215 Thomas Hollis to Benjamin Colman

    London September 10, 1720

    Mr. B. Colman

    Reverend Sir

    I have received the letter dated July 5, signed by Mr. J. Belchar1 and your self and am surprised my gift to poor pious students for the Ministry in Harvard College should be mentioned in so publick a manner. I am obliged to the Governor and the Counsel and Ministers, that they should so far aprove it, by sending joint thanks, a Favour not expected by me. However I add my Wish, may it be an occasion to stir up some others who are able, to doe some thing worthily of the like nature to promote the intrest of our dearest Lord Jesus and for the good of man kind in Soul or Body.

    This gives me ocasion to inquire of you Deare Sir whether this assembly, your letter comes from, wil have a vote in the nomination of students to share in my Bounty, or if it will remaine as I proposed by your advice in the President and five Governors of the Corporation and their Successors to nominate the persons that shall have my designed annual gift, after my decease.

    I wrote to you lately, and have not yet had a letter from Mr. Tyler—which I wonder at—if I had his orders now I beleive I should make another adventure this yeare, but I wante to heare from him, before I try a third hand.

    Mr. Dummer,2 I think your Agent, sent for me yesterday to a coffehouse, said he had a letter to shew me, mentioning thanks for my bounty to your College, but had mislayd it, and acquainted me about a College building at Newhaven, which he proposed to my bounty. I could onely answer, I had not heard of it before. My love and servis to you and all our kind freinds.

    Your very humble Servant

    Thomas Hollis

    [Endorsed:] No. 3, received Nov. 19.

    Hollis Letters and Papers, p. 8. Parts are quoted in Quincy, History, i. 527, 529 (App. XXXVII, XL).