323 Thomas Hollis to Benjamin Colman

    London June 21, 1725

    Reverend sir

    I have written largely unto you June 7 in my box of books directed to Mr. Treasurer and referr. On the 19th I received your packet by Capt. Lethered at the Coffe house free of charge. I opened it, your Brother being present and gave him your letter directed to him, he read it presently. He had told me before, that he should go to Holland about the 24th, but now he looked very dull, and said it would be a Month longer, ere he expected the arival of his Rum there. Then I told him he might do well to delay, for he was here among his acquaintance, and might live cheaper here, now he knew our manners, then he could do, as a stranger in Holland. All your freinds here pitty him.

    I have presently forwarded away all your inclosed letters, to one and to another as you directed. Pray give my servise to Mr. Wadsworth, and my thanks for his little book,151 and his kind letter of condolance. Dr. Cook tells me Mr. Wadsworth will not accept of the Presidents place, and that Mr. Leverit made £300 a yeare of it, for ten years past, or a better penny Sallary and perquisits.

    When your library keeper shall send me a printed Supplement to your first Catalogue of your library, perhaps it might be of use if you drew out a Catalogue of what books you yet want, and would be most acceptable unto you, if any new benefactions should offer to my cognisance.

    I sent your letter with a Cover to Mr. Cotton at Hamsted, where he lives mostly, for benefit of the Aire. We discorst on his first letter about your backwardnes to accept the Presidents place, because of the Smalnes of the Sallary, considring the manner of your living in it, as was necessary to keep up the Post and Respect of such a Dignity. He told me that this Gift would be a little incoragment to incline you to accept, and a testimony of the respects and esteem he had of you and for you. But in his second letter by Capt. [blank] fearing his first might not be so well understood, he was more explicite, whereby I hope Mr. Sewall and you will fully understand his design and be easy. And possibly he will write again to you in answer to yours which I have now sent him.

    In answer to Mr. Professor, Mr. Tresurer and your own thought, about what I ordred about duplicates of books I have formerly sent or may send, I explain my meaning thus. Where I send any books that the library have alredy, let the best Edition or best bound be kept in the library, the Duplicat be for the Professors closet, if he is not furnished with it; if he is then let it be given some one on my foundation with the Presidents advice—and like as I formerly ordred expresly in Relation to a Bible I sent, for him and to descend to his successor, so do I now expresly order, these duplicates to Remaine to him and his Successors, Professor of Divinity in Harvard College.

    I am glad you have at last received Grav and Grenos works,152 the Donor, I supose to be dead some years, and Mr. Loyd the channel that conveys them to you—as Mr. Leeds or Mr. Ruck &c. through my hands. I do not find a New England Marchant concerns themselvs much if any thing at all about your College or Library, rather accidentally discoraging, saying how Rich, how numerous you are, and able to buy what you want of yourselves &c.

    Pray give my Sympathizing and affectionate service to Mr. Welsted153 under his affliction of the Palsey you mention, and I shall as much rejoyce to heare of his recovery to usefulnes again.

    I wish you success at Boston in raising a fund for poor Ministers and other necessary uses. We have 3 such at London, One for each denomination, Presbiterian, Congregational and Baptist to the last of which I am Tresurer, which is raised by living Donations and Legacys, and an annual collection by the Churches whereby a donation is made to poor Ministers over the Kingdom, and some assistance to poor Students for the Ministry towards defraying the charg of Education. And this we find needfull under our circumstances, as dissenting from the establisht Church. It is and may be useful with you to incourage every good work, but not so necessary for you are the Establishment, and have as yet the Purse and Power on your side—the C[hurch] of E[ngland] comunion are Dissenters in your Country.

    Pray give my Compliments again to the Corporation for their kind acceptance of my past services and my Service to all freinds that inquire after

    Your humble Servant

    Thomas Hollis

    Joseph Collet Esq.—late Governour of Fort St. George in India is to be buried this night, hath left a large estate among four daughters and some Relatives—they say upwards of £100,000, but no bounties to our Funds, or Churches, as I heare of, though he was by profession a Baptist.

    [Addressed:] For the Reverend Mr. Benjamin Colman in Boston.

    [Endorsed:] No. 41.

    Hollis Letters and Papers, p. 63.