A plan of Cambridge Green, 1780 September 14

Small pen-and-ink and watercolor drawing of Cambridge Green created by Harvard senior John Davis, presumably as part of his undergraduate mathematical coursework. The map surveys Cambridge Commons and includes a few rough outlines of College buildings and the Episcopal church, and notes the burying ground, and the roads to Charlestown, Menotomy, the pond, Watertown, and the bridge. The original handwritten text is faded and was annotated with additional text by Davis including the note "[taken in my Senior year at H. College Septr 1780] Surveyed in concert with classmates, Atkins, Hall 1st, Howard, Payne, &c.- J. Davis." There is a note that "Atkins afterwards took the name of Tying." Davis refers to Dudley Atkins Tyng, Joseph Hall, Bezaleel Howard, and Elijah Paine, all members of the Harvard Class of 1781.

Student mathematical textbook of James Freeman, 1774

Manuscript volume containing portions of text copied from Nicholas Saunderson’s Elements of algebra, Nicholas Hammond’s The elements of algebra, and John Ward’s The young mathematician’s guide. The volume is divided into two main parts: the first is titled Concerning the parts of Arithmetick (p. 1-98) and the second, The elements of Algebra, extracted from Hammond, Ward & Saunderson (p. 99-259).

Student mathematical notebook of Thomas Noyes, 1793

This sewn volume contains Noyes’ mathematical exercises in geometry; trigonometry; surveying; measurement of heights and distances; plain, oblique, parallel, middle latitude, and mercator sailing; and dialing. Many of the exercises are illustrated by carefully hand-drawn diagrams, including a mariners’ compass and moon dials.

Student notebook of James Blake on Hebrew grammar, 1767

A small paper notebook containing eight-pages of English notes on Hebrew grammar and Hebrew script written by Harvard undergraduate James Blake in 1767. The title of the first page, "Of Nouns," is annotated with the note, "Benj'm Wadsworth, 1767" and the recto of the back cover contains a personal note to "Rev'd Mr. Wadsworth" signed "J. B.," presumably referring to Benjamin Wadsworth (1750-1826; Harvard AB 1769).

Dominium temporale non fundatur in gratia (Commencement Quaestiones), 1697 July 7

Small paper notebook of John Ballantine with the handwritten Latin quaestiones performed by Ballantine, Eliphalet Adams, Adam Winthrop, and Jabez Fitch as candidates for the Master’s degree during the July 7, 1697 Harvard Commencement ceremony. The Quaestiones begin with Ballantine’s “Dominum temporal non fundatur in gratia,” and follow with “An Jesuitae possint esse boni subditi? Neg Resp. Dom. Winthrop,” "An Ethnicae virtutes sint verae virtutes?" Neg. Resp. Dom. Adams,” and “An detur omnibus an sufficiens ad salutem? Neg. Resp. Dom. Fitch.” The title page bears the inscription: “Jno Ballantine’s Book” and the first page has been torn out.

Commonplace book of John Holyoke, 1662 - May 1663

This unbound commonplace book was kept by John Holyoke during 1662 and 1663. The volume contains chiefly religious quotations and sermon notes (possibly of sermons preached by Holyoke himself), in English, Latin and Greek. Both ends of the volume were used to begin writing: the front page reads “Johannes Holyoke, adjunctu occupatu, May-1663” and the rear page reads “Johannes Holyoke [illegible] 1662.” The texts do not follow a straight tête-bêche model, where one text is upside down in relation to the other; rather, the texts change direction several times within the volume. The volume also includes part of letter sent to Holyoke’s grandfather Pynchon, September 16, 16?? [date illegible], as well as a series of alphabetically arranged quotations.

Student mathematical notebook of Ebenezer Hill, 1785

This mathematical notebook of Ebenezer Hill was kept in 1795 while he was a student at Harvard College. The volume contains rules, definitions, problems, drawings, and tables on arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry, surveying, calculating distances, and dialing. Some of the exercises are illustrated by hand-drawn diagrams, including some of buildings and trees.

Student mathematical notebook of Ephraim Eliot, 1779

Handwritten mathematical notebook of Ephraim Eliot, kept in 1779 while he was a student at Harvard College. The volume contains rules, definitions, problems, drawings, and tables on arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry, surveying, calculating distances, and dialing. Some of the exercises are illustrated by unrefined hand-drawn diagrams, as well as a sketch of a mariner’s compass. The sections on navigation, mensuration of heights, and spherical geometry are titled but not completed. The ink of the later text, beginning with Trigonometry, is faded.

Commonplace book of John Bullard, 1775-1779

This bound volume contains excerpts copied by Jonathan Bullard from books he read as a student at Harvard in the mid 1770s. Excerpts include an unattributed poem titled "On Friendship," which appeared in the "poetical essays" section of Volume 36 of the London Magazine in 1767; Joseph Butler, The Analogy of Religion, 1736; The Quaker's Grace; a history of England; Newton's laws; Plutarch's Morals; Benjamin Franklin's writings on the Aurora Borealis. The volume also includes several extracts from articles about the death of John Paddock (Class of 1776), who drowned in the Charles in the summer of 1773, sheet music for two songs, "The Rapture," and "A Song" from Henry Harington's "Damon and Chlora," and a transcription of the satirical "Book of Harvard," written in response to the Butter Rebellion of 1766. Interleaved in the middle of the volume is a transcription from an ecclesiastical event moderated by Ebenezer Bridge in Medford, Mass. on November 20, 1779. The variety of texts suggests the commonplace book was not used solely for academic works.

Commonplace book of Jonathan Belcher, 1725-1727

This leather-bound volume contains excerpts copied by Jonathan Belcher from books he read while he was a student at Harvard. The excerpts come from a variety of sources including periodicals and contemporary publications. The inside cover has Belcher's bookplate with the motto, "Sustine. Abstine." The back cover has some additional personal information including reference to French lessons with "Mr Law Merciers," and notes of the dates when he began certain books/essays.

Sermon notes compiled by Warham Williams, 1716-1718

Parchment-bound notebook containing notes kept by Warham Williams on sermons he attended between May 20, 1716 and April 20, 1718, while he was an undergraduate at Harvard College. The notebook includes two chronological tables, at the front and end of the volume, that list the town, lecturer (generally Harvard tutors), biblical text, year, month, day, and part of the day of sermons attended by Williams. The volume contains one-to-two page entries on specific sermons and provides the biblical text and related questions and conclusions. From the front of the volume, the pages contain entries for sermons attended between May 20, 1716 through February 13, 1717. Sermon entries for April 7, 1717 to April 20 1718 are written tête-bêche from the other end of the volume.

Sermon notes compiled by Solomon Prentice, 1724-1726

Leather top-bound volume containing notes kept by Solomon Prentice on sermons he attended between April 1724 and December 17, 1726, while he was an undergraduate at Harvard College. The volume contains one-to-two page entries on specific sermons and provides the biblical text and related questions and conclusions.

Student mathematical notebook of William Emerson Faulkner, 1795

Leather hardcover notebook with unruled pages containing the handwritten mathematical exercises of William Emerson Faulkner, begun in 1795 while he was an undergraduate at Harvard College. The volume contains rules, definitions, problems, drawings, and tables on geometry, trigonometry, surveying, calculating distances, sailing, and dialing. Some of the exercises are illustrated by unrefined hand-drawn diagrams, including some of buildings and trees.

Student mathematical notebook of William Tudor, 1795

Notebook containing the handwritten mathematical exercises of William Tudor, kept in 1795 while he was an undergraduate at Harvard College. The volume contains rules, definitions, problems, drawings, and tables on geometry, trigonometry, surveying, calculating distances, sailing, and dialing. Some of the exercises are illustrated with hand-drawn diagrams. The Menusration of Heights and Distances section contains color drawings of buildings and trees, and some have been altered with notes in different hands and with humorous additions. For instance, a drawing of a tower was drawn into a figure titled “Egyptian Mummy.” Some of the images are identified: “A rude sketch of the Middlesex canal,” Genl Warren’s monument on Bunker Hill,” “Noddles Island,” “the fields of Elysium,” and the “Roxbury Canal.” The annotations and additional drawings are unattributed.

Mathematical notebook attributed to Thaddeus Mason Harris, ca. 1787

Hardcover notebook containing handwritten transcriptions of rules, cases, and examples from 18th century mathematical texts. The author and purpose of the volume is unclear, though it has been connected with Thaddeus Mason Harris (Harvard AB 1787). Most of the entries include questions and related answers, suggesting the notebook was used as a manuscript textbook and workbook. The extracts appear to be copied from John Dean's " Practical arithmetic" (published in 1756 and 1761), Daniel Fenning's "The young algebraist's companion" (published in multiple editions beginning in 1750), and Martin Clare's "Youth's introduction to trade and business" (extracts first included in 1748 edition).