Recommendation of William Croswell, 1787 November

This folder contains two handwritten documents recommending Croswell as an instructor of literature, languages, and mathematics.

Certificate of parent, 1807 June 6

This brief handwritten note, signed by the parent of a Liverpool student, certifies Croswell's proficiency as an instructor.

Letter from Judah Monis to the Harvard Corporation, 1729 March 24

A half-page handwritten letter from Judah Monis to the Harvard Corporation on one folio-sized leaf requesting that his service with the College be extended.

About Mr. Monis's being taxed, 1731 December 21

Small slip of paper containing a handwritten statement signed by President Benjamin Wadsworth, Tutor Henry Flynt, Professor Edward Wigglesworth, and Tutor Nathan Prince declaring that Judah Monis as the Hebrew instructor should receive the tax exemptions granted to College officers and providing suggestions to claim the exemption.

Letter from Judah Monis to the Harvard Corporation, 1732 September 27

A half-page handwritten letter from Judah Monis to the Harvard Corporation on an octavo-sized leaf requesting a salary increase.

Petition of Judah Monis to the Harvard Corporation, 1733 September 14

A half-page handwritten request from Judah Monis to the Harvard Corporation on a folio-sized leaf requesting a salary increase due to the high cost of living. The petition was read to the Corporation on October 5, 1733.

Order for the salary of Judah Monis, 1725 October 21

Small slip of paper containing an order from President Benjamin Wadsworth to Treasurer Edward Hutchinson to pay Judah Monis's salary for half of one year.

A system of ethicks: Of morall phylosophy in generall & in speciall

This hardcover volume contains manuscript copies of Charles Morton's "A System of Ethicks," "Pneumatics. Or a treatise of the Rev'd Mr. Charles Morton about ye Nature of Spirit," "Appendix of the Souls of Brutes," "Some Theological Questions Answd," and a one-page list "Texts of Scripture to prove if ye head of Christ &c." copied by Harvard student Ebenezer Williams in February 1707/8.

Notebook of Obadiah Ayer, 1708-1716

The leather-bound notebook contains academic texts copied by Obadiah Ayer while he was a student at Harvard, and after his graduation in 1710. There is a general index to the included texts at the end of the volume.

Compendium logicæ secundum principia D. Renati Descarte catechisticè propositum : [1693]

Small leather hardcover volume containing a manuscript copy of William Brattle’s abstract of René Descartes’ "Compendium Logicae" copied in Latin, likely by Thomas Phipps in 1693. A crossed out inscription on the inside back cover appears to read “Thomas Phips 1693” likely referring to Thomas Phipps, a member of the Harvard Class of 1695.

Compendium logica in quatuor partes, 1701

Small hardcover notebook containing a manuscript copy of William Brattle's abstract of René Descartes' "Compendium Logicae" copied in Latin by Harvard student Joseph Metcalf between April 29th and May 7th, 1701. The text includes an ornately decorated title page and drawings and notes on the flyleaves. The covers are unattached. The inside front cover is inscribed: "Joseph Burbeen Walker 1845."

Student notebook of Samuel Dunbar, 1721-1722

This leather-bound volume contains substantial transcriptions copied by Samuel Dunbar from textbooks while he was a student at Harvard in 1721 and 1722. There is a general index to texts at the end of the volume. Dunbar's notebook provides a window into the state of higher education in the eighteenth century and offers a firsthand account of academic life at Harvard College. Notably, he often indicated the number of days spent copying texts into his book.

Short nomenclator or vocabular in English and Hebrew: composed alphabetically for the use and benefit of my pupils in particular and for the advantage of those who are desirous to obtain the knowledge of the Hebrew tongue in general, which may be that great help to understand not only ye sacred oracles in their original, but even any Jewish author (so far as concern owns) as also it may give great insight in ye tongue to those, as to compose it, a work altogether new, [ca. 1735]

Headed on the first page with the words "Nomenclatura hebraica," this handwritten volume is a vocabulary with the Hebrew word in the left column, and the English translation on the right. While the book is arranged in sections by letter, individual entries do not appear in strict alphabetical order. The small vocabulary varies greatly and includes entries like enigma, excommunication, and martyr, as well as cucumber and maggot. There are translations of the astrological signs at the end of the volume. Poem written at the bottom of the last page in different hand: "Women when good the best of saints/ that bright seraphick lovely/ she, who nothing of an angel/ wants but truth & immortality./ Verse 2: Who silken limbs & charming/ face. Keeps nature warm."

Compendium physicæ ex authoribus extractum, 1714

Manuscript copy of Charles Morton’s Compendium Physicae prepared by copyist Robert Ward in 1714. The leather-bound volume includes text and drawings, and there is an index to the chapters of the book at the end of the volume. "Thomas Greaves's book Octob 1 Anno Salutis 1714" inscribed on flyleaf. Thomas Greaves may refer to the Charlestown physician and judge and member of the Harvard Class of 1703.

Philosophia naturalis ex authoribus extracta per dominum

This leather-bound volume contains a manuscript copy of Charles Morton’s Compendium Physicae copied by Harvard student Obadiah Ayer in 1708. The volume has text and drawings (including one large foldout drawing), and there is an index to the chapters at the end of the volume. Mather Byles (Harvard Class of 1725) also used the book.