260 Thomas Hollis to John Leverett

    London September 26, 1722

    Mr. John Leverett

    Reverend Sir

    In compliance with your and the Corporations Request which you with Mr. Colman made to me in your letter of February last, I now send you my shade23 by Capt. Cary to be put up in your College Hall, and I desire their favorable acceptance of it. My Wife and some others of my family seconded your letter, or else I should hardly have been so vaine as to have attempted it. Perhaps some among you wil be pleased with the Picture for the Painters performance, though others may secretly dispise it, because of the perticular Principle of the Original. Let such know I have read beleived and practised upon Conviction, and which among them who are Thinkers can beleive as they wil but upon evidence, as any Doctrine apears to their mindes till they are better informed. And tell them Mr. Hollis means nothing by all he has done and is doing for your College, but for the glory of God, and good of Souls, by assisting them in their studies of the sacred writings whereby the Gospel of Christ Jesus and the great Truths therein contained, may be wel proved and preached unto others, that by the influences of the Holy Spirit attending their Ministry, men may come to be sincere Christians evidencing it in Faith and Practice, without any regard to either of the three denominations or parties of Protestant Dissenters. To all of such I desire to expres my Christian Charity, as I thought I had fully explained my self in a letter to you Sir when I complied with maintaining a Professor of Divinity in your College at my own Charge, and left the choise among your selvs of a Person to be recomended to me for Aprobation. I know not the man you have chosen, nor have I received as yet any letter from him but on your information reddily assented and I do hope he may prove an able and reddy Instructor of the Students, and do heartily pray the Lord the Spirit may make him useful and very succesful, the tidings whereof wil Rejoice my Heart, and occasion my thanksgiving to God.

    I have desired and repeat it now again that my Ten Students may send me a short performance, every one as he pleases, what subject and what language he chuses, adding, if it be lattin or Greek, I desire it may also be Englished that I may see a little of their Genius by their language and writing, and let each one write under the name his Age and of how long standing in the College, and I hope it wil not be estemed a hardship, if I expect it from them, as an annual tribute, while I live.

    I did hope ere this time to have had some account of your procedings at your last Commencement, with my annual accounts from your Tresurer, and designed to have sent over this season what I am deficient in my Fund for 1722 but seing they are delayed coming as yet, I must Post pone that to the next Spring, when God willing I hope to make it good.

    My prayers to God on your behalfe Sir are that you may be preserved and long Continued a blessing to that Foundation, have Peace in your own Breast, Reviewing the succes of your useful care and Labour among a variety of Youth of different Tasts and Tempers, and that God would accept my Offering and that I may heare of the fruite. Oh that the True Doctrines of our Lord Jesus might spred more in America—while we see Popery and Profanes are so spreading in Europe—to the greife of the Serious and Pious among us in London.

    My humble service to your self and Mr. B. Colman and Mr. Wigglesworth and all the good Gentlemen you may think fitt to make my services be come acceptable unto

    Reverend Sir

    Your most humble Servant and Loving Friend

    Thomas Hollis

    The Painter thinks that the Picture being nailed up a long Voyage may a little flatt the Paint, it being so newly finisht, but after it has been some time hung up in your Hall the Aire may recover its proper Colour.

    Hollis-Leverett mss, Houghton Library.