" Lines upon the late proceedings of the College Government" collection, 1787-1917

This collection contains various manifestations of a humorous poem, most often called "Lines upon the late proceedings of the College Government," written by classmates John Quincy Adams and John Murray Forbes in 1787. Both Adams and Forbes were members of the class of 1787, and the poem recounts events surrounding the pranks and ensuing punishment of two members of the class behind them, Robert Wier and James Prescott. Wier and Prescott had been caught drinking wine and making "riotous noise," and they were publicly reprimanded by Harvard President Joseph Willard and several professors and tutors, including Eliphalet Pearson, Eleazar James, Jonathan Burr, Nathan Read, and Timothy Lindall Jennison. The poem mocks these authority figures, but it spares Samuel Williams, whom it suggests was the only professor to find their antics humorous.

Letter from William Croswell to Mr. B, [ca. 1829]

Draft of a letter regarding Croswell's study of the New Testament.

Letter from William Croswell to Joseph May, 1829 April 29

Draft of a letter regarding Croswell's claims for compensation from Harvard.

Letter book, 1829-1833

This paper notebook contains handwritten copies of twenty-two letters and petitions written by Croswell between June 9, 1829 and July 11, 1833, to various recipients that primarily describe his employment with Harvard College and need for financial assistance.

Letters to the Corporation of Harvard College, 1819-1829

Paper notebook containing copies of letters sent by Croswell to the Harvard Corporation in relation to his work on the Harvard Library Catalogue.

Notes for a memorial (fragment), [ca. 1829]

Fragment of notes referencing the Harvard President's third plan for the library catalogue.

Draft of a memorial to an unidentified board (fragment), [1829] March 5-9

Fragment of a draft of a petition.

Petition to the City Council of Boston, 1829 October 5

One draft of a letter.

Draft of a petition to an unidentified board, [1829] November 6

One draft of a letter.

College commons records, 1765-1829 (inclusive)

This volume, containing chronologically arranged papers mounted and bound around 1840, provides comprehensive documentation of the College commons around the turn of the 19th century. In particular, the volume documents the role the Steward played in overseeing the Commons. The records chiefly consist of the quarter reports of the Committee assigned to review the Steward’s accounts. Other documents include lists of utensils, bills for dinners for the Corporation, Overseers, and Commencement, regulations, lists of abatements for students’ quarterly bills, and information on kitchen staff.