The Harvard Diary of Pitt Clarke, 1786–1791

    Transcribed and Edited by Ernest John Knapton

    PREFACE

    THE Reverend Pitt Clarke (1763–1835) of Medfield and Norton, Massachusetts, has a significant place in the roster of New England worthies living during the transitional decades when the eighteenth century ended and the nineteenth century began. The recently found manuscript Diary of Clarke’s undergraduate Harvard years (1786–1791) contains a remarkably detailed record of his life, his prescribed studies, and his more general reading. A brief account of Clarke’s whole career and of the contemporary Harvard setting as well as some evaluation of the Diary are given in the Introduction which follows.

    A few explanations are in order concerning the general treatment of the manuscript. Clarke’s spelling, punctuation, and capitalization are erratic, in the manner of the times. I have tried to make the text more readable by some modest readjustments in these respects, while retaining a fair number of aberrations in order to convey the flavor of the original. Wherever possible names of individuals when they first appear have been briefly identified by footnotes in the text. Appendix I gives notes concerning Clarke’s class of 1790. Appendix II deals with the solution of the short cryptogram found under the date of 11 May 1790, of the Diary. Appendix III contains Clarke’s touching and now very rare pamphlet, A Pastor’s Legacy to his People, written shortly before his death.

    The very large number of book titles which are one of the most striking features of the Diary have with a few exceptions been checked and expanded by use of the Harvard College Library printed catalogues of 1790 and 1830–1831. Since these are not always accurate, the titles have been further verified from the printed catalogues of the Library of Congress and the British Museum and also from the most useful National Index of American Imprints Through 1800.

    It is a pleasure to acknowledge assistance from many quarters. The trustees of the Norton Public Library most kindly permitted me to have temporary possession of the Diary for study, transcription, and microfilming. A grant from the research fund of Wheaton College helped substantially. Miss Hilda Harris, formerly librarian of Wheaton College, and her staff have been invariably obliging. The late Dr. Clifford K.

    Shipton, formerly curator of the Harvard Archives and editor of Sibley’s Harvard Graduates, generously shared with me his incomparable knowledge of Harvard men in the eighteenth century. It is an honor for me to have Clarke’s Diary included in a volume dedicated to Dr. Shipton’s memory. I also thank the present curator of the Harvard Archives, Dr. Harley P. Holden, for his guidance among the materials under his charge. The late Richard W. Hale, Jr., formerly archivist of the Commonwealth, very kindly arranged to microfilm the entire Diary. Miss Ruth E. Thomas, a skilled genealogist and expert on eighteenth-century handwriting, provided invaluable help with the transcription. Dr. Harold F. Worthley, formerly of Wheaton College, used his wide knowledge of eighteenth-century theology to identify many works which Clarke cited briefly or inaccurately. Dr. R. I. W. Westgate has very kindly looked over my translations of Clarke’s Latin. It is also a pleasure to make reference to my former neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Phillips, who have restored the Clarke parsonage in Norton so as to make it an outstanding example of a late-eighteenth-century home. One of my great debts is to the late Dr. Walter Muir Whitehill, who promptly accepted the Clarke Diary for publication by the Colonial Society of Massachusetts when I submitted it to him. I am equally grateful to Mr. Frederick S. Allis, Jr., who has succeeded Dr. Whitehill as editor of the Colonial Society, for his help and encouragement. Finally I thank my wife, Jocelyn Babbitt Knapton, both for her practical assistance in preparing and improving my text and for her unfailing support in what at times proved to be a most laborious task.

    Ernest John Knapton

    Chatham, Massachusetts

    February 1980

    INTRODUCTION

    The Diary here printed was written by Pitt Clarke during his four undergraduate years at Harvard from 1786 to 1790 and his subsequent year and a half of keeping school in Cambridge. It gives an unusually detailed picture of a serious youth, the son of a modest farmer in Medfield, Massachusetts, and a veteran of service in the American Revolution, pursuing his studies and embarking on a career which was quickly to lead him from schoolmastering into the ministry—then a normal and easy transition. Some of his college contemporaries were to have genuinely distinguished careers, among them being two future presidents of Harvard. When Clarke entered in 1786, John Quincy Adams was beginning his senior year. By transferring himself the short distance from rural Medfield to Cambridge, Pitt Clarke was entering a very different world. He seems to have been on good terms with nearly all his classmates.

    The Diary records in great detail the kind of education given at Harvard towards the close of the eighteenth century under the firm rule of President Joseph Willard. One is made vividly aware of the type of “lectors” to which Clarke was exposed and of the endless “declamations,” “disputations,” “forensics,” and “parts” required of him. In addition he lists the many syllogisms which he prepared and defended, sometimes publicly, before his tutors. Clarke, moreover, was a most diligent reader, keeping note of the books which he “carried” from the library or bought. Though his citations were frequently inaccurate, most of the books can be identified from the two printed Harvard catalogues of 1790 and 1830–1831. Given the times, the resources of the Harvard College Library were impressive, and not merely in the fields of theology, philosophy, and natural science. While history seems to have been somewhat slighted, a fairly substantial literature of the Enlightenment had been accumulated. In the light of this last, and of other works, one can see how the College was emerging from the “orthodoxy” of an earlier period and entering the changing atmosphere of a new and more liberal age.

    Clarke’s little notebook apparently remained unknown in our day until the present editor discovered it some years ago in the vault of the Public Library in Norton, Massachusetts. Here it had lain in a box of papers used by the Reverend George Faber Clark (no relation) when producing his History of the Town of Norton (Boston, 1859). Since the Diary had nothing to say about Clarke’s long ministry in Norton, it was not used or even mentioned. It consists of 176 loosely bound pages, 15½ × 10 cm., written in a very small hand which is at times abbreviated and extremely difficult to decipher. The account of Clarke’s first college year is written in Latin. A commonplace book of nineteen pages is included, along with incomplete records of accounts and an interesting list of books purchased. The Diary has been microfilmed; one copy has been deposited in the Archives of the Commonwealth and another in the Archives of the Wheaton College Library. The original remains in the possession of the Norton Public Library.

    From the brief manuscript autobiography which Pitt Clarke put together in 1832 the essential facts of his life can be recovered.1 He was born in Medfield, Massachusetts, on 15 January 1763. His paternal greatgrandfather, Solomon Clark, had come from England and settled in the northern part of Wrentham. Pitt’s grandfather, David Clark, later purchased a farm in Medfield. Pitt describes his father, Jacob, as “an honest man, an industrious farmer, and practical Christian.” Pitt’s mother, Meletiah Hammant (or Hammond), is described as devoutly pious, and “of a feeble, gloomy, nervous make,” in contrast to the naturally cheerful and sociable nature of her husband. Clarke goes on to say, however, that she instilled in her three sons and three daughters the first principles of religion, and that he was indebted to his mother for “the many early religious impressions I received from her pious example.” The year of Pitt Clarke’s birth marked the conclusion of the Seven Years’ War between England and France, the momentous outcome of which was the transfer of French Canada to British hands. Pitt’s grandfather was a profound admirer of England’s great war minister, William Pitt the elder, and because of this admiration the name of Pitt was given to his grandson, who in turn named his eldest son William Pitt.

    Clarke as a boy was evidently a promising student. He began Latin at the age of ten, and his schoolmaster soon insisted that he plan to attend Harvard. The Revolutionary War and his father’s financial difficulties caused a delay. Early in 1779, at the age of sixteen, Pitt enrolled under the Militia Bill and took part briefly in an expedition to Rhode Island. In November of the same year, however, when his father’s house was completely destroyed by fire, he returned to Medfield. Here he helped with the work of rebuilding and farming for the next six years. Through his own determination and with a year’s tutoring from Miss Hannah Adams, who lived nearby, he at last in 1786 made application to Harvard College.

    This Hannah Adams was by any standards a remarkable person. She has, indeed, been described as the first woman in America to have made literature a profession.2 Born in Medfield in 1755, she taught herself Latin and Greek; through family reverses she had to support herself from her seventeenth year. With no great financial success she undertook a career of writing, her books being largely on religious subjects. In 1832, the last year of her life, she published her autobiography under the title, A Memoir of Miss Hannah Adams. Edited, with Additions, by Mrs. Hannah F. Lee (Boston, 1832). A number of prominent people, including Josiah Quincy, Stephen Higginson, and William S. Shaw, appreciating her literary services, had settled a life annuity upon her. More than once the Diary records Clarke while on vacation in Medfield reading in the well-stocked library of the Adams household. Hannah Adams helped him to pass his examinations for entrance to Harvard, and it is a fair deduction that she encouraged those religious attitudes which were to determine Clarke’s career.

    The Medfield atmosphere did not lack intellectual stimulus. Hannah Adams’ father, Thomas, although not a college man, was a reader and collector of books. The family was accustomed to take in a few boarders, usually Harvard students, and from these Hannah declares that she learned “the rudiments of Latin, Greek, geography and logic”—a training that she was able to pass along in some degree to her most promising student. In her autobiography Hannah Adams refers to Clarke as a pupil who continued his friendship throughout her life, and “whose uniform excellent character I have ever appreciated.” He married a friend of hers, and this she says, “was the only match I ever had a hand in making.”3 Clarke also owed much to the influence of the Reverend Thomas Prentiss of Medfield, a Harvard graduate of 1766, who took youths preparing for college into his home. Clarke regularly visited him during his vacations, and not unexpectedly Mr. Prentiss preached the inaugural sermon in 1793 when Clarke began his ministry in Norton.

    On leaving Harvard and after a year and a half of schoolmastering in Cambridge, Clarke entered the ministry. Following an invitation to succeed the Reverend Joseph Palmer, he was installed as the minister of the Congregational Parish in Norton on 3 July 1793. This post he held until his death on 13 February 1835—a tenure of nearly forty-two years. With aid from the parish he bought some twenty acres of land and built the very substantial house on Mansfield Avenue now admirably restored by its present owners, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Phillips. He soon became a genuine power in the town, helping to found the Norton Library in 1794, a proprietory institution of which he was both a trustee and librarian, the books being kept in his house.4 He was a local school committeeman for a number of years, vice-president of the Bristol County Bible Society, and vice-president of the board of trustees of Bristol Academy in Taunton. He also made it a custom to tutor Harvard students who, whether for academic or disciplinary reasons, were temporarily separated from the College. The Records of the Harvard Faculty show twenty-three such permissions granted to Pitt Clarke.5 According to a local tradition one of these students unhappily shot himself in Clarke’s backyard. As was quite customary Clarke, whose portraits indicate a man of strong physique, farmed his land. He married Rebecca Jones of Hopkinton in February 1798, by whom he had five children, two dying in infancy. Following her death in 1811 he married in November 1812, Mary Jones Stimson, also of Hopkinton and a niece of his first wife, by whom he had four more children, one of whom also died in infancy.

    Three of Pitt Clarke’s five sons went to Harvard. John Jones Clarke of the Class of 1823 practiced law in Boston, became the first mayor of Roxbury, and was for several years a representative in the General Court. Manlius Stimson Clarke of the Class of 1839 also practiced law in Boston. Edward Hammond Clarke of the Class of 1841 studied medicine in Philadelphia, practiced in Boston, and in 1854 became Professor of Materia Medica in the Medical College at Harvard. It is a worthy record.

    The troubles which beset the last years of Pitt Clarke’s ministry in Norton had a long background and were unquestionably related to his intellectual growth while in college. After preaching on probation for four Sundays in 1793 and being requested to settle, he at first demurred. “I could not,” he wrote, “satisfy the minds of those called orthodox.”6 In the end, however, he agreed to come, but took little trouble to conceal his views. Early in his ministry he revised the church covenant, making it simpler, shorter, and more moderate in tone. In 1803 he abandoned the practice of insisting on a written statement for those wishing to be admitted, requiring them only to give satisfactory evidence of belief. In 1806 Baptists, of whom a small group met in the venerable Hathaway house on Burt Street, were admitted to the church in Norton with regular standing.

    For a long time Clarke was able to maintain his position, but by the 1830’s, when the tides of religious change were sweeping over New England, the troubles came to a head. He was charged by a group of orthodox parishioners with having changed his sentiments and not preaching the true Gospel. In 1832 a group including Laban Morey Wheaton and his wife, Eliza Bayliss Chapin Wheaton, seceded, establishing the Congregational Trinitarian Church, which still flourishes, about a quarter of a mile from the original parish church. Shortly before his death Clarke prepared a document, “The Pastor’s Legacy to his People,” expounding his views, which had as their main theme tolerance of the beliefs of all men and the conclusion that all good Christians will be saved.7 His loyal parishioners made plans to replace the meetinghouse of the eighteenth century by the present First Parish Church (Unitarian), in his honor. He did not live to see it completed, dying on 13 February 1835. Pitt Clarke remains, along with Major George Leonard (Harvard 1748), Judge Laban Wheaton (Harvard 1774), and Eliza Bayliss Chapin Wheaton, as one of the most notable figures in the town’s history.

    Much of the Harvard College which Pitt Clarke entered on 16 August 1786, is still visible. On the right, as one entered the Yard from the west, stood Massachusetts Hall, built in 1720. Clarke first shared “cubiculum no. 1” with his chamber-mate, or “chum,” Jonathan Bowman. On the left stood Harvard Hall, completed in 1766 after Old Harvard had burned two years before. This was the main center of academic activities. To the right of the entrance passage on the main floor was the hall, an imposing room measuring thirty-six by forty-five feet with a raised dais at the far end. The hall was used for meals, lectures, and other academic exercises. Customs in Clarke’s time probably had not changed from when Timothy Pickering (A.B. 1763) dined in old Harvard Hall. Pickering’s account is as follows:

    In Old Harvard . . . was the hall where all dined in Commons. Every scholar carried to the dining table his own knife and fork—and when he had dined, wiped them on the table cloth. . . . The standing dish was fresh beef baked—and now and then a plain, hard Indian pudding—and a baked plum pudding once a quarter. For supper they had their choice . . . for meat or pies—or for a pint of milk and a size of bread.8

    To the left of the entrance corridor was the chapel. One part of the upper floor, above the chapel, was given over to the library. This was a fine, carpeted room with the calf-bound volumes arranged in ten alcoves and the names of the principal benefactors emblazoned in blue and gold above. The other half of the upper floor was divided into a “Musaeum,” a smaller lecture room, and a “Philosophy Chamber,” these containing scientific apparatus, mineralogical specimens, stuffed birds, and preserved fishes.

    Holden Chapel had been completed in 1744 and Hollis Hall, where Clarke moved for his senior year, in 1764. Near where University Hall now stands were a number of more or less unsightly buildings: a brick brewhouse, a barn, a pigpen, and a row of privies, the southernmost by a solemn vote of the Corporation in 1725 having been put “at the President’s Disposal” for his orchard. Wadsworth House was the president’s dwelling.

    Entrance requirements were still those that had been fixed in 1734: “Ex tempore to read, construe and parse Tully [Cicero], Virgil or such like common Classical Latin authors; and to write true Latin in Prose, and to be skill’d in making Latin verse or at least the rules of Prosodia; and to read, construe and parse ordinary Greek, as in the New Testament, Isocrates, or such like, and decline the paradigms of Greek Nouns and Verbs.”9 These requirements Clarke, the village schoolboy, had successfully met.

    The daily routine of Harvard was strenuous. Morning prayers were at six, followed by breakfast in hall or chambers. Lectures and recitations, beginning at eight, occupied the morning. Dinner was at noon, followed by recreation until two o’clock. The afternoon was then given to study, reading in the library, preparing essays or syllogisms, and further recitations with the tutors. Then came supper and evening prayers, with students free subsequently to read in their cubicles or to divert themselves until the usual hour of nine. On Sundays all attended two long sermons in the College chapel or in the nearby parish church. Students living more than ten miles from Cambridge could seek an absence of up to twenty-one days twice a year, as Clarke regularly did in each October and April. In addition a winter vacation of five weeks beginning on the first Wednesday of January had been stipulated in 1749 in order to permit poor scholars to keep school.

    The president of Harvard College in 1786 was Joseph Willard, an imposing figure much interested in science, in whose presence tutors and students alike stood and removed their hats. His customary opening words to students were, “Well, child, what do you wish?” Only somewhat less imposing were Eliphalet Pearson, Hancock Professor of Hebrew and a tireless instructor of youth, Edward Wigglesworth, Hollis Professor of Divinity, and Samuel Williams, Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. Three other names were famous for the beginning of medical studies at Harvard. Benjamin Waterhouse had recently been made Professor of the Theory and Practice of Physic. John Warren of the famous Boston family of surgeons and brother of the Joseph Warren who died at Bunker Hill, was Professor of Anatomy and Surgery. Aaron Dexter was Professor of Chemistry and Materia Medica. Since some of their lectures were open to the entire community, their names recur in Clarke’s Diary.

    Official authorization had been given in 1767 for four separate tutors, one in Latin, one in Greek, one in logic, metaphysics, and ethics, and one in natural philosophy, mathematics, geography, and astronomy. All, as well as the professors, were expected to teach rhetoric, elocution, and English composition. Since tutors, to whom the term “Dominus” or “Master” was loosely applied, tended to serve for relatively short periods, it is not surprising that Clarke refers to sixteen. Undergraduate opinion of the tutors was often hostile. Joseph Dennie, one of Clarke’s classmates and both brilliantly talented and militantly undisciplined, protested that they treated the scholars with insolence. They were, Dennie claimed, “invariably low-born despicable rustics, lately emerged from the dunghill, who, conscious of their own want of genius, were determined to discountenance all who possessed it.”1 Certainly Pitt Clarke, far less confident of himself than was Dennie, found little to criticize in them.

    The curriculum of Harvard College had developed out of the Seven Liberal Arts of the medieval universities of Europe. These were the traditional seven—grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music, this last being in some sense a study of the Muses. French became increasingly popular in the eighteenth century, and in 1787 the first salaried instructor, Joseph Nancrede, was appointed to teach it. Since many undergraduates were intending to pursue ministerial careers, instruction in divinity, now moving in a liberal direction, was inescapable for everyone. Under the stimulus of President Holyoke science had shown a remarkable development during the eighteenth century. “Philosophic apparatus,” including a good telescope, had early been acquired and a special room set aside in Harvard Hall for it. The Diary shows the many “lectors” to which Clarke was exposed and the breadth of his reading in the scientific field.

    Clarke’s classmates represented a fair cross-section of eighteenth-century New England, with a few coming from the south.2 In his Autobiography he gives his impressions of them:

    I had the good fortune of being a member of a large and respectable class, many of whom were of the first talent, and much the greater part of good characters. Another circumstance was much in my favor. The most distinguished scholars in my class were, like myself, in limited circumstances, and the most popular. On this account, the best part of the class set the example of prudence in expenses; and there was no disparagement in it. By receiving help from the charitable funds, and teaching schools, I made my way thro’ college without much assistance from my father.3

    On the other hand the famous Jeremy Belknap (A.B. 1762), a member of the Board of Overseers, had his reservations. He noted in his diary for April 1789, that the Class of 1790 had “some very licentious spirits” whose intemperances and other failings were corrupting some students. “The major part of these Scholars,” he added, “who come from the southern States are irregular and troublesome.”4

    Two points should be added. The Diary gives no explanation for Clarke’s unusually long absence from Harvard between 11 December 1789, and 29 April 1790, to keep school in Lexington. The answer is found in the Faculty Records which show that he had been separated from the College because of inability to pay his bills. He was readmitted only when he was able to settle his accounts with the steward. A detailed analysis of the Diary will be found in the present editor’s “Pitt Clarke’s Harvard Diary, 1786–1791,” Harvard Library Bulletin, xxi. no. 2 (April 1973).

    One can well be impressed both by Pitt Clarke’s solid qualities and by the education which he received at Harvard. The College was, to be sure, very small and to a large degree ingrown. It was in process of transition. Many of the recitations were routine, and some of the prescribed texts mediocre. Yet the library was impressively stocked, and Clarke made full use of its resources. He was well grounded in three ancient languages and became familiar with French. If his tutors are to be described as average, certainly his professors were distinguished men of sound scholarship and strong character, and the links with most of these were not broken after he took his degree. His whole subsequent career was to demonstrate the powerful influence of these formative years.

    THE DIARY

    [Freshman Year]

    [1] Anno Domini 1786, 22 Die Julii, per Tutores et Praesidem Harvardiani Universitatis examinabar. Deinde Praeses me honorabat his verbis Jocundis: Admittaris in Collegium Harvardinum. Collegium veni die 16 Augusti ac intravi meum nomen in promptuarium, cum meis Scholasticis sociis: qui sunt nomine; Thomas Adams, Erasmus Babbit, Stephanus Blyth, Jonathan Bowman, Samuel Chandler, Richardus Cutts, Samuel Chandler Crafts, Robert Emery, Nahumus Fay, Thomas Gray, Jonathan Grout, Benjamen Hasey, [2] Petrus Holt, Johannes Clark Howard, Gilbertus Hubbard, Gulielmus Ingalls, Daniel Marret, Stephanus Moody, Josias Quincy, Nathaniel Ruggles, David Smith, Daniel Staniford, Micas Stone, Johannes Sulliven, Jacobus Sulliven, Georgius Sulliven, Johannes Tappan, Thomas Cushing Thacher, Thomas Thomas, Abijas Tufts, Roger Vose, Jonathan Ware, Josephus Warren, Samuel Wells, Josias Waters. Post multam confusionem et procursionem passim [3] cognito meo contubernali mihi Jonathani Bowman, cubiculum No. 1 Mass: nostrae habitationi paravi. Bostonum ibam veneris, nonulla necessaria obtinere. Die proxima Lunae, recitabam Homeri Iliadem, Xenophontem et novum Testamentum Tutori Jennison: quae erant mea quotidiana Studia, duas Septimanas, praeter unumquemque diem Veneris ac diem Saturni, qui consumebantur discendo legere de arte locutionis, quoque discendo anglam gramaticam ac Rhetoricam.

    [4] Proximas duas septimanas recitabam Quinti Horatii Flacci Poemata ac C. Julii Cesaris Commentarios Tutori James: Haec varia Studia, novem fere septimanas, prosequebar; vacatio propinquans, Licentia Praesidis domum ibam die 17 Octoberis. Redabam rursum Collegium die 1 Novemberis, ac inveni Collegium circumdatum cum armatis hominibus, multae cohortes una in planitie cogebantur ornatae bellicis instrumentis supprimere [5] illos, qui, existimabant, imperio insurgerent.

    Illis dispersis, proxima die Bostonum ibam mihi emere Xenophontem; recitabam graecam linguam primas Septimanas, tum persequebar eadem varia Studia quae supra explanabam. Die 5 Decemberis erat nivosa procella furens multo vento, ac die 9, et 10 Decemberis tempestuose mingebat, itineribus impletis nive inusitato, Scholastici, egentes valde combustibilibus dimittebantur die 13 Decemberis. Eodem die [6] Bostonum ibam, expectans domum equitare meo Fratre; sed infeliciter neque Frater, nec illae me consanguinitates ibi venerunt ob nives; obligabar domum iter facere per laboriosas vias expletas nive; Nathanaele Ruggles prandebam, et tum ambulabam ad Domini Haven in Dedham, ibi noctem, lassatus, manebam; postridie progrediebar, et, tempore coenae gratiam actionis, domum patris appuli. Illic manebam quinque septimanas; et tres septimanas habui scholam. Collegium rursus veni die 7 Februarii 1787, die 8 Bostoniam ibam: me reverso, primam septimanam, Horatii poemata et C. Julii Caesaris Commentarios recitabam.

    THE DIARY

    [Freshman Year]

    [1] On the twenty-second day of July, in the year of the Lord 1786, I was examined by the Tutors and President of Harvard University. Then the President1 honored me with these joyous words: “You are admitted to Harvard College.” I came to the College on August 16 and entered my name in the buttery, with my classmates, whose names are: Thomas Adams, Erasmus Babbit, Stephen Blyth, Jonathan Bowman, Samuel Chandler, Richard Cutts, Samuel Chandler Crafts, Robert Emery, Nahum Fay, Thomas Gray, Jonathan Grout, Benjamin Hasey, [2] Peter Holt, John Clark Howard, Gilbert Hubbard, William Ingalls, Daniel Marret, Stephen Moody, Josiah Quincy, Nathaniel Ruggles, David Smith, Daniel Staniford, Micah Stone, John Sullivan, James Sullivan, George Sullivan, John Tappan, Thomas Clean [Cushing] Thacher, Thomas Thomas, Abijah Tufts, Roger Vose, Jonathan Ware, Joseph Warren, Samuel Wells, Josiah Waters.2

    After much confusion and rushing about,

    [3] my roommate Jonathan Bowman becoming known to me, I prepared our room, cubiculum no. 1, Mass[achusetts]. I went to Boston on Friday to obtain some necessary things. On the following Monday I recited Homer’s Iliad, Xenophon, and the New Testament to Tutor Jennison;3 these were my daily studies for two weeks. In addition every Friday and Saturday were employed in studies concerning the art of elocution as well as English grammar and rhetoric.

    [4] For the next two weeks I recited the poems of Horace and Caesar’s Commentaries to Tutor James;4 these various studies I pursued for about nine weeks. For the approaching vacation, with permission from the President, I went home on the 17th of October. I returned again to the College on the first day of November, and found the College surrounded by armed men. Many companies were marshalled on the Common, outfitted with weapons to suppress [5] those who, they thought, were raising rebellion.

    When these were dispersed, I went on the next day to Boston to buy myself a Xenophon; I recited Greek for the first weeks, then I pursued those various studies which I explained above. On the fifth of December there was a snowy, [7] Prima luce 17 Februarii 1787 declamabam in Sacello. Secunda septimana, Jenison, graecus Tutor noster, absens, non recitabam; nec tenia Septimana recitabam; proximas duas Septimanas, latinam linguam: proximas duas Graecam linguam recitabam. Postremas duas latinam linguam. 10 die Aprilis, exhibitio erat publica. 11 die Aprilis domum ibam. Ibi manebam vacationem perpetuam. Die 25 Aprilis veni Collegium. Primam Septimanam Geographiam recitabam Domino Reed. Die Veneris 4 Maii rursus in Sacello declamabam. Secundam, graecam linguam, tertiam Septimanam, Logicam Domino Burr. Quartam Septim [anam] latinam linguam, Quintam Septimanam, Geographiam. Sextam, graecam linguam recitabam. Die 6 Junii Otis, Prescott, et Wilson publice admonebantur.

    [8] Septimam Septimanam Logicam. Die 25 Junii incipiebam Linguam Hebraicam studere: et singula die Veneris et Saturni Hebraicam recitabam Domino Pearson Professori orientium Linguarum. Octavam Septimanam Latinam, Nonam Septimanam Geographiam, Decimam Graecam Linguam. Undecimam Septima[nam] Logicam recitabam. Ex libertate Praesidis domum 10 die Julii ivi. Die 17 Julii adveni Cantabrigiam et ea nocte unum annum perfeci. Proxima die manebam comitia accademica videre. Die 19 Julii domum ibam.

    wild storm, with much wind, and on the ninth and tenth of December it stormed furiously, the roads being choked with unseasonable snow. The students, severely lacking firewood, were dismissed on December 13. On the same day [6] I went to Boston, hoping to go home with my brother on horseback, but unfortunately neither my brother or [other] relatives came there on account of the snow. I was obliged to make my way home along toilsome roads full of snow. I had dinner at Nathaniel Ruggles5 and then I went to Dominus Haven’s6 in Dedham; there, exhausted, I spent the night. The next day I set out, and by suppertime, giving thanks, I reached my father’s house. There I remained for five weeks; for three weeks I kept school. I returned again to College on the 7th day of February, 1787. On the 8th I went to Boston. On my return I recited for the first week the poems of Horace and Caesar’s Commentaries.

    [7] On the morning of February 17, 1787, I declaimed in chapel. In the second week, Jennison, our Greek tutor, being absent, I did not recite, nor in the third week. For the next two weeks I recited Latin, for the following two, Greek. For the last two, Latin. On the 10th day of April there was a public exhibition. On the 11th day of April I went home. There I remained for the whole vacation. On the 25th day of April I returned to College. For the first week I recited geography to Dominus Reed.7 On Friday, the 4th of May, I declaimed again in chapel. For the second week [I recited] Greek. For the third week [I recited] logic to Dominus Burr.8 In the fourth week I recited Latin; in the fifth week, geography; in the sixth week, Greek. On June 6 Otis, Prescott, and Wilson were publicly admonished.9

    [8] In the seventh week [I recited] logic. On June 15 I began to study the Hebrew language; and every Friday and Saturday I recited Hebrew to Dominus Pearson,1 Professor of Oriental Languages. In the eighth week [I recited] Latin, in the ninth Geography, in the tenth Greek. In the eleventh week I recited logic. By permission of the President I went home on July 10. On the 17th I returned to Cambridge, and on that night completed one year. On the next day I remained to see the academic assembly. On July 19 I went home.

    Journal for my Soph[omore] Year

    [9]

    • August 15, 1787, Wednesday. Walked from Medfield to Cambridge, arrived there at 12 P.M. Broke open my room (No. 14 Mass.), moved my things into it; very much fatigued with my journey and moving; that night I was quite sick.
    • Thursday 16 Felt much recruited, broke open my study, placed my things.
    • Friday 17 Fair weather. Read chief of the day.
    • Saturday 18 In the morning rainy, P.M. fair. A.M. went to Boston. P.M. had some shelves put up. Fixed on my study door-lock.
    • Sunday 19 Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Osgood2 preached A.M. from Matthew, Chap. 6; 9, 10, 11, 12, & 13 verses, P.M. from 2nd Samuel, c. 12, v. 13.

    [10]

    • Monday 20 Some cloudy & windy. Recited to Mr. James, mane,3 Horace at 11 A.M. and at 2 P.M. Sallust. After prayers, one of my Class-mates gave a Challenge (as it was customary) to one of the freshmen Class to wrestle, that the strength of the Class might be known, which terminated in complete conquest on our side, after three hours contest.
    • Tuesday 21 A.M. rainy, P.M. fair. Studied and recited Horace and Sallust, as usual.
    • Wednesday 22 A.M. misty, P.M. cloudy. After prayers recited Horace. A.M. made some Lattin, P.M. studied Sallust, in the evening Horace.
    • Thursday 23 Fair and pleasant all day. A.M. studied Sallust. Mr. James out of town, did not recite. P.M. read some part of Goldsmith’s History of Rome.4

    [11]

    • Friday 24 Clear, pleasant & warm. A.M. studied Hebrew grammar and recited it to Professor Pearson. P.M. recited English grammar to him. After prayers, it being the stated meeting for the Singing Club, sung with them.
    • Saturday 25 Some cloudy & windy. A.M. corrected a piece of English. P.M. read in logick and other books.
    • Sunday 26 Pleasant weather. A.M. went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard5 preached from Ephesians, 4 ch., 26 verse. After Commons, at noon met with the singers in the chapel. Sung over a few tunes. P.M. Mr. Hilliard preached from Colossians, 3 ch., 4 v.
    • Monday 27 A.M. some cloudy, P.M. fair. Mane recited Logic to Professor Pearson. A.M. studied and recited the same. P.M. the same study. After prayers sung.
    • Tuesday 28 A.M. pleasant, P.M. rainy and wet. A.M. recited logic as usual. P.M. attended Proffessor Wigglesworth’s6 lector, also recited. His text was in St. Luke, 22 chap. & 19 verse.

    [12]

    • Wednesday 29 It continued rainy all day. Studied and recited logic as usual.
    • Thursday 30 Fair weather and pleasant. Mane recited. A.M. my brother came, and brought me my desk and some other things, for which reason I obtained liberty not to recite. P.M. after my brother was gone fixed the splines on my Map, nailed it up. Sold some cloth to Warren, for a Coat, for four Dollars, of which he paid six and eight pence.
    • Friday 31 Fair and warm. After prayers heard part of my class speak. Went to Mr. Gannet’s7 with Mr. Richardson, discharged the greatest part of my Quarter Bills, after that studied Hebrew. P.M. corrected a piece of bad English, carried it to Professor Pearson, at his lector. After prayers sung.
    • Saturday September 1. Fair and pleasant. After prayers, in the morning, read in Rollin’s Ancient History,8 with the rest of my class, which new institution

    [13]

    • was lately recommended by the corporation & governors of the College to be the exercises of every Saturday morning. Spent the rest of the day in reading.
    • Sunday 2 Cloudy all day and some rain. Went to meeting all day. Mr. Hilliard preached A.M. from Ezekiel, ch. 18, v. 4. P.M. from Matthew ch. 9; v. 17.
    • Monday 3 Fair weather, and pleasant. Mane recited Homer to Tutor Jennison, the rest of the day recited Xenophon. Sold my gown for 15 shillings, took a Greek Lexicon parte.
    • Tuesday 4 Fair and warm. A.M. recited as usual. P.M. did not recite by reason of the Tutor’s absence. After prayers attended a Class meeting.
    • Wednesday 5 A.M. cloudy & wet, P.M. foul. Recited in the morning. A.M. attended two Phi Beta Kappa orations spoken by Messrs. Freeman and Lowell.9 P.M. attended the Dudlian Lector preached by the Revr. Mr. Howard1 of Boston from the 17 chapter of Acts, the latter part of the 28th verse, “For we are all his offspring.”

    [14]

    • Thursday 6 Some cloudy, but pleasant. Went to Boston (with leave from Mr. Jennison reciting), found the boat, which I with a number of my Classmates had previously engaged, we sailed to the fishing ground, but having no luck in fishing went ashore on dear’s [Deer] Island, from there to the castle to see the convicts, those compelled to work under chains, resembling so many devils in appearance, the place of their confinement a picture of Hell.
    • Friday 7 Pleasant weather. A.M. recited Hebrew to Mr. Pearson, P.M. carried in my English which I had corrected; after that studied Hebrew.
    • Saturday 8 Cool and some cloudy. A.M. studied Hebrew, P.M. read some of Mr. Sheridan’s Lectors on Elocution.2
    • Sunday 9 Fair and very warm. Went to meeting. Mr. Haven A.M. preached from 2 Kings, ch. 3 v. 13, P.M. from John, ch. 15, v. 15; after meeting read in different books.
    • Monday 10 Fair and warm. Recited out of Geography, all day, before Mr. Webber,3 tutor.

    [15]

    • Tuesday 11 Some cloudy. In the morning no reciting, the rest of the day recited from Geography, as usual.
    • Wednesday 12 Misty, wet and some rainy. Recited all day, as usual. P.M. attended Mr. William’s4 Lector in the chappel, where he delivered a discourse concerning the various phenomena of the Sun; concerning the different spots on its disk, by which spots was discovered the revolution on its own axis. After prayers attended a general meeting of the Classes in the chappel, voted that the commons at night should be served up in the Hall as in the morning, chose a committee to wait upon the President to obtain it, at 8 o’clock attended the singing meeting.
    • Thursday 13 A.M. cloudy, P.M. fair. In the morning recited, at 11 o’clock no reciting. P.M. recited Geography as usual.
    • Friday 14 Cloudy and rainy. After prayers heard part of my class declaim in the chappel. A.M. Studied and recited Hebrew. P.M. Attended Mr. Pearson’s private lector; carried in a piece of English I had corrected. At 8 o’clock met with the singing Club.

    [16]

    • Saturday 15 Fair, cool and windy. After prayers in the morning spoke a dialogue, in the chapel, before Mr. Abbott.5 A.M. studied Hebrew, P.M. imployed my time in reading, etc.
    • Sunday 16 Fair, cool but pleasant. Went to meeting, heard Mr. Howard of Springfield preach from Proverbs ch. 3, v. 35, A.M., and P.M. from Matthew ch. 5, v. 9.
    • Monday 17 Fair weather and cool. Recited all day to Mr. James, Horace; at 2 o’clock P.M. attended Mr. Pearson’s public lector.
    • Tuesday 18 Cool and some cloudy. Recited all day as usual, bought two volumes of Locke’s essays; at 2 o’clock P.M. attended Mr. Wigglesworth’s Public Lector, upon the same text of his former Lector, viz. Luke ch. 24 v. 19.
    • Wednesday 19 A.M. Cloudy & raw, P.M. very windy and stormy. After prayers recited. A.M. made Lattin, at 12 o’clock received my quarter bill of Mr. Gannett, at 4 P.M. recited as usual.
    • Thursday 20 Fair and pleasant.

    [17]

    • After prayers recited, at 11 no reciting. P.M. recited as usual.
    • Friday 21 Fair and pleasant. After prayers heard a number of my class declaim in the Chapel. A.M. received some of my linnen from home by Mr. Adams,6 studied Hebrew, no reciting. P.M. employed myself in reading, etc.
    • Saturday 22 Pleasant, some cloudy. After prayers Samuel Walker,7 a Junior received sentence, rustication, for stealing from his class mates. Declaimed in the chapel, imployed myself in reading, etc. Col Crafts8 tarried here last night.
    • Sunday 23rd Fair and pleasant. Went to meeting all day. Mr. Hilliard preached A.M. from John C. 3, V. 14. P.M. From Ecclesiastes, C. 9, V. 10.
    • Monday 24 A.M. lowery, P.M. fair. In the morning recited Logick to Tutor Abbot. After breakfast sung our Anthem for exhibition; A.M. & P.M. recited. In the evening attended the singing meeting.
    • Tuesday 25th Fair and very pleasant. In the morning recited. After breakfast sung. At 11 o’clock attended a public exhibition in the Chapel; where I was very agreebly entertained with a number of pieces performed by the students both in speaking and singing.

    [18]

    • Wednesday 26 Fair and pleasant. In the morning recited logick. The rest of the day made syllogysms. At 2 o’clock P.M. attended Professor Williams’ Lector.
    • Thursday 27th In the morning fair, some of the day cloudy. Mane recited logick, A.M. made syllogysms; at 11 no reciting, P.M. no reciting. Imployed my time in reading, etc.
    • Friday 28th Some cloudy. After prayers heard part of my class declaim in the chapel. A.M. studied & recited Hebrew. P.M. attended Mr. Pearson’s private Lector, carried in a piece of English I had corrected. After prayers attended the singing meeting.
    • Saturday 29th Cloudy & some misty. After prayers spoke a dialogue in the chapel, before Mr. Abbott, with Babbit.9 A.M. studied Hebrew. P.M. imployed myself in reading, etc.
    • Sunday 30 Fair & very pleasant. Went to meeting all day. A.M. Mr. Willard, President, preached from the Acts, C. 24, V. 24 & V. 25. After dinner sung in the chapel. P.M. preached from the same text.

    [19]

    • Monday, October 1st, 1787. Fair. After prayers recited Greek to Tutor Jennison. A.M. studied & likewise recited Greek. P.M. attended Proffessor Pearson’s lector. Studied Greek but no reciting. In the evening attended the singing meeting.
    • Tuesday 2 Fair and very pleasant. Studied and recited Greek all day.
    • Wednesday 3 Some cloudy & windy. In the morning no reciting. A.M. recited. P.M. attended Professor Williams’ Public Lector, concerning the different Phenomena which attend the apparent motion of the sun. At 4 o’clock no reciting.
    • Thursday 4th Fair, some cool. A.M. recited. P.M. no reciting, read some from natural history.
    • Friday 5 Cloudy. After prayers heard part of the class speak before Tutor Abbott. A.M. studied Hebrew, no reciting. P.M. wrote my English exercise, & carried it to Mr. Pearson. Evening, sung with the rest of the club.
    • Saturday 6th Mane fair, P.M. cloudy, at night rainy. After prayers spoke a dialogue with Babbit, before Mr. Abbott. After breakfast

    [20]

    • went to Boston, with a number of my Class-mates, bought me some paper and other articles; dined at Mr. Thacher’s;1 came up to Cambridge just at night.
    • Sunday 7th Fair and pleasant. Went to meeting all day. Mr. Hilliard preached, A.M. from Proverbs, C. 10, V. 9, P.M. from the same text. After meeting read in Kaim’s Elements of Criticism.2
    • Monday 8th Fair but cool. After prayers no reciting. A.M. studied and recited Geography to Tutor Webber. P.M. recited the same. In the evening sung with the rest of the club.
    • Tuesday 9th Cloudy & raw cold. Studied & recited Geography all day as usual.
    • Wednesday 10th Fair and very pleasant. Recited after prayers. A.M. no reciting. P.M. studied & recited Geography.
    • Thursday 11th Fair and very pleasant. In the morning no reciting. My Father came here in the forenoon, which hindered me reciting. P.M. recited.

    [21]

    • Friday 12 Fair and pleasant. After prayers heard part of my class declaim in the chapel. A.M. studied & recited Hebrew. P.M. corrected a piece of English & carried it to Mr. Pearson, at his private lector. In the evening the Singing Club met at my room & sung.
    • Saturday 13th A.M. rainy, P.M. fair. Imployed myself in reading & running about all day.
    • Sunday 14th Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting. A.M. Mr. Hilliard preached from Ephesians, C. 4, V. 28. P.M. Mr. Webber, Tutor, preached from Philippians, C. 2, V. 4.
    • Monday 15th Fair, A.M., P.M. some cloudy. After prayers recited Horace to Tutor James. A.M. studied Sallust, but no reciting. P.M. recited Sallust, likewise attended Professor Pearson’s lector concerning the nature of the Pronouns.
    • Tuesday 16th A.M. fair, windy, P.M. very blustery, Mane, no reciting by reason of the class meeting the night before. A.M. moved my things into Sullavan’s room. At 9 o’clock set out from Cambridge, walked to Mr. West’s3 by half after 11 o’clock, there dined. P.M. walked to Mr. Fuller’s,4 tarried there that night.
    • Wednesday 17th Fair, more pleasant.

    [22]

    • A.M. walked from Mr. Fuller’s to Mr. Prentiss’s,5 there dined. After dinner walked home.
    • Thursday 18th A.M. cold & windy, P.M. fair. A.M. rode back to Mr. West’s after my things. P.M. rode to Mr. Newel’s in Dover, meet a number of my Collegiate friends there, went out ahunting squirrels with them, in the evening came home.
    • Friday 19th Fair and pleasant. A.M. worked abroad with our folks & studied arithmetic. P.M. Mr. Holbrook6 came here, walked with him to the north end of the town, Spent the evening very agreeably with the ladies.
    • Saturday 20th A.M. some cloudy P.M. fair. Imployed myself in ciphering, & reading.
    • Sunday 21st A.M. cloudy, P.M. rainy, windy. A.M. staid at home, spent my time in reading. P.M. went to meeting, Mr. Steward7 preached.
    • Monday 22d Fair & pleasant. A.M. translated a piece of Lattin into English. P.M. spent my time in reading.
    • Tuesday 23d Very pleasant & warm for the season. Staid at home all day, imployed myself in reading and studying arithmetic.
    • Wednesday 24th Fair and very pleasant. P.M. went to Medway, to Oliver Wight’s.8

    [23]

    • Thursday 25th Fair, warm & pleasant. Studied Arithmetic, chief of the day.
    • Friday 26 Fair & warm. Hunted squirrels the greatest part of the day.
    • Saturday 27 Very pleasant. A.M. tarried at home. P.M. attended a funeral at the north part of the town.
    • Sunday 28 Pleasant, fair. Went to meeting. Mr. Thacher preached A.M. from Jeremiah, C. 2, V. 19, P.M. from Job, C. 19, 25, 26, 27 verses.
    • Monday 29th Cloudy, P.M. some misty. A.M. imployed myself in reading. P.M. my class-mate Chandler9 came to see me, in the evening went to Mr. Adams,1 was electrized with a number of young ladies which cause a considerable of fun for us.
    • Tuesday, 30th Cloudy & chilly, at night rainy. A.M. Mr. Chandler went home, rode with him as far as Mr. Prentiss’s. P.M. tarried at home. In the evening, was desired, by a committee which visited upon me for that purpose, to keep school in the south part of the town; agreed with them to keep it, thou’ with the utmost reluctance.
    • Wednesday, 31 Some cloudy. A.M. went to Mr. Adams’. P.M. went to Mr. Prentiss’s lector, after that went to Mr. Prentiss’s, there drank tea.

    [24]

    • Thursday, 1st day of November 1787. Early in the morning packed up my things, set out for Cambridge, with Asa Hammant,2 arrived there at 2 o’clock P.M. Found a large number of my class-mates collected, received them with shouts of joy.
    • Friday, 2 Fair, cold & some windy. After breakfast rode to Boston, in the chaise, with Mr. Hammant; bought a few articles; then took my leave of Mr. Hammant; and returned to College, the wished for place; where the mind is led into the path of knowledge, and often shoots forth into the mazes of Science. Where the mind is sometimes drowned in the deeps of intricacy; sometimes expands in the clearness of demonstration & always hurried by the wings of time. P.M. spent my time in conversation with my friends. In the evening attended the Supreme Court held at Cambridge.
    • Saturday, 3d Fair and pleasant. A.M. translated a piece of Latin. P.M. carried [it] to Mr. Pearson’s house.
    • Sunday, 4 Pleasant weather, went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached A.M. from Romans, C. 5, V. 15, P.M. from Gallatians, C. 4, 18 verse.

    [25]

    • Monday 5 Some cloudy, but pleasant. In the morning recited logick to Mr. Abbott. A.M. made three syllogisms, carried them to him at 11 o’clock. P.M. made three more.
    • Tuesday 6th Fair & pleasant. In the morning recited logick. A.M. made three more syllogisms. P.M. attended Professor Wigglesworth’s public lector, preached from Psalms, C. 147, 5 verse, after that recited logick.
    • Wednesday 7th Fair & very pleasant. After prayers recited logick. A.M. made two more syllogisms. Bought a load of wood, gave 8s.6d for the wood & cutting & fetching it up. Received 17s.4d of my class-mate Warren3 for money he owed me for cloth for a coat. P.M. attended Professor Williams’ lector concerning the phenomena which attended the diurnal revolution of the earth, made & carried to reciting two more syllogisms. In the evening studied arithmetic.
    • Thursday 8th In the morning foggy, after that fair. Mane recited. A.M. made two syllogisms. P.M. began Locke,4 recited from it to tutor Abbott, which is the next book in course to logick. In the evening studied Hebrew.
    • Friday 9 Fair & very pleasant.

    [26]

    • A.M. studied & recited Hebrew. P.M. corrected & carried into Mr. Pearson’s lector my English, translated from Lattin, which was my English exercise for Friday. In the evening met with the Singing Club.
    • Saturday 10th Fair & warm & pleasant. A.M. studied some French, carried in to the French instructor5 an exercise in the rudiments of the French language.
    • Sunday 11th Fair & windy. Went to meeting, Mr. Hilliard preached A.M. from St. James, C. I, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 verses, P.M. from Jeremiah, C. 13, V. 23. In the evening studied Homer.
    • Monday 12th A.M. fair, P.M. some cloudy. In the morning recited Homer to tutor Jennison. A.M. recited Xenophon. P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s lector, upon the pronouns; recited Xenophon. In the evening met with the singing club.
    • Tuesday 13 Cloudy & foggy. A.M. recited English. P.M. no reciting.
    • Wednesday 14th A.M. foggy, P.M. fair. In the morning no reciting. The rest of the day recited.

    [27]

    • Thursday 15th Smoaky & cloudy, some wet. In the morning recited. A.M. recited Greek. P.M. did not recite.
    • Friday 16th Toto die rainy & wet. In the morning heard part of my class declaim in the chapel. A.M. studied and recited Hebrew. P.M. no reciting to Professor Pearson. Read French to our French instructor, Dr. Nancrede. In the evening sung with the singing club, & wrote off French exercises.
    • Saturday 17th Fair & pleasant. After prayers did not speak in the chapel. A.M. studied & recited French. P.M. spent my time in cyphering & chatting.
    • Sunday 18th Fair & very pleasant. A.M. went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached from 1st Corrinthians, C. 3, V. 23. P.M. Mr. Andrews6 preached a well studied discourse from S. John, C. 5, V. 39, “Search the Scriptures.”
    • Monday 19th Fair weather.

    [28]

    • Felt, this morning, very poorly, had the head & ear ake, caused by a sudden cold which rendered me unable to attend prayers or reciting toto die.
    • Tuesday 20th Toto die cloudy. My illness continued so that I did not recite any today.
    • Wednesday 21st Fair, P.M. rainy. Remained unwell all day, tho’ some better, but not able to recite.
    • Thursday 22 Fair and warm for the season. A.M. went in, heard the class recite but did not recite myself. P.M. studied, & recited geography.
    • Friday 23 Rainy, & wet toto die. Did nothing except in P.M. attended upon French instructor.
    • Saturday 24th A.M. cloudy, toward night fair. After prayers spoke a dialogue. A.M. read French & tended upon the French instructor again.
    • Sunday 25 Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting, was very much pleased with two discourses delivered from I Corinthians, C. 12, V. 26, &

    [29]

    • St. Luke, C. 16, V. 23, by Mr. Hitchcock.7
    • Monday 26th Cloudy. In the morning recited Horace to tutor James. A.M.
    • studied Sallust; but no reciting. Mr. Smith8 came here; tarried with me & Baxter9 the greater part of the P.M., at night sung with the rest of the club.
    • Tuesday 27th Misty, wet & some rainy. In the morning recited Horace. A.M., & P.M. studied & recited Sallust.
    • Wednesday 28th Fair weather. No reciting all day. A.M. Mr. Eleazer Smith came here, tarried all night.
    • Thursday 29th Thanksgiving, very pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached from Psalms 107, 31, 32 verses. After meeting had an elegant dinner in the hall, each one carried in a bottle of wine & all joined in drinking toasts, & singing songs in praise of the day & with thankful hearts.
    • Friday 30 Cloudy & raw cold. A.M. no reciting. P.M. carried my French exercise to our French instructor, Mr. Nancrede.

    [30]

    • Saturday December 1, 1787. In the morning cloudy, rest of the day pleasant. A.M. attended our French instructor, & read French. P.M. wrote off some of the French verbs.
    • Sunday 2d Mane, foggy A.M., & P.M. pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached, all day, from Romans, C. 13, 12, 13, 14 verses; after meeting read Locke.
    • Monday 3d Fair & pleasant for the season. Mane, recited Locke to Tutor Abbott. A.M. went to Boston after some of my linnen. P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s lector concerning verbs, & the various definitions given of them by several learned men, tho’ none agreeable to him. Immediately after which, heard Mr. Waterhouse1 deliver a lector upon natural philosophy.
    • Tuesday 4th Cool & Cloudy. Mane recited Locke, A.M. made three syllogisms. P.M. recited Locke.
    • Wednesday 5th Pleasant weather.

    [31]

    • In the morning recited. A.M. no reciting, attend Professor Williams’ Lector concerning time, etc. P.M. recited Locke.
    • Thursday 6th Fair & very pleasant. Mane recited. A.M. made 3 syllogisms, P.M. recited Locke.
    • Friday 7 It snowed all day. A.M. studied Hebrew, but no reciting. P.M. no reciting, except we attended the French instructor.

    26. Clarke’s Harvard diary—the beginning of his sophomore year.

    Norton Public Library, Norton, Massachusetts

    27. Clarke’s Harvard diary—Thanksgiving, 1787.

    Norton Public Library, Norton, Massachusetts

    28. A page from Clarke’s account of his expenses, 1791.

    Norton Public Library, Norton, Massachusetts

    • Saturday 8th Fair & pleasant for the season. After prayers declaimed in the chapel. A.M. read French to our French instructor. Very unexpectedly received from the President & the rest of the government, an unjust pecuniary punishment, together with a number of my classmates, for being in the Hall at Thanksgiving day a little while after Supper.
    • Sunday 9th Very pleasant for the season. Staid at home all day, & read.
    • Monday 10th Fair & pleasant. In the morning there was reciting. A.M. I together with those who were punished, went to the President to know the justness of it, & to desire him to take it off.

    [32]

    • He promised us another hearing.2 P.M. no reciting. In the evening sung with the club.
    • Tuesday 11th Fair but cold. No reciting all day; read in Rollin’s Ancient History, most of day. Attend[ed] in the P.M. Professor Wigglesworth’s lector.
    • Wednesday 12th Fair & cold. Mane, recited Homer, to tutor Jennison. A.M. recited Xenophon. P.M. attended Professor Williams’ lector concerning the division of time, after which recited.
    • Thursday 13th Fair, pleasant for the season. After prayers recited. A.M. recited. P.M. no reciting.
    • Friday 14th Fair weather. Studied Hebrew, but no reciting. P.M. carried my English exercise to Professor Pearson, at his private lector, read French to our French instructor.
    • Saturday 15th Fair, cold & windy. A.M. read French. P.M. read Rollin’s Ancient History.
    • Sunday 16th Fair & cold. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard

    [33]

    • preached A.M. from Psalms, C. 116, V. 15, P.M. from Hebrews, C. 10, V. 25.
    • Monday 17th Fair weather. A.M. studied & recited geography. P.M. recited the same. In the evening the Singing Club met at my room. About half after 9 o’clock the little house3 caught on fire, to which all the scholars, the governors of College, & the greatest part of town came to save the College from fire.
    • Tuesday 18th Fair & more moderate. Morning recited geography. A.M. went to Boston. P.M. recited.
    • Wednesday 19th Cloudy, in the evening snowy. Morning recited. A.M. attended the public exhibition. P.M. recited.
    • Thursday 20th Snowy all day. Recited geography as usual.
    • Friday 21st Some cloudy & windy. After prayers declaimed in the chapel. Translated a piece of Lattin into English. P.M. carried [it] to Professor Pearson at his private [home]. Recited French.
    • Saturday 22nd Fair & cold.

    [34]

    • A.M. recited French. P.M. sung with the singing club. Bought a complete system of arthmetic by Mr. Pike.4
    • Sunday 23d Snowy & rainy all day. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached A.M. from Psalms, C. 8, V. 24, P.M. from Luke, C. 7, 23 verse.
    • Monday 24th Cloudy, very sloppy. Mane recited Horace to Tutor James. A.M. recited Sallust: likewise P.M. Spent the evening very agreeably, in singing, with the singing club & sodality, at Mr. Lane’s in company with a number of ladies & other people.
    • Tuesday 25th Fair & pleasant. Mane recited, rest of the day no reciting. Received my quarter bill.
    • Wednesday 26 Fair & very pleasant. Recited all day.
    • Thursday 27 Fair & very pleasant. Recited in the morning. A.M. received a horse from home by Joel Smith;5 obtained leave to go home.

    [35]

    • Friday 28 Fair weather. Went home.
    • Monday 31st Began my school in Medfield.

      Concluded it February 29th, 1788.

      Came to College March 4th. March 5th some cloudy and raw wind. A.M. went to Boston. P.M. read and fixed matters for study.

    • Thursday 6th Fair & pleasant. Mane, recited Locke. A.M. made syllogisms. P.M. recited Locke.
    • Friday 7th Some cloudy & cold. A.M. studied some Hebrew, recited Arithmetic. P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s private Lector, but had not written my English exercise. In the evening sung with the singing club.
    • Saturday 8th A.M. some cloudy, P.M. fair & warm.

    [36]

    • A.M. wrote upon this theme, “Education forms the man.” P.M. carried it to Mr. Pearson’s.
    • Sunday 9th A.M. snowy, P.M. fair & snow gone. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached A.M. from John, C. 15, V. 5. P.M. Mr. Webber, tutor, preached from the first Epistle of John, 4 chapter, 9 verse.
    • Monday 10th A.M. snowy, P.M. cloudy. Mane, recited Homer to Tutor Jennison. A.M. & P.M. recited Xenophon. Attended Professor Pearson’s lector.
    • Tuesday 11th A.M. & P.M. fair & pleasant. Mane recited Homer. A.M. went to Boston. P.M. spent my time in reading.
    • Wednesday 12th Pleasant springlike weather. Mane, no reciting. A.M. recited & P.M. recited Xenophon. Likewise attended Professor Williams’ Lector.
    • Thursday 13th Fair & pleasant.

    [37]

    • Mane recited Homer. A.M. no reciting. P.M. no reciting. Attended an oration spoken by Mr. Ware,6 upon the death of Mr. Paine,7 late Minister of Charlestown, to the Φ Β Κ.
    • Friday 14th Some cloudy, but pleasant. A.M. at 9 o’clock recited arithmetic to Professor Williams; at 10, Hebrew to Professor Pearson. P.M. wrote & carried in to Professor Pearson’s private Lector this theme, The world’s infectious; few bring back at eve Immaculate, the manners of the morn.
    • Saturday 15th Fair, pleasant weather. Mane, declaimed in the chappel. The rest of the day spent in cyphering, writing, & reading.
    • Sunday 16th Some cloudy & raw wind. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached, A.M. from James 1 chapter, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27th verses, P.M. from Philippians, C. 4, V. 4.
    • Monday 17th Fair & pleasant.

    [38]

    • A.M. no reciting. P.M. Geography. Recited.
    • Tuesday 18th A.M. fair, P.M. cloudy. Mane recited Geography. A.M. recited & completed the study of geography. P.M. carried in to tutor Webber Euclid’s Elements, to receive our first lesson; that book the idea of which strikes all with horror.
    • Wednesday 19th A.M. rainy, P.M. cloudy. Mane recited Euclid. A.M. no reciting, P.M. attended Professor William’s public lector concerning the phenomina of the sun & moon in their eclipse.
    • Thursday 20th Fair & pleasant. Recited all day. P.M. wrote upon this theme, “He sins against this life, who slights the next.”
    • Friday 21st Fair & pleasant. Mane heard a part of my class speak in the chappel. At 9 o’clock recited Arithmetic to Professor Williams. At 10 o’clock recited Hebrew. P.M. carried up my theme.

    [39]

    • Saturday 22d Fair weather. Mane declaimed in the chapel. P.M. went to Medford, to see my class-mate Fay.8
    • Sunday 23d A.M. rainy, P.M. cloudy. Staid at home all day and read.
    • Monday 24th Cold & windy, towards night snowy. Mane, recited Horace to Tutor James. A.M. & P.M. recited Sallust to him.
    • Tuesday 25th Cold & windy. Mane, recited Horace. A.M. & P.M. no reciting.
    • Wednesday 26th A.M. pleasant. P.M. raw. Mane, recited, likewise the rest of the day. P.M. attended Professor Williams’ Lector, concerning the sun’s eclipse.
    • Thursday 27th Fair & windy. Recited all day.
    • Friday 28th Cool & windy. Rode up to Medfield in company with my class mates Babbit & Dennie, and Allen a junior.9 In Dover we met Mr. Baxter coming to Cambridge,

    [40]

    • he turned back to Medfield, where after we gave them information in the different parts of the town, they collected, and had a very agreeable sing. We tarried in Medfield that night, the next day, Saturday, 29th, set off for Cambridge, arrived there about an hour before sun set, after a very agreeable ride.
    • Sunday 30th Fair, but cool & windy. Went to Meeting. A.M. Mr. Hilliard preached, P.M. Sir Harris,1 the Butler, preached from Phillipians chap. 2, verse 5.
    • Monday 31st Fair, but cool. Mane recited Locke to Tutor Abbott. A.M. made & carried up two syllogisms. P.M. recited Locke.
    • Tuesday 1st day of April, 1788. Was cloudy, the fore part of it, but in the afternoon fair. Mane, recited Locke, A.M. carried in two more syllogisms. P.M. recited Locke.
    • Wednesday 2d Fair & pleasant.

    [41]

    • Mane recited Locke, A.M. made three more syllogisms. P.M. recited, and completed & carried to Professor Pearson’s house, a piece of composition upon this theme,

    Know then, thyself, presume not God to scan,

    The proper study of mankind is man.2

    • Thursday 3rd Fair and pleasant. Mane, no reciting. A.M. and P.M. recited Locke.
    • Friday 4th Rainy and wet. Mane, declaimed in the chapel. A.M. recited Hebrew and arithmetic. P.M. carried in my theme.
    • Saturday 5th Cloudy & misty. Wrote upon this theme,

    Poor is the friendless master of a world.

    A world in purchase for a friend is gain.

    • Sunday 6th Cloudy & lowery. Went to meeting, Mr. Hilliard preached, A.M. from 2d Peter, Chap. 1; 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 verses. P.M. from Hosea, chap. 6, 4 verse.
    • Monday 7th Fair & pleasant. Mane, recited Homer to tutor Jennison.

    [42]

    • A.M. recited Xenophon, P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s lector concerning the qualities of a verb.
    • Tuesday 8th Cloudy & cool. Went to Boston in order to send some letters home.
    • Wednesday 9th A.M. cloudy, P.M. fair. Mane, recited Homer. A.M. & P.M. recited Xenophon.
    • Thursday 10th Fair & pleasant. Mane, recited; A.M. recited. P.M. no reciting, my chum went home.
    • Friday 11th Fair & pleasant. Mane, declaimed in the chapel. A.M. no reciting, P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s lector.
    • Saturday 12th A.M. fair, P.M. cloudy, Wrote upon this theme,

    Rebus angustis animosus atque

    fortis appare; sapienter idem

    contrahes vento nimium secundo

    turbida vela.

    Vide Horace 2 Book, 10th Ode.

    [43]

    • Sunday 13th Fair, springlike weather. Went to meeting, Mr. Belknap3 preached A.M. from Matthew, 5 chap. from the 43 verse to the end of the chapter, P.M. from 2d Corinthians, chap. 6, 16 verse.
    • Monday 14th A.M. fair, P.M. cloudy & rainy. A.M. recited Euclid to Tutor Webber. P.M. recited Euclid.
    • Tuesday 15 A.M. rainy, P.M. cloudy. A.M. attended a public exhibition in the chapel. My brother came down after me. P.M. went home.
    • Wednesday 16th Fair & pleasant. A.M. assisted in making preparations, in Medfield meeting house, for singing. P.M. Baxter’s school, with the assistance of a number of gentlemen from the university, had an agreeable sing. In the evening had a social dance.
    • Thursday 17th A.M. fair, P.M. some cloudy. It being fast, I went to meeting. After meeting, Mr. Baxter, Mr. Lincoln, & Mr. Jackson,4 collegians, came home

    [44]

    • with me; in the evening we had a social chat with a number of young gentlemen & ladies.
    • Friday 18th Mane, rainy, P.M. cloudy. A.M. my company went away. P.M. amused myself with walking round to the neighbors, and reading.
    • Saturday 19th Fair weather. Spent the day in reading at home.
    • Sunday 20th Some cloudy & windy. Went to meeting. Mr. Greenough5 preached A.M. from Hebrews, ch. 7, verse 25, P.M. from Timothy, 6 chapter, 12 verse.
    • Monday 21st A.M. raw, windy, P.M. more pleasant. A.M. spent my time in reading at home. P.M. walked to Mr. Prentiss’s & to see Miss A[dams?].
    • Tuesday 22nd A.M. cloudy, P.M. rainy. Spent the day at home in reading.
    • Wednesday 23d Cloudy & misty. Tarry at home all day, in the evening attend a singing meeting in town.

    [45]

    • Thursday 24th A.M. cloudy, P.M. fair. P.M. walked into the north end of the town to Mr. Clarke’s folk, and Miss E—, had an agreeable evening in company with a number of Ladies.
    • Friday 25th A.M. fair, P.M. rainy. A.M. tarried at home, & composed some English. P.M. went to Wrentham to see Mr. Holbrook, tarried there that night.
    • Saturday 26th Cloudy & raw all day, A.M. came home with Mr. Holbrook. P.M. walked to Mr. Adams’ with him. He tarried with me that night.
    • Sunday 27th Cloudy cool weather. Went to meeting. Mr. Lincoln6 preached in the forenoon from 1st Peter, ch. 2, 21 verse. P.M. Mr. Child7 preached from 1st John, ch. 2, 15 verse, after meeting walked to Mr. Prentiss’s.
    • Monday 28th Cloudy & rainy, totum diem. A.M. pricked off notes to a number of tunes. P.M. completed some English.
    • Tuesday 29th Fair & pleasant. Spent my time in reading, composing and making preparations to go to Cambridge.

    [46]

    • Wednesday 30th Fair & springlike weather. Early in the morning set off, with my brother, for Cambridge, arrived about 10 o’clock; after we had taken some refreshment, went to Boston. P.M. walked back to college, tho’ much fatigued, found but a few of my class mates come in.
    • Thursday May 1st 1788. Fair. Studied and recited Euclid to Tutor Webber.
    • Friday 2d Cloudy & some showery. Mane declaimed in the chapel. A.M. studied & recited Hebrew. P.M. spent my time in chat. At prayers heard a dissertation delivered upon these words, “Let thy will be done,” by Mr. Andrews, A.B.
    • Saturday 3d Cloudy & some foggy. After prayers heard part of my class declaim. Wrote and completed my theme, “Solvitur acris hiems grata vice veris et Favoni.”8
    • Sunday 4th A.M. rainy, P.M. some fair. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached all day from Hebrews, 13 chapter, 20, & 21st verses.
    • Monday 5th A.M. fair & very pleasant, P.M. some showery.

    [47]

    • Mane, recited Locke to Mr. Abbott. A.M. made three syllogisms in proof of this, “whether it be justifiable in any case to violate the truth.” P.M. recited Locke. After prayers, sung in the chapel.
    • Tuesday 6th Fair & pleasant weather. Mane, recited Locke. A.M. made three more syllogisms in negation of this, “whether the idea of God be innate.” P.M. no reciting.
    • Wednesday 7th Fair & pleasant. Mane, recited Locke. A.M. made three more syllogisms to deny that “man is determined in all his actions by present uneasiness.” P.M. recited as usual.
    • Thursday 8th Pleasant but some cloudy. Mane, recited. After breakfast went to Boston, saw two men hung, attended by a large concourse of people; before they were swung off they very affectionately shook hands, in farewell, gave good advice to the people around them to be careful what company they kept, after which Mr. Stillman9 made a prayer. Returned to College, just before night, greatly fatigued. Found my chum had returned to College.

    [48]

    • Friday 9th Cloudy, cold & rainy. Mane, declaimed in the chapel. A.M. recited arithmetic, & Hebrew. P.M. carried in my theme to the Professor’s private lector.
    • Saturday 10th Cold & stormy weather. Spent the most of the day in reading and composing.
    • Sunday 11th The storm continued all day, with a good deal of rain. Went to meeting. President Willard preached A.M. from 2 Corinthians, Ch. 5, 7 verse, P.M. from Mathew, Ch. 4; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 verses.
    • Monday 12th More pleasant & fair. Mane, recited Euclid to Tutor Webber, A.M. & P.M. recited the same. P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s Lector concerning verbs & time.
    • Tuesday 13th Fair & pleasant. Recited Euclid as usual.
    • Wednesday 14th Pleasant, springlike weather. Recited Euclid as usual to Tutor Webber.
    • Thursday 15th Fair weather. A.M. recited. P.M. no reciting.

    [49]

    • Friday 16th Some cloudy, but warm. A.M. recited arithmetic to Professor Williams, after that Hebrew to Professor Pearson, & then completed my composition upon this theme, “Procrastination is the thief of time.” P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s private lector, carried in my theme.
    • Saturday 17th Cloudy & some rainy. Mane, declaimed in the chapel. Studied decimal fractions the most of the day.
    • Sunday 18th Cloudy & misty. Went to meeting. President Willard preached A.M. from Matthew 2 ch., 44 verse, P.M. from Psalms 8, 2 & 3 verses.
    • Monday 19th Cloudy & wet. Mane recited Horace to Tutor James. A.M. & P.M. studied Sallust. Began to write a chart of the world.
    • Tuesday 20th Cloudy weather. Recited in the morning Horace, the rest of the day Sallust.
    • Wednesday 21st Fair & warm, springlike. Mane, recited. After that obtained liberty to go out of town, but spent the day in reading & composing English.

    [50]

    • Thursday 22 Cloudy, but pleasant. A.M. recited & completed Sallust. P.M. no reciting.
    • Friday 23d Cloudy, rainy, & misty. Mane, heard a part of my class declaim. A.M. studied & recited arithmetic and Hebrew. P.M. completed & carried up this theme, “Music has charms to soothe the savage breast.”1
    • Saturday 24th Most of the day cloudy. Mane, heard the other part of my class declaim in the chapel. The rest of the day spent in reading & walking.
    • Sunday 25th Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Smith,2 the Librarian preached A.M. from Job, C. 14, V. 2, P.M. from St. John, C. 12, V. 24.
    • Monday 26th Fair weather. Mane, recited Homer to Tutor Jennison. A.M. recited Xenophon. P.M. no reciting.
    • Tuesday 27th Pleasant weather. Recited as usual omnes dies.
    • Wednesday 28 Some cloudy & windy. Went to Boston with a number of my class mates. Heard an excellent sermon delivered by Mr. Parsons3

    [51]

    • from Proverbs, C. 29, V. 2. Dined with my classmate Quincy.4 Drank tea with my classmate Gray, in company with a number of my classmates; then came back to College.
    • Thursday 29th Fair, but cool. A.M. recited, P.M. no reciting. Employed myself in reading Brydone’s Tour Through Sicily & Malta.5
    • Friday 30th Fair weather. A.M. attended Professor Williams’ private lector upon arithmetic. No other reciting. P.M. heard a funeral Oration delivered in the chapel by Sawyer;6 occasioned by the death of Grovesner7, one of his classmates.
    • Saturday 31st Cloudy & rainy. Mane, wrote a letter to Mr. Holbrook at Providence College; heard a part of my class declaim in the chapel. Spent the most of the day in reading.
    • Sunday, June 1st, 1788. Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting, Mr. Webber the Tutor preached all day from Romans, C. 14, V. 19.

    [52]

    • Monday 2d Fair, but cool for the season. Mane, recited Locke to Tutor Abbot. A.M. made 3 syllogisms in negation of this proposition, “Whether the mind always thinks.” P.M. recited Locke. After prayers met with the singing club in the chapel; then went to Mitchell’s8 room, (who was previously chosen president of the club) there had a very elegant treat.
    • Tuesday 3d Fair & pleasant. Mane, recited Locke. A.M. made 3 syllogisms in negation of this, “that evil dispositions are necessary to a state of probation.” P.M. recited Locke, & composed part of my theme,

    T’is equally man’s duty, glory, gain,

    At once to shun, & meditate his end.

    • Wednesday 4th A.M. fair, P.M. cloudy. Mane, recited. A.M. made 3 more syllogisms to prove that “thought is not the essence of the soul,” but did not carry them up. P.M. recited.
    • Thursday 5th Fair & pleasant. Mane, recited. After that obtained liberty to be absent 4 weeks to

    [53]

    • have the small pox. A.M. went to Boston after some things, came up after noon. After prayers Adams & Babbit9 declaimed in public, for the first time. Made preparations to go to the hospital.
    • Friday 6th Fair & pleasant. Set off early in the morning from Cambridge to the hospital in Newtown, there was inoculated about 10 o’clock by Dct. Spring1 with a number of collegians. At 11 o’clock took a potion of physic. Spent the day very jovially in one diversion & another. At 5 o’clock took physic.
    • Saturday 7th Fair & very pleasant. Spent the day very agreeably in walking about chiefly.
    • Sunday 8th Fair, but some cooler. Mane, took another potion of physic. A.M. walked to the pest house & back again. Spent the most afternoon in singing.
    • Monday 9th Mane, rainy, P.M. cloudy. Felt very well all day. Samuel West2 rode here to see me, spent the day in singing & other exercises for diversion.

    [54]

    • Tuesday 10th Fair & warm. Toward night a heavy shower. Mane, took more physic, which made me feel disagreeably, & worked upon me. P.M. felt the effects of my inoculation.
    • Wednesday 11th Fair & pleasant. Felt considerably well all day. A.M. received some things & letters from College by my classmates Babbit & Warren, who came here to tarry with us. At night took another potion of physick.
    • Thursday 12th Agreeable & pleasant. Felt symtomatic all day: spent the greatest part of the day in walking. At night felt very cold & stiff all over.
    • Friday 13th Fair & pleasant. Felt worse, symtoms very high: felt sore & ach’d all over. Toward night felt some better, discovered one or two pox.
    • Saturday 14 Mane, felt much better.

    [55]

    • A.M. moved over to the hospital. The symtoms left me & I felt very well.
    • Sunday 15 Felt very well all day, tho’ I had a very sore arm. But I worried about & sung so that much that I inflamed my blood very much, especially in my face.
    • Monday 16 A considerable number of pox came out in my face & on my body.
    • Tuesday 17th & Wednesday 18th More came out all over me, so that I counted 100 & 20, on my face, & more than 500 on my bodye; but I felt tollerable well & hearty.
    • Thursday 19th The pock filled up well.
    • Friday 20th Which was 14 days after I was inoculated. The pock began to turn & likewise on
    • Saturday 21st it turned considerably.
    • Sunday 22d The pock had turned, so that they felt much better. Monday 23d Felt better. Four of our class that came to the hospital

    [56]

    • with me, were so well that they cleansed themselves & went off.
    • Tuesday 24th The pock dried up more & more. But my arm was very sore so that I was obliged to dress it three times a day. I put on alum curd & white oak leaves which had a very good effect.
    • Wednesday 25th More of them cleaned up & went off, but I tarried at the hospital till the next week, a Wednesday, which was July 2d, then I cleansed myself & all my things, & came to Mr. Fuller’s, where we tarried before we entered the hospital.
    • Thursday [July] 3d A.M. walked to Cambridge, found my room locked, my chum was gone to Boston. But I got into my room, lay down on the bed & rested myself; then I reflected upon the course & opperation of the small pox while I was at the hospital, & noted it down. P.M. my chum came back from Boston, we eat

    [57]

    • some victuals & set off together. He went home, I came to Mr. Fuller’s in Newton, tarried there that night.
    • Friday 4th A.M. walked up to Mr. Weston in Dedham, tarried there till toward night. My brother brought me a horse, rode home.
    • Saturday 5th Cloudy & some rainy. Tarried by myself upstairs, that I need not expose any body. Spent some of my time in reading.
    • Sunday 6th Cloudy & windy. Spent my time at home, in reading Edwards On The Will.3
    • Monday 7th Some part of the day fair. Tarried at home all day. Read the same author I did the day before. P.M. helped get in a little hay.
    • Tuesday 8th Fair & warm. Spent the most of the day in reading Mr. Edward[s].
    • Wednesday 9th Fair weather. A.M. washed up & cleansed myself faithfully. Toward night went to Mr. Adams.

    [58]

    • Thursday 10th The most of the day fair. Read Baker’s Reflection on Learning.4
    • Friday 11th Fair & pleasant. Went to see my brother-in-law Wight, & Mr. Green, who lived there; spent the day very agreeably with Mr. Green; likewise read some in a book entitled The Art of Knowing Mankind.5
    • Saturday 12th Fair & very warm. Tarried there till toward night, then came home.
    • Sunday 13 Fair & pleasant. Staid at home all day.
    • Monday 14th Fair; not so warm. Remained at home the most of the day. Mr. Josiah Holbrook came to see me.
    • Tuesday 15th In the morning there was a shower. Mane, sett off for Cambridge, arrived there about noon. P.M. wrote & carried to the President two petitions. Spent my time with my class mates.
    • Wednesday 16th Commenc[ement]. Fair & agreeable. Attended the exhibitions of the day, some of which were pleasing.

    [59]

    • Thursday 17th Some cloudy. Rode to Lexington to see my class mates Chandler, Dennie, & Marrett.6
    • Friday 18th Fair & very warm. A.M. rode back to Cambridge. P.M. rode up to Medfield in company with Miss S. A. & H. A.7
    • Saturday 19th Fair & pleasant. Tarried at home. Perused Cicero’s orations.
    • Sunday 20th Fair & agreeable. Went to meeting. Mr. Steward8 preached, A.M. from 2d Corinthinians, C. 9, V. 15, P.M. from Matthew, C. 9, 11, 12 verses.
    • Monday 21st Cool, and some cloudy. Tarried at home the greater part of the day. Toward night walked to town.
    • Tuesday 22d A.M. rainy, P.M. cloudy. A.M. read & composed some English. P.M. had company.
    • Wednesday 23d Fair the most of the day. P.M. went to the north part of the town, spent the afternoon very agreeably at Mr. Pr[entiss]’s & tarried that night.
    • Thursday 24th Cloudy & showery. Went to Mr. Clark’s9 in company with

    [60]

    • Mr. Perry.1 P.M. went with him to Mr. P[rentiss’s]. Tarried with Mr. Perry that night.
    • Friday 25th Cloudy & showery. Came home, Mr. Perry with me. Spent the day in reading & conversing, sometimes at our house & sometimes at Mr. Adams.
    • Saturday 26th Some fair, cloudy & showery. Perused Priestley2 some. P.M. Mr. Perry went away; I rode with him into town.
    • Sunday 27th Shiny, cloudy, rainy. Went to meeting; Mr. Prentiss preached A.M. from Proverbs ch. 13, v. 13. P.M. from Colossians, ch. 1, v. 13.
    • Monday 28th The greater part of the day rainy. Tarried at home, spent my time in reading the debates of our convention & writing off declamations.
    • Tuesday 29th Cloudy & shiny. Spent the A.M. reading in Mr. Adams’ library. P.M. assisted our folks in haying.
    • Wednesday 30th Fair and pleasant. This day chiefly taken up in

    [61]

    • giting hay.
    • Thursday 31st Fair & pleasant. This day likewise was spent in haying.
    • Friday August 1st. Fair weather. A.M. Mr. Smith3 came to see me. Conversed with him & worked upon hay. Toward night my classmate Dennie came to see me, & tarried here that night.
    • Saturday 2d A.M. some cloudy, P.M. fair. Rode into town with Dennie. P.M. assisted in haying.
    • Sunday 3d Warm & hazy weather. Went to meeting. Mr. Prentiss preached A.M., Romans, C. 9, 3 & 4 verses, P.M. from Philippians Ch. 2, 21 verse.
    • Monday 4th Fair, P.M. a shower. Read in Cook’s Voyages4 a great part of the day.
    • Tuesday 5th Fair, bright weather. Read in Cook’s Voyages.
    • Wednesday 6 & Thursday 7th Fair. Went to the meddows both days & worked very hard. Good hay weather. Spent most of the day in going about after money. Borrowed some.
    • Saturday 9th Fair & pleasant.

    [62]

    • Rode to Newton, to Cambridge and to Boston, & then came home.
    • Sunday 10th Pleasant weather. Tarried at home. P.M. went to meeting. Mr. Prentiss preached from Ecclesiastes C. 1, 4 verse. After meeting went to see the Revd. Mr. Green in Medway, spent the night there.
    • Monday 11th Fair & pleasant. Tarried at home; made preparations for College.
    • Tuesday 12th Fair weather. A.M. went into town after some money. P.M. set off for Cambridge, walked to Needham, tarried there that night.
    • Wednesday 13th Pleasant weather. A.M. walked to College, with Whiting,5 a sophomore; found a few of my class mates arrived. P.M. my chum came & a number of others.

    Journal for Junior Year that Commenced July 16th, 1788

    [63]

    • Thursday 14th Fair & dry weather. Spent most of the day in reading.
    • Friday 15th Dry weather. A.M. went to Doct. Spring’s, dined at Mr. Wyeth’s6 in Cambridge & then came to College. P.M. went into the library, took out Beattie On Truth.7 After prayers met in the chapel & sung.
    • Saturday 16th Most of the day cloudy. A.M. took my bedstead down & colored it. A.M. read in my library book & in Stearns’ Sermons.8
    • Sunday 17th Rainy & cloudy. Went to meeting, Mr. Hilliard preached, A.M. from Psalms 119, V. 173, P.M. from Philippians, C. 3, verse 20.
    • Monday 18th Cloudy & some wet. Recited Locke to Tutor Abbott. After prayers was very agreeably intertained at seeing the wrestle between the two lower classes which ended, after four hours continuance, in a complete victory over the freshman class.
    • Tuesday 19th Warm, south winds & some rain. Mane recited. A.M. went to Boston, P.M. made 3 syllogisms to prove this

    [64]

    • thesis, “Conscientia personalem Identitatem non constitut.”9
    • Wednesday 20th A.M. fair, P.M. cloudy & rainy. Recited Locke as usual. A.M. at 10 o’clock attended Professor Wigglesworth’s private lector upon this subject, “God is the author of all things.”
    • Thursday 21st Fair & pleasant. Mane no reciting, the rest of the day recited as usual. At 10 o’clock attend Professor Wigglesworth’s private lector, in which he directed us where to get Doddridge’s lectors,1 and gave us our lesson in them.
    • Friday 22d Fair weather. A.M. read in Beattie On Truth. P.M. attended the parish lector, which was preached by Mr. Osgood from Hebrews, C. 9, v. 23.
    • Saturday 23d Fair & warm. A.M. studied & recited Hebrew to Professor Pearson, spent the afternoon in reading.
    • Sunday 24th Pleasant weather. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached.
    • Monday 25th Cloudy & some rainy. Mane, recited Homer to Tutor Jennison. At 9 o’clock recited arithmetic to Tutor Webber. P.M. recited Xenophon.
    • Tuesday 26th Pleasant weather.

    [65]

    • P.M. no reciting. Attended Professor Wigglesworth’s public lector. Wrote upon this theme, “Conscience is the best casuist.”
    • Wednesday 27th Fair & pleasant. Mane, no reciting. At 9 o’clock attend Professor Pearson’s private lector, carried in my theme. At 10 attended Professor Wigglesworth’s private lector upon God’s being the author of all things. Att 11 recited as usual, no reciting P.M.
    • Thursday 28th Fair weather. A.M. recited, & attended Professor Wigglesworth’s private lector. P.M. no reciting.
    • Friday 29th Fair & very warm. A.M. went into the library, took out Price’s Morals;2 Le Cate On the Senses,3 & Walker’s Rhetorical Grammar,4 the latter of which took up my attention the greatest part of the afternoon.
    • Saturday 30th Warm, muggy & rainy. Mane, recited Locke to tutor Abbott. Spent the most of the day in reading.
    • Sunday 31st Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Porter5 preached.
    • Monday September 1, 1788 Cloudy. Recited Euclid to tutor Webber. At 9 o’clock recited arithmetic. P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s public lector.

    [66]

    • Tuesday 2d Fair & agreeable. Recited Euclid to Webber as usual.
    • Wednesday 3d Pleasant. Mane, recited Euclid, A.M. no reciting. P.M. attended the Dudleian lector upon the truth of the revealed religion delivered by Mr. Hilliard from Romans, C. 1, V. 4.
    • Thursday 4th Cloudy. A.M. recited as usual & attended Professor Wigglesworth’s private lector. P.M. went to the President’s, received a part in a syllogism to perform at exhibition with Ware, Grout & Crafts.6 After that walked to Boston with Mr. Baxter.
    • Friday 5th Fair & pleasant. Spent the most of the day in reading. A.M. the Φ Β Κ oration was pronounced by Mr. John Adams,7 with which I was highly pleased.
    • Saturday 6th Pleasant. Spent the most of the day in reading. A. M. recited Hebrew to professor Pearson.
    • Sunday 7th Cloudy & some misty. Went to meeting. Mr. Jackson8 preached A.M. from Proverbs, C. 14, verse 32. P.M. from Psalms, C. 4, V. 4. At evening

    [67]

    • prayers the President, instead of reading in the Bible, delivered a sermon from the fifth chapter of Matthew.
    • Monday 8th Cloudy, but pleasant. Mane, recited Horace, the rest of the day, no reciting. Wrote two syllogisms for exhibition to deny this “Commodum privatum Hominis Actionum Finis non debet.”9
    • Tuesday 9th Pleasant weather. Recited Horace, and Livy. P.M. attended Professor Wigglesworth’s public lector.
    • Wednesday 10 Fair & pleasant. A.M. completed & carried up my English composition upon this theme,

    Example is a living law whose sway

    Men more than all the written laws obey.

    • After that went to the Steward’s after my quarter bill; the[n] recited from Livy. P.M. no reciting. Completed my syllogisms for public exhibition.
    • Thursday 11th Agreeable weather. A.M. carried my syllogism to the President for his approbation: attended Prof. Wiggl[esworth’s] priv[ate] lector, and recited.

    [68]

    • Friday 12th Fair & pleasant. Read in Price’s Morals.
    • Saturday 13th Fair & warm. Spent the chief of the day in reading. At evening prayers the President gave another desertation.
    • Sunday 14th Pleasant weather. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached from I Corinthians, C. 10, v. 32.
    • Monday 15th Pleasant for autumn. Mane, recited Locke to Tutor Abbott. At 9 attended Tutor Webber’s lector in arithmetic; at 10 attended Doct. Waterhouse’s introductory Lector upon natural history. At 11 o’clock recited.
    • Tuesday 16th Cloudy & rainy. A.M. read my forensic in the chapel written in the negative of this, “Whether the disputes among mankind in religion and politics arise chiefly from the imperfection of language.” P.M. recited, & attended Professor Wigglesworth’s lector.
    • Wednesday 17th Fair & pleasant. Recited Locke as usual.
    • Thursday 18 Fair & agreeable.

    [69]

    • Recited as usual.
    • Friday 19th Pleasant, P.M. some rain. Spent the most of the day in reading.
    • Saturday 20th Fair & cool weather. Read in Le Cat On the Senses. A.M. went into the library, carried two of the books I took out before, and took out the 1st. Vol., Bayle’s Historical & Critical Dictionary;1 and 5 vol., Buffon’s Natural History.2
    • Sunday 21st Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting, Mr. Haven preached A.M. from James C. 2, from the 14th to the 19th verses, P.M. from 2 Peter, C. 3, 11, 12, 13.
    • Monday 22d Cloudy & raw cold. Mane, recited Homer to Tutor Jennison. A.M. no reciting. P.M. recited Xenophon.
    • Tuesday 23d Fair & pleasant. Mane, recited, A.M. went to Boston. P.M. read in Buffon’s Natural History.
    • Wednesday 24th Pleasant weather. Mane, recited; the other parts of the day no reciting. A.M. attended Professor Pearson’s private lector. In the evening, was highly entertained with a private exhibition.
    • Thursday 25th Fair & pleasant.

    [70]

    • A.M. recited Xenophon. P.M. no reciting. After prayers declaimed publicly in the chapel ab Cicero Oratione 4, in L. Catilinam, 9th Sec.
    • Friday 26th Pleasant. After prayers Walker, who was rusticated a year ago, was restored into our class. Spent the day in reading, etc.
    • Saturday 27th Pleasant. Spent the day in reading & in English composition.
    • Sunday 28th Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting, Mr. Hilliard preached from Psalms, C. 31, V. 15.
    • Monday 29th Pleasant. A.M. recited Euclid to Tutor Webber. P.M. was detained from meeting by Mr. Perry, who spent the afternoon & night with me.
    • Tuesday 30th Rainy & cloudy. Studied & recited Euclid as usual.
    • Wednesday October 1, 1788. Cloudy & cool. No reciting, only in the morning. P.M. wrote my theme which was this:

    Hope springs eternal in the human breast:

    Man never is, but always to be blest.3

    [71]

    • Thursday 2d A.M. cool, P.M. pleasant. A.M. attended the public exhibition. Read my syllogisms; was agreeably entertained with a number of parts. P.M. spent chiefly with Mr. Perry.
    • Friday 3d Some cloudy, but pleasant. Spent the fore part of the day in pricking off tunes, the latter part in reading.
    • Saturday 4th Cloudy. A.M. studied & recited Hebrew to Professor Pearson, after which went to the President, obtained liberty to go home.
    • Sunday 5th Fair & pleasant. Tarried at home & read chief of the day.
    • Monday 6th Cloudy & raw. Spent the fore noon in reading, P.M. went to Boston.
    • Tuesday 7th Raw & cloudy, at night rainy. A.M. Mr. Adams came down to Cambridge after me; I fixed my things. P.M. set off to come home; drank tea at Mr. West’s, reached home at about half after eight at night.
    • Wednesday 8th Cloudy & some misty. Went to the north part of the town, spent the day at Deacon Perry’s, with Mr. Perry,

    [72]

    • a student.
    • Thursday 9th Fair & pleasant. Spent most of the day at home.
    • Friday 10th Cloudy. Tarried at home, read Jenkyns’s Desertations.4
    • Saturday 11th Very rainy all day. Imployed myself in reading Cook’s Voyage Round the World.
    • Sunday 12th Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Prentiss preached A.M. from 1 Corinthians, C. 6, V. 12, P.M. from Galatians, C. 6, V. 10.
    • Monday 13th Fair & cool. Went to Mr. Prentiss’s & to Mr. Townsend’s where spent the day.
    • Tuesday 14th A.M. cloudy, P.M. fair. Spent the day at home.
    • Wednesday 15th Windy & blustering. A.M. tarried at home. Mr. Holbrook came to see me. P.M. went into town.
    • Thursday 16th Pleasant weather. Set off on my journey to Sturbridge

    [73]

    • in company with Miss Abigail Pratt.5 As Miss Pratt was sickly & riding for her health, we rode no further than Marlborough the first day.
    • Friday 17th Very pleasant. This day we rode to Liester [Leicester].
    • Saturday 18th A.M. fair & pleasant. Rode to Sturbridge, reached Col. Craft’s 11 o’clock P.M., after a very agreeable ride. Miss Pratt went to her Uncle Plimpton’s6 & I tarried at Mr. Craft’s that night and the next day which was Sunday 19th.
    • Monday 20th Cloudy & rainy. Visited my Uncle Job Hammant.7
    • Tuesday 21st Likewise cloudy & some rainy. Visited Uncle Samuel Hammant.8
    • Wednesday 22d Pleasant weather. Came back to Mr. Crafts. A.M. went ahunting squirrels with my chum Crafts & Col. Crafts tho’ without success. P.M. tarried at Mr. Crafts’ in company with a number of young gentlemen. In the evening I was very agreeably entertained at a dance in which a number of gentlemen & ladies of that town exhibited.
    • Thursday 23d Pleasant. Spent the fore noon in hunting with my chum & my classmates Grout & Pierce.9 Spent the evening at Dr. Babbit’s1

    [74]

    • in company with my classmates and a number of ladies, where I tarried all night.
    • Friday 24th Pleasant. A.M. hunted hares. P.M. rode to Mr. Turner’s and Mr. Boyden’s. Spent the evening very agreeably at Mr. Plimpton’s, tarried that [night] with Crafts.
    • Saturday 25th Fair weather. Set off for Princeton, dined at Liester [Leicester] where I parted with my class mate Grout, who rode from Sturbridge with me; reached Princeton at evening, tarried at Mr. Baxter’s.
    • Sunday 26th Cloudy. Went to meeting in Princeton, after which returned to Mr. Baxter’s, there spent the night and the next day.
    • Tuesday 28th Some cloudy. Set off very early for Medfield with Mr. Baxter (Steven) took breakfast at my brother’s in Shrewsbury. Rode to my brother’s in Medway that day.2
    • Wednesday 29th Fair & cool. A.M. rode home where I spent the day.
    • Thursday 30th Fair, but cool. A.M. tarried at home. P.M. went into town; in the evening attended a singing meet-

    [75]

    • ing at the schoolhouse, had application made me to teach the month in district school, but did not engage.
    • Friday 31st Very cold & windy. P.M. went to Mr. Prentiss’s, spent it very agreeably in company with Mr. Baxter & a number of ladies. In the even[ing] had application made to teach the school in the middle district, engaged to teach it for three pounds ten shilling per month.
    • Saturday November 1st, 1788. Cloudy, rainy. Went into the north part of the town, dined at Mr. Prentiss’s. P.M. came home.
    • Sunday 2d Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Chickering3 preached; dined at Mr. Prentiss’s.
    • Monday 3d Fair & warm weather. Set off for College, dined at Mr. West’s. Arrived at Cambridge about sunset.
    • Tuesday 4th Pleasant & warm. A.M. went to Boston after some articles. P.M. read the Revd. Langdon’s election sermon.4
    • Wednesday 5th Fair & warm. A.M. recited Homer at 9 o’clock to tutor Abbot, Greek tutor being vacant. P.M. attended Doct. Kneeland’s5 funeral, all the scholars walked in procession.
    • Thursday 6th Fair & pleasant.

    [76]

    • A.M. did not recite, for my brother brought me a load of wood which detained me. P.M. recited Xenophon.
    • Friday 7th Pleasant weather. Spent the chief of the day in reading, Harris’s Hermes6 & cyphering. Took from the library Kaims’ Elements of Criticism.
    • Saturday 8th Fair but rather cooler. Spent the day in studying Hebrew & ciphering.
    • Sunday 9th Pleasant weather. Tarried at home all day by reason [of] illness.
    • Monday 10th Some cloudy & windy. Mane recited Euclid; at 9 o’clock arithmetic, at 11 o’clock & P.M. Euclid.
    • Tuesday 11th Cloudy, windy & rainy. No reciting A.M. P.M. did not recite. Wrote an essay on this theme, “Fere libenter Homines id, quod volunt, credunt.”7
    • Wednesday 12th Pleasant. Recited Euclid. A.M. wrote a letter to my friend Mr. Perry.

    [77]

    • Thursday 13th Pleasant & fair. Studied & recited Euclid, read in Kaims.
    • Friday 14th Fair weather. Spent the day in reading & ciphering. P.M. took out of the library 2d vol. Kaims’ Criticism & 4th Vol., Guthrie’s History.8
    • Saturday 15th Fair. A.M. went to Boston. P.M. wrote a part in the negative of a forensic, “Whether that a benefit which proceeds from a designed inquiry merit the gratitude of the receiver.” Chandle[r] wrote in the affirmative.
    • Sunday 16th Raw & cool weather. Went to meeting. Mr. Osgood preached from Joshua 1, 5 verse.
    • Monday 17th Pleasant for the season. Mane, recited Terence for the first time, and the other part of the day Livy.
    • Tuesday 18th Cloudy & some misty. Recited Terrence & Livy. P.M. was detained from reciting by Wightfield and Hervey Adams, who tarried all night. At night my chum came.
    • Wednesday 19th Cloudy & murky.

    [78]

    • A.M. did not recite. Sent in my theme to Professor Pearson’s lector. P.M. recited Sallust.
    • Thursday 20th Cloudy & misty. Recited as usual. A.M. attended Professor Wigglesworth’s private lector.
    • Friday 21st A.M. fair, P.M. rainy. Obtained liberty of absence till the vacation, to keep school. In the evening attended a private exhibition, & read my forensic with Chandler.
    • Saturday 22d Fair & very warm. Rode up to Medfield in company with my classmate Babbit, who tarried with me till Monday.
    • Sunday 23d Pleasant. P.M. raw weather. Went to meeting. Mr. Prentiss preached A.M. from this passage “Even so, father, for so etc.” P.M. from Psalms 103, 15 verse.
    • Monday 24th Cloudy & rainy. Rode to Medway with Mr. Babbit. From there he went home.
    • Tuesday 25th Fair, cold & windy. P.M. rode to the clothier’s in Sherborn.
    • Wednesday 26th Raw, cold, some snowy.
    • Thursday, Thanksgiving 27th. Very rainy. Went to meeting, Mr. Prentiss preached,

    [79]

    • from Psalms 34, 1st verse.
    • Friday 28th Fair & pleasant. A.M. wrote letters to send to College. P.M. went to Mr. Prentiss’s, spent the eve in singing at Miss Salla Townsend’s.
    • Saturday 29th Rainy & wet. Tarried at home.
    • Sunday 30th Fair & cold. Went to meeting, spent the eve at Mr. Pr[entiss’s.]
    • Monday December 1st 1788. Rainy, wet. Began to teach the school in the center of Medfield town.
    • Tuesday 2d Fair & some colder.
    • Wednesday 3d Very cold & windy.
    • Thursday 4th Rather more moderate.
    • Friday 5th Snowy & cool.
    • Saturday 6th Fair & pleasant.
    • Sunday 7th Warm & pleasant for the season.
    • Monday 8th Cloudy & rainy.
    • Tuesday 9th Very rainy all day.
    • Wednesday 10th Some cloudy, but pleasant.
    • Thursday 11th Fair & pleasant.
    • Friday 12th Pleasant.
    • Saturday 13 Fair & very pleasant.

    [80]

    • Wednesday 17th Snowy all day.
    • Friday 26th Went to Cambridge, tarried there all night. Saturday came home.
    • Sunday 29th It snowed all day.
    • February 19th 1789 Fair & cold. Went to an ordination at Holliston, where I was highly entertained with a sermon preached by Mr. Tappan from these words “I myself also am a man.”
    • February 27th Completed 3 months’ schooling, for which I first engaged, but by desire continued a fortnight longer.
    • Friday March 13th Walked to Mr. Havens’ in Dedham, slept there with Mr. Baxter. Saturday 14th came to Cambridge.
    • Sunday 15th Fair, but March winds. Spent the day in reading & studying.
    • Monday 16th A.M. cloudy, P.M. fair. Studied algebra, chief of the day.
    • Tuesday 17th Fair & pleasant. Went to Boston. Evening read.

    [81]

    • Wednesday 18th Pleasant. Studied. Recited Lattin to Mr. Smith, Librarian.
    • Thursday 19 Rainy & wet. Studied. Recited Lattin. Went to the President’s after Millot’s Elements of History9 from which we are ordered to recite every Saturday morning.
    • Friday 20th Fair, but windy. Went into the Library, took out 2 Vols. of Burge, Dignity of Human Nature, & Sheridan, On Elocution.1
    • Saturday 21st Pleasant. Went to Boston. P.M. read.
    • Sunday 22d Snowy weather. Went to meeting.
    • Monday 23d Fair & cold. Recited Reid, On the Mind.2 Wrote part of my forensic, on this affirmative, “Whether human happiness depends more on the dispositions of the mind than upon external circumstances.”
    • Tuesday 24th Fair & pleasant. A.M. read a forensic in the chappel.

    [82]

    • Went to the President’s, was directed to speak a Hebrew oration at the Public commencement.
    • Wednesday 25th Fair & cool. Recited Reid, On the Mind. A.M. wrote upon this theme “Competence is vital to content, much wealth is corpulence, if not disease,” & carried [it] in at his private lector.
    • Thursday 26th Fair & pleasant. Recited. Read library books.
    • Friday 27th Pleasant. Spent the day in reading.
    • Saturday 28th Fair, windy. Spent the day in reading.
    • Sunday 29th March winds. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached, A.M. from 1 John, C. 4, V. 18, P.M. from Romans, C. 10, V. 17.
    • Monday 30th Some stormy. Recited Greek, Homer & the N[ew] Testament to Tutor Crosby.3 A.M. attended introductory lectors delivered by Professor Waterhouse, Professor Warren,4 & Professor Dexter.5
    • Tuesday 31st Pleasant. Read & recited as usual. A.M. at 11 o’clock

    [83]

    • attend Professor Webber’s experimental lector in philosophy in which he demonstrated the various properties of matter; extention, solidity, motion, vis inertiae, that it is not an indifference, but destitute of power to begin motion and has a power of resistance, infinite divisibility; the impossibility of a plenum; that a vacuum might be proved from motion, etc. After prayers declaimed in the Ch[apel].
    • Wednesday April 1st. Raw, cold & cloudy. A.M. wrote off some geometry. Recited.
    • Thursday 2d Fair & pleasant. Recited as usual. Attend Mr. Webber’s experimental lector. He explained the power & nature of attraction, cohesion and repultion.
    • Friday 3d Pleasant weather. Spent the day in reading.
    • Saturday 4th Fair & pleasant. Recited Hebrew. Attended the experimental lector in philosophy; the subject of which was magnetism & its powers.
    • Sunday 5th Windy weather. Went to meeting; A.M. heard a very ingenious discourse delivered by Mr. Smith, Librarian, from Acts, C. 20, 7 verse. P.M. Mr. Hilliard preached from Job 7, 16.
    • Monday 6th Windy & cool. Studied & recited Enfield’s Nat[ural] Phil[osophy].6 P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s public lector which was concerning the participle.

    [84]

    • Tuesday 7th Rainy & wet. Mane, no reciting. Read, recited Enfield.
    • Wednesday 8th Cold & rainy. Recited. Attended at Professor Pearson’s private lector. At 11 attended Mr. Webber’s experimental lector concerning gravity & the laws of motion.
    • Thursday 9th Fair but rather cool. Wrote upon this theme, “Adde quos ingenuas dedicisse [fideliter] artes, emollit Mores, nec sinit esse feros.”7
    • Friday 10th Rainy & cool. Spent the day in reading.
    • Saturday 11th Fair, but cool. A.M. read, P.M. drew off some Geometry.
    • Sunday 12th Fair weather. Went to meeting. P.M. tarried at home.
    • Monday 13th More pleasant. Mane, recited Terrance to Mr. Smith, the Librarian; at 9 o’clock attended Mr. Webber’s private lector on Geometry, at 11 o’clock attended his experimental lector, concerning oblike percussion & impaction, & elasticity of bodies. P.M. Mr. John Adams, who is chosen Vice President of Congress, was escorted through this town.
    • Tuesday 14th Pleasant weather. Attend the public exhibition; was highly entertained with all the performances.

    [85]

    • Wednesday 15 Fair & warm. Set off from College about 10 o’clock in Company with my classmates Crafts, Grout, & Ingalls, reached Medfield at 4 P.M.
    • Thursday 16th Very pleasant. Took a ride into town with my class mates, who after dinner rode out of town. Spent the greater part of the afternoon at Mr. Prentiss’s.
    • Friday 17th Fair but rather cooler. Tarried at home & read.
    • Saturday 18th Pleasant. P.M. visited Mr. Green in company with my sister.
    • Sunday 19th Pleasant weather. A.M. tarried at home, P.M. went to meeting. Went to Mr. Prentiss’s; there tarried all night.
    • Monday 20th Very pleasant. Some rainy. A.M. visited in town. P.M. came home.
    • Tuesday 21st Some rain & disagreeable. Tarried at home.
    • Wednesday 22nd Fair & pleasant. In the eve, attended a singing meeting.
    • Thursday 23d Warm, but cloudy. P.M. made a visit in the north part of the town.
    • Friday 24th A.M. very rainy. P.M. came from the north part of town to Mr. Prentiss’s.

    [86]

    • Saturday 25th Cloudy & raw cold. Spent the greater part of the day at home with Mr. Perry.
    • Sunday 26th Fair, but cool weather. Went to meeting. Mr. Prentice8 of Reading preached A.M. from Judges, 3, V. 20. “I have a message from God unt[o] you.” P.M. from Genesis C. 19, V. 17, “Escape for thy life.”
    • Monday 27 Some cloudy. A.M. tarried at home, P.M. went into town.
    • Tuesday 28th Cloudy & windy. About half after 11 o’clock set off for Col., arrived there on foot, about 6 o’clock.
    • Wednesday 29th Cloudy & rainy. Read some in newspapers. My brother brought me a barrel of cyder, fixed that, etc.
    • Thursday 30th Cloudy, cold and some wet. A.M. read and composed some English.
    • Friday May 1st, 1789. Some cloudy, cool. Spent my time in reading. P.M. took out of the library Kaims’ Bk. 4[th] vol.
    • Saturday 2d Cold weather. Read.
    • Sunday 3d Fair but cool. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached from Psalms 119, 9.
    • Monday 4th Fair & pleasant. At 9 o’clock attended Mr. Webber’s private lector on mensuration. at 10 his philoso-

    [87]

    • phical lector, concerning bodies falling on an inclined plane, & on the doctrine of [the] pendulum. Wrote upon this theme, “Conscience of guilt is prophecy of pain.”
    • Tuesday 5th Cloudy & some wet. A.M. went to Boston. P.M. Mr. Baxter visited me, had an agreeable evening in singing music.
    • Wednesday 6th Fair & pleasant. A.M. sent my theme into the professor’s lector. P.M. recited Livy to Mr. Crosbey.
    • Thursday 7th Fast day, cool weather. Went to meeting, Mr. Hilliard preached.
    • Friday 8th Rainy & cold. Spent the day in reading, chiefly in Dodridge.
    • Saturday 9th Fair & pleasant. Recited Hebrew. Attended Mr. Webber’s experimental lector, concerning “projectile, centrifugal & contripetal forces.”
    • Sunday 10th A.M. fair, P.M. cloudy & cold. Went to meeting, Mr. Osgood preached.
    • Monday 11th Fair, not very warm for May. Recited to Mr. Abbott from Reid, On the Mind.
    • Tuesday 12th Fair, some cloudy. A.M. wrote & read in the Chappel a forensic in the negative of this, “Whether the different opinions among men conduce to their happiness.” At 11 o’clock attended Mr. Webber’s experimental lector

    [88]

    • concerning the centre of magnitude, of motion & of gravity.
    • Wednesday 13th Fair & pleasant. Recited, which recitation completed Reid, On the Mind. Attend the experimental lector concerning the machines or instruments for experiment, such as the lever, the pulley, etc.
    • Thursday 14th Cloudy & rainy. Spent most of the forenoon in company with Mr. Perry, who visited me. P.M. read & conversed upon the choice of Valedict orators & theses collections which was made the night before.9
    • Friday 15th Fair & pleasant. A.M. attended Webber’s lector farther concerning the mechanical powers or machines, such as the wedge & screw. P.M. took from the library, the Critical Review, 1784, Jenning’s Origin of Evil,1 & Ogilvie’s Enquiry into the Causes of the Infidelity & Scepticism of the Times.2
    • Saturday 16th Very rainy all day. Bottled up some cyder. Read.
    • Sunday 17th Cloudy & some rainy. Went to meeting, the President preached. P.M. Doct. Haven3 of Portsmouth preached.
    • Monday 18th Fair & pleasant.

    [89]

    • Mane, recited Enfield’s Philosophy. Attended Mr. Webber’s lector of Hydrostatics. P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s Lector concerning verbs & participles. No reciting.
    • Tuesday 19th Fair & pleasant. Mane recited. P.M. the senior class received their parts for Commencement. P.M. recited. In the evening admittabar in Φ Ρ Κ.
    • Wednesday 20th Pleasant. At 11 o’clock attended the experimental lector concerning hydrostatics.
    • Thursday 21st Cloudy & some rainy. Recited Enfield as usual. Mr. Chase[?] here and brought me some things.
    • Friday 22 Fair & pleasant. Spent the day in reading & composing.
    • Saturday 23 Pleasant. At 10 attended Mr. Webber’s Lector concerning hydraulics, or the art of conveying water.
    • Sunday 24th Very pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Lyman preached from Revelations, C. 11, 5.
    • Monday 25th Cloudy & cool. Recited Greek to Tutor Crosbey. After prayers, made choice of officers for the singing club.
    • Tuesday 26th Cool weather for the season. Recited as usual. Read Clark’s & Libnitz’s letters.4

    [90]

    • Wednesday 27th Fair, but cool for election. Went to Boston, heard a sermon preached by Mr. Bridge5 from the 81 Psalm, 1st verse.
    • Thursday 28th Fair, but rather cool. Spent the A.M. in company with Mr. Perry, the P.M. in reading.
    • Friday 29th Fair & pleasant. A.M. attended Mr. Webber’s lector concerning pneumatics. P.M. wrote some letters. Attended the elegy pronounced by Coffin,6 the senior, occasioned by the death of his chum & classmate, Moody.7
    • Saturday 30th Fair & warm. Spent the day in composing English.
    • Sunday 31st Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting, Mr. Hilliard preached from Hebrews, 3, 13.
    • Monday, June 1st, 1789. Fair & pleasant. Recited Lattin. At eve Mr. Adams & Mr. Wheelock came here.
    • Tuesday 2d Pleasant. Read & recited as usual.
    • Wednesday 3d Rather cool. Recited in Lattin. Attended Professor Pearson’s private lector on composition:

    A little learning is a dangerous thing;

    Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring.8

    • After prayers publicly declaimed in the Chappel.
    • Thursday 4th Dry weather. Recited as usual.

    [91]

    • Friday 5th Pleasant. Went into the library, took from thence the Critical Review, 1783, 4th Vol. of Priestlie’s Theological Repository, & the 2d. Vol. of his Institution of Religion.9
    • Saturday 6th Fair & warm. A.M. attended Mr. Webber’s philosophical lector more concerning Pneumaticks & particularly experiments with the air Pump. Spent the afternoon in reading.
    • Sunday 7th Warm & some showery. Went to meeting, Mr. Hilliard preached.
    • Monday 8th Fair & warm. Recited Burlamaqui1 to Tutor Thompson.2 Wrote a forensic on the negative of this thesis, “Whether there be any virtue in doing good to another merely for the sake of benefiting ourselves.”
    • Tuesday 9th Pleasant weather. Recited as usual. A.M. read my forensic in the chappel. Attended Mr. Webber’s lector which completed his experiments in Pneumatics.
    • Wednesday 10th Rainy & very wet all day. Recited as usual.
    • Thursday 11th Continued very rainy. A.M. attended Mr. Webber’s lector concerning heat & cold. Recited.
    • Friday 12th Cloudy & misty. Spent the day in reading Priestley.

    [92]

    • Saturday 13th Some cloudy, pleasant. Read & composed.
    • Sunday 14th Warm & pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Horner preached A.M. from Revelations, 3, 3 & 4 verses, P.M. from Isaiah, 42, 6 & 9 verses.
    • Monday 15th Fair & pleasant. A.M. attended Mr. Webber’s lector which was concerning electricity. P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s lector concerning adjectives. Recited Enfield’s Philo[sophy].
    • Tuesday 16th Fair & windy. After reciting Enfield, obtained liberty to go to Boston, accordingly went.
    • Wednesday 17th Warm & pleasant. Composed English & attended the experimental lector in Electricity & concerning the aurora borealis. Recited.
    • Friday 19th Pleasant. Attended Mr. Webber’s lector concerning Optics. Composed English.
    • Saturday 20th Fair & warm. Walked to Charlestown in the forenoon.
    • Sunday 21st Warm & pleasant. Went to meeting, Mr. Hilliard preached from Psalms, 109, 9 verse.

    [93]

    • Monday 22d Some cloud. Studied & recited Greek to tutor Crosbey.
    • Tuesday 23d Fair & warm. Recited Greek. Attended Mr. Webber’s lector, concerning colors & the solar system.
    • Wednesday 24th Fair & pleasant. Recited Greek as usual. A.M. wrote upon this theme, “Aut Caesar, aut nullus.”3 P.M. wrote in the affirmative of this question “Whether the mind be always determined to act by the strongest motive.” Mr. Perry visited me likewise.
    • Thursday 25th Pleasant. Recited Greek.
    • Friday 26th Fair & pleasant. Spent the day chiefly in reading.
    • Saturday 27th Warm & fair. Read in Voltaire.4 Studied & recited Hebrew. At prayers, heard a decertation, delivered by Sir Packard.5
    • Sunday 28th Fair weather. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached A.M. from Matthew, Ch. 6, verses 19, 20, P.M. from Haggai, 4, 5.
    • Monday 29th Warm & dry weather. Recited Lattin to tutor Abbott. Attended Professor Pearson’s lector concerning adjectives.
    • Tuesday 30th Warm & fair.

    [94]

    • Recited & studied Lattin.
    • Wednesday July 1st 1789. Very warm. Studied & recited Lattin as usual.
    • Tuesday 2d Warm but some windy. Studied & recited Lattin.
    • Friday 3d Pleasant weather. Spent the greater part of the day in reading in the library.
    • Saturday 4th Mane, rainy, cloudy. Spent the day in reading & conversing.
    • Sunday 5th Cloudy & rainy. Went to meeting. Mr. Woodbridge6 preached from Luke, 15, 18, 19, 20.
    • Monday 6th Cloudy & some rain. Studied & recited Burleymaqui.
    • Tuesday 7th Pleasant weather. Attend the public exhibition.
    • Wednesday 8th Fair & warm. Studied & recited Burleymaquis.
    • Thursday 9th Warm weather. Mane recited. P.M. walked up to Needham with Mr. Sanders, Wighting & Mills,7 tarried that night at Mr. Sanders’.
    • Friday 10th Fair & pleasant. Spent the day at Mr. Fisher’s & at Mr. Vassal’s very agreeably. Slept with Wighting at Mr. Fisher’s.
    • Saturday 11th Fair & agreeable weather.

    [95]

    • Walked home. P.M. Mrss. Crafts, Babbit, & Allen8 came to visit me.
    • Sunday 12th Cloudy & rainy. We rode to Wrentham, went to meeting, Mr. Avery preached.
    • Monday 13th Cloudy & rainy. Rode to Providence, visited the College and rode back to Wrentham.
    • Tuesday 14th Fair & pleasant. Rode to Medfield.
    • Wednesday 15th Some cloudy, but pleasant. Rode to Cambridge. Attended the exhibitions of Commencement which were entertaining.
    • Thursday 16th Pleasant & warm. Rode to Medfield.
    • Friday 17th Warm.
    • Saturday 18th Fair. Tarried at home.
    • Sunday 19th Some cloudy but warm. Went to meeting. Mr. Green preached A.M. from St. John 5, 39, P.M. from John 11, 35. After meeting walked to Medway to see my sister and Mr. Green.
    • Monday 20th Fair & warm. A.M. tarried there. P.M. came home.
    • Tuesday 21 Warm weather.
    • Wednesday 22d Fair & warm.
    • Thursday 23d Very warm & dry. Assisted our folks in getting hay.
    • Friday 24th Fair & warm.

    [96]

    • Saturday 25th Cloudy & rainy. P.M. Mrss. Sanders & Whitwell9 visited me.
    • Sunday 26th Fair & agreeable for the season. Went to meeting. Mr. Prentiss preached A.M. from St. John, 8, 34, P.M. from Psalms 1, 1, 2.
    • Monday 27th Fair weather. P.M. went to Mr. Prentiss’s, from there in company with Mr. Sanders & Mr. Whitwell went to Mr. Plimpton’s in the north E.
    • Tuesday 28th Warm & pleasant. Rode to Cambridge. Moved my things from the room I formerly occupied to No. 12 Hollis. After which rode home.
    • Wednesday 29th Fair & dry weather. A.M. studied at Mr. Adams. P.M. went to Mr. Prentiss’s.
    • Thursday 30th Pleasant weather. Assisted our folks getting hay.
    • Friday 31st An agreeable rain, the greater part of the day. Tarried at home. Wrote some upon the negative of this question, “Whether every voluntary deception be sinful.”
    • Saturday August 1st 1789. Cloudy all day. Tarried at home, and spent the day in reading.
    • Sunday 2d Cloudy & some rainy. P.M. went to meeting. Mr. Ewing,1 a Baptist minister, preached from Solomon Songs, 5, 16 verse.
    • Monday 3d Cloudy, misty & rainy. Went to Mr. Prentiss’s, there spent the day.
    • Tuesday 4th Cloudy but pleasant. Went to see Mr. Green in com[pany] with Mr. Sanders & Whitwell.

    [97]

    • Wednesday 5th Part of the day fair. A.M. tarried at Mr. Green’s. P.M. came home. Mr. Whiting came to see me, tarried all night.
    • Thursday 6th Fair & warm. Went with Mr. Whiting to Mr. Prentiss’s & Friday 7th and Saturday 8th, very warm. Went to the meddow and assisted our folks in getting hay.
    • Sunday 9th Fair & very warm. Went to meeting. Mr. Prentiss preached from Matthew 10, 32, 33.
    • Monday 10th Very warm. P.M. visited Miss A.2 with Mrss. Sanders, Whitwell & Perry.
    • Tuesday 11th Fair & warm. Spent the day at Mr. Prentiss’s. The association of the Ministers met there which made the day very agreeable.
    • Wednesday 12th Very warm & fair. Set out very early for Cambridge with Mr. Whitwell & Mr. Sanders; arrived at College about 11 o’clock. P.M. set my things a little in order.

    [Diary for Senior Year]

    • Thursday 13th Fair & warm. Spent the day in fixing my things & conversing with my classmates, which were all generally come in. At night my chum, Crafts, arrived.
    • Friday 14th Cloudy & some rainy. Read in Harris’s Hermes. P.M. went into the library took out Doct. Beattie’s Dissertations.3

    [98]

    • Saturday 15th A.M. fair P.M. showery. Spent the forepart of the day in reading. P.M. walked to Watertown.
    • Sunday 16th Cloudy & some rainy. Went to meeting. A.M. Mr. Hilliard preached from Proverbs, 3, 5, 6. P.M. the Librarian preached from Psalms, 104, 24.
    • Monday 17th Fair & agreeable weather. Studies & recited Enfield to Mr. Webber. After prayers, saw the famous wrestle between the soffimore & freshman class, which was easily concluded in favor of the former.
    • Tuesday 18th Fair & pleasant. P.M. attended Pro. Wigglesworth’s public lector from John 15, 5, & recited.
    • Wednesday 19th Some cloudy, but pleasant. Mane recited. A.M. tore off the paper from our room in order for papering. After prayers declaimed publicly in the chapel.
    • Thursday 20th Fair & pleasant. Recited Enfield. Read in Beattie’s Dis[sertations].
    • Friday 21st Fair & pleasant. A.M. went into the Lib., took out Emerson’s Arithmetic,4 & an Essay on Virtue by Rutherforth.5
    • Saturday 22 Pleasant weather. Spent the day in reading.
    • Sunday 23d Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached A.M. from Hebrews 11, 24, 25 & 26, P.M. from 2 Peter 3, 9th verse.

    [99]

    • Monday 24th Fair & pleasant. Recited Enfield. Read in Rutherforth.
    • Tuesday 25th Pleasant, but some cloudy. Recited Enfield. A.M. went to Boston, purchased some paper for our room.
    • Wednesday 26th Some cloudy & foggy. Recited Enfield as usual. P.M. Mr. Smith came here, & tarried all night.
    • Thursday 27 Rainy & muggy warm. Recited. A.M. attended Pro. Wigglesworth’s private lector. Mr. Watson painted my room this day.
    • Friday 28th Fair & pleasant. Took from the library Lardner’s Credibility vol. 1 & 2.6 Spent the day in reading.
    • Saturday 29th Very rainy all day. Spent the day in papering my room.
    • Sunday 30th Fair & cool. Went to meeting, Mr. Fisk7 preached A.M. from 1 Peter, 1, 18, P.M. from Psalms, 111, 10.
    • Monday 31st Fair & cool weather. Recited Burlamaqui to Tutor Thompson P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s public lector on language and grammar.
    • Tuesday September 1st 1789. Fair. Recited as usual. A.M. read my forensic.
    • Wednesday 2nd A.M. rainy, P.M. cloudy.

    [100]

    • Recited. P.M. Mr. Prentiss called upon me; attended the Dudlean lector preached by Mr. Haven8 concerning popery & purgatory, from Matthew, 28, 8 & 9 verses.
    • Thursday 3d Cool weather & some cloudy. Recited as usual. P.M. attended Professor Wigglesworth’s private lector from Dodridge.
    • Friday 4th Fair & cool, fowl weather. Spent the day chiefly in reading.
    • Saturday 5th Fair weather. Spent the day in reading & writing. Mane recited Millot to Tutor Abbott. P.M. was sent for to the President’s, received a mathamatical part to exhibit at exhibition.
    • Sunday 6th Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting, Received an invitation to dine at the President’s. Mr. Hilliard preached A.M. from James, 2. 10–18, P.M. from Luke, 6, 26.
    • Monday 7th Fair & pleasant. Recited Burlamaqui. P.M. had a general meeting of the Scholars on account of some linnen stollen. A general search was made; but in vain.
    • Tuesday 8th Fair & pleasant weather. Mane recited. It being the ever memorable anniversary of Phi Beta Kappa, spent the A.M. with them. Attended the oration delivered on that occasion by William Emerson, A.B.,9 after which, had a very splendid entertainment at Mr. Warland’s.1 P.M. attended the installment of Mr. Webber, into the mathamatical professorship.

    [101]

    • Wednesday 9th Some cloudy. A.M. attended Prof. Waterhouse’s lector, which was delivered as an introductory to a course of lectors.
    • Thursday 10th Fair, pleasant. Spent the day in reading and composing English.
    • Friday 11th Fair. Spent the day in reading & composing. Went into the library, took out Emerson’s Algebra & Fluxions2 and Burke, On the Sublime.3
    • Saturday 12th Fair, overcast. A.M. went to Watertown. Sent a letter to Mr. Sanders.
    • Sunday 13th Fair, some lowry. Went to meeting. Mr. Cummins4 preached from Proverbs 3, 6 verse.
    • Monday 14th Fair. Mane no reciting. A.M. attended Pro. Pearson’s lector, concerning the propagation of language. Attended Pro. Webber’s lector in surveying. In the evening rode up to Medfield.
    • Tuesday 15th Cloudy & rainy. A.M. went to Mr. Prentiss’s. P.M. rode with Mr. Sanders to Mr. Green’s. Had an agreeable ride.
    • Wednesday 16th Fair, pleasant. A.M. rode to Cambridge. P.M. attended Pro. Webber’s lector in surveying.
    • Thursday 17th Fair & cool. Recited Enfield to Tutor Packard.

    [102]

    • Friday 18th Fair & cool. Spent the day in reading & studying algebra. Mr. Ths. Adams came here.
    • Saturday 19th Fair. Solved algebraical problems.
    • Sunday 20th Fair & pleasant. Tarried at home & studied.
    • Monday 21st Fair & warm. Demonstrated algebraical problems, recited Enfield to Tutor Packard.
    • Tuesday 22nd Fair. Recited as usual. Attended Prof. Wigglesworth’s public lector, preached from Phillipians 3, 9th verse.
    • Wednesday 23d Fair, warm. Recited as usual.
    • Thursday 24th Fair, warm. A.M. attended upon Mr. Webber concerning my mathematical part, recited. P.M. rode to Lexington with my classmate Chandler to see about keeping school.
    • Friday 25th Warm & foggy. Wrote my algebraic problems.

    [103]

    • Saturday 26th Warm, overcast. Solved, & wrote off algebraic problems.
    • Sunday 27th Rainy, cloudy. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached, from Luke 5, 31, 32 verses.
    • Monday 28th Fair, pleasant. Recited Burleymaqui to Tutor Thompson. P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s public lector on philosophical grammar.
    • Tuesday 29th Cloudy, misty. A.M. attended the exhibition of the day, exhibited a mathematical part.
    • Wednesday 30th Cool, fair. Recited as usual.
    • Thursday October 1st 1789. Fair & cool. Resited. Attended Professor Wigglesworth’s private lector, wrote upon this theme,

    What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy

    The soul’s calm sunshine & its heartfelt joy,

    Is virtue’s prize.

    • Surveyed a piece of land.
    • Friday 2d Fair & cool. A.M. went into the library, took out Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments.5 P.M. wrote off some dialing6. After prayers waited upon company from Sturbridge & Medfield.
    • Saturday 3d Fair, pleasant.

    [104]

    • Spent the chief of the day reading. At night Whitfield, Adams & David Smith came.7
    • Sunday 4th Cloudy, foggy, rainy. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached, A.M. from James 2:18, 19, 20, 22, P.M. from Luke 13, 1, 2.
    • Monday 5th Cool & overcast. Resited Burlamaqui. At prayers declaimed in the chappel.
    • Tuesday 6th Cold, rainy & stormy. Resited as usual. A.M. wrote my forensic upon this question, “Whether mankind in point of authority be naturally equal.”
    • Wednesday 7th Most of the day fair. Resited. Read my forensic in the chappel. P.M. walked to Watertown to see Mr. Perry. Tarried all night.
    • Thursday 8th Fair but cool. Recited. Wrote & read.
    • Friday 9th Cloudy, cool. Spent the day in writting.
    • Saturday 10th Fair, pleasant. Spent the day in writing & reading.
    • Sunday 11th Cool, overcast. Went to meeting. President preached A.M. from Genesis 20, 6, P.M. from the 13 chapter of I Corinthians.
    • Monday 12th Fair, overcast. Recited Enfield to Tutor Packard. P.M. attended Professor Pearson’s public lector on philosophic grammar.
    • Tuesday 13th Fair & pleasant. Recited as usual.

    [105]

    • Wednesday 14th Cloudy, misty & some rainy. Recited. A.M. rode to Boston. P.M. attended Pro. Webber’s public lector, which was the first he delivered since his installation & was an introductary lector to his course of lectors.8
    • Thursday 15th Rainy, foggy. Recited Enfield. Wrote off Dialing & Trigonometry.
    • Friday 16th Fair, Pleasant. Spent the most of the day in reading.
    • Saturday 17th Fair, pleasant. A.M. went into the Library & read. P.M. wrote my theme, which was:

    I venerate the man, whose heart is warm,

    Whose hands are pure, whose doctrines & whose life

    Coincident, exhibit lucid proof,

    That he is honest.

    • Sunday 18th Cloudy, misty. Went to meeting. Mr. Smith the librarian preached from John, 5, 3 verse.
    • Monday 19th A.M. cloudy, P.M. fair. Set off for Medfield with my classmate Whitwell, dined at Doct. Whitwell’s9 in Newton, reached Medfield about sunset. Tarried there all night.
    • Tuesday 20th Fair, pleasant. A.M. went to see Mr. Green in Medway. P.M. rode down to Cambridge.
    • Wednesday 21st Rainy. Went into the Library, took out Simpson’s Fluxions1 & Maseres’ Trigonometry2 & studied trigonometry.
    • Thursday 22d Fair & pleasant. Studied trigonometry.
    • Friday 23d Fair, cool. Studied the elements of trigonometry.
    • Saturday 24th Cool, overcast. A.M. General Washington rode thro’ town which

    [106]

    • occasioned the appearance of the horse, light enfantry & 2 brigades of men, all in uniform, on the common of Cambridge.
    • Sunday 25th Fair, pleasant. Went to meeting, Mr. Hilliard preached A.M. from Acts, 17, 28, P.M. from James, 1, 5 verse.
    • Monday 26th Very rainy. Read a treatise of fluxions.
    • Tuesday 27th Cloudy & wet. Collected a number of theses in mathematics.
    • Wednesday 28th Cloudy & raw cold. A.M. attended Doct. Dexter’s lector on chemistry, P.M. read. Attended court. Went into the library, took out Ramsey’s History of the Revolution of S. Carolina,3 & Emerson’s Trigonometry.4
    • Thursday 29th Cloudy & some misty. Genl. Washington, attended by a grand retinue, honored the College with his presence.5 Attended Doct. Dexter’s chymical lector. Deacon Perry, Maj. Elliss, & Mr. Pren[tiss] called upon me.
    • Friday 30th Raw cold. Attended Docts. lector. Went thro’ the operation of turning salt water into fresh.
    • Saturday 31st Raw cold. Attended Doct. Dexter’s Lector upon pottash & pearl, often called in Chymistry vegetable alkali. Spent the rest of the day in reading.
    • Sunday, November 1, 1789. Fair, pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached all day from Exodus 20, 8, 9, 10 11th verses.

    [107]

    • Monday 2d Fair, pleasant. A.M. attended Doct. Dexter’s lector. P.M. kept school for Mr. Shapley.6
    • Tuesday 3d Raw cold. Went into the library, took out 2 vol. of Ramsey’s History, & Hamilton’s Conic Sections.7 Attended Doct. Dexter’s lector. Bought a load of wood for eight shillings. P.M. Mr. Holbrook came to see me.
    • Wednesday 4th Very raw, cold, but fair. Took an account of the broken glass in the College buildings. Only a few of the Scholars came in. Mr. Saunders here.
    • Thursday 5th Cold & windy. Attended Dexter’s lector. Spent the greater part of the day in wellcoming & talking with my classmates.
    • Friday 6th Cold weather. Attended Dexter’s lector. Went into the library, continued the two books I last took out.
    • Saturday 7th Fair, warm. Attended Doct. Dexter’s lector.
    • Sunday 8th Warm, some cloudy. Tarried at home. Very bad cold.
    • Monday 9th Warm, pleasant, overcast. Attended Dexter’s lector. Read Hamilton’s Conic Sections.
    • Tuesday 10th Warm, overcast. Spent the day in reading. No reciting on account of the sickness of the tutor.
    • Wednesday 11th Fair, very pleasant. Attended Doct. Dexter’s lector. Crafts came.

    [108]

    • Thursday 12th Cloudy, rainy. Spent the greater part of the day in reading. Attended Doct. Dexter’s lectors.
    • Friday 13th Cloudy, misty. Took from the library Emerson’s Arithmetic of Infinities, Michael’s Disertation on the Influence of Opinions on Language, & of Language on Opinions, & Blair’s Lectors.8 Attended Doct. Dexter’s lector.
    • Saturday 14th Fair, pleasant. Attended Doct. Dexter’s lector.
    • Sunday 15th Fair, & pleasant. Went to meeting. A.M. Mr. Hilliard pre[ached] from 1 Corinthians 11, 28. P.M. Mr. Packard, tutor, preached from Proverbs 3, 17.
    • Monday 16th Warm, cloudy. Attended Dexter’s lector upon the Materia Medica. P.M. attended Pro. Webber’s private lector on trigonometry.
    • Tuesday 17th Fair, windy, rather cooler. Attended Doct. Dexter’s lector on the remainder of the M[ateria] Med[ica] which concluded his course. P.M. attended Pro. Wiggles [worth’s] pub. lector preached from Phillipians, 3, 9. Recited Burleymaqui to tutor Thompson.
    • Wednesday 18th Fair, cool. Recited as usual to tutor Thompson.
    • Thursday 19th Fair. Recited as usual. Attended Pro. Wigglesworth’s private Lector.

    [109]

    • Friday 20th Pleasant. Spent the day in composing & collecting theses. Went into the library took out 2 volumes of Lardner’s Credibility.9
    • Saturday 21st Warm, some cloudy. Spent the day in collecting mathamatic theses.
    • Sunday 22d Warm, cloudy, some misty. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached A.M. from 2 Thessalonians 2, 11, 12, P.M. from Psalms, ch. 1, 5.
    • Monday 23d Fair, pleasant. Recited Enfield to tutor Packard. P.M. attended Pro. Pearson’s public lector on philosophic grammar.
    • Tuesday 24th Fair & pleasant. Recited as usual. Obtained liberty to go home.
    • Wednesday 25th Pleasant, lowery. Went home by the way of Boston.
    • Thursday 26th Cloudy. Thanksgiving. Went to meeting in the new erected Meeting house in Medfield. Mr. Prentiss preached a well studied discourse suitable to the occasion.
    • Friday 27th Rainy. Went from Mr. Prentiss’s, where I spent the preceding night, home.
    • Saturday 28th Cloudy, some rainy. P.M. went to Mr. Green’s.
    • Sunday 29th Cloudy, misty. Went to meeting. Mr. Saunders went home and slept with me.
    • Monday 30th Cloudy, & rainy.

    [110]

    • P.M. went to the north part of the town. Had an agreeable even[ing].
    • Tuesday December 1st, 1789. Fair, windy. Tarried at home.
    • Wednesday 2d Fair, windy. Rode down to Cambridge and to Boston.
    • Thursday 3d Cloudy, windy. Recited Ferguson’s Astronomy1 to tutor Packard.
    • Friday 4th Fair, pleasant. Took out of the library Harris’s Testament Dictionary2 & Emerson’s Geom[etry].3
    • Saturday 5th Cloudy, warm. Spent the day in reading.
    • Sunday 6th Cloudy, misty. Went to meeting. Mr. Hilliard preached from 2 Peter 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
    • Monday 7th Foggy, warm, rainy. Mane recited Burleymaqui to tutor Thompson. Kept the school in the town of Cambridge.
    • Tuesday 8th Fair, pleasant. Kept school.
    • Wednesday 9th Fair, pleasant. Mane recited. Kept school. After prayers declaimed in the chappel.
    • Thursday 10th Fair. A.M. kept school. P.M. went to Boston.
    • Friday 11th Fair, some cloudy, rainy.

    [111]

    • Kept school. Applied for liberty of absence to keep school at Lexington, & obtained [it].
    • Saturday 12th Cloudy, windy, snowy. A.M. kept school.
    • Sunday 13th Fair, cold, windy. Tarried at home, studied.
    • Monday 14th Fair & cold. Rode to Lexington. Went to the schoolhouse in order to open the school, but part of the chimney, being fell in, prevented.
    • Tuesday 15th Fair, cold, some snowy at night. Rode to Medfield. Tarried all night.
    • Wednesday 16th Cloudy, warm. Rode back to Lexington. Thursday 17th Cloudy, warm. Opened my school at Lexington. Friday 18th Cloudy, warm. Kept school.
    • Saturday 19th Fair, cold, windy. A.M. kept school. P.M. spent in reading.
    • Sunday 20th Fair, cold. Went to meeting. Mr. Fisk preached from S. John 3, 8, P.M. from 1 Corinthians, chap. 7, 3.
    • Monday 21st Cloudy & snowy. Kept school. Eve visited Capt. Harrington.
    • Tuesday 22d A.M. cloudy, P.M. fair, pleasant. Kept school as usual.
    • Wednesday 23d Cloudy, not cold. Kept school. P.M. my classmates D[ennie] & Chandler called upon me.
    • Thursday 24th Snowy. Kept school, in the eve went to see my classmate Dennie.
    • Friday 25th Very pleasant, fair.

    [112]

    • Kept school. P.M. Mr. Dennie visited me. Tarried all night.
    • Saturday 26th Fair, pleasant. P.M. went to Col. Harris’s with Dennie.
    • Sunday 27th Rainy, warm. Went to meeting. Mr. Clarke4 preached from Luke 21, 34 & 35.
    • Monday 28th Rainy all day. Kept school. In the eve went to Mr. Buckman’s, agreed to teach a singing school evenings.
    • Tuesday 29th Snowed all day, at night snowstorm. Kept school.
    • Wednesday 30th Fair, snow about middle of day. Kept school. Spent the eve and night at Mr. Den[nie’s].
    • Thursday 31st Warm, thawy & splashy[?]. Kept school. Spent the eve and night which was very rainy at Mr. [illegible] with Mr. Dennie.
    • Friday January 1, 1790. Warm, fair, snow. A.M. kept school. In the evening began my singing school.
    • Saturday 2d Fair, warm, thawy. A.M. kept school. P.M. went [to] Col. Munro’s.
    • Sunday 3d Fair, pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Clarke preached all day from 2 Cronicles, 15, 18.
    • Monday 4th Warm, thawy. Kept school, evening singing school.
    • Tuesday 5th Fair, cold. Kept school.
    • Wednesday 6th Fair, cold. Night snowed. Kept school. Evening singing school.
    • Thursday 7th Fair, warm. Kept school.

    [113]

    • Friday 8th Fair, cooler. Kept school day & night.
    • Saturday 9th Fair, pleasant. A.M. kept school. P.M. went [to] Col. Munro’s.
    • Sunday 10th Cloudy, cold. Tarried at home.
    • Monday 11th Fair, P.M. cloudy, some snowy. Kept school day & evening.
    • Tuesday 12th Fair, pleasant. Kept school. Eve spent at Parson Clarke’s.
    • Wednesday 13th Cloudy, some snowy. Kept day school & singing school evening.
    • Thursday 14th Fair, pleasant. Mr. Fay5 called upon me in the afternoon with other gentlemen had the band of music & other pleasing music. Chandler spent the night with me.
    • Friday 15th Some cloudy, overcast. Kept school. Eve singschool.
    • Saturday 16th Cloudy & misty. A.M. kept school.
    • Sunday 17th Pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Simpkins6 preached.
    • Monday 18th Warm, rather thawy, wet. Kept school day & evening.
    • Tuesday 19th Warm, pleasant. Kept school.
    • Wednesday 20th Pleasant.
    • Thursday 21st Some snowy, colder.
    • Friday 22nd Pleasant.
    • Saturday 23d Warm & pleasant.
    • Sunday 24th Cold, raw, cloudy. Went to meeting. Mr. Green preached.

    [114]

    • Spent the preceding night at Mr. Chandler’s.
    • Monday 25th Pleasant, some snowy. Kept school as usual day & evening.
    • Tuesday 26th Cloudy, cold.
    • Wednesday 27th Very wet, rainy & snowy.
    • Thursday 28th Clear, fair weather, pleasant.
    • Friday 29th Warm, thawy, pleasant. Kept school as usual. In the evening completed my evening school for one month, and engaged to teach a singing school two months longer, three evenings per week. The evening school to begin the first night in February.
    • Saturday 30th Fair, pleasant. A.M. kept school. P.M. studied some. In the evening my classmate Marrett came to see me, tarried all night.
    • Sunday 31st Fair, something cold. Went to meeting. Mr. Clarke preached all day from 2 Chron. 15, 19th verse.
    • Monday February 1st, 1790. Fair, rainy, cloudy. Kept school. In the eve singing school.
    • Tuesday 2d Pleasant.
    • Wednesday 3d Fair.
    • Thursday 4th Rainy, snowy, stormy.
    • Friday 5th Cold and very windy.
    • Saturday 6th Very cold & windy.
    • Sunday 7th
    • Monday 8th
    • Tuesday 9th
    • Wednesday 10th
    • Thursday 11th
    • Friday 12th
    • Saturday 13th All fair & cold.
    • Sunday 14th Cold & raw.
    • Monday 15th Some warmer.
    • Tuesday 16th
    • Wednesday 17
    • Thursday 18th Some warmer. Attended a lector on Thursday.
    • Friday 19th
    • Saturday 20th Warm & thawy.
    • Sunday 21st Raw, snowy.

    [115]

    • Monday 22d Wet & rainy.
    • Tuesday 23d
    • Wednesday 24th &
    • Thursday 25th Rainy, bad storming.
    • Friday 26th Fair, pleasant.
    • Saturday 27th Snowy. Rode up to Medfield tarried over Sunday 28th.
    • Monday March 1st 1790. Rode back to Lexing[ton] by the way of Cambridge.
    • Tuesday 2d Some snowy.
    • Wednesday 3d Rainy & wet. A.M. unwell, did not keep school.
    • Thursday 4th Fair.
    • Friday 5th Cold & windy.
    • Saturday 6th Lowery.
    • Sunday 7th Fair. Went to meeting. Mr. Clarke preached from Daniel 12, 10 verse.
    • Monday 8th Cold.
    • Tuesday 9th Overcast.
    • Wednesday 10th Fair.
    • Thursday 11th Snowy.
    • Friday 12th Fair.
    • Saturday 13th Warm & thawing.
    • Sunday 14th Fair, cloudy. Went to meeting, Mr. Clarke preached from the same text that he did Sunday before.
    • Monday 15th Wet & sloppy.
    • Tuesday 16th Rainy & stormy.
    • Wednesday 17th Cloudy, rainy.
    • Thursday 18th Fair & pleasant.
    • Friday 19th Fair & pleasant.
    • Saturday 20th Fair.
    • Sunday 21st Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting.
    • Monday 22d Some cloudy.
    • Tuesday 23d Warm, sunny.
    • Wednesday 24th Snowy all day.
    • Thursday 25th Fair.
    • Friday 26th Rainy, very wet, bad storming.
    • Saturday 27th Fair, but bad walking.
    • Sunday 28th Fair.
    • Monday 29th Some cloudy.
    • Tuesday 30th Moderate.

    [116]

    • Wednesday 31st Fair.
    • Thursday April 1st, 1790 Fair, windy.
    • Friday 2d Some rainy.
    • Saturday 3d Fair.
    • Sunday 4th Cloudy, warm. Went to meeting. Mr. Clarke preached from Zachariah, C. 3, 1, 2 verse.
    • Monday 5th Some cloudy.
    • Tuesday 6th Rainy & snowy.
    • Wednesday 7th Fair, windy & cold. Concluded my school in Lexington.
    • Thursday 8th Cold & cloudy. Fast day, went to meeting. Mr. Clarke preached.
    • Friday 9th Fair weather & pleasant.
    • Saturday 10th Cloudy. Rode up to Medfield tarried there till
    • Monday 12th Rode to Cambridge.
    • Tuesday 13th Attended public exhibition at College.
    • Wednesday 14th Vacation com[menced]. Went to Medfield, tarried there all of vacation.
    • Tuesday 27th Rode to Cambridge.
    • Wednesday 28th Snowy & stormy.
    • Thursday 29th Fair & a cool wind. Settled with the Steward & entered my name,7 read some in Chambers’s dictionary.8
    • Friday 30th A.M. fair, P.M. cloudy, raw. Went into the library, took out Newton’s Opuscula.9
    • Saturday, May 1st 1790. Fair. Read in Newton’s works.
    • Sunday 2d Fair & pleasant. Went to meeting. A.M. President preached, P.M. Librarian preached.
    • Monday 3d Fair weather. Kept school for Master Shapley in Cambridge school.
    • Tuesday 4th Fair, pleasant. Read & attended Court.

    [117]

    • Wednesday 5th Cloudy and cold. At 11 o’clock attended Professor Webber’s lector on the center of gravity & motion & magnitude.
    • Thursday 6th Rainy, stormy. Spent the greater part of the day reading in the library.
    • Friday 7th Fair & pleasant. Went into the library took out Stone’s Fluxions, Mathia Elementa Wolfii, and Opera Mathia Wallis.1 Attended Pr. Webber’s exp. Lec. concerning the machines for experiment, such as the lever & pulley, etc.
    • Saturday 8th Fair, pleasant. Spent the day in reading & collecting theses. Mr. Perry visited me in the A.M.
    • Sunday 9th Fair some windy & raw. Went to meeting, Mr. Woodbridge preached.
    • Monday 10th Fair & warm. Collected part of my theses. Attended the funeral of Mrs. Winthrop.
    • Tuesday 11th Fair, windy, some raw. Wrote off my theses. P. B. Czb Url Ulcxbbzl Iunl url Ipvb[?]yzg.2
    • Wednesday 12th Fair weather. Moved my abode for study down to

    [118]

    • room lately occupied by Madam Winthrop deceased. Attended Pro. Webber’s ex. Lector concerning hydrostatics in which he included the nature, pressure, & properties of water.
    • Thursday 13th Cloudy, lowery. Attended the funeral of Revd. Mr. Hilliard. The President preached the sermon from these words, “For he was a burning & shining light & ye rejoiced in him for a time.”
    • Friday 14th Fair, windy, cool for the season. Attend Pro. Webber’s exp. Lector concerning the specific gravity of bodies.
    • Saturday 15th Cloudy, cool. Wrote off my theses.
    • Sunday 16th Fair, windy, cool for the season. Went to meeting. Mr. Cushing3 preached.
    • Monday 17th Fair, windy, cold weather. P.M. attended Pro. Pearson’s public Lector concerning complex ideas which he calls complex terms.
    • Tuesday 18th Fair, pleasant. A.M. attended Prof. Webber’s exp. lector concerning hydrolics, or the art of conveying water.
    • Wednesday 19th Fair, warm. Spent the day in reading.

    [119]

    • Thursday 20th Cloudy. A.M. received my part to exhibit at Commencement.
    • Friday 21st Cloudy, fair. Spent the day in reading, part of the time in the library & part at my chum’s.
    • Saturday 22d Fair, pleasant. Attend Prof. Webber’s exp. lector concerning pneumatics, the air pump, the barometer, etc.
    • Sunday 23d Fair, cool for the season. Went to meeting. Mr. Jackson preached.
    • Monday 24th Fair, windy. Went into the library & read. P.M. attended Prof. Webber’s lector on solar astronomy.
    • Tuesday 25th Fair, cool for the season. A.M. my father & mother visited me. P.M. walked with my classmates Babbit & Grout to Mr. Wyeth’s.
    • Wednesday 26th Cloudy, lowery. Spent the day in reading, & conversed.
    • Thursday 27th Cloudy and rainy. Composed English & read.
    • Friday 28th Cloudy. Carried my books into the library. Took out Quintillian’s Institutes of Elloquence & Michael’s Disertation on the Influence of Opinions on Language, & Language on Opinions.4

    [120]

    • Saturday 29th Fair, warm. Spent the day in reading & composing.
    • Sunday 30th Cloudy. Went to meeting. Mr Lyman preached A.M. from Psalms 94, 19 v. P.M. from 2 Timothy 1, 11 verse.
    • Monday 31st Rainy. Wrote part of my conference on mathematics.
    • Tuesday June 1st 1790. Cloudy. Attended Pro. Webber’s ex. Lector on the properties & effects of air. Completed my conference.
    • Wednesday 2d Cloudy & fair. Carried to the President my conference for commencement and mathematical theses.
    • Thursday 3d Fair, pleasant. Attended Pro. Webber’s ex. Lector on heat & cold. In the eve attended his exp. in astronomy.
    • Friday 4th Cloudy, overcast. Attended Pro. Webber’s ex. lector on magnitism.
    • Saturday 5th Fair, warm. Spent the day in singing & reading.
    • Sunday 6th Fair, warm. Went to meeting. Mr. Howard, former tutor, preached. Dined at the President’s.
    • Monday 7th Cloudy, rainy. Went to Boston.
    • Tuesday 8th Cloudy & rainy, fair. Went to Boston. Purchased some things.
    • Wednesday 9th Fair, warm. Spent the day in preparing to go home. Obtained liberty.
    • Thursday 10th Cloudy, cool. Came to Needham, attended a fast preached by Mr. Carrell & Mr. Haven. Tarried with Mr. Saunders.
    • Friday 11th Fair & pleasant. Came home to Medfield.
    • Saturday 12th Cloudy, rainy. Tarried at home. Read Gregory’s Comparative View of the State & Faculties of Man.5
    • Sunday 13th Cloudy, rainy. Tarried at home.
    • Monday 14th Fair, pleasant. Mr. Bates came to our house to make my clothes for commencement.
    • Tuesday 15th Fair, warm. Spent great part of the day at home.
    • Wednesday 16th Warm, pleasant. Walked about town to procure a horse to ride to Cambridge.
    • Thursday 17th Fair, very warm. Rode to Cambridge. Agreed with the selectmen of Cambridge to keep their

    [122]

    • town school.
    • Friday 16th Cloudy, cooler. Rode home by the way of Milton.
    • Saturday 19th Some cloudy, warm. Tarried at home.
    • Sunday 20th Fair. Went to meeting. Mr. Prentiss prea[ched.]
    • Monday 21st Fair, warm. Rode to Cambridge. Attended in the chapel, where my classmate Whitwell6 delivered a well written valedict poem. We then bid adue to college & each other. Rode to Lexington, where I agreeably spent Tuesday 22d.
    • Wednesday 23d &
    • Thursday 24th Rode to Cambridge. Agreed to keep the town school in Cambridge. Wrote off my theses for the Pres[ident.]
    • Friday 25th Cloudy & rainy. Rode up to Medfield.
    • Saturday 26th Cloudy some rainy. Tarried at home.
    • Sunday 27th Fair, warm. Went to meeting A.M., but P.M. tarried at home.
    • Monday 28th Fair weather. Tarried at home, wrote & read. Rode to Medway to see Mr. Green.

    [123]

    • Tuesday 29th Fair, pleasant. Spent the great part of the day at home studying astronomy.
    • Wednesday 30th Fair, cool for the season. A.M. tarried at home. P.M. went to Mr. Prentiss’s.
    • Thursday July 1st, 1790. Fair, pleasant, Tarried at home. Read Ferguson.7
    • Friday 2d Fair, windy. Read & wrote.
    • Saturday 3d Fair, warm. Tarried at home.
    • Sunday 4th Fair, hasy. Went to meeting, Mr. Prentiss preached.
    • Monday 5th Fair, warm, windy. Read Jortin’s Remarks on Eclasiastical History.8
    • Tuesday 6th Fair, warm. Walked to town. Spent part of the day in reading.
    • Wednesday 7th Warm, showery. Visited Doct. Shepherd.9
    • Thursday 8th Warm, fair. Tarried at home, read & raked hay.
    • Friday 9th Fair. Spent the day in reading & haying.
    • Saturday 10th Fair, warm. Mr. Holbrook visited me. Walked to Mr. Adams to see Miss Adams.

    [124]

    • Sunday 11th Fair, warm. Went to meeting, Mr. Prentiss preached. After meeting, rode to Mr. P[limp] ton’s.
    • Monday 12th Warm, showery, hard thunder. Rode home from Mr. Pl[impton’s] in Company with the Miss Ad[am]s & Mr. Ho[lbroo]k.
    • Tuesday 13th Warm, pleasant. Rode to Medway, visited Mr. Gr[een?]
    • Wednesday 14th Fair, warm. Visited a number of places in town.
    • Thursday 15th Warm, pleasant. Rode to Boston in company with Miss A[dams], from there rode to Lexington.
    • Friday 16th Warm, pleasant. Visited a number of people in Lexington.
    • Saturday 17th Cloudy, some rainy. Received my money for keeping school & rode to Cambridge.
    • Sunday 18th Fair, pleasant. Rode to Dorchester. Went to meeting there & tarried all night.
    • Monday 19th Cloudy, rainy. Rode to Cambridge. Payed the Steward & received certificates requisite to insure my degree. At eve rode to Charlestown, sung with the band of singers from Boston & the independent company of singers.
    • Tuesday 20th Cloudy, some rainy. Tarried in Cambridge. Arranged matters for Com [mencement].

    [125]

    • Wednesday 21 Commencement. Fair, cool. Exhibited my part. Was highly pleased with the performances of the day. P.M. received my degree of Batchelor of Arts.

    [Cambridge, 1790–1791]

    • Thursday 22d Fair, warm. Cleared my things from the room and sent them home. Rode to Boston.
    • Friday 23d Fair, warm. Went to a number of places in Boston.
    • Saturday 24th Pleasant weather. Walked to Cambridge.
    • Sunday 25th Fair, some showery. A.M. tarried in my room. P.M. went to meeting. Mr. Hitchcock preached.
    • Monday 26th Fair, cool weather. Opened my school in Cambridge town.
    • Tuesday 27th Fair, pleasant. Kept school. Moved some of my things into my room.
    • Wednesday 28th Fair, warm. Kept school.
    • Thursday 29th Fair, pleasant. A.M. kept school as usual. P.M. fixed up my room.
    • Friday 30th Warm, pleasant. Kept school as usual.
    • Saturday 31st Pleasant weather. A.M. kept school. P.M. went into the library took from thence the History of Charles 5th, Clarke’s Demonstrations, Leachman On Prayers.1
    • Sunday August 1st, 1790. Cool, pleasant. Went to meeting & to church.

    [126]

    • Monday 2d Fair, cool for the season. Kept school as usual. Employed my leisure hours in reading Leachman, etc.
    • Tuesday 3d Cloudy, some rainy, cool. Kept school, at leisure hours read the History of Charles 5th.
    • Wednesday 4th Fair, pleasant. Kept school. P.M. spent agreeably with my class-mate G[ray?] in company with Miss Thacher2 & a number of other Ladies & Gentlemen.
    • Thursday 5th Cloudy, pleasant. Took a ride for pleasure in a boat to Governor’s Island in company with a number of gentlemen from the town of Cambridge.
    • Friday 6th Warm, showery, thunder. Kept school as usual. Saturday 7th Cloudy, A.M. kept school. P.M. studied.
    • Sunday 8th Cloudy, pleasant, fair. Went to meeting. Mr. Mansfield3 preached. Dined at Capt. Biggeloe’s.
    • Monday 9th Some cloudy & wet. Kept school as usual, after which walked to Mr. Wyeth’s.
    • Tuesday 10th Cloudy, foggy, misty, rainy. Kept school as usual. Read, as I make it my general custom, about 3 hours, one before, one between, & one after school.
    • Wednesday 11th Cloudy, fair.

    [127]

    • Kept School. My class mate Grout & some other gentlemen called upon me.
    • Thursday 12th Fair, warm, pleasant. Kept school as usual. P.M. read the memoirs of Doct. Doddridge.4
    • Friday 13th Warm, pleasant. Kept school as usual. Read what time I could find.
    • Saturday 14th Very warm, fair. A.M. kept school. P.M. my classmate Thatcher visited me.
    • Sunday 15th Fair, pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Ware preached. Mr. Perry visited me.
    • Monday 16th Fair, pleasant. Kept school as usual.
    • Tuesday 17th Fair, some cloudy. Kept school. Not very well.
    • Wednesday 18th Rainy, cold, windy, stormy. Kept school as usual.
    • Thursday 19th Cool, some cloudy. A.M. kept school. P.M. read, etc.
    • Friday 20th Fair, cool for the season. Kept school.
    • Saturday 21st Fair, moderate. A.M. kept school. Mr. Th. Adams & Miss Hannah Adams called upon me.
    • Sunday 22d Fair, pleasant. A.M. went to Church. Mr. Oliver5 read prayers & preached. P.M. went to meeting,

    [128]

    • Mr. Bradford preached.
    • Monday 23d Fair, cool for the season. Kept school. My classmates Dennie & Marrett, Withers & Trapier6 called upon me. Was entertained with the contest in wrestling between the sophomore & freshmen class.
    • Tuesday 24 Fair, pleasant. Kept school.
    • Wednesday 25th Fair.
    • Thursday 26th Cloudy, part of the time fair. A.M. kept school. P.M. read & composed.
    • Friday 27th Cloudy, rainy. Kept school. Spent the evening with the tutors.
    • Saturday 28th Fair, pleasant. A.M. kept school. P.M. spent in company, etc.
    • Sunday 29th Some cloudy, cool. A.M. went to meeting, Mr. Bradford preached.
    • Monday 30th Cloudy, fair. Kept school.
    • Tuesday 31st Fair, pleasant. Kept school.
    • Wednesday September 1, 1790. Cloudy, lowery, A.M. kept school. Attended two orations delivered by Mr. Harris & Sir Hooper7 to the P. B. K. Had an elegant dinner with the society, where sociability was enjoyed in its purest state. Attended the Dudlian lector delivered by Mr. Belknap.8
    • Thursday 2d Fair, some cloudy.

    [129]

    • A.M. kept school. P.M. resined my room in College to live in town. Visited Dr. Jennison who lately married.
    • Friday 3d Fair, pleasant. Kept school.
    • Saturday 4th A.M. kept school. Moved my habitation from College to Mr. Stedman’s.
    • Sunday 5th Fair, pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Bradford preached.9 At night watched with Prof. Wigglesworth’s son.
    • Monday 6th Some cloudy. Kept school. Eve spent at Mr. Jennison’s.
    • Tuesday 7th Cloudy, some rainy. Kept school. Chandler visited me.
    • Wednesday 8th Cloudy, warm, pleasant. Kept school as usual. Visited Mr. G[an]dy.
    • Thursday 9th Some cloudy, pleasant. A.M. kept school, P.M. studied.
    • Friday 10th Fair, pleasant. Kept school.
    • Saturday 11th Fair.
    • Sunday 12th Some cloudy, raw cold. Went to meeting. Mr. Bradford preached.
    • Monday 13th Fair, pleasant. Kept school.
    • Tuesday 14th Cloudy. Kept school. Took from the library the 5th vol. of the Monthly Review.1
    • Wednesday 15th Fair, some cloudy. Kept school. After school walked to Boston.
    • Thursday 16th Fair. A.M. kept school. P.M. read & studied.
    • Friday 17th Fair, pleasant, foul weather.

    [130]

    • Saturday 18th Fair, cool, pleasant. A.M. kept school. P.M. read, studied, visited.
    • Sunday 19th Fair, cool. Went to meeting. Mr. Mellen2 preached.
    • Monday 20th Fair, pleasant, some cloudy. Kept school as usual.
    • Tuesday 21st Pleasant weather. Kept school. Walked to Mr. Wyeth’s.
    • Wednesday 22nd Fair, cloudy, in eve rainy. Kept school. Spent the eve agreeably.
    • Thursday 23d Fair, some windy. A.M. kept school. Walked to see my classmate Chandler who keeps school in Watertown, had an agreeable evening.
    • Friday 24th Fair, pleasant, tho’ cool.
    • Saturday 25th Fair, pleasant. Rode with my classmate Gray to Lexington. There tarried all night.
    • Sunday 26th Very pleasant. Went to meeting in the afternoon at Lexington. Mr. Clarke preached. After meeting visited Mr. Clarke, then rode back to Cambridge.
    • Monday 27th Cloudy, rainy all day. Kept school as usual.
    • Tuesday 28th Rainy & wet.
    • Wednesday 29th Fair, cool, foul weather.
    • Thursday 30th Cloudy & rainy, cold. A.M. kept school. P.M. read.
    • Friday October 1st 1790. A.M. fair, cloudy. Kept school & attended exhibition, much to my entertainment.
    • Saturday 2d A.M. Fair, pleasant. A.M. kept school. Dined at Esqur. Winthrop’s.

    [131]

    • P.M. rode with my class mate Gray to Dochester, from there to Milton, spent an agreeable evening with my classmate Vose & Mr. Perry. Tarried with him all night.
    • Sunday 3d Cloudy, raw. Went to meeting in Milton, Mr. Robbins3 preached. P.M. rode to Dorchester, went to meeting there, heard Mr. Everitt4 preach. After meeting took tea with Mr. W—, then returned to Cambridge.
    • Monday 4th Some cloudy, shiny, warm. Kept school as usual.
    • Tuesday 5th Fair, pleasant. Kept school. Spent the evening in study.
    • Wednesday 6th Fair, pleasant. Attended the general muster on Cambridge common.
    • Thursday 7th Fair, cool. A.M. kept school. P.M. studied.
    • Friday 8th Fair, some cloudy. Kept school. Spent the eve agreeably at Mrs. Th[acher’s] in com[pany] with Gr[ay?].
    • Saturday 9th Rainy, very wet, cold. A.M. kept school. P.M. studied.
    • Sunday 10th Cloudy, raw cold. Went to meeting. Mr. Bradford preached. After meeting attended the funeral of Mr. Wythe.5
    • Monday 11th Fair, pleasant, foul weather. Kept school. Spent the eve in study.
    • Tuesday 12th Fair, some cloudy. Kept school. At night rode to Watertown.

    [132]

    • Wednesday 13th Overcast, lowery in evening. Kept school as usual.
    • Thursday 14th Very rainy & stormy all day. A.M. kept school. P.M. read Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments.6
    • Friday 15th Cloudy, showery, fair. Kept school as usual.
    • Saturday 16th Fair, pleasant. A.M. kept school. P.M. walked to Watertown & back again.
    • Sunday 17th Fair, pleasant. Went to meeting. Mr. Cushing prea[ched]. In the eve went to Mrs. Hi[lliar]d’s.
    • Monday 18th Fair, pleasant. A.M. the honorable selectmen of the town visited the school. The scholars exhibited specimens of writing, spoke dialogues etc. before them. Dined with the selectmen at Bradishes.7 P.M. no school, classmate Smith8 called upon me, tarried all night.
    • Tuesday 19th Pleasant weather, moderate. Kept school.
    • Wednesday 20th Overcast, partly fair. Kept school as usual. Vacation commenced.
    • Thursday 21st Cloudy, cold, rainy. A.M. kept school. P.M. read Roley’s Hist.9
    • Friday 22d Fair, cool, foul weather. At eve Chandler visited me.
    • Saturday 23d Fair, pleasant. A.M. kept school. P.M. read Roley.

    [133]

    • Sunday 24th Fair, warm & pleasant. Went to meeting, dined at the President’s. Mr. Adams, butler, preached.
    • Monday 25th Cool, windy, kept school.
    • Tuesday 26th A.M. pleasant, P.M. cold. Kept school, but caught a severe cold.
    • Wednesday 27th Fair, cold, windy. Kept school. Attended S. J. Court. Drank tea at Miss H—.1
    • Thursday 28th Pleasant, some cloudy. A.M. kept school. P.M. attended court, took Tea at Prof. Webber’s.
    • Friday 29th Fair, warm. Attended court at intermission.
    • Saturday 30th Cloudy, rainy. A.M. kept school. P.M. read & walked about.
    • Sunday 31st Cloudy, warm, foggy. Tarried at home & read, being not very well.
    • Monday November 1st, 1790. Fair, kept school. Took tea at Mrs. Th [acher’s].
    • Tuesday 2d Overcast, pleasant. Kept school. Part of the time at court.
    • Wednesday 3d Fair, warm. Kept school. Visited some of the scholars, who this day returned, as the quarter commenced.

    [134]

    • Thursday 4th Fair, pleasant. A.M. kept school. P.M. attended court some, visited some, & read some.
    • Friday 5th Moderate, pleasant. Kept school as usual.
    • Saturday 6th Fair, cool, overcast. A.M. kept school. P.M. rode to Watertown.
    • Sunday 7th Cold, lowery. Went to meeting. The President preached.
    • Monday 8th Fair, cold. Kept school. Spent the eve at Mrs. Th[acher’s].
    • Tuesday 9th Pleasant weather. Kept school, as usual. Spent the eve at Mr. Gray’s room in company with the tutors.
    • Wednesday 10th Cloudy, raw, cold. Kept school.
    • Thursday 11th Some cloudy, cold. A.M. kept school. P.M. Governor Bowdoin2 was buried. In the eve the tutors Mr. Crosby & Thompson & Packard supped & vis[it]ed me.
    • Friday 12th Fair, cool. Mr. Locke,3 a junior sophister, came to live in the room with me.
    • Saturday 13th Fair & pleasant. A.M. kept school.
    • Sunday 14th Cloudy, rainy. A.M. went to meeting, Mr. Woodbridge preached. P.M. tarried at home, read the history of Frederic Roi4 in French.

    [135]

    • Monday 15th Fair, warm. Kept school. In the eve rode to see Chandler in Watertown, in company with Gray.
    • Tuesday 16th Some cloudy, moderate. Kept school as usual.
    • Wednesday 17th Strong easterly winds. Kept school.
    • Thursday 18th Cloudy & stormy. A.M. kept school. P.M. read & visited. In the eve drank tea at Mrs. Th[acher’s], spent a jovial evening.
    • Friday 19th Rainy & stormy. Kept school. In the eve Babbit called upon me.
    • Saturday 20th Cloudy, raw cold. A.M. kept school. P.M. Chandler visited me. With him visited the tutors.
    • Sunday 21st Cloudy, cool. A.M. went to church, P.M. to meeting. Mr. Woodbridge preached.
    • Monday 22d Fair, pleasant. Kept school.
    • Tuesday 23d A.M. some cloudy. Kept school. P.M. rode to Medfield. There spent Thanksgiving which was Thursday 25th, a pleasant & agreeable day.

    [136]

    • Friday 26th Cloudy, cold, windy. Dined at Mr. Prentiss’s after which rode to Cambridge.
    • Saturday 27th A.M. cloudy, P.M. a high snow storm. A.M. kept school. P.M. composed some English.
    • Sunday 28th Snowy & cold all day. Went to meeting. Mr. Woodbridge preached.
    • Monday 29th Some cloudy. Kept school. Drank coffee with Mr. Crosby.
    • Tuesday 30th Fair & pleasant. Kept school as usual.
    • Wednesday December 1, 1790. Fair, cool. Kept school as usual. At eve moved my bed from College to Mr. Stedman’s.
    • Thursday 2d Cloudy, raw cold. A.M. kept school.
    • Friday 3d Rainy & very frosty. A.M. kept school. P.M. scholars could not come, did not keep.
    • Saturday 4th Cloudy & very cold. A.M. kept school. P.M. read in the Lounger.5
    • Sunday 5th Cold. Went to Church in the forenoon, heard my class mate Warren preach. P.M. went to meeting, Mr. B. Abbot preached.
    • Monday 6th Very raw cold.
    • Tuesday 7th Fair, cold weather. Kept school as usual.
    • Wednesday 8th Cold weather.

    [137]

    • In the eve Mrss. Cr[afts], Sh[apley] and Gr[ay] took tea with me & spent the evening.
    • Thursday 9th Cloudy, cold. A.M. kept school. P.M. read Abbadie in Gray’s room,6 as I was out of wood.
    • Friday 10th Cloudy. Kept school.
    • Saturday 11th Rainy, wet. Kept school. P.M. rode to Boston.
    • Sunday 12th Rainy & wet under foot. Went to meeting, Mr. Abbot preached.
    • Monday 13th Fair, pleasant for the season. Kept school. Bought a load of wood for 10 s. Mr. Perry visited me & spent part of the evening.
    • Tuesday 14th Fair, very icy under foot. Kept school.
    • Wednesday 15th Fair & cool. Kept school. In the eve visited Doctor Firth in company with Tutors, Gentlemen & ladies.
    • Thursday 16th Snowy, a high snow storm. A.M. kept school. Read & meditated.
    • Friday 17th Fair, snow about ancle deep. Kept school as usual. In the eve drank tea at Mr. Warland’s with Mr. Warren.
    • Saturday 18th Fair, very cold. A.M. kept school. P.M. read and wrote.
    • Sunday 19th Excessive cold & sharp, searching weather. Went to meeting. Mr. Abbot preached.
    • Monday 20th Cold, some cloudy. Kept school as usual.
    • Tuesday 21st It snowed. Kept school. Mr. Baxter called upon me.

    [138]

    • Wednesday 22d Fair, cold. Kept school. Mr. Hearsy turned my coat. Spent the eve at Mrs. Th[acher’s].
    • Thursday 23d Fair, pleasant for the season. A.M. kept school. P.M. read & meditated. The tutors & graduates spent the eve at my room.
    • Friday 24th Some cloudy, cold. Kept school as usual.
    • Saturday 25th Christmas. Snowy, cold. Went to Church. My classmate Warren preached. After dinner walked to War[ren’s?].
    • Sunday 26th Cloudy & snowy. Went to meeting. Mr. Abbot preached.
    • Monday 27th Fair, cold weather. Kept school. Spent the eve with Shaple[y] at Mr. Jen [nison’s].
    • Tuesday 28th Clear & cold. Kept school.
    • Wednesday 29th Cold.
    • Thursday 30th Cloudy, cold. A.M. kept school. P.M. walked to Boston.
    • Friday 31st Cloudy, cold, some snowy.
    • Saturday January 1, 1791. A very high snow storm all day. A.M. kept school. P.M. spent in the library a reading.
    • Sunday 2d Fair, pleasant. A.M. tarried at home. P.M. went to meeting. Mr. Smith, librarian, preached.
    • Monday 3d Fair, moderate weather. Kept school as usual.

    [139]

    • Tuesday 4th Cloudy, warm, thawy. Early in the morning rode to Watertown to Mr. Rogers, watchmaker.
    • Wednesday 5th Cloudy, warm for the season. Kept school as usual. Sent a letter to my friend P[ete]r H[ol]t.7
    • Thursday 6th Warm. A.M. kept school. P.M. visited Mr. Winsor.
    • Friday 7th Cloudy, warm & very frosty & thawy. Kept school. Spent eve at Mr. Moore’s.
    • Saturday 8th Some cloudy, wet going. A.M. kept school. P.M. spent in reading.
    • Sunday 9th Cloudy, not very cold. Went to meeting. Mr. Green preached.
    • Monday 10th Fair, warm for the season. Kept school as usual.
    • Tuesday 11th Fair, cold & slipery.
    • Wednesday 12th A.M. cloudy, P.M. fair, cold. Kept school as usual. Spent the eve at Mrs.—.
    • Thursday 13th Cloudy, some snowy. A.M. kept school. P.M. read.
    • Friday 14th Fair, moderate. Kept school, after which walked to Mr. Wyeth’s.
    • Saturday 15th Cloudy, warm, thawy. A.M. kept school. P.M. Gray & Warren visited me.
    • Sunday 16th Fair, warm, springlike. Went to meeting, Mr. Bradford preached.
    • Monday 17th A severe snow storm, very windy. Kept school, tho’ very bad going.
    • Tuesday 18th Fair, pleasant, snow drifted hard. Kept school, spent the eve at Mrs. T[hacher’s?].

    [140]

    • Wednesday 19th Fair, pleasant.
    • Thursday 20th Some cloudy, cold. A.M. kept school. P.M. rode to Boston with Hasey, took tea with Quincy.
    • Friday 21st Fair, south wind. Kept school, after which had a sleigh ride to Waltham with Mr. Bradford, Mr. Packard & a number of ladies from this town.
    • Saturday 22d Fair, cold north winds. A.M. kept school. P.M. read. Hasey visited me.
    • Sunday 23d Cloudy, raw cold. Went to meeting. Mr. Bradford preached.
    • Monday 24th Some cloudy, cold. Kept school. In the eve Mr. Bradford, Packard, Harris & Warren took tea with me.
    • Tuesday 25th Moderate, thawy.
    • Wednesday 26th Warm for the season.
    • Thursday 27th Fair & warm. A.M. kept school. P.M. read & wrote an address to the selectmen of Cambridge on education, to be [given] the first of March by Samuel Manning, one of my schollars.
    • Friday 28th Cloudy, colder. Kept school. In the eve drank tea with Warren, in company with Mr. Bradford at Mr. Warland’s.
    • Saturday 29th Fair, pleasant. A.M. kept school. P.M. Th. Thatcher vis[it]ed me.
    • Sunday 30th Cloudy, some snowy, warm. Went to meeting. Mr. Bradford preached.
    • Monday 31st Windy and very blustering. Kept school. In the eve Mr. Forster & T. Thacher visited me.

    [141]

    • Tuesday, February 1st, 1791. Fair.
    • Wednesday 2d Fair, moderate. Kept school. P.M. attended the funeral of a daughter of Mrs. Hilliard.
    • Thursday 3d Fair, pleasant. A.M. kept school. P.M. studied, sent a letter to Medfield by Mr. Ch[andler?].
    • Friday 4th Moderate weather. Kept school as usual. Dined at Mr. W[arland]’s.
    • Saturday 5th Fair, warm. A.M. kept school. P.M. bought a load of wood, read. Mr. Warren vis[it]ed me.
    • Sunday 6th Fair, pleasant, thawy. Went to meeting. A.M. Mr. Foster preached. P.M. Mr. Bradford preached. Dined at Capt. Bigglow’s.
    • Monday 7th Fair, pleasant, springlike. P.M. very rainy. Kept school as usual.
    • Tuesday 8th It rained & hailed all day.
    • Wednesday 9th A fine snow fell all day, cold.
    • Thursday 10th Morning snowed very fast. Cloudy, some snowy all day. Mr. Warren spent the eve and night with me.
    • Friday 11th Fair, pleasant.
    • Saturday 12th Pleasant, very good sleighing. A.M. kept school. P.M. read, visited a number of my collegiate friends who now have returned to College.
    • Sunday 13th Pleasant, good moving any way. Went to Charlestown meeting A.M. with Gray, heard Mr. Morse8 preach. P.M. went to Boston, dined at Mrs. Gray’s, attended Revd. Stillman’s meeting.
    • Monday 14th Fair, pleasant, thawy, windy.

    [142]

    • 15th Fair, colder, high wind N. W., slipery. Kept school as usual, spent the eve at Mrs. T[hacher’s].
    • 16th Rainy, wind S., wet & slipery. At night cold, windy. Kept school as usual. In the eve read in Dodridge.
    • 17th Sharp cold & high N. W. wind. Very icy & slipery. A.M. kept school as usual. P.M. read in Dod[drid]ge’s lectors & completed the first reading of them, which was an agreeable task. Spent the eve at College.
    • 18th Fair, cold & wind N. W., very slipery walking. Kept school as usual. Locke junior spent the eve.
    • 19th Snowed all day, more moderate. Wind N. E. A.M. kept school. P.M. went to the school house to hear the schollars speak their dialogues for exhibition. Wrote off questions, from Pike’s Arithmetic9 for the school.
    • 20th Fine snow all last night. Cloudy. Went to meeting. Mr. Bradford preached in A.M. He endeavored to harmonize these two verses: Romans 3, 28, & James 2, 14. P.M. from 1 Corr., 16, 14.
    • 21st Fair, pleasant, good sleighing. Kept school as usual. Spent the evening in reading.
    • 22d Fair, very moderate agreeable weather. Kept school. In the eve wrote & composed.
    • 23d Day of Parish Suppl. Mane snowy, rest of the day pleas[ant]. Attended meeting. Mr. Cushing preached from John 20, 21. P.M. rode to Boston with Mr. Gray. Took tea at Mrs. G[ray’s].
    • 24th Fair, pleasant. A.M. kept school, P.M. studied. Spent eve at College.
    • 25th A.M. fair, pleas[ant]. P.M. cloudy, at eve snowy. K. sch.
    • 26th A.M. cloudy, P.M. fair windy, rain at night. Kept sch. P.M. wrote copies for the school. At eve Vose visited me.
    • 27th Sunday Fair, pleasant. N.W.-S.W. Went to meeting at little Cambridge. Mr. Simpkin preached from Psalms 119, v. 59, and from Acts 10, v. 34. 35.
    • 28th Rainy, S. W. & S., exceeding slipery. K. sch.
    • 1st of March 1791. Fair, cold, N.W., very icy. Kept sch.
    • 2d Fair & pleasant. S.W.-S. At eve Mr. Webber & wife drank tea at my lodgings.
    • 3d A.M. cloudy, rainy. P.M. fair, warm. In A.M. ke. sch. P.M. read in Hartley’s Observations on Man.1
    • 4th Fair, pleasant. Kept sch. Mrss. Simpkins, Shapleigh & Gray drank tea with me. Had an agreeable evening.
    • 5th Fair spring weather. A.M. k. sch., P.M. studied.

    [143]

    • 6 Sunday, mane fair, P.M. rainy. Went to meeting. Mr. Bradford preached from 2 Timothy 3, 15, & from Psalms 119, 116.
    • 7th Fair, warm. A.M. the Selectmen, the Minister, different schoolmasters, & other gentlemen inspected my school.
    • 8th Fair, pleasant thawy & wet. Kept school.
    • 9th Fair, cool. P.M. cloudy N. E. Kept school.
    • 10th Rainy, cloudy, wind S. P.M. studied & composed English.
    • 11th Cloudy, some rainy, N. E. K. school.
    • 12th A.M. cloudy, P.M. fair. P.M. wrote part of a sermon.
    • 13th Sunday Fair, pleasant, W. Went to meeting, Mr. Porter prea[ched] from Hebrews 12, 12, & from Proverbs 22, 3, 4.
    • 14th Fair. A.M. kept school. Eve studied & read.
    • 15th Cloudy, S. Kep. sch. Mr. Adams called upon me.
    • 16th Cloudy, S. E. Kept sch., eve read etc.
    • 17th Mane cloudy. Cleared up very warm & pleasant. Ground chiefly settled. P.M. read Hartley’s Observations on Man.
    • 18th Fair, warm, pleasant. Kept school.
    • 19th Cloudy, some snowing, N. E. A.M. kept school, P.M. reading.
    • 20th Sunday Mane fair, colder, N. Part of the afternoon cloudy, & snowy. Mr. Foster preached from 1 Corinthians 4, 3, & P.M. Ruth[?].
    • 21st Mane fair, cool, P.M. cloudy, rainy, S. S. E. K. school.
    • 22 Fair, cool, N. W. Kept school.
    • 23d Fair, pleasant, N. W. Kept school. Eve studied.
    • 24th Cloudy, rainy, P.M. read. Visited college.
    • 25th Very rainy, N. W. Kep. sch. Eve had com[pany].
    • 26th Fair, pleasant. P.M. spent in fixing the school house.
    • 27th Sunday Fair, springlike weather, ground settled, A.M. went to church. Dr. Parker preached from Psalms 43, 4, P.M. from Romans 12, 11.
    • 28th Cloudy, raw cold. Kept school.
    • 29th Cloudy, misty & rainy. Kept school.
    • 30th Fast day, fair, pleasant. Mr. Harris preached from Jonah 3, 10, & from Ecclesiastes 6, 10.
    • 1st April 1701. Fair, spent the eve at Mr. Warland’s.
    • 2d Cloudy, P.M. rainy. P.M. read in Hartley’s Observations.
    • 3d Sunday Fair, W. n[orth]. Sun annually eclipsed at 14 m. after 7 o’clock. Mr. Harris preached from Romans 1:16 & from Luke 9:26.
    • 4th Fair, W. After school attended town meeting to choose Governor.
    • 5th Fair, W. n[orth]. Kept scho. Drank coffy in college at Gray’s.
    • 6th Fair, W. n[orth]. Kept sch. Drank tea & spent the eve at Mr. Crosby’s.
    • 7th Cloudy, snowy, cold. W. N. E. Kept school. P.M. read.
    • 8th Cloudy, windy N. Part of the P.M. fair. K. Sch. Eve tutors visited me.
    • 9th A.M. fair, P.M. cloudy. P.M. walked to Boston.
    • 10 Sunday Fair, W. N. E. A.M. staid at home, read the Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity by Clarke.2 P.M. went to meeting. Mr. Cushing preached from Galatians, 2, 20.
    • 11th Fair, warm, at eve drank tea at Mr. James.
    • 12th Fair, kept scho. Mr. Perry spent the night with me.
    • 13th Cloudy. Kept sch. Visited Warren etc.

    [144]

    • 14th Fair. One of the sophimores was this morning expelled.
    • 15th Fair. Kept sch. Read in the Monthly Review of 1776.
    • 16th Fair. P.M. read & wrote letters. Mr. Smith visited me.
    • 17th Sunday Fair, W.N.E. A.M. Mr. Fisk3 preached from Philns. 4, 5. P.M. Mr. Gray,4 (Bob), preached ab Luke 10, 42.
    • 18 Fair, pleasant. Kept school. Drank tea at Mr. Adams.
    • 19 Fair. Attended exhibition at college, no school.
    • 20 Fair, warm, some cloudy, wind N. E. Spent an agreeable eve at Mr. Shaplie’s room with a number of Cambridge ladies.
    • 21 Fair, warm, wind S.W. Kept school. Rode to Boston with Gray.
    • 22 Fair, wind S. W. Ke. s. Drank tea at Dr. Hill’s5 with company.
    • 23 Fair, high south w[ind]. A.M. kep. sc. P.M. walked to Boston.
    • 24 Sunday Cloudy, windy W. S. Mr. Rolfe6 preached from Psalms 119, 59th & 60th v., also from Acts 17, 31st v.
    • 25th Fair, cool. W.S.W. After school attended a funeral.
    • 26th Very high S.W. After sch[ool] attended a dance in College.
    • 27th Fair, cool, W.N.W. Ke. sch. Read elements of the [illegible].
    • 28th Fair, cool W.N.W. Ke. sch. P.M. Mr. Thacher & Tufts visited me.
    • 29th Some cloudy, more moderate. Spent the eve at Mr. Gray’s.
    • 30th Fair, W.S.W. A.M. ke. sc. P.M. wrote a letter to Ware.
    • Sunday May 1st 1791. Fair, wind N. E. Mr. Rolfe preached from Acts 10, 4 & from Luke 15, 17, 18.
    • 2d Fair. K. sch. Drank tea at Dr. Foster’s with ladies.
    • 3d Fair, W.N.E., cold for May. K. sch. Drank tea in College.
    • 4th Cloudy, some rainy. After school walked to Mr. Wyeth’s.
    • 5th Cloudy, cold raw, W.N.E. P.M. read, drank tea at Doc. J[ennison]’s.
    • 6th Fair, some rainy, W.S.W. Ke. scho., read Rousseau.7
    • 7th Fair, cool. P.M. walked to Mr. Foster’s [in] S. Camb.
    • 8th Sunday Fair, cloudy, W.N.E. Mr. Rolfe preached ab Psalms 42, 5.
    • 9th Fair, wind N. W. Kept sch. Shapleigh & Gray drank tea with me.
    • 10th Fair, pleasant, Ke. sch., drank tea at Capt. Bigellow’s.
    • 11th Fair, windy. Ke. sch. Studied at eve.
    • 12th Clear, warm, W. S. P.M. studied & composed English.
    • 13th Cloudy, rainy, N. E. Kept sch., read & composed.
    • 14th Rainy, cloudy, N. E. P.M. read & composed at Esq. Winthrop’s.
    • 15th Sunday Clear, hazy, N. W., S. E. A.M. tarried at home. P.M. went to meeting, Mr. Rolfe preached ab Job 21, 15.
    • 16th Cloudy, rainy, fair. Kept sch.
    • 17th Fair & clear, S. W. Mr. Baxter slept with me. The eve at Prof. Pierson’s.
    • 18th Clear, warm, S. W[ind].
    • 19th Clear, hazy, S. P.M. studied in the library.
    • 20th Rainy, misty, cloudy, N.E. Rode to Medfield after school.
    • 21st Clear, N. W. Visited my friends at Medfield.
    • 22 Sunday Clear, some cloudy. Went to meeting. Mr. Prentiss preached from Matthew 11, 29 & ab Ephesians 1, 3. Rode to Cambridge.
    • 23d Fair, N. E. Kept school.
    • 24th Fair, some cloud, S. No school, studied sermons.
    • 25th Election day, cloudy & rainy, S. Rode to Boston, heard a sermon, dined at Mrs. Quincie’s.

    [145]

    • 26th Clear, warm, S. Studied, wrote sermons.
    • 27th Foggy, clear. Mr. Perry visited me. Studied maths.
    • 28th Fair, warm. A.M. kep. sch., P.M. wrote sermons.
    • 29th Fair, very warm, 85°. Mr. Eddy preached ab Exodus, 3, v. 4, 5; ab Luke 7, 14, 15.
    • 30th Clear, warm, S. After sch. rode to Mystic with Fay.
    • 31st Some cloudy, hazy. Mane rode from Mystic. K. sch.
    • 1st of June 1791. Cloudy N. W., E. Kep. sch.
    • 2d Cloudy E. S. Kep. sch. P.M. composed sermons.
    • 3 Fair, pleasant. After school took coffy with Gray with others.
    • 4th Cloudy, some sprinkling. P.M. rode to Mr. Foster’s with Chandler.
    • 5th Sunday Fair, N. W. Mr. Clarke prea[ched] ab Psalms, 26, 6, John, 1, 8, 9.
    • 6th Fair, S. W. Kept sch.
    • 7th Clear N. & S. Kept school. Mr. Chandler visited me.
    • 8th Some cloudy. Kept school. Wind N. E. & S.
    • 9th Fair, cloudy. A.M. k. Sc., P.M. studied. Drank tea at Mr. Jen [nison’s].
    • 10 Some cloudy, fair. Kept school. Agreed to keep the school another year for £70.
    • 11 Clear, W. S. P.M. Thacher visited me.
    • 12 Sunday Clear, W. S. Mr. Jackson preached ab Psalms, 17, 15 & 19, 13.
    • 13 Clear, S. W. Very warm. Kept school.
    • 14 Clear, W., warm. Kept school. Visited Mrs. Hilliard.
    • 15 Fair, W. N., cooler. Kept school.
    • 16 Clear, W.S.W., cool. A.M. ke. sch. P.M. composed ess[ay]. Attended a lector on the comets.
    • 17th Flying clouds, high S. W. wi [nd]. Attended a lector on optics by Prof. Web[ber]. Part showery.
    • 18 Fair, some cloudy. P.M. wrote part of a sermon.
    • 19 Sunday Rainy N. E. Mr. Belknap prea. ab John, 20, 31 v.
    • 20 Some cloudy, misty. Kept school. Spent the eve at College.
    • 21 Fair. N. Kept school.
    • 22 Clear, S. W., warm. Kept school.
    • 23 Clear, warm, S. P.M. walked with Gray to Mr. Foster’s to see Thacher.
    • 24 Fair, S., very warm. At night Grout visited me.
    • 25 Cloudy, windy S. Very sultry. P.M. spent in composing.
    • 26 Sunday Clear, S. W. Mr. Foster prea. ab Luke, 19, 23, 24.
    • 27 Some cloudy. Mane clear, showery, N. W. & S. W.
    • 28 Flying clouds. Kept sch. At [eve] had the company of the tutors.
    • 29 Cloudy, warm. Kept school.
    • 30 Clear, some cloudy. P.M. walked to Mr. Foster’s.
    • 1 July 1791. Clear, cool, A.M. Kept school.
    • 2 Clear, cool, NN. E. P.M. had company, wrote letters.
    • 3 Sunday Clear, N., cool. Mr. Saunders preached ab Acts, 4, 12 & Phil, 2, 21.
    • 4 Clear. Kept sch.
    • 5 Clear, E. K. Sc. atten [ded] exhn. at College.
    • 6 Clear, some hazy. Committee examined my Lattin scholars.
    • 7 Very warm, misty. P.M. studied in the library.
    • 8 Cool, windy, very dry, w[ind] W. Kept school.
    • 9 Clear, w[ind] N.W. P.M. visited Mr. Saunders8, sailed in the boat.
    • 10 Sunday Clear. S. Mr. Saunders pr. ab Hebrews, 13, 14 et ab Romans, 2, 28.
    • 11 Clear, very warm. Kept school.

    [146]

    • 12 A.M. very sultry, warm, S. P.M. heavy showers, very hard thunder, lightning caught a barn in this town & burnt it.
    • 13th Some cloudy, P.M. clear & very warm, kept sch.
    • 14 P.M. severe showers. Rode to Boston, rec’d my stipend.
    • 15 Some cloudy & shiny, warm. S. W.
    • 16 Cloudy. A.M. heavy showers. Walked to Medford, tarried for Lattin sch.
    • 17 Sunday Cloudy, w[ind] N.W. Mr. Saunders preached, Luke 2, 6.
    • 18th Cloudy, cool, N. W. Read in the library.
    • 19th Flying clouds, cool. Spent the day in the library.
    • 20th Clear, some cloudy, rain. Attended Commencement. Was much pleased with some of the performances. P.M. great confusion.
    • 21st Cloudy, P.M. fine weth[er]. Rode to Medfield.
    • 22d Visited my relations. Cloudy, some rain.
    • 23 Fair, very warm. Rode to Medway, payed a Note Capt. Lovel had against me. Visited a number of people.
    • 24 Sunday Fair, pleasant. Mr. Eddy preached ab Rom., 8, 18 et ab Luke, 7, 14, 15.
    • 25th Cool, N.W. wind, clear, rode to Camb. P.M.
    • 26th Clear, N. W. Sailed to Gover[nor’s] Island for pleasure.
    • 27th Clear, N., pleasant. Kept school. Bot a gown of Mr. Packard for 16s. Moved my bed to College.
    • 28th Fair, pleasant. P.M. read in church history.
    • 29th Clear, w[ind] S.W. Ke. sch. Walked to Lexington.
    • 30th Warm, some clouds in A.M. Had my room painted.
    • 31st Sunday Clear, warm, cloudy. Mr. Osgood [addressed?] ab I Corinthians, 1, 22, 23, 24, & et ab Rom., 5, 20. I was propounded for admition into the church.
    • August 1st 1791. Some cloudy, wet, P.M. The selectmen visited my school, and I drank tea at Mrs. T[hacher]’s.
    • 2d Clear, warm. Ke. sc. Mr. Gray & Howel vis[ited].
    • 3d Clear, N. E. Marrett visited me. Moved to Col [lege].
    • 4th Flying clouds, S. E. P.M. composed a part of sermon.
    • 5th Showery, w[ind] N.E. Kept. sch.
    • 6th Cloudy. P.M. Dr. Jennyson & T. Thacher visited me.
    • 7th Sunday Clear, flying clouds, warm. Mr. Foster of L[exingt]on preached from 1. Corr. 7, 27–29 et Math., 5, 16. Was admitted into the Church & partook of the communion.
    • 8th Clear, warm. K. sc. Was visited [by] Miss H. & Miss W.
    • 9th Cloudy & very rainy, S. E. K. sch.
    • 10th Clear, & very warm. P.M. Gents & Ladies from Watertown visited my chum, waited upon them into the library.
    • 11th Cloudy, N. E. rainy. Rode to Boston bought a Bible, Psalm book & Jenyng’s works,9 etc.
    • 12th Clear. Kept school.
    • 13th Fair, pleasant. P.M. wrote, read, etc.
    • 14th Sunday Clear, some hazy, N. E. Mr. Osgood preached from Rom., 3, 27, et from Colossians, 12, 1.
    • 15th Clear, N. E. Kept school.
    • 16th Cloudy some heavy showers. Kept school.
    • 17 Clear, pleasant. Visited [with] Mr. Osgood to Dr. H[ill’s?].

    [147]

    • 18th Cloudy. P.M. spent in company. Boarded in commons.
    • 19th Cloudy, rainy. Drank tea at Mr. M’s.
    • 20th Clear, pleasant. P.M. walked to Medford, rode from there to Lexington with Chandler.
    • 21st Sunday Fair. Went to meeting at Lexington, Mr. Clarke preached ab Isaiah, 9, 6. Took tea with him, rode to Medford. Tarried till morning.
    • 22d Clear, cool. Walked from Mystic. Kept sch.
    • 23d Fair, warm. K. sch.
    • 24th Clear. Ke. sch. Spent leisure hours in company.
    • 25th Some rainy, cloudy. Spent P.M. [in] company.
    • 26th Clear, warm. Ke. sch. Read in Jennyngs.
    • 27th Fair, warm. P.M. Mr. Gray visited me.
    • 28th Sunday Clear, warm. Mr. Holmes1 preached from Psalms, 144, 15, A.M., & I Peter, 1, v. 16.
    • 29 Clear, very warm. Took tea at Mr. Goddard’s.
    • 30 Fair, cool. Drank tea at Mr. Manning’s.2
    • 31 Cloudy N. E. Spent the eve at Mr. Emerson’s.
    • September 1st 1791. Cloudy, misty.
    • 2d Cloudy, cool. Kept school, at noon [illegible].
    • 3d Cloudy, shiny at times. P.M. read.
    • 4th Sunday Cloudy & raw. A.M. Mr. Foster prea. from Luke, 18, 29 30. Mr. Chandler visited me.
    • 5th Cloudy, misty, N. E. Ke. sch.
    • 6th Rainy, stormy, N. E. Tutors visited me.
    • 7th Cloudy. Attended the Phi Beta Kappa oration, highly pleased. P.M. highly entertained with a discourse delivered by Mr. Cummings3 on natural religion, Dudlian lector, text Luke, 12, 57.
    • 8th Cloudy, some misty. Kept school all day.
    • 9th Cloudy, some foggy & misty. Kept school.
    • 10th Cloudy, misty, some rain. P.M. read Clark’s Sermons.4
    • 11th Sunday Cloudy, at eve rainy. Mr. Mellen [preached] ab John, I, 47, & Mark 12, 34.
    • 12th Cloudy, rainy, kept school. At eve Tutors visited me.
    • 13th Clear, cool, N. W. Took tea at Mrs. T[hache]r’s.
    • 14th Clear, some clouds, S. W. Mr. Vose & Gray visited me.
    • 15th Cloudy, rainy, stormy, W.N.E. A.M. read Locke.
    • 16th Clear, cool, N. W. After sch. rode to Boston.
    • 17th Clear, N.W. Mr. T. & Mr. G. visited me in P.M.
    • 18th Sunday Clear, pleasant. Mr. Holmes preached from Galatians, 4, 4, et I Peter, 1, 24.
    • 19th Cool, pleasant. Kept sch.
    • 20th Clear, pleasant. Mr. S. Hamant,5 wife and daughter from Sturbridge called upon me.
    • 21st Clear, pleasant. Kept sch. At eve took tea at Mr. St[edman’s].

    [148]

    • 22d Cloudy, part of the day cool. P.M. studied & wrote.
    • 23d Clear, warm, completed part of a sermon.
    • 24th Cloudy, at eve rainy. Spent the P.M. in com[posing] sermon.
    • 25th Sunday Rainy & misty, N. E. Staid at home, clear, cool.
    • 26th Clear, cool, pleasant. Kept sc. took tea at [illegible].
    • 27th Cloudy, showery, fair spots. Attended exhibition.
    • 28 Flying clouds, some rain. Carried into the library Clarke’s Sermons, Locke’s Reasonableness of Christianity,6 Monthly Review 50. Took out Monthly Review, vol. 51 & Oswald’s Appeal to Common Sense.7
    • 29 Some cloudy. P.M. walked to Boston & returned.
    • 30 Clear, pleasant, took tea at Dr. Tenant’s[?]. October 1st 1791. Clear, very pleasant. P.M. read.
    • 2d Sunday Cloudy, warm. Mr. Holmes preached from I Kings, 3, 9, 10, 11, et Acts, 24, 16.
    • 3d Cloudy, rainy, N. E. Kept school. Tea at Mr. W[yeth]’s.
    • 4th Clear, cold N. W. K. sch.
    • 5 Flying clouds, cool. K. sch. Took ab library Month Rev. vol, 25.
    • 6 Clear, pleasant, Mr. Smith called upon me. P.M. rode to Boston, took tea with Mr. Gray.
    • 7 Clear, pleasant. A.M. no school. Disputed & conversed all the afternoon with Mr. Crosby.
    • 8 Clear, pleasant. P.M. read & meditated.
    • 9 Sunday Cloudy, raw, w[ind] N.W. Mr. Holmes preached from Job, 11, 10, and from John, C. 5, V. 32.
    • 10 Clear, cool, N. W. Took tea at Mr. Stedman’s.
    • 11 Clear, cool, N. W. Took tea at Mr. W[ye]th’s.
    • 12 Cloudy, rainy, W.N.E. Spent the eve in composing.
    • 13 Clear, cool, N.W. P.M. walked to Boston.
    • 14 Clear. Read Monthly Review.
    • 15 Some cloudy. P.M. rode to Medfield with Wyeth.
    • 16 Sunday Clear. Went to meeting. Mr. Saunders preached.
    • 17 Clear. Gentlemen visited me, rode about.
    • 18 Rode to Medway. Took dinner at Capt. Lovell’s. P.M. met a large company there, to pay Mr. Baxter & wife a wedding visit.
    • 19 Clear, cool. Rode to Cambridge.
    • 20 Cloudy, raw, cool. Kept school.
    • 21 Cloudy. Attended Lector. Mr. Holmes preached.
    • 22 Cloudy, rainy. P.M. read Appeal to Common [Sense].
    • 23 Sunday Snowy, windy. Mr. Holmes preached from St. John, 3, 1, & Hebrews 2, 3. Partook of the Communion.
    • 24 Clear, cool N. & W. Kept school.
    • 25 Cloudy. Took from the library Mon. Rev. vol. 55. Slept at Mr. Gannet’s. Spent the eve & morn there.
    • 26 Clear. K. sch. Took tea at Mr. Winthrop’s.
    • 27 Clear, pleasant. P.M. read & composed at College.
    • 28 Clear. K. sch. Studied & slept at Mr. Gannett’s.
    • 29 Pleasant. Studied at Mr. Gannett’s, he being gone.
    • 30 Sunday Cloudy, some rainy. Mr. Jackson preached from Gen., 2, 3.
    • 31st Clear. Tea w[ith] tutors. Eve read.

    COMMONPLACES

    [149]

    • According to your pains will be your gains.
    • A friend cannot be easily known in prosperity.
    • A good conscience is the best estate.
    • A child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
    • Contentment is the best earthly good.
    • Experience keeps a dear school.
    • Faithful are the wounds of a friend.
    • Forget other’s faults and remember thine own.
    • Fortune commonly favors the courageous.
    • Forgive anybody sooner than thyself.
    • Govern your tongue well in company.
    • He who hunteth after fame is an Hypocrite.
    • He who loveth his child correcteth him.
    • In bestowing benefits do not vainly publish them.
    • Justice without mercy is cruel.
    • Lofty hearts like lofty mountains are never fruitful.
    • Try a friend before you trust him.
    • Liberality without definition is profuseness.
    • Malice seldom wants a mark to shoot at.
    • Much may be gotten by humility.
    • Marriage with peace & piety is this world’s paradise.
    • Pride goes before destruction.
    • Prosperity procures many friends.
    • Policy is a near neighbor to cheating.
    • Raise up your genius and exalt your mind.
    • Running into debt often tempts people to lie.
    • Study sickness in health and old age in youth.
    • The first step Hellward is pride.
    • To marry only for beauty is like buying a house for a posy.
    • The comfort of yoke fellows is grounded on suitableness.
    • The rod and reproof give wisdom.
    • Time and tide stay for no man.
    • Truth wears well and fits easy to the wearer.
    • There may be pride in rags and lowly carriage.
    • Temperance is the best physician.
    • Wine and strong drink have drowned more than the sea.

    [150]

    • Wisdom measures time by improvement.
    • Wilful waste makes woeful want.
    • What is done in a hurry is done by halves.
    • A fool is better acquainted with his neighbor’s actions than with his own.
    • Affectation is Nature’s greatest Monster.
    • A frolick if well timed is sweet.
    • After pleasure comes pain and after pain virtue.
    • By praising to instruct was ever the form of great sense.
    • Beauty is no longer amiable than while Virtue adorns it.
    • By idleness and dissipation great evils are produced.
    • By retorting an obligation for returning is ingratitude.
    • Contentment is the source of happiness.
    • Custom is the plague of wise Men, & the Idle [Idol] of fools.
    • Common swearers may pass for the volunteers of Hell.
    • Despise the world and being despised, despise nobody but yourself.
    • Day and night the Gates of death are open.
    • Ever remember that goodness leads to happiness.
    • Fools plead causes but the Wise judge them.
    • Friendship sweetens all the enjoyments of life.
    • Follow peace with all men.
    • Great minds produce vices as well as virtues.
    • Good nature is beneficence accompanied with good sense.
    • He who despises instruction will die a fool.
    • Hope is the dream of him who wakes.
    • Humility is the grand virtue that leads to contentment.
    • Idleness and Sloth eat up our health.
    • Ingratitude is a very great crime.
    • It is a part of a great soul to own a mistake.
    • It is better to go to bed supperless than to rise in debt.
    • Knowledge fills the mind with entertaining views.

    [151]

    • Keep such company as may be improving.
    • Let truth only proceed from your mouth.
    • Liberty is more precious than all gifts.
    • Little souls are the most easily soured.
    • Love is not only blind itself, but makes all blind whom it favors.
    • Men often see truth, but seldom hear it.
    • Mark the man who doth well and immitate him.
    • None are so apt to find fault as those who are guilty.
    • Never try to be diverting without being useful.
    • Nothing is more fatal to health than an overcare of it.
    • No neighbors are more peaceful than the generous.
    • No man can say he has done no ill.
    • Obedience comprehends the whole duty of man.
    • Punishment deferred falls the heavier.
    • Poverty is the fruit of idleness.
    • Personal merit is all a man can call his own.
    • Pleasure and recreation are sometimes necessary.
    • Provide for the worst and hope for the best.
    • Quiet minded men have always peace within.
    • Quarrelsome people are always at war.
    • Riches are a crime oftener than a defense.
    • Knowledge is the treasure of the soul.
    • Money commands all sublunary things.
    • Sincerity is the most amiable title.
    • Sincerity is the brightest gem of Friendship.
    • Some people are busy and yet do nothing.
    • Some people are resolved never to mend.
    • Opportunity is presented to all mankind.
    • ’Tis a hard lesson to learn how to be old.
    • Too much familiarity breeds contempt.
    • There is no security nor safety in wicked company.
    • Learning refines and improves mankind.
    • Use the gifts of providence with prudence.
    • Virtue exalteth a Nation.
    • Wealth gotten by deceit is soon wasted.
    • Wealth maketh many friends.
    • Veneration is due to long established opinions.

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    • The most attractive beauty results from the graces of the mind.
    • Women wanting in beauty frequently seek virtue.
    • A cultivated mind will render retirement agreeable.
    • Subordination is essential to society.
    • Riches have no charms compared to the charms of literature.
    • The student must be desirous of praise.
    • Avoid bad company.
    • Bounty brings esteem.
    • Constant dripping wears away stone.
    • Command your temper.
    • Lost time can never be found again.
    • Delays are dangerous.
    • Emulation seldom fails.
    • Experience keeps a dear school.
    • Fear accompanies guilt.
    • Govern with discretion.
    • Humility leads to honour.
    • Diligence is the mother of good luck.
    • Innocence is a beauty.
    • Keep your promise.
    • Labour brings wealth.
    • Misery attends pride.
    • Never put off till tomorrow what ye can do today.
    • Negligence brings want.
    • Omnipotent is our creator.
    • Promise with caution.
    • Quality exceeds quantity.
    • Riches are uncertain.
    • Sincerity is a rarity.
    • Temtation ruins many.
    • Trusting too much on others’ care is the ruin of many.
    • Undertake debliberately.
    • Wisdom exceeds strength.
    • Who dainties love will beggar prove.
    • Xenophon loved virtue.
    • Youth want experience.
    • Sloth makes all things difficult.
    • Zealously pursue virtue.
    • There are no gains without pains.
    • Money, like manure, does no good till it is spread.
    • Prosperity gains friends & adversity tries them.
    • Excess of ceremony shows want of breeding.
    • By others’ faults wise men correct their own.
    • It is a great point of wisdom to hide ignorance.
    • To err is human, to forgive divine.
    • The prodigal robs his heir, the miser robs himself.
    • Blame not before you have examined the truth.
    • Misery arises from the passions.
    • Let reason go before every enterprise.

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    “Whenever, from the concurrence of extraordinary circumstances, the practice of one virtue is rendered incompatible with another of much higher obligation, ‘tis evident that the inferior must yield to the superior duty.” See Thomas Percival’s Moral & Literary Disertation.8

    It follows from a standard of right & wrong, that an action is either right or wrong independent of what the agent may think. Thus to assassinate an Atheist for the sake of religion is a wrong action; and, yet the enthusiast, who commits that wrong may think it right. Intention & will signify different acts of the mind. Intention respects the effects; will respects the action that is exerted for producing the effect; for example: it is my intention to relieve my friend from distress; upon seeing him, it is my will to give him a sum of money to relieve him. The external act of giving follows, and my friend is relieved, which was the effect intended.

    Instinct is a power of the mind which is exerted indeed with consciousness, but without will and blindly without intention to produce any effect. Infants of the human species, little superior to brutes, are like brutes

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    governed by instinct. They lay hold on the nipple, without knowing that sucking will satisfy their hunger, & they weep when pained without any view of relief.

    Beauty & ugliness are secondary qualities, and have no existence but when perceived.

    Money like manure will always find its level.

    Compact Sentences.

    • Well begun is half done.
    • Rome was not built in a day.
    • Diligence is never wholly lost.
    • Truth is the basis of excellence.
    • A soft answer turns away wrath.
    • God’s mercies are over all His works.
    • A faithful friend is a great treasure.
    • Wonder is a pause of reason.
    • Wonder is involuntary praise.
    • Excess of ceremony shows want of breeding.
    • The first step to virtue is to love others.
    • Men’s manners commonly shape their fortunes.
    • Many men are made poorer by opulence.
    • Small things make mean men proud.
    • Few are made wise but by sad experience.
    • No man was ever great by imitation.
    • Danger & adversity discover true friendship.
    • Quiet carries its own reward along with it.
    • Few things are impossible to industry and skill.

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    • Disguise can gratify no longer than it deceives.
    • Nothing valuable can be gained without labor.
    • The civilities of great men are never thrown away.
    • True wisdom is the greatest pleasure of the mind.
    • Dutiful children are the best gifts of providence.
    • Much wealth does not always bring satisfaction.
    • Too much familiarity commonly breeds contempt.
    • Hypocrisy is the tribute, which vice pays to virtue.
    • Approve not of him, who commends all you say.
    • True wisdom is the greatest pleasure of the mind.
    • Friendship is not always the sequel of obligation.
    • A liar is not believed when he speaks the truth.
    • Every art is improved by the emulation of competitors.
    • Without hope there can be no caution.
    • Waste brings want, and want brings woe.
    • Those that are past shame, are past hope.
    • No one loves him, who loves only himself.
    • He that is never idle will not often be vicious.
    • One vice is more expensive than ten virtues.
    • Catch not at a shadow and lose the substance.
    • Quarrels are easily begun, but not easily ended.
    • Command your temper or it will command you.
    • Those who raise envy will easily incur censure.
    • Little with quiet is better than strife with plenty.
    • They are often caught by deceit, who practise it.
    • Whatever is much read will be much criticized.
    • Whatever enlarges hope likewise exalts courage.

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    Jenyns9 says, that, “to prove the reasonabless of a revelation, is in fac[t] to destroy it; because, a revelation implies information of something, which reason cannot discover, and therefore must be different from its deductions, or it would be no revelation.”

    • Take care of these vices which resemble virtues.
    • Seek virtue rather than riches.
    • To be drawn into a fault shows human frailty.
    • Strive to excel in what is truly noble.
    • Judge of books, as of men.
    • There is none wholly faultless or perfect.
    • Honesty sometimes fails.
    • Forgive everybody, rather than yourself.
    • Never force nature.
    • It is easy to live well among good people.
    • Virtue in theory only is not virtue.
    • Be open with prudence, beautiful with innocence.
    • The hand of time heals all diseases.
    • Spare yourself inmoderate uneasiness.
    • He that has no shame has no grace.
    • A foolish youth makes a crazy old age.

    Sincerity itself will go but a little way towards forming a character of distinguished excellence. Virtue consists in an undeviating rectitude of action, resulting from perfect rectitude or principle; but sincerity falls far short of this idea of virtue.

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    The end of Christianity is by a proper education here to render us fit members of a celestial society hereafter. In all former religions the good of the present life was the first object; in the Christian it is but the second; in those, men were incited to promote that good by the hope of a future reward; in this the promoting of virtue is injoined to qualify the few for that reward. There is great difference, I apprehend, in these two plans: that, in an adhering to virtue from its present utility in expectation of future happiness; and this, living in such a manner as to qualify us for the acceptance & enjoyment of that happiness; & the conduct, and dispositions of those who act on these different principles, must be no less different; in the first, the constant practice of justice, virtue, temperance & sobriety will be sufficient, but in the latter, we must add to these an habitual piety, faith, resignation, & contempt of the world; the first may make us very good citizens, but will never produce a tolerable Christian. Hence it is that Christianity insists more strongly than any preceding institution, religious or moral, on purity of heart & a benevolent disposition, because these are absolutely necessary to its great end; but in those whose recommendations of virtue regard the present life only, & whose promised rewards in another were low & sensual, no preparatory qualifications were requisite to enable men to practise the one or to enjoy the other; and, therefore, we see this object is peculiar to this religion; & with it was entirely new.

    Vide Jenyns.1

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    The Town of Cambridge Dr.

    £

    s.

    d.

    To teaching a school from July 26th 1791 to October 26th

    17:

    10:

    0

    To teaching a school from Octo. 26 to January 26th 1792

    17:

    10:

    0

    To teaching school from Jany 26th 1792 to March 1st 1792

    7:

    5:

    10

    To school keeping from March 1st 1792 til June 1st 1792

    17:

    10:

    0

    To school keeping from June 1st till commencement 1792

    10:

    4:

    2

    To 20s according to agreement

    1:

    0:

    0

    Rec’d of the Treasurer in part of the above account a little after Commencement

    1:

    19:

    9

    Rec’d in December of Mr. Warland

    4:

    0:

    0

    Rec’d in January 1792 of Mr. Watson

    5:

    0:

    3

    Rec’d in March of the Treasurer

    5:

    0:

    0

    Rec’d in July of Mr. Warland & others

    15:

    14:

    7

    Rec’d in August of Mr. Richardson

    9:

    12:

    6

    Rec’d in August of Mr. Warland

    3:

    5:

    5

    Rec’d ditto of Mr. Manning in work

    3:

    9:

    7

    Rec’d Septr. of the Treasr. in cash

    1:

    10:

    0

    Rec’d in Nov of Dr.—

    5:

    0:

    0

    Rec’d in Decembr of Mr. Warland

    9:

    0:

    0

    Rec’d in De—of the Treasr., the balance due

    7:

    7:

    11

    £71:

    0:

    0

    [159]

    Duties of a Clergyman. From Knox’s Essays.2

    A young clergyman, if he wishes to be esteemed by his Parishioners, & to promote their welfare, must take particular care on first entering upon his duty, that he makes favorable impression on the subject of his morals & his sincerity. However young, he must remember that by assuming the office of a public and religious instructor, he has assumed a grave character. He will avoid evil, and the appearance of evil. If he cannot bring his mind to sacrifice youthful follies to the dignity of his profession he should not engage in it.

    The Clergyman, who would be respected, & every Clergyman would be respected, if he would be useful, must preserve a decency of dress.

    He must be affable, but his affability must be tempered with reserve.

    He must be regular in the performance of parochial duty, & pay as much attention to the poor as the rich.

    He must pray & preach with fervency & earnestness, not as if he considered

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    his business, as a job, by which he is to earn a certain pay, or as if he does not believe what he uttered. His eloquence must be forcible, but not theatrical, pathetic, but not affected.

    He must not be covetous, nor very rigid in execting of the poor his just dues.

    He must be benevolent & beneficent in an exemplary degree; winning men by persuasion, forgiving injuries, and teaching more forcibly by his life than by his discourses.

    He must not be a more constant attendant on levees & Courts, than at Church, a sycophant, a parasite, or a profes[s]ed preferment hunter; for we cannot esteem him, who, while he recommends to us the pursuit of Crowns of glory in a better world, appears to fix his own heart on the charms of a mitre, & to love this world, vain & transitory as he describes it, with peculiar ardor & constancy of affection.

    A Clergyman should appear in the world only for the sake of improving it.

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    Of the different accounts of the nature of Virtue, and various systems respecting it. From Smith’s Theory of Morals etc.3

    Virtue, according to some authors, consists in propriety; in the proper government & direction of Man’s affections, which may be either virtuous or vicious according to the objects they pursue, & the degree of vehemence with which they pursue them. According to others virtue consists in prudence; in the judicious pursuit of our own private interest & happiness, or in the government of those selfish affections which aim at this end.

    Another set make virtue to consist in disinterested benevolence, i.e., in those affections only, which aim at the happiness of others, and not at our own.

    Virtue, according to Plato, consists in that state of mind, in which every faculty confines itself within its proper sphere without encroaching upon that of any other, & performs its proper office with that precise degree of strength, which belongs to it.

    Virtue, according to Aristotle, consists in the habit of mediocrity according to right reason; not so much in those moderate & right affections as in the habit of this moderation.

    Plato & Aristotle were opposed to each other in this, that the former was of opinion that just sentiments & reasonable judgment

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    concerning what was fit to be done or to be avoided, were alone sufficient to constitute the most perfect virtue. No man, he thought, could see demonstratively what was right & wrong, & not act accordingly. Aristotle, on the contrary, was of opinion that no conviction of the understanding was capable of getting the better of inveterate habits, and that good morals arose not from knowledge but from action.

    According to Zeno, the founder of the Stoical doctrine, every animal was by nature recommended to its own care, & was endowed with the principle of self-love, that it might endeavor to preserve all the different parts of its nature in the most perfect state it was capable.

    According to the Stoics, every event should, to a wise man, appear indifferent. And as the prosperity of the whole should be preferred to so small a part as ourselves, our situation, whatever it be, after we found by our utmost endeavor, we could not remedy, ought from that moment to become the object of our choice, and even of our desire, to maintain that complete propriety in which the perfection of our nature consists.

    The system of Dr. Clark,4 who places virtue in acting according to the relations of things, in regulating our conduct according to the fitness or incongruity which

    [163]

    there may be in the application of certain actions to certain things; that of Mr. Woollaston, who places it in acting according to the truth of things, according to their proper nature and essence; that of Lord Shaftesbury, who places it in maintaining a proper balance of the affections & in allowing no passion to go beyond its proper sphere; are all of them more or less inaccurate descriptions of the same fundamental idea, according to which virtue consists in propriety.

    Epicurus makes virtue consist in prudence. According to him, the most perfect state of human nature, the most complete happiness which man was capable of enjoying, consisted in ease of body and in security, and tranquility of mind. To obtain this great end of natural desire, was the sole object of all the virtues, which he said were not desirable on their own account, but because they tend to bring about this situation.

    The benevolent system, while it fosters & encourages all those milder virtues in the highest degree, denies them the appellation of virtue. It calls them moral abilities & treats them as qualities which do not deserve the same esteem that is due to what is called virtue.

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    Mrs. Barbauld’s devotional pieces.5

    She observes “there is nothing more prejudicial to the feelings of a devout heart, than a habit of disputing on religious subjects. Free enquiry is necessary to establish a rational belief, but a dedication to disputatious spirit & fondness for controversy gives the mind a sceptical turn & an aptness to call in question the most established truths. It is impossible to preserve that deep reverence for the Deity, with which we ought to regard him, when all his attributes, and even his very existence, becomes the subject of familiar debate.”

    A letter of Dr. Amory’s to Mr. I. Smith6 dated Old Jewry Sep. 18, 1772

    “I would recommend the attentive perusal of Dr. Clarke’s sermons, as stating & proving strongly & clearly the great doctrines of natural and revealed religion; and explaining the scriptures, & applying them with the utmost clearness & propriety. And Mr. Grove’s for uniting the rational, devotional and practical in the happiest manner. My pupils in Divinity

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    I directed, after going through the evidence of natural & rev[eale]d religion given by Wollaston, Clarke, Abernethy, Butler, Lardner, West, Littleton, & others, to prepare themselves for judging of the doctrines controverted among [them?] by reading L’Enfant’s introduction to his &

    Beausobre’s Commentary on the N[ew] T[estament]7 in which you have such a view of the state of religious sentiment, manners, customs etc., of the Jewish & Heathen world, when appeared, as makes you in a manner contemporary, and thus qualifies you to determine the genuine sense of writers which have a constant reference to these. Thus prepared read with care the Gospels and the Acts, either with or without a good critical commentator. Then after reading Mr. Locke’s Essay for Understanding St. Paul’s epistle, & Dr. Taylor’s key to the apostolic writings, to read over in Mr. Locke’s method the Epistles to the Romans & Ephesians particularly, &, when you have thus satisfactorily determined the general meaning & design

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    of these, you will be qualified to judge with some certainty of the different schemes of relig[ion] which they are cited to confirm. And thus with an honest mind and humble prayer to the God of truth for his guidance, ye may attain the knowledge of all necessary & important truths & be qualified to give it to others.”

    Extract from a M. S.

    Some enormous accounts of the fecundity of women. From M. de Francheville.8

    He says, “Egypt, Greece & Italy furnish instances, in the past period, of 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 children at a birth, & Pliny mentions a miscarriage of 12. He mentions an instance of a Polish Countess, in the territory of Cracovia, named Virbessus who was delivered of 36 living children at a birth, in the 13th century. Martin Cremonensius, who wrote the history of Poland, affirms the fact; which I think must be ranked in the class of fables, along with the delivery of the Countess of Henneborg, at the Village of Losdwin near The Hague, of 365 children at one birth.”

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    Bishop Pearce’s inference from his commentary on the Evangelists.9

    “That we may reckon Jesus to have been born on December 25th in Herod’s 33d year, & this will bring us, he thinks, to the truth at last; & Christ will, when his birth is reckoned from that period, have been, in the first or second month of Tiberius’ 16th year, beginning to be about 30 years old complete.”

    When men of distinguished parts & eccentric principles meet the terrors of death, the world is curious to learn how it effected them; whether the near approach of death would produce any change in their minds; whether they remain fixed in their past professions; or whether “new light is let into the soul’s dark cottage,” as the poet expresses it, “thro’ the chinks of its ruins opening wider, at the moment when the battered fabric is tottering to its dissolution.”

    From the life of Mr. D. Hume,1 we have this account of his humour & composure of mind, just before his death.

    He being sensible that his vital parts were so affected, he must soon die, he, at that time, recollected Lucian’s dialogues of the dead, & observed to a friend, that he felt the satisfaction of dying so sensibily, that among all the excuses there alleged to Charon for not entering readily into his boat, he could not find one, that fitted him. He then diverted himself with inventing several jocular excuses, which he supposed he very surely might make to Charon, and with

    [168]

    imagining the very surly answers, which it might suit the character of Charon to return to him. “Upon further consideration,” said he, “I thought I might say to him, ‘Good Charon, I have been correcting my work for a new edition. Allow me a little time, that I may see how the public receives the alteration.’ But Charon would answer, ‘When you see the effect of these, you will be for making other alterations. There will be no end of such excuses, so, honest friend, please step into the boat.’ But I might still urge, ‘Have a little patience good Charon, I have been endeavoring to open the eyes of the public. If I live a few years longer, I may have the satisfaction of seeing the downfall of some of the prevailing system of superstition.’ But good Charon would then lose all temper & decency. ‘You loitering rogue, that will not happen these many hundred years. Do you fancy I will grant you a lease for so long a term? Get into the boat this instant you lazy loitering rogue!”

    In such a humorous, happy, composure of mind Mr. Hume expired. Dr. Smith says, “Nothing could exceed his composure of mind. He never dropped the smallest expression of impatience, but when he had occasion to speak to the people about him, always did it with affection & tenderness.”

    Thus died the wise & virtous man, Mr. Hume.

    [169]

    • November 1, 1791. Clear, pleasant, Kept sch. Took tea at Mr. Wyeth’s, slept in my room, Mr. Gannett being returned, whose house has for the week past been left under my care.
    • 2—Clear, pleasant. K. sch. Dined & boarded in commons.
    • 3—Cloudy, snowed in the afternoon. Read in a book stiled Religion Essential to Man.2 Snowed all night.
    • 4—Snow drifted high. P.M. everything cleared up.
    • 5—Clear, warmer. More study. P.M. rode to Boston, took tea, spent an agreeable time with Mr. Gr[ay?].
    • 6 Sunday Clear, moderate. President preached from 1 John, 3, 7 ver., et from Romans, 11, 36.
    • 7—Clear, pleasant. Kept school.
    • 8—Clear, warm. Took tea at Mr. J[enniso]n’s, spent the eve.
    • 9—Some cloudy, at eve rainy. Spent the eve in reading.
    • 10—Cloudy, S. winds. P.M. read, & wrote a part of sermon.
    • 11—Clear, pleasant. Drank tea with Dr. Pearson.
    • 12—Clear, windy. P.M. wrote.
    • 13 Sunday Cloudy. Mr. Whitney prea. from 1 John, 4, 16, and from Numbers, 23, 10.
    • 14—Clear, warm. K. sch. Took from the library Monthly Review, vol. 56, & two volumes of Baxter On The Soul.3 Took tea with Mrs. T[hacher].
    • 15—Clear, warm, south wind. P.M. did not keep school.
    • 16—Clear, cooler; N. W. Spent the day in reading Baxter, On The Soul.
    • 17—Thanksgiving. Clear, very pleasant. Mr. Bradford, tutor prea[ched] from Ephesians, 5, 20. Dined, took tea, & supped at Mr. Gannett’s. Was very elegantly & agreeably entertained.
    • 18th Some cloudy. Read, dined at the President’s. Took tea at J’s.
    • 19—Clear, cool. A.M. kept school, P.M. read.
    • 20 Sunday Some cloudy, raw cold. Mr. Cushman4 prea[ched] from 2 Corinthians, 5, 20.
    • 21 Some cloudy, windy S. W. Kept sc., at eve studied.
    • 22 Cloudy & rainy. Kept school. Spent the eve in company.
    • 23 Clear, pleasant. K. sch. Drank tea at Mr. G[illegible].
    • 24 Clear, some clouds. K. Sch. Had the offer to read prayers in the church in this town as long as I kept sch., but thinking it might be to my disadvantage refused the offer.
    • 25 Cloudy, warmer & W. wind. Took from the library Mason’s Student &Pastor, Fordyce’s Art of Preaching,5 and 57 vol. Month Rev.
    • 26 Clear, cooler. P.M. went to Mr. Wyeth’s, pack’d up some wood.
    • 27 Sunday Clear, pleasant. Staid at home.
    • 28 Cloudy, S. W. Kept sch. Eve wrote.
    • 29 Cloudy, warm. Kept sch. Eve in company. 30 Clear, some cloudy. Ke. sch., eve wrote.
    • December 1, 1701. Cloudy, P.M. misty. Spent the afternoon in reading & abridging.
    • 2—Clear, warm. Bought a load of wood for 12s.
    • 3—Clear, pleasant. Dined at Mr. Gannett’s. Had some small close [clothes] made for me. Read etc.

    [170]

    • 4 Sunday Cloudy, moderate. Mr. Fiske preached from Colo., 2, 6, and from Psalms, 17, 155.
    • 5—Clear, pleasant. K. sc. Spent the eve in company.
    • 6—Sprinkling of snow, cloudy. Spent the eve in composing.
    • 7—Cloudy, raw. K. sc. Spent the intervals in reading.
    • 8—Cloudy, raw, cold N. W. wind. A.M. k. sc. Dined at Mr. Wyeth’s, with my chum. Cut some pine logs with him, took tea there, spent the eve at home in reading.
    • 9—Clear, cold. K. sc. At eve visited Mr. Winthrop. Ruggles6 visited me. Read some between school.
    • 10—Clear, cool. P.M. went into the library, took out Baxter’s History,7 Monthly Review vol. 58 & perused them. Mr. Chandler visited me, rode with him at eve to Milton to see my classmate Vose. Spent the night with him.
    • 11 Sunday Pleasant, moderated. Rode to Dorchester to meeting. Mr. Everett preached from Psalms, 66, 18. P.M. dined at Mrs. Ruggles’ in Roxbury. Went to meeting there. Mr. Porter preached ab Matt., 5, 21, 22. After tea rode to Cambridge visited the tutors with Chan[dler].
    • 12th Very rainy all day, N. W. storm. K. sc. Took from the library Harewood’s Introduction to the N. T.8 & read it at intervals.
    • 13th Misty, cloudy, breaky, high winds S. W. K. sc.
    • 14th Flying clouds, clear, cold, high w’s. K. Sc. At eve Mr. Crosby visited me.
    • 15th Cloudy, clear. P.M. visited Prof. Wigglesworth. Walked to S. Cambridge, spent the eve at Mr. Foster’s.
    • 16th Cloudy, at 11 a sprinkling of snow. P.M. fair. K. school paid Mr. Winthrop’s note of £5. Spent the eve in [illegible].
    • 17th Clear, P.M. cloudy. P.M. spent in writing letters.
    • 18 Sunday Rained all day. Mr. Holmes preached from Numbers, 14, 24 & from Luke, 19, 42. After exercise the Deacon read his answer to settle as a minister over this Parish. Mr. Tufts visited me.
    • 19—Misty & wet all day. K. sc. Spent the eve in company.
    • 20—Cloudy, raw cold. K. Sc. Spent the eve in company.
    • 21—Cloudy, cold. 10 hr. eve. began to snow. Ke. sc.
    • 22—A.M. rainy, wet. P.M. cold, windy, some snow. P.M. walked to Boston [with] Mr. Harris. Saw few people & did little business. Had a disagreeable time walking up against the storm. Supped with Mr. Harris.
    • 23—Clear, cold N. W. K. sc. Took from the library 2 vols. Harwood’s Introduction, 1 vol. Grove’s Serm.9 & 59th vol. Mon. Rev. Took tea at Mr. Stedman’s. Spent great part of the eve in chat.
    • 24—Part of the day clear, flying clouds, cold. A.M. k. sc. P.M. wrote off some questions in arithmetic for the school.
    • 25—Christmas & Sunday. Mane fair tho’ cold. 12 o’clock cloudy, 1 o’clock fine snow fell. W. West. At night ceased snowing, in evening too cold to snow. Mr. Holmes preached ab Luke, 2, 10, 11, & ab James, 1, 12.

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    • 26—A.M. flying clouds, P.M. fair, more moderate & 1. snow hardly covered the ground. K. sc., spent the eve in company.
    • 27—Clear, uncommonly warm & pleasant for the season. K. sc. Spent the eve in company.
    • 28—A.M. cloudy, springlike though [thaw] rising from the ground. P.M. fair, warm. K. Sc. Spent the eve in company at Mrs. T[hacher’s], & at Mrs. Hi[lliar]d’s.
    • 29—Clear, warm & pleasant. A.M. k. sc., P.M. spent in running about. At eve tutors, graduates, drank coffee at my room, had an agreeable evening. Mr. Gray & Mr. Thacher visited me.
    • 30—Fair, flying clouds, pleasant. A.M. k. sc. Took from the library Orrery’s Life of Swift1 & Monthly Review vol. 42. P.M. attended lector. Mr. Ellet2 preached ab Luke, 14, 24.
    • 31—Clear, uncommonly pleasant. A.M. k. sc. Visited the President. P.M. walked with Mr. Bradford, tutor, to Medford. Visited Parson Osgood & Col. Brooks. Returned, drank coffee at Mr. Crosby’s room. Spent an agreeable evening. Went to my room, read, meditated & reflected on the brevity of time & especially on the shortness of the past year, which measured by my improvement & professional advancement, resembles a moment comparatively speaking. Thus ends the year of our Lord 1791.

      Surely it is in a man’s power, says Wollaston,3 to keep his hand from his mouth. If it be, it is also in his power to forbear excess in eating and drinking. If he have the command of his own feet, to go this way or that, or no where, as sure he has, it is in his power to abstain from vicious company or vicious places etc. Have forbearance, he adds, depend solely upon the will & begin there.

      Priestly4 affirms, that the will itself is determined by some motive, which acts upon necessary cause. Therefore motion cannot begin without the will, tho’ it depend on it.

    1791 AN ACCOUNT OF BOOKS PURCHASED5

    To a Bible 8/s psalms book 2/s.

    0

    10

    0

    To Jenyn’s works, 2 vol. 8 vo

    1

    0

    0

    To Young’s Night Thoughts

    0

    5

    0

    To Hannah Adam’s View of Relig.

    0

    9

    0

    Dodredge’s lectors

    1

    0

    0

    Blair’s sermons 2 vol. 12 mo.

    0

    13

    0

    Lavater’s Aphorism’s on Man

    0

    3

    0

    Hemmenway’s Discourse 2s D. Dana’s 1/6

    0

    3

    6

    Terentii Comoediae

    0

    4

    0

    Brown’s Concordance 5/., Henry on pr[ayer] 3/6

    0

    8

    6

    Harwood’s Intro. N.T. 2 vols. 8/vo

    0

    14

    0

    Annotationes Theodori Besae 2/. Fran. Tuirentino, 2/6

    0

    4

    6

    Jenyn’s lectors on Christianity

    0

    3

    9

    Doddridge’s Fam. Exp. 6 vol. 12s per vol

    3

    12

    0

    Century sermon by Belknap

    0

    3

    0

    Dodd’s Commonplace Book

    0

    18

    0

    Dodridge’s Rise and Progress

    0

    4

    6

    Bible with references

    0

    5

    0

    Family lectors by Knox

    1

    0

    0

    Hopkin’s System of Divinity 2 vols.

    0

    18

    0

    An inquiry concerning Chri[stian] Bapt[ism] etc

    0

    1

    6

    Sermons on the Mode & Subjects of Div

    0

    1

    6

    Christ’s Warning to the Churches to Learn

    0

    1

    6

    Congregationalism Explained

    0

    1

    2

    Lavater’s Phisiognomy

    0

    10

    6

    Alexander’s Lattin Grammar

    0

    2

    6

    Ditto English

    0

    0

    9

    3 sermons by Mr. Emmons

    0

    1

    6

    Wa [blotted]n’s Theological Tracts 6 vol

    3

    12

    0

    Enfield’s Biographical Serm

    0

    3

    9

    Enfield Prayers

    0

    3

    9

    Pain’s Age of Reason

    0

    1

    6

    Wakefield’s ans[wer] to Paine

    0

    1

    6

    [18

    2

    2]

    AN ACCOUNT OF BOOKS PURCHASED

    The following attempts a precise identification of Clarke’s purchases, most of which are mentioned earlier in the Diary. Since several were first published between 1792 and 1795, Clarke must have compiled his list later.

    Bible; Psalms Book:

    Jenyn’s Works: Soame Jenyns, A Free Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Evil, London, 1761; A View of the Internal Evidence of the Christian Religion, London, 1776. Jenyn’s Works were published, 4 vols., London, 1790.

    Young’s Night Thoughts: Edward Young, The Complaint. Night Thoughts on Life, Death and Immortality, London, 1742, and many later eds.

    Hannah Adams’ View of Relig.: Hannah Adams, View of Religious Opinion, Boston, 1784.

    Dodredge’s Lectors: Philip Doddridge, Course of Lectures on the Principal Subjects in Pneumatology, Ethics and Divinity, London, 1763.

    Blair’s Sermons: Either Hugh Blair, Sermons, London, 1777, and many later eds., or Samuel Blair, Sermons, London, 1777, and many later eds.

    Lavater’s Aphorisms on Man: Johann Kaspar Lavater, Aphorisms on Man, Boston, 1790. An English translation of the German work.

    Hemmenway’s Discourse: Moses Hemmenway, Discourse Concerning the Church, Boston, 1792.

    Dana:

    Terentii Comoediae: The Comedies of Terence.

    Brown’s Concordance: John Brown, A Brief Concordance to the Holy Scriptures, Worcester, Mass., 1791.

    Henry on Prayer: Matthew Henry, A Method for Prayer, With Scripture Expressions Proper to be Used Under Each Head, Falkirk, 1790.

    Harwood’s Intro. N. T.: Henry Harwood, A New Introduction to the Study and Knowledge of the New Testament, 2 vols., London, 1767, 1771.

    Annotationes Theodori Besae: This could be the work of the famous French Protestant scholar, Theodore Beza, Theodori Bezae Annotationes Maiores in Novum Dn. Nostri Jesus Christi Testamentum, n. pl., 1594.

    Fran. Turentino: The reference seems to be to Joannes Alphonsus Turretin. The Harvard College Library Catalogue of 1790 has his Traite de la verite de la religion chretienne, 2 vols., Lausanne, 1782.

    Jenyn’s Lectors on Christianity: No such work by Soame Jenyns can be precisely identified.

    Doddridge’s Fam. Exp.: Philip Doddridge, Family Expositor, 6 vols., London, 1760.

    Century sermon by Belknap: Jeremy Belknap was a prolific publisher of sermons, none of which has been identified under this title. It could be A Discourse Intended to Commemorate the Discovery of America, Boston, 1792.

    Dodd’s Commonplace Book: William Dodd published several anthologies, among them Reflections on Death, Boston, 1773, and The Beauties of History, Philadelphia, 1787.

    Dodridge’s Rise and Progress: Philip Doddridge, Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul, London, 1745, and many later eds.

    Bible with references:

    Family lectors by Knox: Vicesimus Knox, Family Lectures; Or Domestic Divinity, Being a Copious Selection of Sermons Selected from the Divines of the Present Century, 2 vols., London, 1791, 1795.

    Hopkins’ System of Divinity: Samuel Hopkins, System of Doctrines Contained in Divine Revelation Explained and Defended, 2 vols., Boston, 1793.

    An Inquiry Concerning Christian Baptism:

    Sermons on the Mode & Subjects of Divinity:

    Christ’s Warning to the Churches to Learn:

    Congregationalism Explained:

    Lavater’s Physiognomy: Johann Kaspar Lavater, Physiognomy . . . , 3 vols., London, 1789–1798, translated from the German Physiognomische Fragmente. . . .

    Alexander’s Lattin Grammar: Caleb Alexander, A New Introduction to the Latin Language, Boston, 1795.

    Ditto, English: Caleb Alexander, A Grammatical System of the English Language, Boston, 1792.

    3 Sermons by Mr. Emmons: Nathaniel Emmons, Three Sermons Preached to the Society for the Reformation of Morals, n. pl., 1790.

    Wa—-n’s Theological Tracts:

    Enfield’s Biographical Serm.: William Enfield, Biographical Sermons, Or a Series of Discourses on the Principal Characters in Scripture, London, 1777, Philadelphia, 1791.

    Enfield Prayers: This might be his Sermons for the Use of Families. The 2nd. ed., 2 vols., 1769, 1772, is in the Harvard College Library Catalogue of 1790.

    Pain’s Age of Reason: Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason, New York, 1794, London, 1795.

    Wakefield’s Ans. to Paine: Gilbert Wakefield, An Examination of The Age of Reason, Or an Investigation of True and Fabulous Theology by Thomas Paine, London and Boston, 1794.

    COMPUTUS PECUNIARUM

    Quas expendi et quas expendum dum maneo in Collegia. Ac causa brevitatis conscribam quam pecuniam domo accipio. Accipiebam et ferebam cum me primo quadrante 4 libras 16 solidos. Primo secundi quadrantis I libram 4 solidos. [These are Clarke’s expenses while in College.]

    Alio tempore C.S.

    £

    s

    d

    Alio tempore

    0

    17

    0

    Alio tempore

    1

    16

    0

    Alio tempore

    12

    15

    0

    Uno anno summa toto

    21

    14

    0

    Alio tempore

    1

    16

    0

    Alio

    1

    10

    0

    Alio

    0

    12

    0

    Alio tempore

    0

    12

    0

    Alio

    3

    6

    0

    Alio

    2

    2

    0

    Alio

    0

    12

    0

    Alio

    4

    0

    0

    Alio

    6

    0

    0

    Alio

    5

    5

    0

    Alio

    13

    6

    8

    Total of college necessary [expenses]

    60

    15

    8

    An account of my expenses from Com [mencement] 1791, including board, necessary & extra expense, clothes, washing, etc.

    s

    d

    For a horse to Medfield

    0

    6

    0

    For expenses, sailing to Gov. Il, for pleas[ure]

    0

    9

    0

    For a gownd of Mr. Packard

    0

    16

    0

    To mending clothes, barbering, etc

    0

    1

    6

    To bowls, spoon, paper, etc.

    0

    2

    3

    To rum, candles, etc

    0

    6

    3

    To horse hire & barbering

    0

    2

    4

    To wine

    0

    3

    0

    To board summer vacation 10 s. per w

    1

    11

    5

    To soling a pair of shoes

    0

    2

    0

    To trash

    0

    2

    0

    To a pair of shoes

    0

    7

    6

    To wine & other articles

    0

    12

    0

    To a pair of gloves

    0

    1

    10

    To two bottles of wine.

    0

    2

    9

    To making a pair of drawers & mending.

    0

    2

    0

    To an entertainment at Mr. Warland’s

    0

    5

    4

    To India cotton for shirting & a pitcher.

    0

    11

    6

    To a close brush, & buckle ditto

    0

    2

    6

    To painting 1/2 of my room

    0

    13

    0

    To 5 yards of Camblet 2/6 per yd & trimming

    1

    3

    0

    To making a loose coat of camblet

    0

    3

    10

    To a right in weekly magazine 3/, to flannel 4/

    0

    7

    0

    To board & room rent in collige

    6

    0

    0

    To crackers, charity, & c

    0

    1

    6

    To a load of wood, cutting

    0

    15

    0

    To board faul vacation

    0

    15

    0

    To stuff for waiscoat & breeches

    1

    11

    0

    To trimming, thread, etc. 6/ & making up 10s

    0

    16

    0

    To a pocket book 4/6 & hair ribbon od

    0

    5

    3

    To a load of wood 10s, cutting 1/8

    0

    11

    8

    To buiscuit /11, to Mongo, waiting 1/

    0

    1

    11

    To candles 2lb.; /8 per lb.

    0

    1

    4

    To knee buckles 6/, crackers etc

    0

    7

    0

    To cleaning a watch 3s, to crackers 8d

    0

    3

    8

    To sugar, butter & coffee, etc. 2/7, to wine 8/

    0

    10

    7

    To a horse a sleigh to Med 4/6, horse to Boston 2s

    0

    6

    6

    To board winter vacation 10s a week

    2

    0

    0

    To board in college 12/6

    0

    12

    6

    To a silk handkerchief 7/ hemming /6

    0

    7

    6

    To pair of stockings 6/s, other articles 2/s

    0

    8

    0

    24

    2

    1

    To tea for two & myself at Mrs. Moor’s

    0

    3

    5

    To saddle & bridle

    1

    10

    0

    To sealing wax /6, hair ribbond /6 toll /6

    0

    1

    6

    To muzzlennett 1 yard, 3/s, to crackers /8

    0

    3

    8

    To a pair of stockings

    0

    5

    0

    To dressing a hat.

    0

    1

    6

    To 2 yds. broad cloth for a coat, £1/10 per yd

    3

    0

    0

    To trimmings, 7/5, to cutting out, to makings

    0

    13

    5

    To expenses riding to Newbury Port

    0

    4

    7

    To chaise to Charlestown 1/6—to horse keeping 1s

    0

    2

    6

    To pies of Mongo, and his waiting several times

    0

    6

    0

    To butter & crackers & for coffee at night

    0

    1

    8

    To a pair of shoes of Mr. Leonard

    0

    9

    0

    To a pair of shoes made on the Castle

    0

    6

    8

    To a pair of black gloves

    0

    7

    0

    To a white pocket handkerchief 4/10, trimming /6

    0

    5

    4

    To half of a horse & Chaise to Needham.

    0

    4

    0

    To ye Apollo for one quarter 3/0—two over /8

    0

    3

    8

    To Princes stuff 6s per yard, 2 yards & 1/2
    buttons etc

    0

    14

    4

    To sundry & other articles of the buttery.

    0

    2

    10

    To wine & other articles at Mr. Warland’s

    0

    11

    6

    To horse hire of Mr. Warland

    10

    6

    To board spring vac., 15/0 before Com

    1

    1

    0

    To barbering. /6 to eggs of /3 man; 2/3

    illegible

    To an entertainment at Mr. Warland’s

    illegible

    13

    14

    11

    24

    2

    1

    37

    17

    0

    To princes stuff 6/s per yd 2–1/3 yds.

    0

    14

    2

    To making up breeches.

    0

    2

    0

    APPENDIX I

    PITT CLARKE’S CLASS OF 1790

    • Adams, Thomas Boylston (1772–1832), of Braintree, son of President John Adams. Representative in the General Court, 1805–1806; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, 1809–1811; Fellow of the American Academy; PBK.
    • Babbit, Erasmus (1772–1816), of Sturbridge. Son of Dr. Erasmus Babbit; practised law in Oxford, Grafton, and Boston; one of the proprietors of the old Tremont Street Theater, Boston.
    • Blyth, Stephen Cleaveland (1771–), of Salem. A “temporary student” entering with the Class of 1790 but not graduating. A publisher in Salem, turned Catholic, and moved to Boucherville, Connecticut.
    • Bowman, John (1771–1801), of Pownalborough. Temporarily suspended in 1788 for breaking Tutor Williams’ windows.
    • Callender, John (1768–1833), of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Admitted in 1787 as a Sophomore.
    • Chandler, Samuel (1766–1829), of Lexington. A schoolmaster in Lexington; PBK.
    • Clarke, Pitt (1763–1835), of Medfield. A.M. 1793; PBK.
    • Crafts, Samuel Chandler (1768–1853), of Sturbridge. Son of Colonel Ebenezer Crafts who kept the Public House there and later founded Craftsbury, Vermont. Samuel was later governor of Vermont and United States senator.
    • Cutts, Richard (1771–1845), of Pepperelboro. Was frequently disciplined for neglect of his work.
    • Dennie, Joseph (1768–1812), of Lexington. Admitted as a Sophomore in 1787. Practised law briefly in Charleston, New Hampshire. Started a journal, The Tablet, in Boston in 1795. Later organized a group of “wits” in Walpole, New Hampshire. In 1801 founded the Port Folio in Philadelphia, which flourished for several years. PBK.
    • Emery, Robert (1773–), of Newburyport, Salem, and Springfield. Did not graduate. He was frequently in difficulties about discipline, and the authorities voted on 7 December 1788, that because of his long absence he be “no longer considered as a member.”
    • Fay, Nahum (1763–1804), of Westborough. Took M.B. in 1794.
    • Gray, Thomas (1772–1851), of Boston. Congregational minister in Roxbury; S.T.D. 1826; member of the Harvard Board of Overseers, 1829.
    • Grout, Jonathan (1763–1835), of Westborough.
    • Hasey, Benjamin (1771–1851), son of Isaac Hasey, A.B. 1762, minister of the First Congregational Church in Lebanon, Maine. PBK.
    • Holt, Peter (1762–1851), of Andover. Longtime minister at Epping, New Hampshire. PBK.
    • Howard, John Clark (1772–1812), of Boston. Fellow of the American Academy.
    • Hubbard, Gilbert Harrison (1771–1803), of Boston. Corresponding member of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
    • Ingalls, William (1769–1851), of Newburyport. M.B. 1794, M.D. 1801, M.D. (Hon.) Brown University, 1813; Professor of Anatomy and Surgery at Rhode Island College.
    • Marrett, Daniel (1767–1836), of Lexington. A.M. 1793.
    • Moody, Stephen (1767–1842), of Newburyport. A.M. (Hon.) Dartmouth College, 1794. PBK.
    • Quincy, Josiah (1772–1864), of Boston. Son of Josiah Quincy, “the Patriot,” and facile princeps in his Class. Gave the English oration at Commencement. Served in the Massachusetts Senate, 1804–1805; in the United States House of Representatives, 1805–1813; mayor of Boston, 1823–1829; President of Harvard College, 1829–1845. PBK.
    • Rugcles, Nathaniel (1770–1806), of Roxbury.
    • Smith, David (1761–1837), of Ipswich. A.M. 1793. PBK.
    • Staniford, Daniel (1760–1820), of Ipswich. A.M. Dartmouth College, 1792. Tutor at Harvard, 1793–1794. Admitted at the age of twenty-six, he was the oldest of his class. PBK.
    • Stone, Micah (1770–1852), of Reading. Tutor, 1794–1795.
    • Sullivan, George (1771–1836), of Durham, New Hampshire.
    • Sullivan, James (1769–1796), of Durham, New Hampshire.
    • Sullivan, John (1769–1819), of Durham, New Hampshire.
    • These three were sons of General John Sullivan, member of the Continental Congress and New Hampshire’s greatest Revolutionary general.
    • Tappan, John (1769–1837), of Kingston, New Hampshire. A schoolmaster at Tyngsboro.
    • Thacher, Thomas Cushing (1771–1849), of Boston. Son of the Rev. Peter Thacher, A.B. 1769. Became minister of the First Parish of Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1794.
    • Thomas, Thomas Ap (1771–1844), of Newburyport.
    • Tilton, Daniel (1770–1830). Admitted to the Junior Class from Dartmouth College in 1788. Became a judge in the Missouri Territory.
    • Trapier, Paul (1772–1824), of George Town, South Carolina. Admitted to the Sophomore Class and regularly in trouble with the authorities.
    • Tufts, Abijah (1766–1815), of Charlestown where his father was a doctor.
    • Vose, Roger (1763–1841), of Milton. Practised law for a time in Walpole, New Hampshire. Representative in Congress, 1812–1817; state senator, 1809–1810, 1812; Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for the Second Circuit.
    • Walker, Samuel (1768–1846), of Bradford, Massachusetts. Rusticated for a year in 1787. Later an attorney in Rutland, Vermont.
    • Ware, Jonathan (1767–1838), of Foxborough. PBK.
    • Warren, Joseph (1765–1815), of Plymouth. He held several Episcopal parishes in Connecticut, New York, and South Carolina.
    • Waters, Josiah (1771–1818), of Boston. A.M. 1793.
    • Wells, Samuel (1771–1790), of Boston.
    • Whitwell, Benjamin (1772–1825), of Boston. Son of Dr. Whitwell of Newton. Entered with the Sophomore Class in 1787; A.M. 1793. Spoke the Valedictory Poem at Commencement and later published some minor poetry.
    • Withers, Francis (1769–1847), of George Town, South Carolina. Entered with the Sophomore Class in 1787 and was regularly in trouble with the authorities.
    • "Wragg, Samuel (1770–1844), of George Town, South Carolina. Entered with the Sophomore Class in 1787 and was frequently in trouble with the authorities. PBK.

    APPENDIX II

    CLARKE’S CRYPTOGRAM

    The cryptogram on page 117 of the Diary reads as follows:

    P. B. Czb Url Ulcxbbzl Iurluvl Ipwb(?) vzg.

    Cryptographers will recognize the difficulties in having only fourteen letters with which to work in a very short passage. My astute former colleague, Dr. David Bishop, was able to determine from the manuscript that Clarke had first begun to write these letters in the clear and then had erased them and substituted a cipher. From the incomplete erasures and with the aid of infrared lighting it could be determined that the two words following “P. B.” were “met” and “and.” From these the next word was easily read as “admitted.” Dr. Bishop then took the last two words to be “bastard brethren.” The point of the cryptogram would be that an unidentified person, “P. B.,” or, if put in cipher, “T. D.,” met with Clarke and admitted that some of his family were not legitimate—a fact well entitled to be recorded in cipher. This solution still leaves some difficulties with respect to certain letters of the last two words.

    My own interpretation is less intriguing. This is that “P. B.” is a faint disguise for “P. B. K.,” the society to which Clarke had been admitted in the previous year. The statement could then mean that Phi Beta Kappa met and admitted brethren who were “bastard” in the sense of not being properly qualified—an accepted eighteenth-century usage of the word. A more likely alternative is that the last three letters of “Iurluvl” are really a separate word, “url”—that is to say, “and.” (Admittedly the “u” is not capitalized as are all the other words, and the seven letters are run almost together.) The cipher could then be read quite innocently:

    P. B. [K.] met and admitted—a-d and—–—t—e—.

    Who are these two? The answer is found in the list of those admitted to the Harvard chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in 1790: Adams, Bixby, Fearing, Harris, Phelps, Pickman, Rice, Stearns, Tucker, Walton, Ward, Whiting, and Whitney. Since one must look for a four-letter and a seven-letter name, each beginning with the same letter, the only possibilities are Ward, Whiting, and Whitney. Ward and Whitney both fit, and consequently the simple solution of the cryptogram seems to be:

    P. B. [K.] met and admitted Ward and Whitney.

    Clarke may have chosen secrecy because these names had not yet been publicly announced.

    APPENDIX III

    A PASTOR’S LEGACY TO HIS PEOPLE

    Pitt Clarke, 1835*

    To the Inhabitants of the First Parish in Norton

    The manuscript copy of the following pages, was found among the papers of the late Rev. Mr. Clarke, sometime after his decease. It was doubtless intended, as will readily be perceived by any one who peruses it, for a New Year’s Gift to his Parishioners; and would probably have been published by himself, had not his very sudden sickness and death, prevented. It contains a plain exposition of his views upon several points of controversy between Unitarians and those styled Orthodox, and presents what the author considered as the scriptural views of the Christian faith and the Christian’s duty.

    In compliance with what was probably the original intention of your deceased Pastor, this pamphlet is now published and presented to you; with the hope, that it may not only assist you in arriving at a correct understanding of the scriptures and in forming within you stronger convictions of duty; but that it may also serve as a memento of your deceased Pastor.

    A NEW YEAR’S GIFT

    January 1, 1835

    Brethren:

    With the compliments of the season, I present you a new year’s gift, which is a small token of my affection for you, and designed to imprint on your mind a remembrance of me, your Pastor. As I approach the common age of man, I am moved to leave with you a written testimony of my earnest desire, that you may all know the truth and be induced to walk in it. To aid your endeavors, I send a printed copy of my views of religion into all your families, entreating you to search the Scriptures diligently, that you may see their conformity to the word of God.

    This I do for your good, and to satisfy the minds of some, who wish to know more fully my views of certain doctrines. My preaching, say they, does not sufficiently discriminate between Trinitarianism and Unitarianism—Calvinism and Arminianism. I readily confess that I have not assumed† either of these names; nor dwelt upon these sectarian points. In all these human creeds† I find some good things, and some not supported in scripture. The good I treasure up, the bad throw away. I profess to be a follower of Christ, and glory in being called a Christian, as his followers were first called Christians at Antioch. I have the example of my Master and his immediate followers, not to assume any name but Christian—not to call any one master but Christ. Our Saviour was not a sectarian, or an exclusionist, in the modern sense of these terms. Though he came to his own people and joined the Jewish church, he made no attempt to proselyte to their peculiar faith. He was sent first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and he endeavored to convince them of dangerous errors, and also to enlighten all of every name, who would follow Him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. When his own people who were set apart as holy unto the Lord, had become so exclusive as to have no dealings with the Samaritans, on the ground of sentiment, he set up the Samaritan as the better man—and exhorted them to go and do likewise. Though I rank myself under no human leader, nor hold doctrines strictly called my own—professing to believe only the doctrines of Christ—nevertheless, I feel it highly important to have a firm belief in all the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel; and am ready to declare openly what I receive as the doctrines of Christ and as the faith once delivered to the saints.

    I confess that I cannot believe in the peculiar doctrines of those called Trinitarians and Calvinists, for I cannot find them in any of our Saviour’s preaching. His sermon on the mount, which contains the sum, and the most important parts, of his religion, says nothing about three co-equal persons in the Godhead—nothing about the five points of Calvin. If it were important for us to believe these tenets, I am persuaded, that our Saviour would have taught them. Instead of teaching any of these peculiarities, he clearly enforced doctrines of a different complexion. He made practical religion the ground-work of his system, saying to all who heard his words, that they must do the will of their heavenly Father in order to find acceptance with Him. He plainly taught, that the doing of the will of God from the heart, is the only way to build upon the right foundation. Instead of teaching the innate total depravity of little children, he took them into his arms as innocent subjects of his kingdom; and when some forbade them, he said, forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

    Respecting his union with the Father, he said no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father. The highest title he claimed was, the Son of God, and he owned God to be his Father. He declared expressly, that there is only one God, whom we are to worship, and him only to serve—that his mission was from heaven—that the works which he did bore witness, that he came forth from God, and that he derived all his power and authority from the great Jehovah, who sanctified and sent him into the world, to do the will of his heavenly Father.

    Having prayerfully and diligently searched the scriptures to obtain a knowledge of their truths, I present the following as the summary of my belief in the essential truths of the Gospel.

    I believe, that there is one only living and true God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him—and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

    I believe God to be an infinite Spirit, spreading the eminations of his Being throughout the Universe—possessing every adorable attribute and perfection—the only proper object of supreme love, adoration and praise. I believe Him to be the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of the world; and that His government is perfectly just, wise, merciful and good. I believe, that He is continually within us and around us, extending his upholding power and superintending care to all beings and all worlds. I believe Him to be the Giver of every good thing, the source of all our blessings, and the righteous Judge of the world, before whom we must all appear to give up our final accounts.

    I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God and Saviour of the world, possessing the same spirit with the Father. Paul says (Col. i, 15.) “He is the first born of every creature.” St. John says (Rev. iii, 14.) He is the beginning of the creation of God. I believe him to be the promised Messiah and only Mediator between God and man. As a Mediator, I must view him as a distinct Being from the Father—for a mediator is one between two. If the Son be not a distinct Being from the Father, we have no Mediator, nor Intercessor with God. For there is no other name given to be our Mediator, but the Son. There is not the least intimation in prophecy, that the Father would be the Mediator between himself and man. A Son was to be given, and the Son of God came in the fulness of time to be the Christ, the anointed of the Lord, to save his people from their sins. Jesus of Nazareth assumed this exalted character, and when he was accused of blasphemy for it, he replied, “if those are called Gods to whom the word of God came, sayest thou I blaspheme, because I call myself the Son of God?”

    He is declared to be the Son of God with power, by his resurrection from the dead. If the Son be the same Being as the Father, then God must have died on the cross, and His death would have caused the destruction of the Universe. For by Him all things subsist. We all must and do make a distinction between the Father and the Son, when we view the latter, as born of a virgin, nourished as a child, reasoning with the doctors, preaching among men, betrayed and crucified, lying dead in the grave—rising from the tomb. I believe all this was a reality—not a mere vision, an appearance of death and a resurrection. I believe, that the Son of God actually suffered, died, and rose again; but the Father dwelt in him—raised him from the dead, and did, in and through him, all the wonderful works recorded of him in the scriptures. I believe, that in him the word was made flesh; i.e. that the word which was with God in the beginning of creation—the same as the energy of God speaking worlds into existence, was in Christ when he took a human body—was thereby in the flesh and dwelt among men. This word was in effect the same as God with us, and by beholding its glory in Christ, we see the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. But, although God dwelt in his Son and did the mighty works in him, still He gave the Son to have life in himself. This Jesus proved to the Jews, by making himself and his Father two distinct witnesses. He said, “I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father beareth witness of me.” If the Father and Son were one and the same Being, then Christ would have been a deceiver; for one Being could not be two witnesses.

    I must, therefore, believe Christ to be only the Son of God, the brightness and the image of the invisible Jehovah, and that in him dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and that through him we have access by one spirit unto the Father. Him hath God exalted to give repentance and remission of sin. By him we receive the atonement, even reconciliation with God: for in him, through him, or by him, God is reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing unto men their trespasses.

    I believe, that God has given unto us eternal life, and that this life is in his Son in such a manner, that all, who yield obedience to his commands, may enjoy it. I believe, that God so loved the world as to manifest Himself in flesh by Jesus Christ, who died and rose again, in order that life and immortality might be brought to light—that all mankind might be put into a state of salvation, and that every one might receive according to the deeds done in the body.

    I believe, that Christ came to make known the offers of salvation, and that he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. I believe, that he is able and willing to save all who come unto God by him, and that there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. I believe that God has exalted His Son to an equality with Himself in the work of Redemption, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess him to be Lord, to the glory of God, the Father. By loving and honoring the Son, we love and honor the Father also. By receiving and walking with the Son, we receive and walk with the Father; for in both there is the same spirit—and they are co-workers in procuring the salvation of the soul. In this work, they are one; and Christ prayed, that his followers might be one in the same spirit and temper—in the same design and pursuit. “Neither pray I for these alone; but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one.”—John xvii. 20–22. In the same sense he that planteth and he that watereth are one—and God giveth the increase. I believe in the agency of the Holy Spirit, which is the spirit of God, working in the heart—convincing, restraining and constraining—producing every thing that is good, giving efficacy to means in regeneration and conversion. I believe and baptise in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: in devout acknowledgment of God, the Father of all—of Jesus Christ, the Son of God—and of the Holy Spirit, the inward comforter and support of his people.

    I believe in the necessity of a new birth, or a change of heart. For, the natural birth gives no idea of God, or of eternity. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh—and sees and enjoys only fleshly gratifications. Children, though born innocent, are destitute of holiness, till they are capable of right affections. When the eyes of their mind are opened to see God and eternity, and the affections of their heart are placed on things above, then the new birth takes place. A new and spiritual world is opened to the view—the affections are raised from earthly to heavenly objects—and the whole man is brought into new and higher relations. I believe, that this change of heart, consists in a change of affections from sensual to spiritual enjoyments—from sin to holiness—from things seen and temporal, to things unseen and eternal. If children grow up without any good instruction, or without setting their affections on things above, as they are taught—and follow only the gratifications of the flesh, then, in order to enjoy God, they must become new creatures by putting off their old man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts; and by putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. I believe that this happy change is to be brought about through the instrumentality of God’s word, blessed and sanctified by His holy spirit. We are born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives forever. A Paul may plant, but God must give the increase.

    I believe, that this change is to be known by the fruits of it, which are good works. He, who does righteousness, is born of God. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, says Christ, if ye have love one to another. For love is the best evidence of a good heart. I do not believe in those conversions, which make men more censorious and uncharitable. Genuine conversions, make better hearts, tempers, and lives; better parents, children, neighbors, and citizens. Such conversions cause their subjects to become more upright, humble and peaceable; more charitable towards those who differ in opinion; more willing to co-operate with all good people, in promoting practical piety. I believe that sudden conversions are not so much to be relied on as those more gradual, which have been brought about by deliberate reflection and consideration. For the subjects of sudden conversions may not know what spirit they are of, till they have time to try the spirits, whether they be of God. The fruits of a good spirit, are love, joy, peace, gentleness, humility, meekness, goodness, faith, hope, temperance, &c; the greatest of all, charity. I believe that there are some good people in all denominations of Christians, and that, at the last day, a great multitude, which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, will stand before the throne of God, clothed with white robes, and palms of victory in their hands. I believe that those who have no rule but the dim light of nature, are a law unto themselves, their consciences approving or disapproving of their conduct—and that they will be judged accordingly.

    But we, who enjoy the Bible, are bound to make this the rule of our faith and practice; and by this Book we shall be finally judged. I believe, that the final judgement will be in perfect accordance with this grand principle of the Gospel, that God is no respecter of persons; but that in every nation, he that feareth Him and worketh righteousness, will be accepted of Him.

    These are my views of that holy religion, which is given by the inspiration of God. I present them to you for your perusal and assistance. It is my earnest prayer that you may all receive them and follow them, so far as they agree with the sacred volume. They are designed to lead you to search the holy scriptures more diligently, to examine the ground of your faith more closely—to prove all things, and to hold fast that which is good. I exhort you, not only to search the scriptures diligently and prayerfully, but to read them connectedly. Much error arises from not comparing scripture with scripture. Different and apparently opposite passages, are to be compared together, and the more obscure parts, are to be explained by passages clearly understood. I ask you to compare my views with scripture, in this connected sense. If at first, you think, that my views differ from yours, and that you can find any passages of scripture against the leading articles of my faith, come as a friend and let me know it. I am willing to be judged by the Bible; for I make this sacred volume the sole rule of my faith, preaching, and practice. By this standard, we must all be judged in the great day of accounts—and we must receive according to the sentence which it shall then give.

    That you may not be deceived as to the foundation of your faith and hope, it is of the utmost importance, that you lay aside all prejudice and wrong prepossessions—and let the word of God have free course in your minds.

    Finally, I add this exhortation, that you put away from among you all bitterness, and malice, and anger, and evil speaking; and that ye be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another in love, and that ye live in peace: then the God of love and peace, will dwell with you.