page.

[Lines from The Adulateur, ca. 1772]

One leaf containing a handwritten set of lines for Cassius from The Adulateur: A Tragedy, as it is now acted in Upper Servia written by Mercy Otis Warren in 1772.

A Poetical Essay delivered at Commencement July ye 18th 1781 (manuscript copy), ca. 1780s

Paper notebook lacking covers with an unattributed copy of John Davis's 1781 Commencement poem. There are sums calculated on the back cover verso.

[Figures related to the University of Cambridge, ca. 1800]

Four pieces of paper containing notes and figures related to colleges in the University of Cambridge including calculations of the number of fellows, scholars, and masters. The verso of one leaf contains a February 21, 1800 request for the creation of a pamphlet with eulogies for George Washington.

Committee notebook, ca. 1798

Small paper notebook containing handwritten facts and figures documenting the benefits received by the town of Cambridge from the College. The notebook contains much of the same information in the Committee notebook (HUM 79 Box 1, Folder 55). Most entries list financial benefits such as the College's payments to local tradesman, the schoolmaster, and the first parish minister, as well as income received by local merchants and boarding houses from College students and officers. The cover is inscribed "Committee."

[Notes regarding academic taxation exemptions], ca. 1798

One-leaf folio-sized set of handwritten notes and extracts regarding New England academic institutions that received tax exemptions.

Queries &c about Colleges, ca. 1798

One leaf containing handwritten research questions regarding the holding of real estate and related taxation.

Sundry extracts on the subject of the taxation of College &c., ca. 1798-1801

Notebook with brown paper cover containing handwritten extracts from the charters and related legislation of New England academic, charitable, and commercial institutions regarding their ability to hold real estate and related tax exemptions. Most of the listed documents are dated in the 1780s and 1790s. The notebook also contains extracts from "Argument in the case of Poor's rate, charged on the College of Christ & Emmanuel in the University of Cambridge 1768." The item title is transcribed from a handwritten inscription on the back cover.

[Book list, ca. 1800]

Slip of paper containing a short list of recipients for an unidentified book including "each College in the U.S.," "each incorporated Academy in Massachusetts," and prominent Massachusetts leaders. The list was probably created between 1800 and 1807.