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.

Student notebook of Ebenezer Parkman, 1720

The small hardcover notebook contains a manuscript copy of Charles Morton's Natural Philosophy copied by student Ebenezer Parkman (Harvard Class of 1721) in 1720, as well as notes on Hebrew grammar. The flyleaf has a faded note, "[This copy] was probably made by Parkman H.U. 1721 afterward minister of Westboro." The title page of the volume includes the handwritten title "Phylosophia Natvralis: Naturall Philosophy, By the Reverd Mr. Charles Morton Pastor of a Church in Charles Town, Beegan [sic] to recite it December 11, 1720 Willm Brattle's Book 1720 ended January 30 Anno Domini 1720 [January 30, 1720/1721]." The final page of the transcription is signed and dated "June 18, 1720 Parkman." The last pages of the volume consist of notes on Hebrew Grammar titled "Instruction in Hebrew."

Enchiridion ethicum ad theses contractiores redactum in usum pupillorum, p. D. J. L., 1694

Forty-six-page notebook in modern hardcover binding containing John Leverett's edited version of Henry More's "Enchiridion ethicum" transcribed in Latin in 1694. The last page of the document includes entries in Leverett's hands: "Colom // January 17 1690/1," "Winth // January 31 1692/3", and "Vaug // Marty 10 1695/6." The inscriptions and notes likely refer to Benjamin Colman (Harvard AB 1692), Adam Winthrop (Harvard AB 1694), and George Vaughn (Harvard AB 1696).

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 Jonathan Trumbull, 1724-1725

The bound notebook contains academic texts copied by Harvard student Jonathan Trumbull in 1724 and 1725. The volume includes transcriptions of Harvard Instructor Judah Monis' Hebrew Grammar, Tutor William Brattle's Compendium of Logic, and Fellow Charles Morton's Natural Logic.

An abridgment of what I extracted while an undergraduate at Harvard College, 1766-1769

The bound volume contains excerpts copied by Benjamin Wadsworth from books he read as a student at Harvard in the late 1760s. The volume includes almost no personal commentary on the readings. The excerpts are arranged by year of study for the academic years 1766-1769, beginning when Wadsworth was a sophomore. Each entry begins with a title indicating the book title and author for the passage, and there is an alphabetical index at the end of the volume. Wadsworth selected “extracts” from both religious and secular texts including several histories of England, American histories (with a focus on Puritans), the Bible, and in his senior year, “the Koran of Mohammed.” He also read several books on the art of speech and the art of preaching. There are few science texts included, though the final five-page entry is titled, “What I thought fit to note down from Mr. Winthrop’s experimental Lectures” and contains notes both on the content of Professor John Winthrop’s lectures as well as the types of experiments being performed in class. Wadsworth’s commonplace book offers a window on the state of higher education in the eighteenth century and offers a firsthand account of academic life at Harvard College.

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).

Student notebook of Thomas Prince, ca. 1707

Paper notebook in Latin on classical Greek grammar. The name "Thomas Prince" appears on the first page. The manuscript is undated. Based on the signature, this volume is assumed to have belonged to Thomas Prince, Sr., although it is undated and may have indeed belonged to Thomas Prince, Jr.

Commonplace book of Nathaniel Freeman, 1786-1787

Nathaniel Freeman made entries in this commonplace book between 1786 and 1787, while he was an undergraduate at Harvard College. The book includes the notes Freeman took during three of Hollis Professor Samuel Williams' "Course of Experimental Lectures," and cover Williams' lectures on "The Nature & Properties of Matter," "Attraction & Repulsion," and "The Nature, Kind, & Affections [?] of Motion." These notes also include one diagram. The book also includes forensic compositions on the subjects of capital punishment, the probability of "the immortality of the soul," and "whether there be any disinterested benevolence." It also includes a poem Freeman composed for his uncle, Edmund Freeman; an anecdote about Philojocus and Gripus; an essay called "Character"; a draft of a letter to the Harvard Corporation requesting that, in light of the public debt, the Commencement ceremonies be held privately to lower expenses and exhibit the merits of economy; and an "epistle" to his father, requesting money. This epistle begins: "Most honored sire, / Thy son, poor Nat, in humble strains, / Impell'd by want, thy generous bounty claims."

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 notebook of John Tufts, 1705

Small vellum-covered notebook containing handwritten transcriptions copied by Harvard undergraduate John Tufts from two Harvard textbooks. The notebook is divided into two sections with the first, numbered 1-100, containing an English transcription of "Compendium of Logick" compiled by William Brattle, and the second, numbered 1-66, containing an untitled Latin transcription of Charles Morton's "Compendium Physicae." The flyleaf is inscribed "John Tufts His Book 1705."

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.