January 1, 1846

            Thursday. Cambridge, Massachusetts, No. 28, Divinity Hall. This day I recommence my Diary. I formerly kept one; but have purposely mutilated it. This first day of January, eighteen hundred and forty six, I have been chosen a member of the Massachusetts Historical Society. The number of members is limited to sixty, & there is always a large number of candidates whenever a vacancy occurs, which is seldom except upon the decease of some one. I suppose I am indebted for the honor to Jared Sparks, LL.D., Convers Francis, D.D. & the Rev. Joseph B. Felt.   

             Received a visit from Charles P. Gage, M.D. of Concord, N.H., a native of Hopkinton, N.H. who married Nancy George Sibley, my cousin, daughter of Stephen Sibley, Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum & Director of the Concord Bank, & of his wife Sarah, whose maiden name was Brown, both of Hopkinton, N.H. Mrs. Gage now resides at the McLean Asylum in Somerville, where she has been since 18 June 1845. It was not thought advisable for her to see her husband. Insanity prevails in the Brown family. 

January 2, 1846

 Friday. This morning died James Alexander Monroe, of the Junior Class, aged about twenty four, said to have been from Maine, having a brother a clergyman in Bradford, Mass., where his remains were carried.

 January 3, 1846

             Saturday.  I Received from the author, William Thaddeus Harris, of the Senior Class, Son of the Librarian, a copy of his Epitaphs from the Old Burying-Ground in Cambridge. 

January 4, 1846

            Sunday. Attended worship as I usually do in good weather at the Masonic Temple in Boston, where the Rev. James F. Clarke preaches. In the afternoon Communion Service at the hour when the other churches have regular worship.           

            Rev. Theodore Parker, of Spring Street, Roxbury, having for about one year preached one service each Lord's Day at the Melodeon & having received an invitation to become Pastor of the people worshipping there, entered upon the duties of his charge. The installation appears to have been very simple. A member of the Society, I hear, read the letter of the people extending to him the invitation & his letter in reply & both parties were asked if they still adhered to their propositions; Mr. Parker assented & the people rose, after which Mr. Parker proceeded with religious services as usual, preaching a sermon, however, pertinent to the occasion. 

            [Rev. Ephraim Peabody of New Bedford, formerly of Cincinnati, a native of Wilton, N.H. entered upon his duties as minister of Kings Chapel in Boston [This is an error. See January 11]]           

            I took tea with my classmate Dr. Lodge, who is recently married, attended the evening service at the Masonic Temple and walked home.

 January 5, 1846

             Monday.  In the Library of Harvard College all day, as usual. In the evening attending a social meeting in the Chapel of Divinity Hall, to which Rev. E.F. Taylor or Father Taylor, as he is more generally called, was present. He spoke with great effect, moved by the eloquence of nature.

 January 6, 1846

             Tuesday.  Spent an hour or two at Mr. Sparks's study--saw some manuscripts just bound beautifully, containing among other things memoranda, sketches of forts, etc. during a trip to Saratoga, Lakes George, Champlain etc. also a notice of the Battle of Bunkers Hill by Judge Prescott, son of Colonel Prescott who then fought.

January 7, 1846

                 Wednesday. Examining a Catalogue of books to be sold at auction.

 January 8, 1846

Thursday.  At the auction in Boston purchased books for the College Library to the value of about $110 or $115, among them the Histoire Naturelle des Mammiferes de Cuvier et St. Hilaire, half bound in red morocco, gilt extra 3 volumes for $36.00, & Vandermailin's Atlas 6 volumes for twenty one dollars.

             Returned in the Omnibus. When I was in College & 'till I went to reside at Stow, the only public conveyance was a stage (having straitened accommodations inside for nine passengers) which left Cambridge at 9 & 2 o'clock, & Boston at 12 & 5 o'clock. We think we are now wonderfully well accommodated, when the Omnibuses leave Cambridge at 7 o'clock and every quarter of an hour afterward 'till 11 o'clock in the evening & that they also leave Cambridge at 8 o'clock & at 9 o'clock P.M. & that they leave Boston at 8 o'clock A.M. & every quarter of an hour 'till 8 o'clock P.M. & that they leave also at 9 & at 10 P.M. –fare 15 cents either way, except at 9 & 10 o'clock when it is 20 cents. Besides this, on particular occasions late at night extra omnibuses are furnished. 

January 9, 1846

Friday.  Received official notice of my election as member of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

 January 10, 1846

Saturday. Saw the planet Venus at two o'clock P.M., though the sun shone bright & clear.

 January 11, 1846

Sunday. Walked to Boston & back – heard a sermon by Revd. James Thompson, of Salem. Rev. C. Peabody was inducted into office to-day & not last Sunday. See the ceremony as mentioned in the newspapers.

             Called in the evening at Miss Austin's, an aged blind lady – also at Dr. M. Wyman's, consulting him professionally.

January 12, 1846

Monday. My salary, which has been five hundred dollars and room rent, & pay at 40 cents per hour between four o'clock and prayer-bell (which always rings before dark, which is never later than six o'clock & at this season of the year takes place at half past four o'clock), & for half the day on Saturday, has been increased by one hundred dollars. I generally commence my duties, the year round, between 7 1/2 & 8 o'clock in the morning.

             My first connexion with the Library began with writing, when J. G. Cogswell was Librarian, in my freshman year. I continued to be employed generally in vacations till graduation in 1825, within a week after which I assumed the duties of Assistant Librarian. This office I held till Mr. Peirce was chosen Librarian, then Mr. Folsom resigned the office of Librarian & I discharged all the duties for one month or so, till Mr. Peirce entered upon his duties at Commencement, in 1826. At that time the salary of the Librarian was three hundred dollars, that of the Assistant one hundred and fifty dollars. The duties of the Assistant were to attend to applications for books etc. and he could, during Library hours, if he chose write etc. to the amount of about one hundred & fifty dollars in a year. The two offices & the two salaries were united in Mr. Peirce. There was no Assistant Librarian till the completion of Gore Hall in 1841 & the removal of books to it in July of that year. Since that  time the Library has really been my home in the day time; no lights being allowed in the building. 

            A little incident of interest is connected with President Kirkland's application to me to be Assistant Librarian, in 1825. It was the first time he ever prefixed a title to my name. Not any officer ever gave the title of Mr. to an undergraduate while I was in College; now, even in recitations, when called upon to recite, undergraduates are almost always addressed with the prefix 'Mr.'. Dr. Kirkland overtook me on the bridge when I was walking into Boston, & addressing me with the strange prefix of 'Mr.' (for in those days it sounded very strangely to one, who had, up to the moment of graduation, only a day or two before, never heard himself so called, invited me to a seat in his chaise & introduced the subject of my being Assistant Librarian. Not long before his administration,  I believe as late as that of his immediate predecessor, the rule always was to address an undergraduate simply by his surname, a graduate who had never received any degree but that of Bachelor of Arts by the appellation Sir, as Sir Hayward, Sir Jones; but when a person became Master of Arts, he was called Mr. These distinctions were very carefully observed so that the few minutes before receiving a degree commanded an appellation which was, the next minute after receiving the degree, relinquished, in all quarters for a higher sounding one.

             Dr. Kirkland was very affable, humorous & dignified. He always commanded respect, without appearing to require it by a severe effort. He would say the plainest things in a way to give no offence. He did not allow undergraduates the freedom to sit down in his study, unless he kept them waiting for some time; if they seated themselves, he gave them a pleasant hint to rise. President Quincy was generally very abrupt in his manners though he had much grace & propriety when the occasion required. His memory was poor, as to persons particularly. His first question almost always was 'What is your name?' His next, 'What do you want?' This arose in a great measure from the uncommon energy and business habits which he had. But he was always very candid, very kind to the students in his feelings, if not in his deportment; & during his administration greater equality in deportment grew up between the officers and students than ever before existed. He never requested a student to stand in his study; but always expected him to be seated if he made any stop. Dr. Kirkland never hurt any person's feelings; he was very choice in his use of words, & in his manner very pleasant. President Quincy often hurt the feelings without meaning particularly to do it.

           Passed part of the evening at Mr. George Livermore's. He is a wool dealer in Boston, who has a great taste for curious, rare, & valuable books; & has an exceedingly choice library containing about 2000 volumes.

January 18, 1846

            In the Christian Examiner for January 1846 is an Article by Dr. Frothingham on Hymn Books, useful to a bibliographer.

January 19, 1846

            Rev. Dr. George Putnam of Roxbury, on Saturday, declined the offer made to him, either officially or unofficially, a fortnight since by the Corporation, to become Hollis Professor of Divinity in the University.

January 21, 1846

Wednesday.  Wrote a letter to Alpheus Felch, from Limerick, Maine, a school-fellow at Exeter, now Governor of Michigan, requesting him to use his influence to get a vote passed by the Legislature to forward to the Library of the College a series of everything which has been or shall be published by the State; & let him know how small a representation Michigan had on the shelves of our American department, which is the most complete & valuable in the world.

January 25, 1846

Sunday.  Walked to Boston, attended worship & led the singing as I have frequently, perhaps I may say generally, done, at Mr. Clarke's, where all persons present are expected to take part there being no organized choir.

            Addressed the Howard Sunday school in Pitts Street in the afternoon, where I had been till last spring a teacher for five or six years. The occasion was the death of one of my pupils, Miss Jane Waterman, aged about 40, whose decease occurred on the 21st inst. She had been a member of the class for five years. Three or four years ago another female died from the same class & within the same time another person who had occasionally belonged to it. Miss W. was very intelligent, humble, pious, refined & naturally consumptive. I was most strenuously urged & besought to assume a bible class again in the school. After these exercises were finished, attended at the usual hour of divine service in the afternoon the meeting now held on the last Sunday in each month at Mr. Clarke's where the parents & friends of the Sunday School meet with the children in the Masonic temple, & addresses are delivered.

             In the evening, called at Mr. Sparks's. Henry Stevens of Vermont in a letter to him from London says he has moused out an old box of pamphlets of the time of Charles the Second & not long after, which were boxed up then & have not been disturbed since. He picked out about thirty which pertained to America, among which is The Revolution in New England Justifie' & Eliot's Commonwealth. Of the latter but one copy was before known to exist. He informed the British Museum & that is gathering a rich harvest from what remains of the box. Many of his gatherings Mr. Stevens sends to Mr. Brown of Providence, & they will probably find their way ultimately into the library of Brown University.

             Judge Fay and Mr. C. Folsom were at Mr. Sparks's. Conversation happened to turn on fuel, etc. Mr. F. observed that wood was the fuel in France, that it came to Paris in scows, sorted into sizes as to the sticks, that his cost him about sixteen dollars a cord in Paris, that much charcoal is used in Paris, that it is always carried in bags on men's backs, that a large number of persons thus gain their livelihood, & that probably the government would not willingly admit the introduction of carts. In London it is carried in carts but in bags, & the bags are emptied at once into the cellars where the coal is deposited. Mr. Folsom observed that but little provision was made in the Mediterranean & that people wrapped additional garments around them. Though no post in the north of Africa yet the rains were cold & very uncomfortable.

             Wood in Cambridge is seven dollars & a half a cord. Hard coal began to be used in America about the year 1821. There was no coal burnt when I was in College. Dr. Ware, Senior, was among the first to burn hard coal. Grates were very common in College & elsewhere within five years afterwards, & it is now many a year since there has been one open fireplace in the College in which wood has been burnt. Airtight stoves have been introduced within a few years, in which wood or coal may be burnt. Fuel in Baltimore twenty-five years ago was $3.00 per cord.

January 26, 1846

            Friday.  Books delivered & received this forenoon, at the College Library. This evening walked to the McLean Asylum through thawing snow and mud. Mrs. Gage improving. Dr. Bell showed me a manuscript genealogy of the Dana family from the time of Richard, a French refugee, the first of the name who came to this country and who settled in Brighton, then a part of Cambridge.

January 29, 1846

            Thursday.  Walked to Boston. Attended for the first time the meeting of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Upon reading the minutes of the last meeting, it appeared that I was chosen in the place of Mr. Justice Story. He died in September 1845. The letters of acceptance I found were read before the meetings also. Twenty-five members or thereabouts were present, it being the fullest meeting ever held. They were drawn out by a Report presented at the previous meeting (which was held January 1, because the last Thursday in December happened to be Christmas) with a view to an application to the Legislature for permission to alter the clause limiting the number of resident members to sixty, so that the Society should pass a by-law prescribing the limit, or that the number by an Act of the Legislature might be extended to eighty. The subject seemed to have been argued at the previous meeting, to some extent; & the subject it had been brought before the Society several years ago also. Among the persons who opposed enlarging the number were the Rev. Charles Lowell, D.D., George Ticknor, (late Professor of French and Spanish Literature in Harvard University), Hon. John Davis, (late Judge of the U.S. District Court, now eighty-five years old), Hon. Josiah Quincy (late President of Harvard University), Rev. Alexander Young of Boston, etc. Some of the ideas stated were that the individual responsibility would be lessened – that the wisdom of former members who were among the founders of the Society had been justified by experience – that no Society had done so much and had so much to show – that the addition of members would not bring it much more before the community, for it was already well-known – that the present income, if collected, would bring in about two hundred and fifty dollars annually, which would enable them to publish a volume annually – that some persons would join the Society if they felt it was a working Society in which they could sympathize instead of being one composed of many members who felt less sympathy & but little interest in historical subjects – that many people independent of this idea might decline joining, if it were thrown open to all, who would come in & work with a limited number – that if an application were made to the Legislature to put the number at eighty that there was no security in these days, when all reserved rights were unpopular, that they would not require it to be unlimited – that there was a kind of courtesy or obligation towards those persons who had joined upon the supposition that the number was limited to sixty to continue to them the privileges thereof.

             Hon. Francis C. Gray, Chairman of the Committee which made the Report, advocated that it should be enlarged, by a reversion of the arguments above adduced, etc. The main purpose appeared to be the getting of more funds to print five or six volumes now wanted; but this idea was rather modestly concealed in the course of debate. A great majority voted against the enlargement, though Mr. Sparks, Professor Francis and Mr. Worcester (the Geographer and Lexicographer) were decidedly in favor of it.

             Professor Ticknor stated to the meeting that Gebel Teir, an allegory on the state of politics at the time of the administration of John Quincy Adams, was written by William Tudor, while Charge d'Affaires at Rio de Janeiro, & sent to him to be published incognito. It was so published. When Mr. Tudor died, Prof. F. sent the manuscript to his relatives, telling them the circumstances. They made no reply. When it was proposed at a recent meeting that President J. Q. Adams should prepare a biographical notice for the Historical Society Collections, he again applied to Mr. Tudor's relatives & asked them what use he might make of the secret deposited with him, & since the last meeting he had received the reply "what you please". Accordingly, he now divulged the circumstances. He had considered himself for a long time to be the only person in the secret. But when he was at the house of the British ambassador in Paris, in 1838(?) a gentleman with whom he was not acquainted asked him if he knew Tudor & that he once published a book anonymously. Upon Prof. F.'s replying in the affirmative, the gentleman observed that he thought himself alone in the secret & that Mr. Tudor had given him a copy in Rio de Janeiro.

             Upon examining a box of waste paper, etc. at the book store where I stored books in Boston, I found several memoranda respecting the Sibleys which I had collected many years ago. As a genealogical society has been formed recently in Boston, may it not be well to add to them & see if they may not be wrought into a Table.

February 4, 1846

February 5

            At a meeting of the Board of Overseers of Harvard University, Gov. Everett was confirmed as President of the University, at a very full meeting, & without dissenting vote. Sixty-four votes, all for him.

            Upon returning to my room this evening found a note directed to me, reading as follows:

My dear Sir,

            I have received your kind note of sympathy, for which both Mrs. Sparks & myself beg you will accept our heartfelt thanks. My beloved child was most dear to me, & the separation is like rending the spirit in twain. But it is gratifying to find, that she has not passed away without the tribute of a kind thought from those who knew her during her brief journey of life.

                                                                        Most truly your friend,

                                                                                    Jared Sparks"

February 14, 1846

            Visited the McLean Asylum at Somerville & had an interview of an hour with Mrs. Gage.

February 15, 1846

February 17, 1846

            Most unexpectedly received the following letter:

                        "New York Historical Society

                                                            Historical Society's Rooms

                                                            New York, February 14, 1846

Sir,

            I have the honor to inform you, that at a meeting of the New York Historical Society, held at their rooms in the University of this City, on Tuesday, the 3^rd instant, you were unanimously elected a Corresponding Member.

            The object of the Society is to promote the investigation of American history, by collecting whatever may tend to throw light upon the past, or perpetuate the events of the present period, whether in the form of authentic MS. documents, printed publications, rare and curious reliques, or original essays, illustrating the annals of the country; and your co-operation is respectfully solicited.                                                                    

                                                                                    By order of the Society:

                                                                                                            John Jay

                                                                                    Domestic Corresponding Secretary

To Rev. J.L. Sibley"

            The reception of the foregoing letter was wholly unexpected & I have no suspicion who proposed or moved in the matter.

            Employed in the evening in transcribing genealogical memoranda respecting the Sibleys to be transmitted to Messrs. Wheatland & Phippen of Salem.

February 18, 1846          

            Received from Mr. Young a copy of the second edition of his Chronicles of the Pilgrims with a note urging me very strongly to make an Index to his forthcoming work, the Chronicles of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay.

            Installation of Rev. J.T Sargent at Somerville, the first minister settled in the town since its incorporation. Services in the afternoon – tea party in the vestry afterward.

            Replied to Mr. Young declining his request.

            Learn that Charles Folsom, a native of Exeter, N.H., a graduate of H.U., then Chaplain of the Columbus, then Consul at Tripoli, then Tutor & Librarian in H.U., then corrector for many years of the University Press, & more recently teacher of a private school for young ladies, has been appointed Librarian of the Boston Atheneum.

February 19, 1846

            This morning the coldest this winter, thus far. Thermometer 3º at 7 1/2 o'clock.

            The Steamer from England arrived at Boston last evening at 10 1/2 o'clock. The editors of Philadelphia and New York succeeded in anticipating the arrival of the news via Boston. An express took the news from the steamer, upon its arrival at Halifax, by horse across the land to a steamer chartered for the purpose which brought it to Portland whence it arrived by railroad at Boston at eight o'clock last evening and proceeded immediately to N. York and Philadelphia.

February 21, 1846          

Visited the McLean Asylum & had an interview of an hour, this evening, with Mrs. Gage.

February 22, 1846

            At church in Boston in the morning & at the Baptist meeting house in Cambridge in the afternoon

February 23, 1846

            The last day for delivering and receiving books, this vacation. In the evening called at Prof. J. Chase's, formerly of the Newton Theological Institution; but he was from home; then called on Mr. Moses B. Chase, Chaplain of the Ohio, a native of Newburyport, formerly an Episcopal clergyman in Virginia, where he married his wife, whose maiden name was Joynes. He was subsequently Episcopal clergyman at Hopkinton, N.H. but he was not at home; then spent the evening with Mrs. Dawes, formerly of Baltimore, mother of Rev. Mr. Dawes, of Fairhaven, and daughter-in-law of the late Judge Dawes.

February 24, 1846

            Mr. Sparks says that of his Washingtons Writings there have been published already about eighty five thousand volumes, more volumes by far than are contained in any library in America. The transcripts which he hired made from the original letters & from which he printed he is destroying in the way of kindling fires, etc., refusing to let any one take them away, & saying they would be of no value & would make 30 or 40 volumes if bound & only be a useless nuisance. I told him there was room enough in the College Library, still he demurred. He has not made much by the work, it is so heavy that almost everybody failed who undertook the publication.

            The Miller tabernacle in Howard Street, Boston, was burned this morning. It was erected a few years since by the followers of Miller, of whom there were many in Boston, who believed that the world was soon coming to an end. The building which was one story but covering a large area was put up on condition that it should revert to the owner of the land after a certain time & this was fixed beyond that in which it was supposed the world would be destroyed. After this reversion, the building was used as a theatre & was sometimes called the Howard Athenæum.

            Called in the evening on Mrs. Stevens Everett (daughter of the late Rev. Dr. Abbot, of Beverly), who resides in Cambridge & has a son in College.

February 25, 1846

            Mr. Cyrus Peirce, with about thirty of his female Normal School pupils, from Newton visited the Library.

February 26, 1846

            Attended the meeting of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Walked to Captain Ebenezer Eaton's in Dorchester, where I boarded during six months commencing Dec. 1, 1833 while Rev. Dr. Harris spent the winter in Savannah, Georgia, I supplied the pulpit.

February 27, 1846

            This morning the coldest by three degrees this winter.

Walked from Dorchester to Boston; & in the afternoon rode to Cambridge.

Commencement of the College Term; though there are no recitations till Monday.

President Everett unwell, so that he cannot assume the duties of his office at present.

February 28, 1846

            Received a set of Duane's Franklin from Professor Sparks.

March 1, 1846

            Birthday of my brother William Cullen, born in 1807.

            Mailed a letter as follows:  

                                                                        "Harvard College Library, Camb.

                                                                        28 Feb. '46

Hon. John Jay,

            Sir – I have rec'd your letter of the 14 instant, informing me that the New York Historical Society has done me the honor to elect me a Corresponding Member. I am much gratified with this unexpected notice, and shall take pleasure in cooperating, so far as I can, in the promotion of the objects of the Society. I have the honor to be, etc.

Hon. John Jay

Domestic Corresponding Secy.

March 4, 1846

March 5, 1846

            Purchasing books at auction in Boston for the College Library.

March 6, 1846

            Received a paper containing the Message of the Governor of Michigan to the Legislature respecting my communication & a similar one from the N. Y. Historical Society in relation to their public documents for the Harvard College Library & that of the New York Historical Society.

March 7, 1846

            Went to Boston & with Mr. Sparks examined a chest of pamphlets to be sold at auction. Within two years a remarkable interest has arisen in relation to early historical pamphlets on America & they now command almost incredible prices.

            Made a catalogue of the 73 volumes of modern books bought on the fifth for less than 70 dollars, though one fifth of them were valuable quartos & but few of them were smaller than the octavos; all in good condition & good books.

March 8, 1846

            Snowy morning. Heard Mr. Bartol, of Boston, preach at the College Chapel in the morning & Mr. Peabody, of Portsmouth, N.H., at Mr. Newell's in the afternoon.

March 10, 1846

            Attended auction, in Boston, for the College. Bought Wynne's Avalon for 75 cents. Johnson's Wonder-Working Providence was bought by C.G. Deane, for $10.75. Norton's Life of Cotton sold for eight dollars. Wynne is printed sometimes as an Addition to Whitbourne's Newfoundland.

March 15, 1846

            Bluebirds sing. Attend church in Boston.

March 16, 1846

            Election of Class Officers by the Seniors. Much excitement & two parties, the members of the Hasty-Pudding Club having controlled the elections for several years. The meeting began at 2 1/2 o'clock, P.M. & though continued till after prayer time (5 1/2 o'clock), it was adjourned till to-morrow.

March 17, 1846

            Mary Wheeler, daughter of Professor Noyes, aged about 16, died this morning, tubercles on the brain. Dr. Noyes lost a child a year or two ago by its falling out of a chamber window.

            At the election yesterday, according to the best information I have obtained, Child was chosen class orator, Swan, poet, Lane and Hall, odists, or writers of the odes for class day, and Ropes, Chaplain.

After this came the choice of officers for the Navy Club. The Navy Club includes all of the Senior Class who have not had a part at any exhibition. The Lord High Admiral is generally chosen because he has been sent off the most times by the Faculty or has been away the longest absent more during his College course than any other member of the class & is rather a wild fellow & popular. The principle on which elections are made is not always strictly carried out though there is a pretense that it is. Homans, of Boston, was chosen Lord High Admiral & Perry of Exeter, N.H., Vice Admiral. The Rear Admiral is generally chosen because he is the laziest person in the class. The Commodore was Cunningham. The standard bearer is generally the tallest one though [ ? ] is said to be not quite so tall as the Lord High perhaps not on the present occasion. To this office Morris was appointed. The person who swears the most is generally the Navy Club Chaplain. The Surgeon is generally selected because he has a fondness for surgery. His name was Osgood. Dupont, who graduated in 1845 at Delaware College, was Captain. A short thick student, Skinner, was boatswain. Horsemarines are those persons who have a minor part but have no major part, that is such members of the class as have a translation before the three last exhibitions in which the Class has parts (these three last exhibitions consisting, so far as the Seniors are concerned, entirely of original parts) but have no part in these exhibitons. but have no part in these three exhibitions. Marines have a major but no minor part. The drum major is one of the aristocratically-feeling members of the class. Last year, there was a powder monkey.

            As soon as the regular class officers are chosen, & this is conducted with propriety, the election of Navy Club Officers commences; & then wit, humor, & noise soon become the order of the day. In the afternoon, after all officers are chosen, the members of the class, including both the Navy Club and the others, form in procession, under the direction of the Lord High. They dress in various costumes. Lord High wore a military cap with a plume bent over in front, buckskin breeches, or shorts as they are sometimes called. Six of the class had drums which they beat as they marched. The chaplain wore a very large ugly-looking white wig & a gown. The surgeon got a very short legged, stubborn horse, such a strange looking creature perhaps as was never known before this one came into existence, & dressed in uniform, mounted him with a skull in one hand & rode in the procession. Each who had a part regularly at the exhibitions, alias the digs so called, had a spade which he carried, & the best scholar, Child carried one of double the ordinary size. The Rear Admiral, Stearns, pretended to be so lazy that he could not walk in the procession, accordingly a horse & wagon were procured, a chair & a bed put into the wagon, & he reclined with great composure, as a negro servant led the horse. When called upon to address the class he overcame his vis inertiae so far as to say a few words the negro holding the hat just above his head because he was too lazy to hold it himself & when he became fatigued with speaking he desisted and the negro was obliged to finish the speech for him.

            Soon after 4 o'clock this procession proceeded went from the front of Holworthy Hall, gave cheers in front of each Hall or building in the College Yard, went & cheered "Wood and Hall," grocers [Wooden Hall], & then proceeded to each Professor's dwellings cheering (except to Dr. Noyes whom they regarded on account of his affliction), showing somewhat the popularity of the different Professors by the different number of cheers which they gave. The Professors did not appear in the College Yard or at their own houses. After the march was over, the Class went to Porter's tavern, about a mile from the College on the West Cambridge road, & took supper. There were perhaps eight or ten persons who did not join in the movement. Each person seemed disposed to sustain his assumed character in the best possible manner, & the whole affair went off with very little noise or boisterousness. The main object seemed to be fun, & fun there was in its kind though not such fun perhaps as people of maturer years or refinement, etc. would prefer.

            The hour for College prayers in the afternoon changed from 5 ½ o'clock to six o'clock.

March 19, 1846

            Funeral of Mary Wheeler Noyes at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Prayer made by Rev. Dr. Francis.

March 21, 1846

            In the evening visited the McLean Asylum. Mrs. Gage better, though still exhibiting marks of insanity. She informed me that my Aunt Ward, of Bradford, N.H. died last May or June, having suffered much, even as to her person, from neglect.

March 22, 1846

            At church in Boston in the morning. In his Sermon, Mr. Clarke observed that if our Savior were to appear on earth his sermons would be criticised, he would be considered a very good "moral" preacher; but there would be many churches in which he would not be allowed to preach, because he was not "orthodox" enough, did not dwell enough on the Atonement, Total Depravity, etc. The remark is true, if we are to judge exclusively by the words which he himself uttered.

            In the afternoon heard Rev. E. Peabody, at the College Chapel, deliver a beautiful sermon on the resurrection. He wrote one of the hymns at my ordination at Stow, 14 May, 1829 & S.G. Bulfinch the other.

March 24, 1846

            There has been for many years a social religious meeting among the Theological Students, held in Divinity Hall, on Monday evenings, in term time. This week it was Tuesday evening. Mr. George G. Channing was present from Boston, & spoke very ably to the Students on being imbued themselves with the Christian spirit which they are to preach. He is brother of the late Rev. Dr., & the present Professor Channing. He was for many years an auctioneer, & when he became interested in religious subjects, some six or eight years since, most persons were incredulous as to his sincerity. But his consistency & continually increasing earnestness & zeal have silenced suspicions & led the community to regard him as one of the most useful, faithful & sincere of Christian laymen. He originated the Christian World, having been from the commencement of it, editor & proprietor, never having received a liberal education. He was desirous of bringing an influence to bear upon the community which should partake more of the heart & feelings, & be less intellectual (if either was to be yielded) than any paper seemed to produce.

March 28, 1846

            The excitement in Boston caused by the trial of Albert J. Tirrell for the murder of Mrs. Bickford has been brought to a close by the verdict of Not Guilty. The apparently novel ground of Somnambulism was introduced and strongly urged in his defence; but the jury acquitted him, without even mentioning Somnambulism in their consultation. The tone of public sentiment is such in regard to capital punishment that it is very difficult to convict a person  for a capital offence; & when such a conviction takes place, public sentiment demands a commutation to imprisonment for life. General opinion is that Tirrell is guilty; but it would have been unreasonable to have convicted him, upon the evidence adduced.

March 30, 1846

             President Everett, having moved into the old Presidential mansion, in the latter part of last week, assumed all the duties of his new office, &, this morning after the prayers in the College Chapel were ended, he made an address to the students, fifteen or twenty minutes long.

            The charter of a city for Cambridge was accepted by the inhabitants, by a vote of 645 to 224. There are about 1800 voters in Cambridge. 

            It is a singular circumstance that the practical commencement of Mr. Everett's administration & the acceptance of the City Charter should be upon the same day.

April 1, 1846

            April Fool's Day. The custom of calling people's attention to some object, which in reality does not exist, & of deceiving them on this day, has in a great degree gone into disuse among the more intelligent members of society.

             For many days have been cataloguing pamphlets and books received at the College Library. The title of each pamphlet is entered as minutely as that of the most valuable book. Pamphlets are the most valuable part of a Library, which has reference to posterity.

April 2, 1846

             Fast-day. Operation for a hydrocele caused probably by a kick from an angry schoolfellow, at Phillips Exeter Academy, more than twenty-five years ago. Sat up two hours towards night -- also all day April 3d. 

April 4, 1846

            At the College Library all day. Returned in the evening in great pain; the injection of iodine having produced, by this day's exercise, the desired inflammation.

April 6, 1846

             The hour of College morning prayers altered from 7 to 6 o'clock.

  April 7, 1846

             Wrote a letter while lying on my back. 

April 12, 1846

             Having laid in bed ever since the evening of the 4^th, part of the time suffering great pain, I sat up to-day two hours, between one & three o'clock, also from 5 1/2 P.M. till 9 o'clock. The students in Divinity Hall who have known of my sickness have been as kind as possible; still Dr. Wyman says a College room is not the place for a person to be sick in, & in future he means to have patients, when they can do no better, moved to his own house.

April 13, 1846

             Rose about 7 o'clock A.M., retired about the usual hour 10 P.M. having laid down only about two hours during the day. Began Dickens's Master Humphreys Clock.        

The Town Clerk of Union, Maine, sent P.C. Harding, of Union, who took the first two volumes of the Town Records, which I have had since September last, with a view to preparing Sketches of Union.

            The first meeting of the inhabitants of Cambridge since the adoption of the their city charter. Rev. James D. Green, a native of Malden, settled in the ministry at Lynn, subsequently at East Cambridge, & for the last two years or so a resident of Old Cambridge & who has been two or three sessions a Representative in the Massachusetts Legislature, was elected Mayor.

April 15, 1846

             Finished Dickens's interesting novel. 

April 16, 1846

             Walked to Gore Hall etc. towards night – the first day I have crossed the threshold of my room since April 4^th. 

April 18, 1846

            Spent all day at the College Library. In the afternoon the company which was most interesting consisted of a party viz. Rev. Moses B. Chase, Chaplain of the Ohio, formerly an Episcopal clergyman at Hopkinton, N.H., with his wife whose maiden name was Joynes, whom he married while a clergyman in Virginia; –  Mrs. Thatcher of Mercer, Maine, widow of Judge Eben Thatcher & Mrs. Holmes, widow of John Holmes, late U.S. Senator from Maine & previously widow of Swan, both daughters of Gen. Henry Knox, of Thomaston, Maine, the distinguished commander of the artillery in the Revolutionary War; & Lieutenant Thacher of the U.S. Navy commanding the Ohio, son of widow Thatcher, with his wife. The daughters of General Knox of course arrested my attention particularly – ladies of great refinement & propriety of deportment & grace. After spending two or three hours in looking at the curiosities, getting a glimpse of the Mastodon which is partly put up in the mineral room & seeing the only book the College Library contains which was printed for General Knox while he was a bookbinder in Boston before he joined the army, we went to Mr. Chase's where we took tea together.

             Received Curwen's Journal from the Editor. 

April 19, 1846

            Sunday. In my room & on my bed part of the day. 

April 22, 1846

            Wednesday. Rode to Boston & back. Stage-fare raised from 15 to 20 cents. Purchased books at auction for the College Library. 

April 23, 1846

            Thursday. At Auction again in Boston. Books almost thrown away. – Called on several publishers, etc. of the "Orthodox" denomination, who seem quite pleased with the idea of sending pamphlets, etc. gratuitously to the College Library. Received such gifts with assurances of more from N. Willis (father of N. P. Willis), former editor of the Boston Recorder, Martin Moore, present Editor, B. Perkins, bookseller, etc.  etc. Order of Procession for the Inauguration published in newspapers.

 April 27, 1846

             Monday. At Mr. G. Livermore's – saw a notice calling a meeting at the Liberty Tree in Boston to hear the resignation of A. Oliver, Stamp Distributor, in these words:

 
"St-p!   St-p!   St-p!   No:

 
"Tuesday – Morning, December 17, 1765.

The True-born Sons of Liberty, are desired to meet under Liberty-Tree, at XII o'Clock, This Day, to hear the public Resignation, under Oath, of Andrew Oliver, Esq; Distributor of Stamps for the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay.

"A Resignation? Yes."

                                                                                                 "MY. Sec'y"

  The "My. Sec'y" was put upon the notice with a pen, though it may have designated something which was understood among the Sons of Liberty. Oliver was obliged to resign. The Liberty tree stood near the head of Essex Street, in Washington Street, nearly opposite Boylston Street, & was cut down by the British during the siege of Boston. The British associations with it were not very agreeable probably, as it was the rallying place of the rebels.

             Not being able to attend church yesterday, I composed within twenty-four hours from the time I first had an intention of doing it, the following lines, in view of the approaching inauguration. More time would have made them better. A person must practise to write well and I have not often been guilty of practising poetry. Still they may amuse me hereafter.

 
            Amid the forest-wild, beneath

The azure dome of the God above,

An altar here our fathers raised

To Learning, Liberty, and Love.

 
            This holy place, endeared by toil,

And tears, and prayers, the children claim –

They are but one, though scattered wide;

But one—the beating heart the same.

The sylvan shades and classic halls,

The walks, the graves, the absent, dead,

And guides in youth – a numerous host—

And heroes who for freedom bled: –

How fast they rise – how strong they bind

Each heart to heart and mind to mind.

            Around this hallowed spot we come,

And welcome on the swelling tide

Our Alma Mater's favorite child

The feet of rising sons to guide.

O God! This sacred season bless.

The heart is full.  The season bless,

            And grant that we the armor bear

Of Christian love and Christian power,

And, faithful to the altar raised

Beneath Thy dome, in peril's hour

Stand forth like champions from above

And wield the sceptre of Thy love.

 
             Everything seems to give note of preparation for the approaching Inauguration. Marshals are chosen by the Theological & Law students & the several classes of undergraduates & meet Colonel George T. Bigelow, the Chief Marshal to make arrangements. The appearance of students about the College is rather that of students on holidays than in term time. The order as published in newspapers reads thus:

 "Inauguration of President of Harvard College.

 The inauguration of Hon. Edward Everett, LL.D., as President of Harvard College will take place on Thursday, the 30^th day of April, with appropriate ceremonies, in the First Church in Cambridge.

Invited guests, and other persons designated in the order of procession, will assemble at Gore Hall, which will be opened at 10 o'clock, A.M. At 11 o'clock, a procession will be formed, in the following order:

 Undergraduates in the Order of the Classes.

Resident Graduates & members of the Divinity and Law Schools.

Librarian with the College Seal and Charter.

Steward with the College Keys.

Members of the Corporation.

Professors & all other Officers of Instruction & Government in the University

Ex-President Quincy & former Members of the Corporation.

Ex-Professors.

Sheriffs of Suffolk and Middlesex

His Excellency the Governor and the President Elect.

The Governor's Aids.

His Honor the Lieutenant Governor & the Adjutant General

The Honorable and Reverend Overseers.

Trustees of the Hopkins Fund.

Committee of the Boylston Medical Prize Questions.

Committees of Examination for the present year.

Guests specially invited.

Presidents & Professors of other Colleges in New England.

Professors in Theological, Law, & Medical Schools in Massachusetts

Judges of the State and United States Courts.

Other Officers of those Courts.

Secretary and Treasurer of the Commonwealth.

Members of the House of Representatives.

Mayor, Aldermen, President of the Common Council, & late Selectmen of Cambridge

Town Clerk, and Treasurer of Cambridge

Alumni of the College.

The church will be opened, for the admission of Ladies only, to the galleries, at 10 o'clock A.M.

           After the ceremonies in the church, the Procession will again be formed at Gore Hall, and proceed thence to Harvard Hall, where a dinner will be provided.

                                                                         "George Tyler Bigelow, Chief Marshal"

 April 29, 1846

             The Summer House of Rev. John G. Palfrey, D.D., LL.D., Secretary of the Commonwealth, which stood a short distance beyond his house north of Divinity Hall was burned last night, the fire breaking out about 11 3/4 o'clock. It was built of parts of the old pulpit of the Rev. Dr. Osgood's meeting-house in Medford. The great pulpit window, with its pilasters was the back of the summer house & the sounding board the roof, the first sermon ever preached under the sounding board was by the celebrated George Whitefield who officiated at the dedication of the church.  This 'tis said is the first fire which has ever happened "in the City of Cambridge."

            The meeting house in Cambridge in which Whitefield preached & Washington worshipped when his head-quarters were in Cambridge, in which Commencements were held during its existence, was taken down when the present meeting-house was erected on the Southside of the old burial ground. The old church stood south of Dane Hall & crowded upon Harvard Street. The summer house was set on fire.

             An attempt was made last Saturday night & another last night to burn Massachusetts Hall by building fires against the doors in the lower story.

             Among the waggish manoeuvres a notice was put upon the advertising board a few days ago requesting all the students to carry the keys of their doors to the Steward's office to-day as he would want them to carry them in the procession to-morrow to the Inauguration.

 April 30, 1846

            Cambridge has been buried with dust for many days as deep as at anytime in summer. Last evening it began to rain & this morning rain fell in torrents. Still the violence of it did not last long, though through the day there were occasional showers, & it was cloudy. The procession went at the hour appointed, from Gore Hall south door, & passed up on the west side of the building then by the South & West sides of University Hall to Holworthy east entry, then to Stoughton, passing on the East of that & of Hollis till it came opposite to the gate between Massachusetts & Harvard Hall where it passed to the meetinghouse, & when the head of the procession had reached the meeting house the rear was leaving Gore Hall. No part of the procession opened but all went in in the order announced, were counted off, & packed as it were, in the pews, so that no vacant seat should exist. No persons had previously been admitted to the lower floor, ladies had filled the gallery, the President had the privilege of giving as many passes as he chose to his friends to go to the front of the gallery which was barred off & each officer had two passes, though the officers themselves & others generally admitted that this indulgence to themselves was unjust & not to have been granted. The house was thronged, so that people stood in filled the aisles during the exercises.

            With the exception of the voluntary, which was through an oversight of the Marshal omitted, the exercises took place according to the following printed specification:

 
"Order of the Day

at the

Inauguration of Hon. Edward Everett, LL.D.

as

President of Harvard University,

in the

First Church in Cambridge, April 30, 1846.

Voluntary, by the Choir.

Prayer, by the Rev. Dr. Walker.

Address and Induction into Office, by His Excellency Governor Briggs.

Reply, by President Everett.

Oration in Latin, by George Martin Lane, of the Senior Class.

Hymn

In pleasant lands have fallen the lines

  That bound our goodly heritage, 

And safe beneath our sheltering vines

  Our youth is blest, and soothed our age.

What thanks, O God, to thee are due,

The toils they bore our ease have wrought,

  They sowed in tears,—in joy we reap;

The birthright they so dearly bought

  We'll guard, till we with them shall sleep.

The kindness to our fathers shown,

  That thou didst plant our fathers here;

And watch and guard them, as theygrew,

  A vineyard to the planter dear.

  In weal & woe, through all the past,

Their grateful sons, O God, shall own,

  While here their names & race shall last.

Inaugural Address, by President Everett

Prayer, by the Rev. Dr. Francis

Doxology

"From all that dwell below the skies,

Let the Creator's praise arise:

 Let the Redeemer's name be sung

Through every land, by every tongue.

Eternal are thy mercies, Lord,

Eternal truth attends thy word;

Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,

Till suns shall rise and set no more.

Benediction"

 
            The hymn, which was composed by Rev. Dr. Flint of Salem, was not original, but selected from a Hymn Book. The music was by the Misses Garcia of Boston.

             Order was so well established that the exercises began about twenty minutes past eleven. They continued till about 1:40 P.M. The President's address was about one & a half hours long. An analysis of it or a minute account of the exercises is unnecessary, as the Address will probably be published & the newspapers give all the details of the occasion. There was but one general enthusiastic feeling, that Mr. Everett was the man for the place & the expectations of the audience were in every respect fully realized. Nothing more could have been desired. If rain had not fallen hundreds or thousands must have gone away. As it was indifferent, & the fashionable devotees to public occasions were not numerous, while those persons who were eager to hear had an opportunity, & the audience was remarkable for its intelligent, manly & noble appearance.

             At the close of the services the concourse dispersed, & at two o'clock the procession formed again at Gore Hall & proceeded to Harvard Hall where they sat down to a table from which for the first time on a public occasion at the University ale, stimulating drinks, even to wine, were excluded, President Everett taking a strong stand against them. The Presidents of Bowdoin & Amherst Colleges were present & Professor Silliman, of Yale College, etc. The dinner passed off admirably, there was eloquence, humor, wit, poetry & virtue.

             At 6 o'clock the President received company & his house was literally jammed with the crowd. When one had entered it was almost impossible to get out. Refreshments of a most liberal kind, without wine, were provided, many met who will never meet again; & notwithstanding the uncomfortable pressure, everyone seemed delighted in consequence of the satisfaction of the occasion which had called so many together & the charm which seemed to be spread over all the Levee circle. —

             At 8 o'clock the illumination commenced. The clouds & rain had passed away, a small moon hung in the western sky & all at once as it were, probably more than 10,000 lights shone forth from the Halls of Massachusetts, Harvard, Hollis, Stoughton, Holworthy & the University Hall & during the illumination which continued nearly one hour, rockets were continually discharged. A transparency in front of University Hall on the arched windows showed the words "Welcome Everett" one above the other & below was "1846" & on the end of the front were two crosses. In the highest north windows of Massachusetts was "Dunster 1640". "Harvard 1636" stood forth on the upper windows south side of Harvard. Hollis on the East side, 3^rd story, had "James Walker" & on the lower story "Excelsior". The third story, east side of Stoughton, had "Kirkland", & dark on a dark ground in No. 24 were "Story" & "Ware" in one window.  In the 3^rd story of Holworthy "Josiah Quincy 1829" made a brilliant and very imposing appearance. Where names were not exhibited the windows were filled with brilliant lights. The band for the day played during the illumination & fire works on the north steps of University Hall, & the boys & perhaps some students were giving great annoyance by the discharge of vast numbers of fire crackers. When the illumination was at an end, a variety of beautiful pyrotechnic exhibitions took place. People went home satisfied & delighted with the day & the occasion, notwithstanding the fatigue & the multitude of annoyances to which they were subjected.

May 4, 1846

             The first organization of the City Government of Cambridge took place this forenoon. During the recent session of the Legislature two cities & those contiguous to Boston have been incorporated, viz. Cambridge & Roxbury, before which the only cities in Massachusetts were Boston, Salem & Lowell.

             In the evening walked to the McLean Asylum in Somerville. Dr. Bell says Mrs. Gage has not improved materially since the first of January; that he wrote to her husband to that effect, stating that she had improved since she entered the Hospital, that the delusions she now labored under were entirely from those she experienced at first & that he thought it might produce some effect if she were to go home & revive old associations & experience a change of scene. Dr. Gage came on the 29^th ult. & she returned with him on the 30^th. During the last twenty four hours before her departure she was in the house part of the Asylum; but did not seem to improve as much by being with sane persons as might have been hoped, indeed the disease seemed to develop itself somewhat more. Her case must be considered a sad one I think.

 May 5, 1846

             College exhibition to-day. The Library had many visitors, as usual, though it was not by any means thronged.

 May 6, 1846

             Went to Boston for the purpose of attending a book auction; but the company was so small that the auction was postponed till the 12^th instant. Called on the Mayor of Boston, Hon. Josiah Quincy, Jr. & suggested to him the idea of furnishing to the Historical Society and to Harvard College Library copies of all the documents published by the City. The idea was very agreeable to him. Procured some things for the Library from William B. Fowle. At 12 1/4 took the cars and arrived at Salem in three quarters of an hour. Called on Mr. Sparks who lives with his father-in-law, the Hon. Mr. Silsbee, formerly U.S. Senator. Mr. Silsbee said that he was very intimate with Judge Joseph Story in early life & that when matters were in train to get the judgeship he told Story, who was then a very ardent politician, that if he got the appointment he must abandon politics, caucuses, etc. Story showed his commission to Silsbee before he showed it to any other person, & probably within fifteen minutes after receiving it & told him he was of the opinion which he had expressed respecting caucuses, politics, etc., & asked Silsbee to see six of the leading men of the party, whom he had specified, & tell them the same which he had told himself. Silsbee demurred; but finally spoke to them. Four of them condemned Story's plan; but two approved it. Story never meddled with politics after his appointment.

             We sat down to a family dinner, Mr. Silsbee, Mr. & Mrs. Sparks & myself, & a son of Nathaniel Silsbee (H.C. 1824), recently gone been to Europe—two courses of meat, pudding, figs & raisins & two kinds of wine. After dinner went to Mr. Sparks's study, where he read an extract of a letter from Henry Stevens stating that the British Museum had appointed him, with 10 per cent commissions, to complete the American department—to make it as nearly perfect as possible, as it regards literature, history, biography, all the official acts, etc. of each & all of the United States & to purchase even every school book. Mr. Silsbee, Mrs. Sparks & myself, with their hired man then went into the garret where we worked about one hour & a half among old newspapers, pamphlets, etc. & packed up four large boxes to be sent as a present to H.C. Library by Mr. Silsbee. Then called on the City Clerk for City documents & found him zealously disposed to favor the project. Called on the Mayor, J.S. Cabot (H.U. 1815) & found him quite destitute of all interest in such matters.

             Took the 6 3/4 train (the latest) returned to Boston & walked to Cambridge.

             John Pickering, a very distinguished phrenologist died last evening in Boston. Obituaries will probably be published in the Mass. Hist. Soc'y Collections & in other places.

 May 7, 1846

             Attended the Historical Society meeting in Boston - paid eight dollars admission fee - three dollars annual fee & one dollar twelve & a half cents for the twenty-ninth volume of the Collections, which is just published. Annual meeting for the choice of officers.

             The Omnibus fare was reduced to its former standard after an experiment of about a week at the advanced price.

             The Cambridge Chronicle edited by Professor Willard dates from this day. A very small newspaper was published a few years since in Cambridgeport.

May 8, 1846

             Henry Bartlett, M.D., gave to the College Library the handbill which the British issued immediately after the battle of Lexington. It states that the first resistance they met with was at Lexington, that some of the rebels who were upon the green near the meeting-house dispersed as the regulars approached & from behind a stone wall fired upon them, wounding Major Pitcairn's horse in two places, also wounding a soldier of the 10th? regiment, & that this was done before the British fired. The mooted question whether the first actual resistance was made at Lexington or Concord has for many years vexed the inhabitants of those towns. And further this account differs from the testimony forwarded to England stating that the first fire was by the British. There was so much excitement on the 19th of April that it is possible the Americans may have been mistaken or it may be that the first military act of a company under command was not made till the British had fired & perhaps not till the attack at Concord bridge. The British handbill is so minute in its details that it ought certainly to be viewed as an important historical document in connexion with the points of discussion.

 May 9, 1846

             Paid the first bill in my life for a physician or surgeon.

 May 12, 1846

Last evening some one, probably an undergraduate, set fire to a bunch of crackers which exploded in the entry to the President's study. This morning the students were desired to remain in the Chapel after prayers, & the President, after requesting  the Professors, Francis & Noyes, to withdraw addressed the students very successfully upon the subject. The general tone of sympathy among the students is altogether with the President.

            Attended auction in Boston. Books went generally at pretty fair auction prices, though some went for a song as it were. Bayle's Dictionary (best ed.), Churchill's Voyages, Harris's Voyages for $1.00 a volume, Moreri's Dict. Hist. in 10 vols. for $1.12 1/2 per volume, Bayles Works 50 cts. per vol. - all folios. After auction, procured of Wm. Crosby the Monthly Miscellany in 8 vols, wanting two vols., as a present to the College Library; also made arrangements with the Baptist booksellers & agents in Boston by which the College will probably get donations of the Christian Review, of various Baptist Reports, of the Baptist Sabbath School Treasury, etc. etc. to the number of 50 to 100 volumes. There is nothing however insignificant but what is valuable for a public Library. The insignificant Report or Sermon, or schoolbook or single printed sheet gains a value in time which makes it very desirable that everything which is printed should be secured in its day & deposited in some Public Library so that it may preserved for posterity.

May 13, 1846

            The Semi-annual meeting of the Sunday School Teachers of the Middlesex Association was held in the meeting house in Cambridge. In the forenoon addresses - in the afternoon at two o'clock Sermon by Rev. Thomas Hill of Waltham.

            At four o'clock, in the College Chapel, the Dudleian Lecture by A. Young of Boston. After the Lecture, the members of the Faculty with the clergymen who attended the lecture went to the President's, as usual, to tea, & with them the Theological Students. Mr. & Mrs. E., as usual, stood near the parlor-door to receive the guests; at one table stood Miss E. & at another, her cousin, filling the teacups & passing them to the company.

             Last evening a party at Dr. Palfrey's. The guests came together about nine o'clock, refreshments were served about ten & a half o'clock, not long after which most of the company dispersed. In one parlor was waltzing to music on the piano all the evening, which was continued among the young people after the older ones had gone home. Champaign & other wine used by such as desired it. Probably there were 150 persons present. President E. showed his good sense by not wearing white kid gloves, as is always the custom in parties, & perhaps his indifference to them will affect others & thus save many a one from a silly habit & an expensive one to poor scholars.

            To-day probably more than 200 ladies have been into the Library. There was so much company that I did not attend the Dudleian Lecture.

 May 14, 1846

             Thursday. Seventeen years this day since I was ordained at Stow, Massachusetts.

 May 18, 1846
        
            Monday. The funeral of Rev. Mr. Torrey took place this afternoon in Boston. His remains were brought from the Maryland Penitentiary. He died there, having been convicted of assisting slaves absconding from their masters. The funeral sermon was by Rev. Joseph C. Lovejoy, of Cambridgeport, brother of Lovejoy who was killed at Alton, Illinois, by the abettors of slavery. The body was carried to Mount Auburn &, 'tis said, was followed notwithstanding the rain by forty-seven carriages. (Some account of the services, in the Boston Courier). In the evening there was a meeting in Fanueil Hall, having reference to the subject. - Called, according to etiquette, after being at parties, at Dr. Palfrey's & President Everett's.

 May 19, 1846
 
            Tuesday. A little before five o'clock, P.M. the dwelling house in Kirkland Street, a short distance east of the head of the avenue leading to Divinity Hall, owned by the family of the late Professor Henry Ware, Jr. & occupied by Professor Francis, was discovered to be on fire. The fire was extinguished in about an hour, though the roof & whole of the upper story were burned. 

May 20, 1846

             Wednesday.  Another Presidential party, at Professor Walkers - as splendid and brilliant as the one at Dr. Palfrey's - no wines - company consisted of persons from Charlestown, Boston, Dorchester, etc.

             Company, with the return of the return of the warm season, begins to throng the Library.

 May 21, 1846

             Thursday. Robert B. Thomas, of West Boylston, it appears from the newspapers, died on Tuesday, aged eighty. He was the author of the Farmers Almanac, for more than half a century. He had made arrangements for its publication for several years to come.

 May 24, 1846

             Sunday. Attended worship, in the morning, at the Masonic Temple, in the afternoon, went to Charlestown to Widow Stevens, daughter of my Aunt Whitney, whose first husband was Esty. My aunt is aged, & blind, but having a good memory was able to communicate much information respecting her father's family. Called on Jude Wetherbee with whom I boarded one year at Stow. Returned and attended meeting again at J.F. Clarke's, in the Masonic Temple.

May 25, 1846

             Monday. The religious anniversaries held in Boston this week. The lists, as published in the papers respectively of the different religious denominations would make a somewhat formidable one if printed upon a single sheet.

 May 26, 1846

             Tuesday. Attended auction in the forenoon & dined at two o'clock at the fourth annual collation given by the Unitarian laymen of Boston to Unitarian clergymen, particularly those from the country. The Hall over the depot of Eastern Marine Rail Road was for the first time used. The preceding celebrations had been held in the United States Hotel Hall or in the Hall over the Worcester Rail Road Depot. About 1200 gentleman and ladies sat down. Every clergyman was presented with two tickets, one for himself & the other for his wife or any other lady he might bring. The laymen bought tickets for $1.50 each. President Quincy presided. John Quincy Adams presided last year. A detailed account of the proceedings will probably be found in the religious papers. The occasion was one of much interest.

 May 27, 1846

             Wednesday. At auction again & in the evening at the Anniversary of the Sunday School Society. Passed the night at Mr. Rayner's.

May 28, 1846

            At auction. Attended the Convention Sermon by Alvan Lamson, D.D. of Dedham. In the evening for the third time among the Unitarians there was [the] annual meeting of the clergymen, & all other persons who might wish to celebrate the Lords Supper. Rev. A.P. Peabody of Portsmouth, N.H. preached & Rev. A.A. Livermore, of Keene, N.H. administered the rite. Last year Rev. E.B. Hall of Providence preached & Rev. Professor Francis made the first address & prayer at the table & Rev. Bulfinch, formerly of Augusta, Ga, of Pittsburgh, Pa & of Washington City, D.C., & now of Nashua, N.H., made the second Address & prayer. Tis said this mode of celebrating the Lord's Supper was practised among the Calvinist Congregationalists a few times a few years since; but the number became so large that it was considered expedient or necessary to omit it.

             The services have during the week been characterised by great interest. The Abolitionists & the Advocates of Peace have been particularly moved by the warlike operations at Texas & the proclamation of Gov. Briggs respecting troops.

           An exceedingly interesting part of the services has been the social prayer & conference meeting held by Unitarians in the church vestry of Rev. F.T. Gray in Bulfinch Street this year & the last, at 7 1/2 o'clock, A.M. & continued till other meetings commenced.

May 30, 1846

            Saturday. Stormy day or rather a dull day, as the whole week has been. The magnetic telegraph has just been put in operation between Boston & Springfield. What a wonderful application of scientific principles! Dr. Lyell, the Geologist with his wife were at the College Library in company with Mr. Everett. It is worthy of notice that Dr. Harris the Librarian & his son, of the Senior Class in College keep journals. They appear to enter very minutely into details. But probably the most indefatigable journalist among us is Rev. Dr. Pierce of Brookline who intends to give the results of his labors to the Massachusetts Historical Society.

            Parts assigned to-day to Juniors & Sophomores for the Exhibition at the end of the term.

May 31, 1846

            Sunday. Mr. Stetson, of Medford preached at Mr. Clarke's. Returned at noon & heard Rev. Thomas Hill of Waltham preach in the College Chapel. His train of thought was excellent, views lofty, but there was want of taste both in the style of writing and manner of speaking.

            In the evening called on Mrs. Stevens Everett. Among other statements her sister, Miss Abbott said that the only way in which her Aunt Crosby was able to cross from Boston to Dorchester, during the siege in the Revolution was to sail to Nantucket & then return again towards Dorchester. By this route she went from B. to Dorchester.

June 1, 1846

            Monday. Artillery Election Sermon to-day by G.E. Ellis, on Peace, the subject of one by Mr. Pierpont, a few years since.

            Among other visitors to the College Library were Priest Goodwin of Charlestown, & Father Logan of the Catholic Institution at Worcester. The latter says that the Institution has ninety-two boys all Catholics & that no more can be accommodated, although this is but the second year of its existence. Seven years are required for the entire course of study, four years corresponding to the four years of our College & three to the years of preparation for College.

            The Catholics within a few years have erected a church at East-Cambridge & have just purchased five acres to build another church about one mile west from the University buildings. They are very quiet but zealous in all their movements & the time will come when many of the old battles, the theological at least, must be fought over again, & that too in this country. It is incidentally remarked in the paper to-day that one quarter of the population of Boston is Catholic.

            Ex-President Quincy comes out to-day in a pamphlet against Geo. Bancroft & in defence of Grahame the Historian.

June 2, 1846

            Tuesday. Among other visitors to the Library to-day was L. Sabine, Esq. of Eastport, Me. He is a remarkable instance of historical attainments by a man who has passed his life away from libraries & collections of books. Sometime since I was much interested in an article in the North American Review on Loyalists which I afterward found he wrote. He has written several articles in that work, & has discussed therein the subject of fisheries. He has prepared a Biography for Mr. Sparks on Commodore Preble. His situation and his acquaintance with the descendants of the Loyalists, many of whom settled around him, has enabled him to collect much information which could be derived from no other source. The feeling of the descendants is exceedingly bitter towards the United States. Mr. S. says he is himself thoroughly Whig but maintains that the Loyalists were unreasonably & cruelly treated in most cases, where in their consciences they believed they were bound to allegiance to their king; - that in many cases they were goaded on to the adoption of the course they were finally compelled to take; - that many of them were really Whigs, but when mobs took control into their own hands they opposed the mob spirit & then they were immediately proceeded against as befriending the Tories. And frequently the husband was a Tory, the wife a Whig & yet she was doomed to follow the fortunes of her husband, forsake the home & friends & comforts & ofttimes luxuries of early days & with him pitch the tent, where literally the bears as in his neighborhood came round it. The eighteenth of May is still observed by the descendants as we observe the fourth of July, & on such an anniversary the American citizen is placed at the lowest state in society - is nothing, one would think. Mr. S. is collecting materials for a Biographical Sketch of Loyalists. He says there is not a State in the Union so thoroughly democratic as New Brunswick, that the rulers appointed by the British Government are obliged to adapt themselves to the democratic principles which prevail in that country.

June 3, 1846

            Wednesday. After tea, which is at six o'clock, walked to Mount Auburn where I had not been for more than two years. In the meantime, the iron fence in front has been made and the Gothic chapel commenced. As the gate is closed at sunset had but a few minutes for observation.       

            On my return saw the stone at the East door of the vestry of the Baptist meeting house which was taken from President Oakes's grave when the present stone was substituted. 

             The interleaved Triennial Catalogue of Dr. Belknap, the Historian was loaned to me (afterward upon my solicitation given to the College Library). It contains much information & a copy of it ought to be taken and preserved.        

June 4, 1846

             Thursday. By the Courier it seems that a letter which I wrote last week to the Mayor of Boston has been acted upon by the City government, for it was voted that the City Clerk annually in January shall send sets of all the City documents of the preceding year to the Boston Athenaeum, & the Libraries of Harvard College, and of the Historical and Antiquarian Societies. These were the Libraries which I named.

 June 5, 1846

             Friday. Mr. Sophocles, a native of Greece, formerly Tutor, asked me, while speaking of the effects of plains and elevations, etc. upon the mind, why the Dutch are always so heavy minded. You never heard, said he, of a distinguished Dutch poet. He soon answered his own question by saying Holland is low & foggy. Mountainous countries make vigorous men & minds & lively imaginations.

 June 6, 1846

             Saturday. Last evening the Library rec'd about fifteen bound volumes a donation through Rev. Joseph S. Clark, Secretary of the Mass. Home Missionary Society & a number of valuable Reports, in consequence of an interview I had with him a few weeks ago. To-day I rec'd a letter from Gov. Felch of Michigan, stating that the State in consequence of my solicitation had voted complete sets of all their documents of which they could find a copy, of all their laws & of everything which should hereafter be published, should be presented to Harvard College Library, & requesting information how they should be forwarded. Not expecting to find President Everett in his study I enclosed the Governor's communication in a letter to him, but finding him handed to him the letter. After conversation upon the subject he opened to me a project of having a University Gazette published of a small size at first, which should not meddle with party, but be a vehicle of communication & be considered as a paper of authority in relation to the University. He had now no way of communicating with the students collectively except by requesting them to remain after prayers in the Chapel & he was unwilling that the Chapel should be used for any other than religious purposes & that the impressions made should be in any degree weakened by other impressions. He said he intended even to have the Exhibitions held in the Picture Gallery, in Harvard Hall, so that there should be no other than religious associations with the Chapel. This Gazette would contain changes in the Laws, announcements & notices in regard to Exhibitions, Commencements, Bowdoin and Boylston Prizes, lists of donations to the Library, appointments of Officers etc, etc. & be considered as an official authority on all subjects connected with the College, & be confined almost entirely to the College. He had not matured the plan, but wanted something of the kind.        

            I rec'd from President Quincy his pamphlet in defence of Grahame against Bancroft.

             After tea walked with Coit, a Law Student from Buffalo, N.Y., to Spring Hill in Somerville thence to the Church & to Prospect Hill. Some of the remains of the Revolutionary fortifications are very plain to be seen; particularly the terraces & the breast work on Prospect Hill. But Boston is so full of population that is overflowing that the destruction already commenced must yield to the plough & the spade, & gentlemens dwelling houses & gardens be raised on the spots associated with the liberties of our country. Probably beneath these mounds, buried deep are powder magazines & wells etc. When at Castine in Maine in 1834 I was told that the fortifications raised by the British had gone to ruin before the last war (of 1812) commenced; that when the British took possession of the place in the War of 1812 they brought the plans of the old forts with them &, to the utter amazement of the inhabitants they knew exactly where to dig for the old vaults, wells, magazines, & secret passages through the mounds, none of which were known by the inhabitants to have been there. I saw then the remains of the forts of three nations; of the French under Castine, of the English of the Revolution, and of the Americans of the War of 1812. The canal which separated the peninsula from the main land was dug by the British during the last war.

 June 7, 1846

             Sunday. After the Communion Service at Mr. Clarke's in the afternoon, looked in with Mr. Reed upon the Swedenborgian Church. It surpasses anything I have seen by way of effect. The painted muslin is a very successful imitation of stained glass.

 June 8, 1846

             Monday. Rec'd a letter from Mr. Gage respecting his wife, & in the evening wrote a long letter to uncle Wm. Sibley, Esq. of Freedom, Me.

 June 9, 1846

             Tuesday. Wrote a letter to Gov. Felch of Michigan respecting the vote giving a set of the legislative documents to Harvard College Library & the mode of forwarding them, stating the difficulties and asking of him the additional favor of forwarding them if he had a favorable opportunity.

             Having noticed the death of Wm. D. Williamson of Bangor, Maine, in the newspapers within a few days, & supposing him to be the author of the History of Maine I wrote to Ex-Governor Kent, making inquiries respecting his pamphlets, manuscripts & other materials which he must have made use of, in composing his history.

            Dr. Issachar Snell & others from Augusta, Me, were in the Library & were inclined to make a movement to procure the Maine legislative documents by vote of the Legislature now in session. After they went away I wrote a letter to Dr. Snell upon the subject.

            Rev. Mr. Hubbard Winslow, & Rev. Mr. Waterbury, with ladies were in the Library & I mentioned the remark of  Mr. J. P. Johnson of the Senior Class of undergraduates, which he made to me two or three days since. He said at the West it was generally understood that great efforts were constantly made at Harvard College to proselyte students to Unitarianism & that this impression was not founded in truth - that he had lived in the hot bed of Unitarianism, Divinity Hall, in which the Theological students resided, ever since he had been in College, and that though he had had daily intercourse with them, not one of them asked him, till he had been here six months or so, to what church he belonged to, so indifferent were they to making proselytes to Unitarianism.

June 10, 1846

            Wednesday. Wrote to Joseph B. Walker, Secretary of the New Hampshire Historical Society, to see if he can procure for the College a movement in the Legislature for granting all the Legislative documents.

            After tea accompanied Johnson of the Senior Class of Undergraduates to Spring & Prospect Hills.

June 11, 1846

            Thursday. Dr. Thomas H. Webb, with Mr. E.W. Howe of the firm of Howe and Leonard, auctioneers, spent two or three hours in & about the Library. Dr. Webb & myself took tea at Mr. George Livermore's where we had a feast in the evening in examining his bibliographical curiosities. He has a work of Gutenberg bearing date 1460, a bible 1470-71, & many manuscripts. He has obtained many vols. which belonged to the Library of the Duke of Sussex, brother of George the Fourth, which are particularly described by Petigru. His library of about 2000 volumes contains probably more gems than any one of the size, in America. To this are to be added many little curiosities, which he collected when in Europe one year ago- moss from Burns's cottage- a leaf of the yew from near Gray's grave- a walking stick cut by Sir Walter Scott- a copy of the inscription on Shakespeare's tombstone, made by putting a long paper over the inscription & rubbing it with black lead, etc.

June 12, 1846

            Friday. Finished filing various sale & other catalogues in the College Library. In consequence of conversation with Mr. Howe yesterday he sent 150 pamphlets to the Library.

June 17, 1846

            Wednesday. The Anniversary of the Battle of Bunker's Hill. There was not much done in the way of celebration. One artillery company passed through Cambridge which had been target-firing. The day was like any other. Attended duties all day in the Library, as usual.

June 22, 1846

            Monday. Library books called in, so as to be prepared for the annual examination.

June 23, 1846

            Tuesday. The College Corporation having concluded to erect or repair the monuments of the College Officers, etc. in the burying yard, & the locality of President Dunster's not being certain, a grave was opened near the South corner of the ground. The old slab had been for some time thrown out of place & the heavy stones on which it rested tumbled down. The principal reason for supposing this to be Dunster's grave is the statement in Dr. Holmes's History of Cambridge that he was buried in this neighborhood. Another statement is, that if a slab near Gookins (Mayor General) is not his descendant's there is no place which can be properly considered as Gookins. It seems to be a question which of these two graves is Dunster's. I was not at the opening of the grave, but was told by a person present that after removing heavy stones, which were found to the depth of one or two feet, the sexton sounded the grave with an iron bar & thus discovered a stone covering the grave about three feet below. After digging down they found that the grave was bricked at the sides, covered with slate stone; that the bones & skull were in a good state of preservation, that nothing else of the body remained, that the person must have been very large, six feet & more, & the top of the coffin was entirely gone; but the sides, within the brick walls were still visible. No coffin plate or words or letters of any kind were found. No light was obtained other than what I have mentioned. The individual was evidently a man of distinction. It is reasoned also that if the individual had died in Cambridge, the short time between death & burial would not have allowed the construction of such a substantial and durable piece of masonwork. President Dunster died in Scituate, & if he were first buried there, there would have been time for this masonwork before the re-burial.

            William T. Harris, Author of Cambridge Epitaphs, is strenuous in his belief that this is the grave, & made no statements to throw any doubt upon it, though he was present. I think, however, there are some, & to me almost insufferable difficulties in the way of this conclusion. The other old stone ranges nearly in a line with gravestones bearing the name Dunster. Now it is generally understood that families are buried in the same neighborhood until the ground is filled, & they range side by side & not head & foot. If we suppose the stone to be Gookin's, it will not range side by side. The stone cutters being at work laying the foundation for a monument over the mouth of the College Tomb, I asked them to look at the facestone or slab. They immediately tried the knife to it & said it did not appear to be American stone, but stone from Portland or Bath in England. We found no other stone like it in the burying ground. We went to the old Oakes stone at the East of the Baptist meetinghouse & found that to be the same stone. In early times gravestones were brought from England. The other old slabs the workmen thought might be Connecticut stone. Now it is not very probable after beginning to make slabs in this country that a stone for Gookin, who died sometime after General Gookin, would have been ordered from England. General Gookin's is American stone. And it is not incredible that when Dunster died a stone should have have been ordered naturally from England. Or possibly at a future time Dunster's & Oakes's might have been ordered from the same quarry together, though there is an objection to the last supposition in the fact that the inscription on Oakes's was cut upon the stone whereas the other was cut upon something which was inserted into the slab. For myself I think the spot near Dunster gravestones most likely to be the place where Dunster was buried & not the spot where Rev. Nathaniel Gookin rests. There is a tradition among some of the inhabitants that the inscriptions which are lost from several of the slabs were made on pewter & lead, & that in the siege of Boston the troops seized on everything which could be converted into bullets & thus did sacrilege.

            Rec'd a newspaper from Concord, N.H. by which it appears that Mr. Hadduck (probably Professor at Dartmouth College) offered a Resolution in the House of Representatives, directing that Dartmouth College and Harvard University should be furnished with certain State documents, which was read twice, and on motion of Hon. James Wilson, of Keene, referred to the Committee on the Library. The business seems to have got into good hands & a favorable result may be anticipated. (Not successful)

June 25, 1846

            Thursday. Attended the meeting of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Dr. Jenks exhibited a very full genealogical pedigree of Scott, who figured extensively in the early history of Long Island. Mr. Young pointed to one of the portraits of the Historical Society, which he said bore a strong likeness to myself. I did not fancy the appearance of the gentleman much. No one knew his name; but he had a full face, wore a wig parted at the top of the head & had no expression in his eye or face. Mr. Young's Chronicles of Massachusetts makes its appearance at the publishers to-day - index made by Wm. T. Harris, author of Cambridge Epitaphs- his first effort in the Index line. Mr. Young observed, a few days since, that after the publication of the Chronicles of the Pilgrims, Mr. Bancroft came to him & insisted that what had been charged upon him as errors were not errors. However, before Mr. Young's second edition was published Mr. Bancroft had corrected every error & cancelled several plates in order to do it. This he did without ever mentioning it to Mr. Young. Mr. Young, however, discovered it, & when his second edition of the Chronicles of the Pilgrims was published he struck out B's name from the Index. I supposed & have supposed for a long time, judging from many who have known him best that Bancroft is one of the most selfish & meanest men in the United States.

            Called at the Office of the Secretary of State & obtained a list of the Justices of the Peace in the town of Union, Maine, during the connexion of Maine with Massachusetts; & found Jennison's manuscript map of Union.

            S.G. Drake says be exceedingly minute in making a town history, & get into it a great many names. There is an increasing interest in these histories & he can sell fifty copies of any town history however dull it may be.

            There has been loud complaint, for several months among the few bibliographers in this vicinity & among others, of the negligence of the Corporation of the University respecting the Library & the incompetency of every man in the Corporation to judge of what is proper to be obtained & to be preserved for posterity. They seem to have no idea that periodical and ephemeral literature, funeral & biographical sketches & pamphlets, which are not very valuable now, will become valuable here after. The British Museum has just purchased of S.G. Drake four hundred volumes of school books which he had been collecting for eight or ten years, & yet such is the feeling of the Corporation I suppose that they would not think them worth their room on the shelves. And yet how is some one hereafter to write a just history of the literature of America or even of Common school education, unless some person gathers up such things while they are to be had. There is not a pamphlet of any kind, which should not be saved in a public library. The time must come when the Constitution of these United States will have to give place to some other form of government, & then, everything, the most worthless political electioneering pamphlet of the present day will be valuable and interesting, for we are making now the first successful attempt of mankind to govern themselves upon democratic principles.

June 28, 1846

            Sunday. In walking to Boston met with Rev. Moses B. Chase, Chaplain of the Ohio & concluded to accompany him to the Ohio lying at the Charlestown navy yard. Four hundred men having, during the past week, been drafted to the fleet near Texas & preparations having been commenced for putting the Ohio into dock as soon as the Independence comes out, divine service was omitted. The ship can carry about ninety guns & requires a crew of 900 or 1000 men. Upon commencing a voyage the magazine contains 70 or 80 tons of powder. The sailors looked much better than I expected. They are quite comfortably provided for. The beef and pork is always the very best quality, inspected before coming to the navy yard, & again every barrel opened and inspected there. It is always purchased in pieces cut of similar weight. At twelve o'clock the crew were called to take their grog, a clerk calling the role and checking their names as they took, each one, his half gill, which is allowed them twice each day. One of the officers opposed my remark that they would be better without than with rum, by saying that he should be very sorry to have it stopped - they would not be able to get men without it. When I observed that the amount for grog might be added to their wages he observed it was invariably the case when such fellows, (for that cause was adopted by some) got into port they were the most drunken of the crew, whereas those who received their rations of grog regularly could be depended on for sobriety.

            As to corporal punishment the chaplain and all the officers insisted strenuously that it was absolutely necessary in the navy - that there were many sailors who had no self-respect & no motive or principle whatever which could be reached or appealed to successfully. The chaplain spoke of the dreadful feelings which he experienced when he was first obliged to witness a flogging, & the gradual subsiding of these feelings. I believe however the time will come when it will be admitted that the navy will be better managed without grog & without flogging.

June 29, 1846        

            Monday. Rec'd the following communication which I forwarded with a letter to the Governor of Michigan

                                                                         "Cambridge 29 June 1846

 Dear Sir,

             At a meeting of the Corporation on Friday last, I submitted to them your letter of the 6th instant, together with that of Governor Felch which was enclosed in it. This communication afforded great pleasure to all the members of the Board. Among others, Chief Justice Shaw and Mr. Charles G. Loring expressed themselves emphatically as to the importance of collecting the documents of the various state governments for historical and professional reference. It was the unanimous feeling of the Corporation, that their grateful acknowledgements were due to Governor Felch, for bringing the subject to the favorable consideration of the Legislature of Michigan, and to that Body for its liberal compliance with His Excellency's recommendation. It is in obedience to the directions of the Corporation, that I now make this communication, the substance of which I will thank you to make known to Gov. Felch in such manner as you may deem most expedient.

                                                                        I am, Dear Sir, very truly yours

                                                                                    Edward Everett

 J.L. Sibley, Esq.

Assistant Librarian

             P.S. Will you do me the favor to forward to Gov. Felch the accompanying copy of the pamphlet containing the inaugural addresses."

             Rec'd letters also from Mrs. Gage of Concord, N.H., from Union, Maine, & from Sylvester Judd of Northampton, the latter relating to the Triennial Catalogue. Replied to the latter.

 June 30, 1846

            Tuesday. While writing this morning in the gallery near the door of the South room on the East side in Gore Hall, I heard a chirp or two & upon ascending the steps to the loft in the room discovered a sparrow, which I soon caught with my hand as it was making an effort to escape through the little window. Upon giving it its liberty after a few minutes it flew off as happy as a liberated slave. Occasionally, birds have come into Gore Hall, but they have almost always upon being blinded by the glass endeavored to light at the tops of the arch, whence after three or four days they have fallen dead to the floor.

             This forenoon, I was present at the opening of a grave on a range between the shaft of Wilder, Livermore & Sheafe (my classmates) & the Lee monument which is surrounded by an iron fence. The slab over the grave had a diamond, also a parallelogram chasm for the insertion of tablets, & there were some reasons for thinking it might be the grave of President Rogers. Upon arriving at the remains no coffin plate was found & there was nothing discovered to identify them. As the workmen were about closing the grave I suggested the propriety of calling Dr. Morrill Wyman & went for him, myself. He said the hair was light or brown, which is the Rogers family color, according to the portrait of one of the Rogers in the Antiquarian Society Hall at Worcester. The teeth were excellent throughout & there were no wisdom teeth & the bones of the hip, etc. were not ossified, three circumstances showing that the person was young & probably not more than twenty five years old. Some of the bones were then placed about the head & a brick or two by the Dr. & the sexton; & a flatstone placed over them. The sexton said the earth had never been disturbed there except when the grave was dug. Stones were mingled with the dirt all the way down. They must have been carried there, as the graveyard is very free from stones. It was evident that it was not Rogers's grave. Upon my suggestion the grave near the South East corner of the burying ground & within two feet or so of the South East corner of the slab of Stedman who died in 1693 was reopened this afternoon. Dr. Wyman decided that the man was bald in front, had a queue or heavy tuft of hair behind, wore a long beard not so long upon the lips as upon the chin nor so long upon the chin as just under it, was rather larger than the average of men, was pretty old as the upper teeth were worn out & gone, the cartilage of the throat was ossified – a strange circumstance - & perfect & entire; the hair gray, yet he could not have been exceedingly old, as the process of the thighbone had not been sunken as much as it would have been, - perhaps the man might have been sixty years of age. The state of preservation was wonderful. Large pieces of the coffin & of the iron straps which bound it were in a good condition & so was the pillow on which the head rested. The brick work was probably done without mortar. After rising high enough for depositing the coffin; it receded a brick or two so that slate stones could be laid over the top, still the bricks after receding were continued up high enough to have admitted anther coffin and another series of slate stones above the other if desired. The lower story was probably a brick or two thicker at the sides than the upper story. The remains were carefully replaced & recovered again.

             For several days, at the expense of the Corporation of the College, masons & stone cutters have been repairing the monuments in the yard which belonged to the College Officers. By mistake they commenced on the slab of Mayor General Gookin, & having done so, it was though expedient to go on & finish it. While I was there this forenoon the slab for the Presidents Willard and Webber, with inscriptions written by Charles Folsom, was brought in & placed upon the top of the College tomb. The slab for President Leverett is cleaned & a part of it is rechiselled now.

 July 1, 1846

             Wednesday. Rose about 3 1/2 o'clock, A.M., & after attending to shaving, went to the grave yard, in season to be there at the ringing of the meetinghouse bell at 4 1/2 o'clock, for the purpose of seeing a third grave opened which is very little north of a line running from President Oakes's slab to the Oliver tomb, & across which a line would run connecting Mayor General Gookins & President Holyoke's (This last line, continued in a northwesterly direction would cross the grave opened yesterday morning.)

             The grave was bricked like the one near the Stedman slab, with this difference viz. it was shaped more like a coffin, whereas the one near Stedman's was nearly a parallelogram. Again, the bricks of the one opened this morning were not polished but very rude; & not so finished as the others. A kind of second story brick wall was built, the top story receding four inches perhaps all round the grave, so as to leave a rim upon which were laid as in the other case flat stones. The stones had become so rotten that they would not bear much weight, & when thrown out of the top of the grave, crumbled into small pieces. The top of the coffin had disappeared entirely & the sides had caved over the remains so as to keep them from view. Upon lifting these sides the entire remains presented themselves to view covered with tansy. The coffin appeared to have been nearly filled with this plant which had been pulled up by the roots at so late a period in the season that it had gone to seed. This circumstance shows that it was not Dunster's grave. Dunster died in winter, when this plant would not have been flourishing. And if his remains had not been moved to Cambridge from Scituate till the following autumn it is not probable that any person would have ventured at that time to have opened the coffin & inserted the herb in such abundance.

             The skull was large, phrenologically speaking, better than the one near the Stedman slab. The chin had a beard, there was a heavy head of hair of a nut brown colour, the cartilage of the throat was partly ossified, the bones had decayed more than either of the others, the coarse cotton cloth which apparently the shroud was made was in so good a state of preservation that it could be disengaged from the remains, in almost any part. The teeth etc. led Dr. Wyman to the conclusion that the person's age must have been fifty or sixty years; so that it could not have been the remains of Rev. Nathaniel Gookin, as he died when thirty four or thirty six. Were it not for the tansy, Dr. W. said there was nothing found to prove that it might not have been Dunster's; but this discovery is an almost insuperable argument against it. The tansy was in a wonderful state of preservation; the stalks held together, so that a branch was carried away in the hand. The sides of the coffin were of pine & quite sound, more so than in the grave near the Stedman slab; like that coffin the sides of this, externally, were painted black & it was remarkable how the paint had protected the wood against the tooth of time. The inside was rough, not even planed, which led to the conjecture that it might have been lined. A small snail was found upon the head or skull. How did it find its way there? 

The time of the burial of course is not known; but probably at the lowest estimate more than a century & a half ago. It was over this grave that the Treasurer had determined to place a monument to Dunster. But the tansy & the age prove it to have been the resting place neither of Dunster nor of Gookin. The remains were carefully placed in their original position, or rather the few bones were which were examined, & because the stones had crumbled & could not all of them be used, the sexton substituted a fragment or two old freestone(?) slabs which were lying loose around the yard. 

Probably the tansy may have been used to keep the body while persons were building the grave. No mortar appears to have been used with the bricks in either grave. Professor J. Wyman, brother of Dr. M. Wyman was present at the exhumation this morning & their opinions concurred. The circumstance that the color of the hair is the same on the three bodies exhumed leads to distrust as to opinions respecting the natural color & gives an impression that the hair may be affected by the moisture etc. in the grave. 

Since writing the above, I am informed that tansy when gathered is pulled up by the roots about the time of its going to seed. If this be the case, as is asserted, an argument may be drawn from it in favor of this grave being Dunster's. As the body was to be moved it would be desirable to put something into the coffin to steady the corpse. Not wishing to put in straw or hay, the friends very naturally might have put in this herb, which had been dried, particularly as it might have checked disguised what would have been disagreeable in the gases from the corpse. I should like to know whether dried tansy would not be more durable than green, also whether in putting in green the friends would be likely to have used dirty roots also or whether in collecting for immediate use, the herb would not have been cut or plucked? What was the custom in those days? Who has made any record? Why cannot something be discovered to identify the spot where the first President & one of the warmest friends of the University lies buried? When I suggested at the grave this morning that it might have been dry when used, I was overruled; no one coincided with me, & I concluded that botanists and persons acquainted with the customs of people in the country, in regard to the mode of collecting & using herbs ought to know best. Again is it not possible, considering that the inside of the coffin was not planed, that the boards might have been those of an extra coffin or outside box? It would not be strange if there should be a double coffin, as the remains were brought from Scituate, & the inner have been filled with the herb.           

It may be added, that the eyebrows on the skull were very heavy or massive, that the hair was combed down smooth on the forehead & cut off even, from the right temple to the left & that it was very heavy behind. The nose must have been very prominent & crooked or turned a little to the left. Upon recollection, a piece of the head end of the upper part of the coffin was found. It was known by the corners being a little rounded or elliptical. 

July 2, 1846

             Thursday. In an interview with Dr. Wyman, he said he intended to make a record of facts respecting the three graves which have been opened and deposit it in the Library, & leave it to anyone who wished to know more, to draw his own inferences [P.S. He never did it]. It is not many years since the opening of the graves in this manner would have excited the lower class of people and the ignorant and superstitious; but no concealment has been practised, further than to work when schoolboys would not intrude, & no person appears to have uttered a word against the exhumation.

 July 3, 1846

             Friday. Intended to have gone to Stow tomorrow, where I have not been for more than nine years. A principal motive for going was to see Mrs. Newell once more. Upon taking up today's paper I noticed her death as having occurred on Thursday, 25 June at the age of ninety. Her father was Rev. Mr. Rogers of Littleton claiming to be a direct descendant of John Rogers the martyr. She was sister to Mrs. Samuel Parkman of Boston & second wife of Rev. Jonathan Newell of Stow. She had no daughters. She had Samuel, a merchant of Boston afterwards Post Master in Cambridge [P.S. afterwards killed on a railroad, when President Pierce's son was killed], Charles merchant in Stow who went to the South or West, George a graduate of Harvard College, who studied medicine, commenced business in Sterling, afterward established himself in Petersham, married a Bowker of Fitzwilliam by whom he had no children & died not long after at Stow of hydrothorax & a complication of diseases while I lived in Stow. His widow subsequently married the clergyman of Holliston. Daniel another son married a Blood of Mason & was a farmer. With him his mother lived. The wife of Samuel was daughter of Major and grand-daughter of General John Stark & they had two sons, Samuel Newell, whose name was changed to John Stark, & Charles S. Newell, the former married a descendant of Gouverneur Robert Morris, lived several years in Galena, Illinois, returned & resided a time in Cambridge, having his law office in Boston, & subsequently lived in New York City, the latter married a Crabb from Philadelphia, studied engineering, then law & lived in Cambridge having his office in Boston.

 July 4, 1846

             Saturday. Independence. Spent the day in the College Library, locked up, entering titles of pamphlets. Perceive by the papers that Judge Kent, of New York, son of Chancellor Kent is chosen Dane Professor in the Law School, vice Justice Story deceased [in place of Greenleaf, who succeeds Story].

             After supper accidentally met with Mr. Saunders who has lived in Cambridge since he was fourteen years old & who gave me much information which he had received many years ago from Judge Winthrop. He says the stockade which surrounded the town began at the water in Bath Street & made a kind of bowline, running ten or fifteen rods back of the Washington Elm which stands in the corner of the Common where one road goes to Mount Auburn & the other to the North Side of Fresh Pond. Thence it bowed toward the North East corner of the Common, leaving out a considerable gore South of Follen Street then it crossed the Western Avenue and passed North Easterly probably through the swampy ground or a little North. Where it curved South in uncertain, but it went between Quincy Street & Ware Street & crossing Mount Auburn Street, struck the river near the bend where was Winthrop's wharf. The fort stood on the South Side of Winthrop Place between Holyoke Street and the bend of the Place which passes North into Auburn Street. An old windmill once stood near the South West part of this inclosure. Till the Common was plowed & fenced twelve or fifteen years ago, Mr. Saunders says he could trace the line of the stockade by a green stripe in the grass, & within a short time, even this season Mr. Batchelder in making a fence near the South West corner of the enclosure discovered traces of it.

             On the North West side, in the time of the Revolutionary War were barracks between rows of trees now standing in front and rear of the location, the willows now standing, 'tis thought, were canes cut by the soldiers and stuck down in the mud. The feeling of hostility to the Tories & the British was so great that every pane of glass in the Episcopal Church was broken.

             The North East part of the burying ground was added within a hundred years to the other part, the line dividing the Common from the burying ground formerly running in a kind of zigzag course from the gate of the yard nearly in the middle of the fence on the Eastern side towards the second window of the Episcopal Church, also there was an extension of the yard in the South West direction; - the original shape being a kind of triangle. There was some arrangement made about land at the time of building the Episcopal Church. If one stands on its steps he will find himself in the angle of the two important & principal roads in old times viz. the one leading to West Cambridge & the other to Boston over the Charlestown ferry.

             Till some years after the commencement of this century the fence enclosing the College Yard ran but a few yards South of Massachusetts Hall, it being between that building & the row of pretty large elms, & on the East side it passed within the elms & went in a straight line northerly till it came somewhere near Stoughton Hall, then took a Westerly direction. The play ground was where Holworthy now stands & extended to the Charlestown road till it was cut through by the Concord turnpike to Boston through East-Cambridge. The part of the yard East of Hollis, South of Holworthy was a wood yard. The poor inhabitants had the privilege of working there & they respectively kept their separate piles to which they added, as they had leisure hours, & as the wood was corded & carried out to the students they were paid for the labor of cutting. This yard was removed not far from the year 1815. The ground in parts of the College yard was so low then that it was the abiding place of frogs. The wood yard was then placed on the East part of the street between graduates Hall afterwards College House, & the burying ground, in the rear of some old houses. The wood, brought from Maine, was carted from the wharf at the bottom of Dunster Street in the warm season, prepared for the students; & a book being left upon which the orders were written, it was again carted to the rooms. This yard has been abandoned for several years, anthracite coal has been coming into use since the year 1825 or thereabouts & fuel is now carted from the Dunster wharf which is in reality the wood yard, or a substitute for it. Wiswall's den, a three story building, sometimes known as College House No. 1, stood upon the main Street between graduates Hall and Church Street since opened on the North of it. No. 2 was torn down about the same time with No.1. It stood on the ground which is now occupied by the addition made to Graduates Hall last year.

             In the time of the Revolution Walton commanded a military company. All the teams & carts were taken up by the troops when the orders were given to go off. He had not been able to plow his land. It was proposed to or by a company of soldiers to attach a rope to a plow, & have cross sticks attached to the ropes. Thus the soldiers took hold, plowed up the ground upon the full run & Walton left the rest of the work to be done by his wife and family.

             When I left Cambridge not long after graduation, Quincy Street was a kind of lane, fenced in slightly with oak posts and two rails. The College yard was contained within the belt of firs & pines, which surrounded it.

 As late as 1724 or about one century after the settlement of Cambridge the space between the West Cambridge road and the Concord turnpike bounded South by the Common was a forest. The common was fenced for the first time and that too with granite posts & two rails by subscription chiefly if not entirely, between 1829 & 1833. Many remonstrances to the Legislature, session after session, followed, headed generally by Jeduthun Wellington of Lexington & references etc. were made & they terminated only with Wellington's decease. He was a milkman and it lengthened the distance to Boston something like ten or fifteen rods perhaps.

             The preceding facts were derived from Mr. Saunders, except what took place since I entered College, & he generally cited Judge Winthrop as authority. Many years have elapsed since Winthrop died & perhaps S's statements may have been shaded by the lapse of time though he is a man of veracity.

 July 6, 1846

             The Mayor is acting vigorously. He caused two drovers to be fined for their conduct in disturbing people yesterday by driving cattle and sheep clamorously through the town, & two young rowdies for turbulence at the nuisance of a hotel which is kept about a mile from the Colleges on the West Cambridge Avenue; & July 2^d he caused one of the wealthy men of the Port to be arrested and fined for fast driving. The market-day at Brighton being on Monday, drovers have been an exceeding annoyance on Lords Days, driving their herds, sheep and hogs at all hours & particularly interfering with passing to & from worship. Horse-racing on Sunday through the village by a set of rowdies from Boston who have thronged to the Western Hotel, has been almost intolerable. The regular betting and racing during week days has led to a disregard of propriety on all days.       

            Rec'd today from the respective authors Young's Dudleian Lecture & the first three Nos., 160 pages of Frothingham's History of Charlestown.

             Procured the loan of the map of Union, from the State House.

 July 7, 1846

             Tuesday. In addition to what has been said about Dunster, it is to be observed that the cloth of the shroud covered the face and the body, & if, as it is said, a process of embalming was observed, perhaps the tansy had something to do with it.

             Dr. Gage and wife called on me at the Library. Mrs. G better than I expected, still mentally diseased.

 July 10, 1846

             Friday.  Having lost my gold pen, am obliged to try a miserable steel pen or a goose quill.

 Rec'd the Boston Courier of July 8, from C. Deane containing a Criticism on Young's Chronicles of Massachusetts – well written. The point however, which is the most important in it relates to the question who is really to be regarded as the first Governor. Mr. Deane makes out a strong case against Winthrop.

 July 11, 1846

             Saturday. The parts for Commencement assigned to-day. The President requested that the persons sent for would go to his study in a quiet manner. Consequently they were not accompanied by the Navy Club & music as has been the case for many years, though the practice has come about since I was in College. The class, generally, went down with those who were sent for. Upon their return those who had received parts to-day for the first time resigned their connexion with the Navy Club & made farewell speeches to the Club in front of Holworthy Hall as has been usual.

             Seven women scouring the Library – an annual visitation from them in anticipation of the Examining Committee on Tuesday next.        

            Thermometer in the shade, in State Street in Boston, yesterday, 99°- nearly as hot to-day.

              Had some conversation with the Librarian. He does not think favorably of procuring legislative documents, & the like, & says "it is lumbering up the Library" with what is of but little use. The same may be said in regard to a great portion of the books in the Library. The Library now is so large that its principal use should be for consultation. People want everything to be found upon particular subjects rather than to read books through. They want only that part which illustrates the subject of their investigations. I hardly know why Legislative documents are not to be considered very valuable indeed to the historian, the politician, the political economist, the merchant indeed, the divine even. They are substantial treasures, not to be read, but to be consulted and drawn from, in relation to certain subjects. It seems to me that a State History can be written no better without the Laws and Legislative documents of the State than a Town history without the Town Records. As to "lumbering up the Library" I admit no such language in my bibliographical vocabulary. Are we to say to the public we do not want your books unless they are such as we think are very excellent? Because we are afraid we shall fill the shelves too full, when we have in Gore Hall, one hundred and forty feet long from window to window but about 51,000 bound volumes? Let the Library be filled. If trash comes let it come. What is trash to me may be the part of the Library which will be the most valuable to another person.

              Numbers give consequence to the Library abroad. People are attracted by them, & when they come here they will find that we are not all trash, that there is a great deal more wheat than chaff. The best collection & the largest on America, in the world, an admirable one in Italian & northern literature & in numismatics & Greek and Latin Fathers are not to be considered trash, though some of the volumes are not consulted once in twenty years. My proverb in regard to a public library is "Hold fast what you get & get what you can" & I would have the proverb carried out to the letter & in its fullest extent. The time will come when everything now published will be prized.

 July 12, 1846

             Sunday.  Attended the Unitarian Church in Cambridgeport and heard Mr. J.F. Clarke. In the afternoon heard Dr. Francis preach an excellent valedictory sermon to the graduating Senior Class on having a plan for life, & in the evening an excellent Sermon in the Unitarian Church by Mr. Lincoln of Fitchburg to the graduating Senior Class of the Divinity School.

 July 13, 1846

             Monday. The Boston Daily Advertiser contains a notice of Young's Chronicles, and dwells particularly upon the question of Winthrop's being the first Governor of Massachusetts.

 July 14, 1846

             Tuesday. Annual examination of the College Library. The whole number of volumes in Gore Hall is found, upon counting within a few days, to be 51,000. Forty nine volumes have been taken from the Library during the last year without having been charged. Many of them undoubtedly were taken without leave but with the intention of their being returned. It indicates great obtuseness in the moral sense of young men when they argue that the practice of thus taking books is justifiable, as is the case with several who are considered the most correct for general deportment among the undergraduates. Additions to Library during the last year 2018 volumes of which 679 were donations and 3477 pamphlets exclusive of duplicate pamphlets.

July 15, 1846

             Wednesday. Exhibition to-day of the Undergraduates. Seven of the Sophomore Class were advised to leave College, whereupon 30 or thereabouts immediately put crape upon their arms. The parts assigned for exhibition next term.

July 16, 1846

            Thursday. Class Day. The order of Exercises were 1. Music by the Band from Boston. 2 Prayer by Rev. Dr. Walker. 3 A very good Oration by F.J. Child, 4. Music by the Band. 5 Poem by J.A. Swan. 6 A beautiful Class Ode by D.S. Curtis. The Class Ode was sung, where the Exercises were held, by the Class during which they generally join hands. The class met in the morning & had prayers among themselves, offered up by Ropes. Just as the bell began to toll five minutes before eleven o'clock they marched to music from the Band to the President's House & escorted the Faculty to the College Chapel to hear their Exercises, at which the President presided. Just before the procession arrived Ex-Pres't Quincy entered & there was one continued long & loud plaudit. After the exercises were finished the class with the band escorted the President and Faculty to Holworthy Hall, where a preparation of lemonade, etc. was prepared for them by the class, an affair which never happened before.

             Ever since 1837, or rather beginning with the class which graduated in 1838, it has been customary for the graduating class to dance on class day on the green grass in front of Stoughton & Holworthy. It was probably at first a suggestion of Prof. Webster. As soon as the sun was low enough, about four o'clock, P.M. to throw in the shade of Stoughton over the green, the members of the class with their sisters & friends began the dance to a band of music for which a staging was erected about the middle of Stoughton on the East Side. This was a very interesting scene & took the place of a class supper or dinner or something of that nature. It did not however entirely do away with the evil, for class suppers were subsequently held after the dancing was over. This plan of dancing on the green continued till 1845 when being public the concourse became so large that they obtruded upon the dancers. A heavy thundershower dispersed them and the class with their friends repaired to the picture gallery in Harvard. This year the dancing was entirely in the picture gallery.

            After dancing to-day till about six o'clock the procession was formed & marched as usual to the front of each of the College buildings & gave cheers. They marched through Gore Hall though they gave no cheers as they did last year when they marched through for the first time. This being done the class went as has been the custom for many years to the Liberty Tree, an elm standing near the street & between Holden & Harvard Halls. Forming as usual in a ring around the tree they piled their hats by its trunk they joined hands & then commenced the race round the tree till by the different speed of different persons the ring was entirely broken up. The ring then was formed again & another either within or around them, by the Juniors & Sophomores. The two rings then began to race round the tree in different directions till the rings were broken in pieces. This is regarded a kind of initiation of the remaining classes.  The Seniors again formed a compact ring around the tree, crossing & joining hands & to the music from the band singing Old Lang Syne & beating time with their arms their hands being thus joined & crossed.

            This being over cheers were given for different purposes & the company dispersed. The Senior Class for many years have had a class supper on Class Day; but from some jarring it was voted to postpone it till Commencement. Whether the Pres't had heard of it or not I do not know; but obviously to substitute something which should be more beneficial in its effects he gave them this evening a levee to commence at half past eight o'clock.

             The sophomores I hear have been in the way of having a class supper since 1838. They had one last night. Some became inebriated.

July 17, 1846

             Friday. Theological Exhibition. A large concourse of intellectual and pious people. The President, as usual since the union of the Theol. School with the College, presided. Services commenced at 10 o'clock and ended at 2 o'clock. As usual, dinner was provided to which various persons were invited. At 4 o'clock, P.M. the people again assembled in the Chapel & a very beautiful and excellent discourse was delivered before the Theological Alumni by Rev. Dr. Peabody of Springfield. After this a kind of levee was held by Professor Francis.

             Rec'd from Dr. Wyman his Treatise on Ventilation.

July 19, 1846

            Sunday. Left boarding with James A. Kendall, with whom I have boarded for four years.

July 20, 1846

            Monday. Commenced boarding with Mrs. Manning. Her maiden name was Warland, her first husband Rev. John L. Abbot, of Boston, her second a widower, Samuel Manning, M.D. of Cambridge, with whom she lived but a short time. 

            Sometime before the breaking out of the Revolutionary war there was a scheme for uniting church and state in New England, & one argument of much weight for it in England was that it would tend essentially to strengthen the bond between the Colonies and the parent country, & this would check the uneasiness and restrain the unfriendly & rebellious spirit of the Colonists. With a view to a Bishop, who it was understood would be Apthorp, a house was built in the middle of the Square, which now is bounded on the West by Lindall Street. It so happened that this same dwelling-house instead of becoming the residence of a Bishop with a view to keep the Colonies in subjection was the residence of General John Burgoyne while he was prisoner of war in Cambridge. This is the house I now board in.

             This being the first Monday in vacation books were given out in the forenoon.

             In the evening took tea with Mr. George Livermore where I met with Rev. Dr. Robbins, formerly of Mattapoisett, now Librarian of the Connecticut Historical Society at Hartford. He says the Society has about 6000 volumes, of which 4300 are his own. I understand that the Society has settled upon him an annuity of $600, on condition of his being Librarian & of leaving his books to the Society. He has never been married & expends all of the six hundred dollars, over & above what his necessities require, on books for his Library, all of which, of course will go to the Society. He has one of the copies of the first English Bible printed in America. It was encouraged by the old Continental Congress & is the only case in which the United States as such acted together in such a work. It was printed by Atkins in 1781 & four copies only are known to exist. [P.S. I have obtained one for my own Library.]

             Several documents came to the Library, which had been used by the Librarian Peirce in preparing his History of Harvard University. Among them are several memoranda in President Dunster's handwriting. His will may be found at the Probate Office in East-Cambridge [Afterward his will stolen].

 July 21, 1846

             Tuesday. The workmen commenced operations again in the burying place. They opened the grave down the top of the brick wall which lined the grave. Large stones were then laid across these walls & the remainder of the load of stones which was brought from Boston together with a large quantity which had been displaced in opening the grave were used to fill it. Upon these was placed a heavy granite block, upon which was placed the old stone slab which rested previously over the grave. The tablet having long since been destroyed a new one has been made which is to be inserted in the old slab. No letters whatever exist anywhere upon the old slab or upon the granite block but it is proposed  to put the initials upon the granite or upon the underside of the slab or upon both. The sexton has said the grave within the brickwork was uncommonly large & was capacious enough for a double coffin. It did not appear to me so large. The more the persons interested in the matter reflect upon it, the more strongly inclined they are to think this grave which contained the tansy is Dunster's.

             In the evening called on Rev. R.T. Austin, a native of Waldoboro, Maine, whose name when he graduated at Bowdoin College was Reuben Seiders, of German Origin. After being betrothed to Miss Austin, an only child, there being plate in the family & other relics bearing the Austin name, & her relatives wishing the name not to become extinct, his name was changed by an act of Legislature. He was settled in Wayland, & has since been preaching in different places, South Natick, East-Lexington, etc., etc. & is now supplying the desk at Lunenberg. His wife says her mother when she died seven or eight years ago was able to trace the history of their house 180 years when the history of it was lost. The walls are plastered with mud. She says moreover that her ancestors, (& they have lived here from near the time of the first settlement,) have told her that President Dunster once lived in West Cambridge about two miles from the College in a very old house which has been taken down within a few years & which was situated on a road turning to the right just before reaching the stream.

 July 22, 1846

             Wednesday. Wrote to the President respecting the project of cutting down several trees in the College yard, whereupon he requested an interview. Between 1812 & 1816, or along about that time a great number of trees was planted in the yard and a belt of them, principally pines surrounded the yard. These trees have been neglected & now crowd each other in the belt & prevent the growth of all. The plan is to cut down the sycamores, which from some unknown cause have been dying throughout the U. States for the last three years, also dying & dead trees & such as interfere with each other.

             The belt no longer serves as a screen there being no small shrubbery & there are too many trees to admit of the expansion & development of them all. Trees should also have reference to the objects seen through them. They should cover the objectionable & leave an opening for what is agreeable to the eye. With this view several will be removed from the belt north of University Hall. Ornamental trees are sometimes planted in groups, & on the North East part of the yard where there is a considerable indentation in the belt several are to be cut away so as to leave a cluster.

             The Dunster stone finished. The tablet being too large the cavity in the slab was enlarged so as to admit, the enlargement being made at the bottom. Mr. C. Folsom, who wrote the inscription got it printed, so that the workman might have no apology for mistakes, still he deviated from the copy and left a space on the tablet below the inscription which in the copy was three or four lines above, dividing the two subjects contained in the inscription.

 July 23, 1846

             Thursday. After evening called on Geo. Livermore & went with him to see Mr. Dowse, a bachelor, a native of Sherburne, a leather dresser. Although acquainted with him he had never asked me to call on him. And now when persons send word to him naming a time when they should like to see his library, he generally replies that he is engaged. He has been greatly annoyed by fashionable gazers, who do not appreciate his collection. He is exceedingly lame, probably rheumatic lameness, with which he has been afflicted for many years. We made an excuse for calling upon him, by asking him for a manuscript which Mr. L. had loaned to him & which belonged to Mr. Brinley of Hartford. We found him in his beautiful & spacious garden, covering perhaps an acre extending from Main Street to the street in the rear, containing many beautiful and ornamental and fruit trees, & shrubbery. After surveying this, he voluntarily invited us into his Library. It is a remarkable collection for a private individual in America, & particularly so for a man of Mr. Dowse's vocation through a long life. Many of the books are exceedingly rare, all are of the best editions, splendidly bound. So particular is he, that he generally furnishes the stock himself & divides the business of binding a book with three binderies, according to their different skills in forwarding, finishing & lettering. It is said that this passion for books, good and rare, began when he was a boy; that even then with his small change he bought a rare & beautiful book when he could & thus his library has been increased till it now numbers several thousand volumes. He receives catalogues & is constantly ordering rare books from Europe. He has a large collection of beautiful paintings, which he obtained thro' a ticket in a lottery of paintings, which was in England.

             Soon after dinner a shower came up, accompanied by a few flashes of lightning, one of which was singular. The lightning struck a tree in the corner of Mr. R.J. Austin's garden about three quarters of a mile from the Colleges on the street that winds from the West Cambridge road to the Botanic garden. A short distance from the tree it knocked down one of a yoke of oxen. Near by in another direction it knocked down a man, leaving a wide mark from his hip downwards & taking away the sensibility of his lower extremities; & it was a long time before the sensibility, through friction, was restored. It omitted one person, but nearly in a range with him it knocked down another person. All this occurred within the space of a few rods. One quarter of a mile or so north of Mr. Austin's a train of cars passing along the railroad track, the passengers felt the electrical effect sensibly. At the observatory about a quarter of a mile in another direction the shock was violent. Dr. Wyman at his house in Church Street three quarters of a mile distant, was holding a metallic pipe & it was struck out of his hands. The air through the whole vicinity appears to have been so thoroughly impregnated with electricity that this discharge disturbed the whole.

             For some days men have been employed cutting down the dying sycamores and otherwise thinning the belt of trees which was planted around the College yard about thirty years since.

 July 28, 1846

             Tuesday. Moved to Divinity Hall No.15 from No. 28, which I have occupied for about four years.

 July 30, 1846

             Thursday. Attended the meeting of the Historical Society & acted as Recording Secretary pro tem.

 July 31, 1846

             Friday. At 4 1/2 o'clock A.M. packed my trunk. Took stage to Boston & sent trunk by express. At the Eastern railroad depot bought a ticket to East Thomaston for $2.00, the passage to Portland by the same train being $1.50 & by the other trains during the day $3.00. Left the Wharf at 4 1/2 P.M. & at fifteen minutes before five the cars started from East Boston. The sunset scenery was beautiful. There appeared to be three separate showers following down the three principal rivers between which was clear sunshine & no rain. And the earth, as we travelled, confirmed the idea.  At North Berwick there was the usual rush of the passengers for a piece of pie & a cup of tea or coffee. Arrived at Portland at one quarter before nine o'clock, having stopped about half an hour at different places. This makes the speed during the whole distance, 105 miles, precisely one mile in two minutes.

             In half an hour we were on board the steamboat Governor, a beautiful & convenient boat but not so good a seaboat as some others. From 12 o'clock till about 4 the fog was so dense that no progress could be made. Then being very near Monhegan, the steam was applied, and we arrived at E. Thomaston about 7 o'clock. There found a horse & wagon waiting to carry me to Union. Stopped a few minutes to talk with Phineas Butler, one of the first company who began to clear the town of Union - a few minutes with Mr. Eaton who has collected some materials for a history of Warren, & arrived at the old home in Union about noon.

 August 2, 1846

             Sunday. How quiet & still! No passing of travellers or of townsmen. How different from the Cambridge! Attended the Orthodox meeting. After meeting no noise; but several people at work getting in hay.

 August 3, 1846

             Monday. Began examination of the third volume of the Town Records of Union.

 August 9, 1846

             Sunday. Heard Rev. Mr. Dodge, of Waldoboro preach two good sermons at the Calvinistic meetinghouse - the afternoon's particularly good. He must have a good deal of the wag about him & a good deal of satire & humour.

 August 10, 1846

             Returned town records & examined Selectmen's records.

 August 11, 1846

             Tuesday. With horse & wagon went to Thomaston. Spent four hours or so at the Knox mansion. This stands on the point of land formerly occupied by St. George's fort. It has been the scene of one or more treaties & conferences and battles with the Indians. The Knox tomb stands in a grove of firs & pines, east of the mansion & in front, & to the east & south of the tomb is the old burying ground used at the time of the fort. The stones are broken & obliterated, & many removed. One clergyman (Rutherford) who was for a time at Bristol is buried there, & two large slabs with the tablets destroyed; one containing a parallelogram & another a heart-shaped cavity, are said to cover the remains of military officers. It was on the river that Winslow, a graduate of Harvard University more than one hundred years ago was killed by the Indians, as narrated in a Sermon on the occasion by C. Mather. The location of the Knox mansion, particularly at high tide is beautiful. Situated on a point of land which commands a prospect of the river for several miles below, & in the General's day, unencroached upon by wharf or house for nearly a mile in either direction & having on the East of the mansion a very large beautiful grove which covered a great number of acres, it may have been looked upon with delight and admiration. The house was splendid. It is said that there was not one in Boston which had a handsomer front. Within, it was furnished with splendor, luxury & elegance. Beautiful furniture, plate, paintings, library, etc. graced the apartments. It was the resort of the most distinguished men of the time.       

            The family was proverbial for hospitality. Mrs. Knox's fondness for style embarrassed the finances of the General, & this, together with the iniquity of some of those concerned in the settlement of the estate, caused it to be insolvent to a great amount. After the General's death the house was neglected, papers & curiosities, etc. pillaged. Mrs. Holmes now lives there, the house in a good state though not having its former grandeur & glory, & may be well visited by any one who is a patriot, an antiquarian, a historian, a lover of fine arts or who wishes to see refinement & elegance & grace.

             General Knox's papers, what of them remain, were handed to Mr. Davies of Portland, to prepare a biography. But at my solicitation, Mrs. Holmes brought half a bushel or so from a large quantity in an upper room & I found among them very many which were very interesting, from persons who were associated with him in the Revolutionary war, & a mass of military returns which ought to be examined by his biographer. Many were autographs, several of them of Washington. Mrs. Holmes favored my idea of having them deposited in the Library of Harvard College, after with Mrs. Thacher she should overlook them & take out such as were private. I found they contained much that was very valuable, much which ought to be preserved for posterity, although it was evident they were not appreciated. During the time of the Revolution, of the course there cannot be be many letters. General Knox being commander in chief of the artillery, was always at headquarters with Washington himself, & whatever related to the operations of the army would generally be directed to Washington.

             After dinner rode one or two miles below Mill River & called on Phinehas Butler, aged 88, who came to Union with Dr. John Taylor & others in 1774 & began to fell trees on the north side of the South Union millstream near Seventree pond. This was the first movement towards a permanent settlement of the town. A camp was there which had been occupied from time to time by four [?] persons while cutting lumber, for two or three years. They had agreed to take one hundred acres of land each on certain conditions, but they had not fulfilled any of these conditions & had made use of the agreement only to cut off the lumber. From this old gentleman & his wife I ascertained several particulars relating to Union.

             Returning called on Cyrus Eaton. He had made considerable progress in his History of Warren; but the loss of eyesight in consequence of a little chip striking his eye two years ago, has interrupted it in a great measure.

             Called also on Rev. Mr. Huse, of Warren, from Methuen? a graduate of Dartmouth, also on my cousin Harriet (Morse) Starrett & arrived at Union about nine o'clock P.M.

 August 13, 1846

             Thursday. In the morning went to Hills Mills & over the ground where I played in schoolboy days. The road has been laid out west of the one used when I went to school. A schoolhouse has been erected & torn down since the one in which I attended, the river now divides the District into two Districts, & there are two new schoolhouses. I climbed over the fence directly opposite the road which runs west from the road on the west side of the river & endeavored to identify the spot where the old schoolhouse stood on the brow of the hill near the river, but I was unable to recognize it.       

            In the afternoon went to Jacob Sibley's, an uncle in the N.W. part of the town. What beautiful scenery!

 August 14

             Friday. Followed down the St. George on the Western side nearly to Warren & returning came round on the West side of Round Pond, calling chiefly on old people & the children of the first settlers, to collect information respecting the town.

             Find in the newspapers that the Roman Catholic Bishop Fenwick, of Boston, is dead. He was not so beloved as Bishop Cheverus, a Frenchman, who after many years' residence in Boston, was recalled to France. Bishop Cheverus visited Maine generally in the summers & commonly preached once in his tour at the residence of one Keating, who lived a mile or two below McLeans mills on the Western side of the St. Georges in what is now Appleton. There was great thronging to hear him. There were several Catholics in the vicinity, but most persons went from curiosity. I recollect the interest with which for weeks I looked forward, when a boy, to his coming, & the regret I felt one summer upon learning that his arrangements were such that he could not come. But he came the next summer, & I walked several miles on Sunday morning to the spot. The house was quite full of people, who & their children were receiving Catholic rites. After these were over, the multitude repaired to the barn, which was L-shaped. The Bishop stepped upon a table placed in the corner of the L & preached a sermon, without notes, to an audience filling the floor, sitting on the beams & covering the hay mows. This was the only time I heard him in Maine, & it must have been about thirty years since.

             The newspapers state that President Everett, on account of the pressure of official duties & the state of his health declines giving the Address before the Alumni; that Professor Greenleaf is transferred to the Dane Professorship, & that Judge Kent of N. York, son of the Chancellor, is chosen Royall Professor.

 August 15, 1846

             Saturday. Went to the West part of the town. How beautiful the scenery is in this town.

 August 16, 1846

             Sunday. Attended the Orthodox meeting. In the afternoon, the clergyman gave a notice alluding to tardiness in coming to meeting, and requesting the persons who were necessitated to come late, to bring a written statement of the reasons & that that they might lay the same on the Communion table. This was a course of proceeding which would be tolerated, I think, in but few societies.

              A moose was killed one or two days since in the cedar swamp & it weighed more than seven hundred pounds after it was dressed. A deer was killed last December in the East part of Union, not far from Daniels and Payson. It was first seen near Hills' Mills.

 August 21, 1846

             Friday. Three weeks to-morrow since I arrived at Union. My time has been occupied almost exclusively in collecting materials for a History of the town. Notwithstanding the first permanent settlement was not made before 1774 & two of the early comers are still living, it is almost impossible to get at exactness as to facts & to dates & events. One would hardly think it possible there should be so much obscurity and uncertainty as there is about the history of a period so recent, while there are people still living who were pioneers or children of the pioneers.

             Yesterday I rode to the East part of Union & into the borders of Hope, where I went to school in the Beveridge school district in 1811. It was difficult to recognize much.

             This morning I left my father & mother a little after six o'clock, took a horse-wagon through West Thomaston to East Thomaston. This last village has grown up entirely within twenty-five years. At eleven o'clock took the steamboat "Governor" which left Bangor at six oc'clock. On board I found my classmates Hedge (son of Professor Hedge) formerly settled at West Cambridge, now at Bangor, & Lothrop, formerly of Dover, N.H., now of Boston.

             On board was Mr. Bardwell, a graduate of Oberlin Institute, who has been three years a missionary among the Ojibway Indians & has his station at Sandy Lake, one hundred miles from any white man. He says the Obijways number, in all, about 20,000, that their condition is deplorable. They subsist much upon fish; but at the season when these are in deep water, they suffer & not unfrequently starve. They live in bark lodges, are generous & improvident, will always divide their last meal with a sufferer, & yet will steal it the next hour if they can. The wild game is fast disappearing & soon will be entirely gone. The missionaries at the different stations have been trying to introduce among them some of the comforts of civilized life. They have introduced grain & potatoes, so that they are beginning to raise some. They are in about 47 degrees of North latitude, & so destitute of clothing, that they sell perhaps five of the ten bushels raised in order to protect themselves against the severities of the climate. Their stock gets exhausted, & when the suffering for want of food comes, the missionaries sell the grain back to them, they will fell trees, or build loghouses or engage in doing something which will ameliorate their condition. They begin to perceive the necessity of introducing the arts of civilized life; as natural means of subsistence are failing them. Several of them have built comfortable log houses. Their travelling is almost entirely by canoes.

             Some success has attended the efforts to educate the children. When Mr. B first went there, if the children heard an Indian round the lodge, they were very careful to read so as not to be heard by him. They were afraid of ridicule in being called "Praying Indians". Now, if they hear an Indian, they raise their voices a little higher that usual, so that it may be understood they are learning to read. When Mr. B went among them he knew nothing of their language. He went into their huts, sat down on the ground, took his paper, & asking them the names of things, wrote them down. They were at first jealous, but gradually began to communicate freely. There have been some true conversions among them. When Mr. B came from them last autumn, he took his canoe & came down, alone, two hundred miles from the head of the Mississippi, hauled his boat up & landed each night, & thus for six days went down the river without seeing one human being. His intention is to return to them.

             The boat arrived at Portland & we took the cars at 4 3/4 o'clock, & after making stops & waiting for several trains to pass, we arrived in Boston at 10 3/4 o'clock. I immediately walked to Cambridge, & at half past twelve o'clock found myself quietly reposing in my bed, No. 15 Divinity Hall. It is a luxury to get back to the quiet of one's room.

 August 22, 1846

             Saturday. Upon going to the Library found, among others, letters from Gov. Felch of Michigan, containing a catalogue of the volumes & pamphlets which he had forwarded to the Public Library, & one from Governor Kent respecting the Williamson library, which I expect, will turn out to be of little value.

 August 24, 1846

             Monday. A bust of Judge Story brought to the Library by W.W. Story, his son, who made it himself. It is the second bust he has made in marble & the sixth of any kind wh. he has made. To me it seems to be an excellent likeness.

             After tea I happened to be going by the State Arsenal when the gate was unlocked and went in. There were 8000 muskets with their bristling bayonets pointing upward, along which, I was told, the electricity played in a shower. Here was a large number of large brass field pieces under cover, two of which, rec'd this season, were given to the Lexington company immediately after the Lexington battle & contained the inscription, which had been placed also on the two given in exchange for these two which had been fired so much as to impair the bore.

August 25, 1846

             Tuesday. This morning about five minutes before five o'clock I was waked by an earthquake. It was the first I ever recognised as such while it was taking place. The last one, which I did not notice at the time, took place one morning while I was at recitation in College more than twenty years ago. As soon as I was aroused by the noise, I perceived my bed rocking from side to side & the windows rattling as if a heaving carriage was passing. I soon found that the movement of the bed was not that caused by a jarring, such as is produced by a vehicle, but as nearly as I can describe it a rocking, like that of a cradle. After the first violence had passed & before it had died away, there seemed to come back another shock in the same way as with thunder, after the first crash an echo after a while rolls back, or the sound after nearly dying away rises again. Prof. Greenleaf said it awoke him & after the earthquake had rocked it jerked his bed. The leaves of the tables in Divinity Hall flew up & down. In one house two or three pieces of crockery were knocked from a shelf in a closet. There were floating clouds but it was not dull weather.

 August 26, 1846

             Wednesday. The earthquake was felt at Concord, N.H., at Walpole, N.H. at Newburyport & Springfield & Portland, Maine. I suppose there can be no doubt that it was altogether the heaviest experienced here during the present century.

             Commencement day. A violent storm all day. The exercises were of a higher order both as to composition & delivery than common. Though the audience was smaller than usual when the exercises commenced yet the house was crowded before they were finished. In conferring the degree of Master of Arts, it has been usual hitherto for the President while sitting in the old chair (so old that its history is lost, though the most probable account is that it came through the Turell(?) family of Medford) which is placed before the pulpit to extend a book which each of these candidates took hold of. The book which has been used ever since it came into the Library is the Bible which was owned & used by President Dunster. The book used before this was [SECTION ERASED; SEE ORIGINAL]. President Everett discontinued the use of it to-day. After the conclusion of the exercises the company dispersed again to Gore Hall, where the procession was again formed and marched to Harvard Hall to dine. All ardent spirits & wine were excluded. After dinner the company was dismissed upon singing to the tune of St. Martin's, the hymn which sung for many years before I came to College, Dr. Pierce of Brookline taking the lead in the singing as he has always done since my remembrance. The President interrupted the dispersion by saying that while in England he had been unsuccessful in procuring any information respecting John Harvard except on the records of the College where he received his degree. Just before leaving London he accidentally saw in an obscure street upon a sign the words "John Harvard, lampmaker." The President made a very happy application & figurative use of the words in a short in a short neat speech, & the company dispersed.

            The oldest graduate was J. Lovell of the Class of 1776, who had come from the South almost on purpose to be here at the Commencement to-day. Several students had entertainments at their rooms. Prof. Norton, 'tis said, had at an entertainment at his house nearly six hundred persons. After spending a short time there went to the President's to his levee. The President's levee was instituted by President Quincy when he came into office & has been continued ever since.

             Wrote letters to the Gov. of S.C. & to the Mayor of Charleston, S.C. for documents.

 August 27, 1846

             Thursday. The Phi Beta Kappa Oration & Poem. Quite a storm at the meeting of the Society, because wine was not provided though a decided majority were in favor of dispensing with it.

             Wrote to the Gov. of Iowa for documents. Rec'd the box from Michigan sent by Governor Felch, containing fifty bound volumes & thirteen unbound volumes, & pamphlets, & four county maps published by the State.

 August 28, 1846

             Friday. Wrote to N.P. Tallmadge, of Madison, Governor of Wisconsin, for Public Documents. The proposition for documents, before the New Hampshire Legislature, was struck out.

 August 29, 1846

             Saturday. Wrote to Franklin Sawyer of New Orleans respecting deficiencies in the Michigan documents & respecting New Orleans & Louisiana documents.

 August 30, 1846

             Sunday. Walked to Boston & back. Oppressively warm. This season has been exceedingly warm.

 August 31, 1846

             Monday. College lessons begin. After evening commons the Sophomores & Freshmen meet, as has been customary for many years on the Delta to try themselves with football. The Sophomores, of course, know each other & consequently who are the Freshmen. The Freshmen of course know but few of their classmates & cannot well distinguish them from the Sophomores. The different classes come together, the football is thrown down among them, & the object of each class is to kick the others & "bark their shins" as much as possible. After a few evenings, classmates know each other, the two younger classes form two sides, & the ball is kicked in a regular way. This is the general sport among students till cold weather. In the spring there is no playing of football, but "bat & ball" & cricket.

 September 8, 1846

             Tuesday. The almost insufferably warm weather, which began to come on Aug 27, has been checked a little by showers this afternoon. The continuance of such heat for so many days in succession is almost unparalleled. And it is the more remarkable on account of the lateness of the season.

 September 9, 1846

             Wednesday. See the Daily Advertiser for notices of the late warm weather.

 September 12, 1846

             Saturday. The weather changed about 35° in as many hours after which warm weather returned as before & has continued. Most of my time since Commencement employed in examining the sale catalogue of the distinguished philologist, John Pickering. To-day went to Boston to examine the books themselves.  The library is said to have cost the ... ... about $XX,000 to contain about 8000 vols...

 September 13, 1846

             Sunday. Attended divine service at Somerville. At noon dined with Deacon Foster, on Winter Hill. He is a very strong abolitionist & the liberty party candidate for Senator. Some remains of the old breastworks there are still visible. Edmund Tufts, who is more than fifty years of age & who lives there in the house where he was born, says that eight persons were brought to his mother's after the action on Bunker's Hill & his mother dressed their wounds, tearing up nearly half the sheets in the house to do it. He says that Hessians were encamped on the northerly part of Winter's Hill after the capture of Burgoyne, that disease prevailed much among them, that many were buried on Winter Hill & the bones are not unfrequently disturbed. One man accidentally found two guineas & by a careful watch  afterward found several more.

             Returned & attended the church in Somerville in the afternoon. It seemed like going to meeting to worship instead of going for form's sake. Dr. Booth, Assistant Superintendent of the McLean Asylum, prevailed on me to accompany him to tea. After tea divine service was held among the patients. They were as quiet & orderly as any class of people. Mr & Mrs. Tyler led the singing, & others joined in it. It was a very interesting occasion.

 September 14, 1846       

            Monday. Safford's family having moved to Cambridge from Vermont, in consequence of a movement plan by which about four thousand dollars have been subscribed to aid the boy to get an education, he began his studies with Professor Peirce to-day. He will be ten years old in October. He made all the calculations for an almanac, which has been published. He possesses an aptitude for all intellectual pursuits, & chance or accident alone led to the mathematical rather than any other development. He is very artless, childlike in all his movements and habits, very pleasant, quiet, says but little & that little always has a meaning. He is placed under the care of the President. His constitution is not rugged, & great skill will be necessary to give a proportional development to the physical & intellectual powers.

September 15, 1846

            Tuesday. Very warm in the morning. Change of weather before night. Attended the book auction.

September 16, 1846       

            Wednesday. Change of 30° nearly since yesterday morning. The Library rec'd a box of books and pamphlets from the Quakers of Philadelphia as a gift. I suggested the idea to Mrs. Hopkins, matron of the Maryland Lunatic Asylum, when she visited the College Library in July.

September 20, 1846

            Sunday. Died Cyrus Morse, a stage or omnibus driver between Cambridge & Boston for about forty years. Disease - rum & brandy. How many times would he have driven round the earth if he had always driven in one direction?

 September 21, 1846

             Monday. Afternoon prayers altered-- 5 1/2 o'clock.

 September 24, 1846

             Thursday. Attended the auction of the late Hon. John Pickering's library four days last week & three days this week. The Law Department to be sold to-morrow. The library is said to have consisted of about 8000 volumes and to have cost the late owner about $15, 000. The bill for the books purchased for the College is about $240.

 September 25, 1846

             Friday. Dr. Cogswell, of Gilmanton, N.H., at the Library, lately Professor at Dartmouth College & previously Secretary of the Board of Education & Editor of the American Quarterly Register - a man of statistics. Visited also by Mr. Curwen of New York City, quite a bibliographer. He has made a collection of books, etc. relating to cards & to penmanship, & a collection of coins. American cents of 1815 are very scarce- why? Was it because no copper could be imported & the metal was used for ships? He has a half dollar of 1794, 1795 being generally supposed to be the earliest. Mr. Stickney of Salem has a very complete collection of American coins. A lady in Providence, sister of Thomas Wilson Dorr has a very curious collection of crockery ware, such as was used at different periods. Mr. Corwin has a fondness for collecting books printed in America before the year 1700. He showed one by President Chauncy printed here in 1655. Went with him to Mr. Livermore's, where we found Mr. Brinley of Hartford, who has made a very large collection of books printed in America.

 September 27, 1846

             Sunday. Heard a distinguished member of the Christian denomination so called, preach at Mr. Clarke's in Boston.

 September 29, 1846

             Tuesday. While shaving this morning discovered that the interior portion of the cornea of the left eye was suffused with blood in consequence of the rupture of a small blood vessel.

 September 30, 1846

             Wednesday. Attended the exercises of the consecration of the Monument erected to Joseph Tuckerman, D.D., at Mount Auburn. Quite a large concourse, consisting of his coadjutors, Sunday school teachers, & the poor of Boston. The Order of Performances was printed & will probably appear in the papers. 1st prayer by Rev. F.T. Gray, originally a clerk, then bookseller, & afterward the first associate in the ministry with Dr. Tuckerman, 2nd Mrs. Barbaulds Hymn in five stanzas beginning "Not for the pious dead we weep", sung to the tune of Dundee, 3rd Reading of Portions of Scripture by Rev. R.C. Waterston, Addresses by Mr. Rogers, (principal agent in getting up the subscription which was about one thousand & fifty dollars all purposely given, with one exception, in very small sums) and another address without notes by Rev. Dr. E.S. Gannett, 4th Hymn in four stanzas beginning "Rise, O my soul, pursue the path," sung to Peterboro. 5th Prayer by Rev. Dr. Francis Parkman, who also pronounced the benediction. On the front, beneath the Medallion Portrait are the words

 
Joseph Tuckerman

In the rear, -

Born in Boston, Mass.,

January 18, 1778

Died in Cuba, W.I.

April 20, 1840.

On the right tablet: -

For the Twenty Five Years

A Faithful Minister of

Jesus Christ

In the Village of Chelsea

And for Fourteen Years

A devoted Missionary

To the Suffering and neglected

Of the City of Boston

His Best Monument is

The Ministry at Large;

His appropriate title,

The Friend of the Poor.

On the left tablet, -

This Monument is erected

By Friends to whom

His Memory is dear

For the services

He rendered,

Amid the impulse he gave

To the cause of

Christian Philanthropy.

 The monument, designed by H. Billings and executed by Carew, is in the Romanesque style, & of the Patterson, N.J. Freestone.

             Took occasion to walk about the grounds, not having had opportunity to do it conveniently for two years.

 October 1, 1846

             Thursday. Eliza Sibley, a cousin from Albion, Maine, called on me & we went through Mount Auburn Cemetery. The chapel there begins to look beautifully. When Gore Hall was built people in America had not had experience in Gothic buildings, otherwise many of its defects would not have existed. The Cemetery Chapel, both internally and externally, is very much superior. Strange that any person should have thought a Gothic building appropriate & well adapted for a Library.

             The College morning prayers changed from 6 to 7 o'clock.

 October 4, 1846

             Sunday. At church in Boston. Afternoon services in the chapel at the same hour as in Cambridge, though in years past began as late as 4 1/2 o'clock in long days.

 October 5, 1846

             Monday. Rec'd at the Library the volume & eight pamphlets which cover the Gurney controversy which attended the schism of the Quakers of New England, in consequence of a letter to Charles Perry of Westerly, R.I. requesting them. Also rec'd 200 pamphlets or thereabouts from C.D. Cleveland, of Philadelphia, which I solicited of him more than a year ago.

 October 7, 1846

             Wednesday. In the evening at a party at the President's.

            The annual Catalogue made its appearance yesterday. The Assistant Librarian's name appears on it, having been inserted by the President. Though he has been here ever since the books were moved to Gore Hall he has succeeded hitherto in having his name omitted.

 October 12, 1846

             Monday. Evening prayers changed to five o'clock. News arrives of the capture of Monterey by the Americans. The conduct of the United States within a year or two past will be a subject of mortification to future patriots. The aggression upon Mexico is entirely uncalled for. It originates in the annexation of Texas; & really the annexation has its origin in the fear of the South that they shall lose their power in the national councils. Slavery is at the bottom of the whole matter. The recent seizure of Santa Fe & California is of the same character.

 October 18, 1846

             Sunday. At worship in the College Chapel. In the evening called at the President's. Mrs. Everett, having a very extensive acquaintance, lets it be known that she is at home to receive her female friends Tuesdays in the forenoon & Fridays in the afternoon. Friday evenings from six to eight o'clock the President & his wife have tea for all friends, of both sexes who choose to call.

             The College has been remarkable for its quietness and orderly deportment this term. The Sophomore Class which has considered it a matter of course to play tricks upon the Freshmen has taken a higher tone, & little or nothing of the kind has been heard of. The curse of the College is the Law Students, particularly those from the South and Southwestern States. They are generally destitute of all principle, fearing neither God nor man. Their influence upon undergraduates is anything but good. The effects of slavery are very perceptible in their deportment and immorality.

 October 20, 1846

             Tuesday. Exhibition of Undergraduates. The original parts by the highest class & the translations by the next class. John Paul Robinson, a native of Dover, N.H., now of Lowell, says that John Wentworth after graduating here went to England & at a horse race bet a healthy sum. This led to an inquiry about him by the Marquis of Rockingham, who invited him to his house & found him accomplished and gentlemanly. Benning Wentworth had become unpopular in New Hampshire & the Marquis, whose name was Wentworth, appointed John Governor. John, upon his return, divided New Hampshire into counties, a measure much opposed by the inhabitants of Portsmouth & vicinity, because all law business was centered in the quarter. In gratitude to his benefactor he named one county Rockingham, another he called Strafford from Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, etc., etc.

             John G. Palfrey, late Professor in the University, now Secretary of Massachusetts, has been printing a series of letters on the Slave Power, which have just been published in a pamphlet form. He has a right to speak upon slavery. His father, a planter in Louisiana died & he had the offer to have his portion of the slaves or an equivalent in money. He chose the slaves. He next applied to the Legislature of Louisiana to allow him to manumit them and let them live there; but it was refused. He then was at the trouble and expense of transporting them to Massachusetts, & (what was quite as irksome anything else, owing to their previous habits) of providing homes or places for them all. 'Tis said they might have been sold for ten thousand dollars.

 October 21, 1846

             Wednesday. Not long since, Le Verrier, a young man, 'tis said not more than thirty years old, made the bold assertion that there must be a planet exterior to Uranus. 'Tis said that he made a very careful examination of all the disturbing influences which, with the sun, could possibly affect the irregularities of Uranus. The mathematical calculations would not meet the difficulty. He then made calculations upon the hypothesis that there was an exterior planet, & satisfied himself that with such a planet all the irregularities of Uranus could be explained. His calculations were carefully examined.  Prof. Peirce told me that they appeared very reasonable. The steamer arrived in the course of the last night from England, bringing the intelligence that Le Verrier had made his calculations so thoroughly that he wrote to Berlin, informing the obervers there at what place in the heavens they must look for it. On the evening of receiving the communication, September the twenty-third, eighteen hundred and forty-six, Dr. Galle discovered the new planet where he had been told by Le Verrier to look for it. B. A. Gould, a graduate of Harvard College in 1844, now in Berlin, wrote immediately to Prof. Peirce, stating that Le Verrier at that time had not heard of the discovery by Dr. Galle. This evening Prof. Peirce thinks he has discovered it - not yet one month since it was first observed as a planet. What a singular sensation on one's mind such a discovery produces!! What a triumph of mathematics! What an idea it gives of the vastness and of the wonders of the universe! Where is the limit to the mind of man? With a pen, ink, & paper on a small table, in a little room or in a garret, a man can announce with confidence that there must be a planet as large perhaps as the largest yet seen, & tell the astronomer, though no one has ever observed it since the creation, the precise spot to which he must direct his telescope to find it. And the annunciation is confirmed by observing it, though hundreds of millions of miles distant in the fathomless, unbounded depths of space. What a simple yet wonderful discovery that of the telescope!

October 22, 1846

             Thursday. The discovery of the new nameless planet confirmed by this evening's observations. Now what shall it be named? What heathen deity worthy of the name.  Pluto,  Neptune, Vulcan, or why not Titan?

 October 23, 1846

             Friday. The course of the Lyceum Lectures in Cambridge, Ward No. 1, began this evening with a Lecture by Geo. S. Hillard, Esq., and a poem by O.W. Holmes, M.D. both of Boston. The reputation of the speakers drew out a thronged house, of the most intellectual people.

             It may be well enough to remember that the inscriptions upon the slab placed over the College tomb in memory of the Presidents Willard and Webber were by C. Folsom, & that the monument was placed there at the time of the commencement of the inquiry about Dunster.

             The ivy placed in the northeast corner of Gore Hall two years ago this autumn was sent by Wm E. Wood of Western New York who says the original slip came from Kenilworth Castle.

             The controversy respecting Young's Chronicles was carried on for sometime, particularly in the Boston Courier.

             Geo. Bancroft made a long reply to President Quincy, and it was published at Washington, in the Union. He sailed as Minister to England on the 8th inst. in the steamer from New York City.

 October 26, 1846

             Monday. Called, in the evening, on Prof. Kent. The custom of the present day is when a stranger moves into town, for the people residing there to call on him & his family before he calls on them. When the caller has a family the stranger and his family generally return the call within about a week.

 October 29, 1846

             Thursday. Attended the meeting of the Historical Society. Some discussion was held upon a repeated application from the Secretary of the State of Connecticut; in behalf of the Legislature, for the Trumbull papers, which have been for fifty years in the Library of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Several volumes of the Hist. Society's Transactions having been reprinted, it was voted to defer the reprinting of the vols. containing Hubbard's New England. Several of the first leaves are imperfect, & the copy from which the work was printed has lost several of the leaves. The original is in England, in possession of the heirs of Oliver, who would not in his lifetime allow the Society any use of it. The cause for delay is the expectation that, Oliver having died many years ago, the heirs will allow a copy of the defective parts to be made. Mr. Savage, upon being asked his opinion about the matter, said he had such a "supreme contempt for Hubbard that he did not think the whole History itself worth five dollars. The part that was wanting he would give five dollars for as quick as he would for the whole book, or five dollars for the part we have as quick as for the part which is imperfect. He took one third of the book from Winthrop, & nearly all the rest from Morton, except what, it has just been found, he took from Denton. He seems to have had these three writers before him & to have taken from them page after page, using their precise language. Whenever he exercises his own judgment, he is good; but this he seldom does."        

            Mr. Savage expressed himself too strongly. Till the Winthrop Journal was published, Hubbard was almost the only authority to be consulted. He ought to be regarded respectfully as having for a great many years imparted almost the only light to be had upon the period he embraces.

             Made many calls to obtain pamphlets, etc. for the Library.

 October 31, 1846

             Saturday. Two Law Students, viz. John Brown Brooke, of Prince Georges Co. Maryland and Hugh Toler Booraem of Newark, N.J. were arrested by the watchmen in Cambridgeport, as they making a turbulent noise on their return from the theatre at Boston last evening, & locked up in the watchhouse. Southern Students of the Law Students School were very indignant & made some movements towards taking them out by force, but finally abandoned the plan. Brooke & Booraem were  released upon giving their names, which at first they refused to do. To-day they were tried before the Police Court. Several of the Southern Students being very angry propose to quit the Law School. They find that Cambridge is not a pleasant place to live in.

             A search warrant sent out to look for books supposed to be taken by McElroy who was connected with College last term. His father, a respectable Irishman, a tailor doing business in Charlestown resides in Somerville. The young rascal had for sometime been in the habit of going into rooms of Freshmen, who did not know him & naming some textbook which he wished to borrow for a little time, saying that he roomed in the same entry. These books he undoubtedly sold in Boston to obtain spending money. As several books had been purloined from the Public Library a search was made for them at the same time, but without success.

 November 3, 1846

             Tuesday. Nahum Ball son of Dr. Ball of Northboro & brother of Balls dentists in Boston, & member of the Junior Class died in Boston last night about eleven o'clock, of abscess in the abdomen. He had been connected with Amherst College several months when he was severely attacked with a fever. He did not return to Amherst, but entered as Freshman here and from the time of coming here has been a fellow-boarder. The class held a meeting after evening prayers, passed sundry resolutions such as to wear crape for thirty days on the arm, appointed a committee to represent the Class if the funeral should be at Northboro: etc. He was an excellent man.

             Evening prayers at 4 1/2 o'clock. Breakfast immediately after morning prayers which are at 7 o'clock except on Sundays when they are one hour later. Dinner at two o'clock except on Saturdays when it is at one o'clock & Sundays when it is at 12 o'clock. Supper at 6 o'clock.

 November 4, 1846

             Wednesday. The Junior Class went to Boston where prayers were offered previously to removing the body of N. Ball to Northboro where the funeral is to take place to-morrow.     

            Rev. Abiel Abbott of Peterborough, N.H., a graduate of 1787, upon being questioned as to his agency in putting forward J. Sparks to get an education, informs me that while he was at Coventry, Conn., Rev. Mr. Loomis of Willington about ten miles distant called on him on his way to an Association meeting in June, & said that this Sparks, of whom he, Mr. A., had never heard, was with him & appeared to be a young man of talents desirous of getting an education; that he had calculated an eclipse, that he had taken hold of Algebra & by the light of a pineknot had gone through it easily & had commenced Latin; that he labored on a farm or as a carpenter & had no means to enable him to pursue his studies. Mr. L. proposed to Dr. A. that he should take him into his family one or two months and that the other clergymen of the Association should do the same, for the purpose of assisting him. Upon Dr. A's making inquiries respecting S's character, L. replied that S. was strictly moral; but as to his being religious he did not know as he had any religion & that he did not profess to have any. Dr. A. told Mr. L. that the members of the association entertained different religious sentiments, & he thought he might do better for him. He accordingly wrote to the Principal of the Academy at Exeter Academy with a view to getting him placed upon the charity foundation in that Institution. In the latter part of August of the same year, on a Friday he received a letter from Dr. Abbot, principal of the Academy, wishing to know if Sparks would come or not, as there was an opening. Being very unwell & not able to go to Willington himself, Mr. Abbott despatched a neighbor on Saturday to Willington with the letter, requesting an answer. Mr. Loomis & Sparks came back immediately with the messenger to Coventry. This was the first time of his ever seeing Sparks. He asked him what he meant to do about it. S. straitened himself up with considerable energy & said "Go." "But how are you going?" "On foot," was the reply. How will you get your baggage there? S. said he did not know, but proposed to send it by stage. As this was a circuitous route, Mr. A. told him, if well enough, he proposed going to Brunswick to Commencement & to take Cambridge & Exeter in his way, & that if on Monday morning he would bring his baggage three miles, to the road where he should himself pass he would carry it for him. And he did it. He further asked him if he knew the way. He replied only two or three miles. Mr. A. then gave him a list of the towns through which he must pass & letters to his friends in Andover, telling him when he had gone so far, to rest there one day. This was the early movement towards an education.

             Mr. or rather Dr. Abbott as I should call him said further, upon my questioning him, that nominally Mr. Sparks had no father though it was well known who his father was, & that he, Dr. A., knew his mother tho' when he became acquainted with her she was married.

             Charles Sumner delivered a Lyceum Lecture this evening. At one spicy allusion to slavery there was a mighty conglomeration of applause & hissing. He had just declined a nomination as candidate to Congress by the Peace party & the Native American party, with a view to effect the defeat of Mr. R.C. Winthrop. He has also taken an active part against slavery.

 November 5, 1846

             Thursday. Dr. Howe, principal of the Asylum for the blind is nominated as Candidate for Congress in place of C. Sumner. He took an active part in Greece at the time of the Revolution, & was subsequently imprisoned a short time in Europe for his sympathy with the Polish movements for the emancipation of Poland. He advocates emancipation of slaves in the South. He consents to stand candidate, though without the least expectation or probability of being elected, supposing the party want some one to be set up to be shot at or to help fill the ditch that others may pass over him.

             A meeting at Fanueil Hall to-night by the party to which he belongs. The Mexican War and the Tariff of the last session of Congress seem to be unpopular, if the great change through the United States indicated by the returns of votes now coming in is a true index of public sentiment.

             Mr. Sparks comes from Salem on Tuesdays & Thursdays to attend to his duties as Professor. He confirms in the main Dr. Abbot's statements of yesterday except in relation to his parentage about which I did not ask him. But he says that between the time of Mr. Loomis's first conversation with Dr. Abbott & the reception of the letter from Exeter which was in 1809, Dr. Abbot had been at Willington & Mr. Loomis had called him into his study & let him recite Latin in the presence of Dr. Abbot. He said however that he never knew anything about Exeter or that Dr. Abbot had written there respecting him till the reception of the the letter informing him he could be put upon the charity foundation in Phillips Exeter Academy.

             This afternoon called on by Reuben Sibley & his wife from Belfast, Maine. He is the son of Wm Sibley, of Freedom, Me.

 November 6, 1846

             Friday. The Christian published my uncopied private letter to Rev. Mr. Babcock, of New Bedford, formerly President of Waterville College, soliciting Baptists publications for the Library. So many letters have been written & so many books & pamphlets have been coming to the Library that it is unnecessary to detail them here.

 November 9, 1846

             Monday. J.G. Palfrey wants about 500 votes to be elected to Congress. R.C. Winthrop elected by a majority of about 2600.

 November 11, 1846

             Wednesday. This evening after prayers the President addressed the students. It appears the small gate through which he passes to the walk which leads to the chapel, & which makes the distance a little shorter that the passage from the front of his house was nailed up last evening between the hours of nine and ten. A lady, hearing the noise opened the window & asked "what was the matter;" but the rogues laughed at her. He spoke with much feeling upon the insult, for several minutes. The sentiment of the students is undecidedly against such conduct; but there are generally two or three individuals among so many, who will degrade themselves to such deeds, which are indicative neither of sense nor wit.

             A substitute for gunpowder, it is said, has been discovered in Europe. It is cotton subjected to some chemical action. If it can be successfully used, gunpowder which wrought such a change in the mode of warfare must retire from the field of action. What discovery will come next?

 November 13, 1846

             Friday. For some evenings a few individuals, particularly of the Sophomore class, have made a stamping at prayers, which was so loud as to be distinctly heard & to be annoying. It has also been the rule from time immemorial, when more classes than one passed out through the same door, for the older of the classes to go out first. The Seniors & Sophomores happen to be so seated that they pass down the same flight of steps. The Sophomore class is much larger than the Senior & has been disposed to crowd upon them & to begin to go out before they have all got upon the steps. This evening, undoubtedly by a preconcerted agreement of a few unruly individuals, the stove which heated the chapel & stood near the door was overturned in the rush. A few individuals, who have not feelings enough of the gentleman to return gentlemanly conduct when they receive it are disposed to be mischievious & troublesome towards the President. He will hardly be able to govern all of them by the high principles & motives he has adopted & which are too high to be fully appreciated by boys or by young men who are not gentlemen only when it suits their convenience. It is a pity that he is made of delicate nerves & feelings, though he never shrinks from duty when necessary to act.

 November 15, 1846      

            Sunday. Last night died Steele, a member of the Dane Law School from Chelsea, Vt. He had but just joined it.

 November 16, 1846

             Monday. By an Act of Congress each State in the Union is to be furnished with a set of standard weights and measures. Congress also gives $1500 for the erection of a fire proof building for them. The Secretary of Massachusetts gave to the Corporation the fifteen hundred dollars if they would comply with the conditions. The Committee of the Corporation having determined to put them in the Library, the carpenters began their preparations to-day by taking down the shelves in the Alcove on the north east corner of the Transept, which was called No. 18 because in moving the Library from Harvard Hall the books were placed in it which occupied No. 18 in the old building (P.S. afterward numbered 12). Is it proper to put such things in a Library?

 November 19, 1846       

            Thursday. Found different officers of the different Baptist societies for Missions, Sunday Schools, etc. very much in favor of action  to furnish works to Harvard College. Dr. Anderson of the Board of Foreign Missions thanked me for the suggestion to procure copies of all the books which had been printed by their missionaries & said he would write to the different missions for them. The Missionary rooms contain many curiosities & several manuscripts. I sat in the chair in which Rev. George Whitefield died. It was given to the Missionary Society by Prof. Simon Greenleaf. I saw the Hawaii idol, the one at the foot of which Captain Cook's remains were buried. The Hawaiians had a tradition that their spirit had gone away but would return again. The was the image for the spirit - a long pole with the human face carved on one end. When they thought the spirit had returned in the person of Capt. Cook, the idol & his remains were put together.

             Attended the meeting of the Historical Society. A report was read and unanimously accepted declining for reasons therein given to surrender the Trumbull papers to the State of Connecticut. A remark of regret was made that the venerable J.Q. Adams who took part in speaking upon the subject was not present. It appeared afterward that while on the way probably to the meeting he was attacked with paralysis in his left side.

            Returned in the omnibus which left Boston at nine o'clock, having on board forty-three passengers drawn by four horses.

 November 20, 1846

             Friday. Spent much of the day in the office of the City Clerk & Clerk of the City Council of Boston in overhauling city documents to see what approximation might be made towards a perfect set for the College Library.

 November 22, 1846

             Sunday. In the afternoon attended the Howard Sunday School in Pitts Street, Boston. It has been established twenty years in the coming December. The address to the scholars was made by Benjamin H. Greene, one of the first superintendents. Twenty years ago, a few individuals commenced this school in an upper chamber in an old building in Merrimac Street. The room was not plastered, the windows rattled, & except very near the stove it was about as cold as in the street. On the morning of their first coming together there were seven teachers of whom Mr. Greene was one, & there were but three pupils, though forty had promised the teachers, who had been about during the week to obtain pupils, that they would come. The prospect was discouraging. Dr. Joseph Tuckerman, minister to the poor, came into the room and encouraged them to go on, to try it for several Sundays before abandoning the school. They persevered.

             The Pitts Street Chapel grew out of this Sunday School. Mr. Cobb, the present Superintendent said that since his connexion with the school nearly three thousand children had been connected with it. Many poor children, drawn in from the worst places in Boston, have been made respectable men by it. The secret & valuable influence which it has sent forth cannot be calculated.

 November 23, 1846

             Monday. The Library received more than thirty volumes in consequence of my solicitations in Boston last week.

 November 24, 1846

             Tuesday. This evening a fire was built in the stove in the College Chapel for prayers. It is to be continued every morning and evening during the cold season. It has never been so before.

             Prof. Peirce says there is quite a controversy he hears, about the discovery of the new planet. The English maintain that a young man named Adams, of the University at Cambridge, England, made the calculations before Le Verrier & more accurately, that he sent them to Challis & that he saw the planet three times before it was seen by Galle. But the weather was bad, his sidereal maps were bad, & he concluded they were different stars & not one planet, which he saw. The English astronomers are determined, it seems, to call it Oceanus. How singular that in almost every important discovery except that of gravitation there have been two or more persons contemporary that have laid claim to it!

 November 25, 1846

             Wednesday. The College dismissed, as usual on Thanksgiving week, after morning prayers till Saturday evening.

 November 26, 1846

             Thursday. Thanksgiving day. The churches have but one service on Thanksgiving days. A dinner on such days always consists of a roasted turkey & plum-pudding: without two dishes at least it would not be considered a thanksgiving dinner. But there are more frequently other dishes, as fowls, fruit, almonds & raisins, pies, etc.

             C.G. Thomas, a graduate of H. College passed the afternoon and evening at my boarding house. His history is a strange one. It was extracted from the class book and printed in the Harvardiana.

             Two Southern Law Students, one of whom was William Reid Gates of Eutaw, Alabama, were locked up in the watch-house last night.

 November 27, 1846

             Friday. The standard balance, etc. arrived the Library.

 November 28, 1846

             Saturday. Yesterday morning the steamer Atlantic was lost on Fishers Island & most of the passengers were lost. Among the lost was Dr. Armstrong, Secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions, [SEE ORIGINAL] of whom . This is the only very sad steamboat accident in the Sound since the loss of the Lexington at the time Dr. Follen perished.

 November 29, 1846

             Sunday. In the morning attended the services in Cambridgeport on occasion of the Rev. J.F.W. Ware entering upon ministerial duties over the church & society where A.B. Muzzey was minister for many years. The formalities of ordination are passing away. The services were like those of common worship on the Sabbath. Dr. Putnam of Roxbury preached & he & Dr. James Walker were the only clergymen who took part in the services, unless we include the final prayer & benediction by the pastor elect. There was no particular change, Address to the People, etc. Mr. Ware is son of Rev. Prof. Henry Ware, Jr. by his first wife who was daughter of Benjamin Waterhouse, M.D.

             Some difficulty existed between Mr. Muzzey & the Society & he has commenced the formation of a new Unitarian Society in Cambridgeport.

 December 4, 1846

             Friday. The object glass of the telescope arrives at Cambridge from Munich, by way of London and New York. It arrived at N.Y. just in time to avoid the duties of the "free trade" tariff which went into operation on the first instant. By this tariff books which have hitherto come free of duty to public institutions & public libraries are taxed as if they were ordered by booksellers. The duties on the telescope, it is estimated, would be about $5000. Accordingly, the object glass was forwarded before the other parts were finished & thus the college was enable to save $15000 of the $5000.

 December 10, 1846

             Thursday. Spent the day in Boston & obtained many donations of books to the College Library.

             It is curious to compare the Message of President Polk with the one of last year. There is no doubt that the Mexican War was begun solely on account of the annexation of Texas, & that the sole reason for annexing Texas was to give the South with slavery the controlling power in the Legislative Councils of the nation. Yet Polk pretends to say that the war was justified by the ill-treatment, which the U.S. has rec'd from Mexico. His messages did not harmonize. He shuffles about the ground of the war. There is no doubt that the Mexicans are a parcel of barbarians & have treated us shamefully; but it is certain that in this war we are the aggressors.

 December 11, 1846

             Friday. An important discovery has been made by which medical patients are made insensible during surgical operations. It was announced some weeks since; but the Boston Daily Advertiser of this day contains a communication on the subject from John C. Warren.

             Stands for lamps or candles put in the Chapel - a new affair.

 December 22, 1846

             Since Commencement time have written about one hundred and fifty compact pages soliciting public documents & other publications for the Library. All that I have asked have been for the Public Library, though some rascally Corporation of the University may allow themselves to be guilty of violating the trust confided in them and allow the Law Books to be removed to the Law Library hereafter as was once done. If they do, they abuse my motives in soliciting them, which I do for the Public Library only, that there may be at least one series preserved somewhere for historical purposes alone. The Corporation has been guilty of doing this once in regard to the Law Library.

             The following letters have been written by me, soliciting donations to the Public Library of Harvard University.

 25 Aug. John Schnierle, Mayor of Charleston, S.C. for Charleston documents.

25 Aug. Gov. Wm. Aikin of Charleston, S.C. for S. Carolina documents.

27 Aug. Gov. John Chambers, Iowa City, for Iowa documents

28 Aug. Gov. Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, Madison, Wisconsin, for Wisconsin documents

29 Aug. Franklin Sawyer, N. Orleans about Michigan & Louisiana documents

1 Sept. Hon. A.B. Meek, District Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, at Mobile, for Alabama documents

4 Sept. Gov. Wm Slade, Middlebury, Vt for Vermont documents

5 Sept. D. Valentine Esq. Clerk of Common Council of N.Y. City for N.Y. City docts.

26 Sept. J.M. Jones, Galveston, Texas, about Texas documents, enclosing one to Gov. Horton of Texas on the same subject.

26 Sept. Isaac T. Hopper of New York City, for the Hicksite Quaker documents

26 Sept. Moore, Assistant Libr. N.Y.Historical Society, about pamphlets, etc.

26 Sept. Wm. Cogswell, D.D. Gilmanton, N.H. for catalogues to complete files

26 Sept. Rev. R. Babcock, New Bedford, for Baptist Memorial & Baptist documents

28 Sept. Jefferson Bancroft of Lowell for Lowell documents

5 Oct. Chief Justice Shaw for his publications

17 Oct. John Swift, Mayor of Philadelphia for Philadelphia documents

17 Oct. Gov. Francis R. Shunk, Gov. of Penn. for Pennsylvania documents

17 Oct. Gov. Wm. Moseley, Miccosukie, for Florida documents.

17 Oct. Gregory Yale, Attorney at Law, Jacksonville, Florida for Florida docts.

20 Oct. Gov. Thos. S. Drew, Little Rock, for Arkansas documents

3 Nov. Gov. Byron Diman of Newport, for Rhode Island documents

3 Nov. Gov. Horace Eaton, Montpelier, on Vermont documents

3 Nov. Gov. Thomas Ford, Springfield, Ill. for Illinois documents

3 Nov. Gov. John C. Edwards, of Jefferson City, for Missouri documents

3 Nov. Gov. Wm. Owsley, Boyle Co. for Kentucky documents

14 Nov. Geo. R. Fairbanks of Tallahassee on Florida documents

14 Nov. Gregory Yale, Esq., again, on Florida documents

21 Nov. Gov. Geo. W. Crawford, Richmond Co., for Georgia documents

23 Nov. Gov. Wm. A. Grahame, Raleigh, for N. Carolina documents

23 Nov. Gov. Wm. Smith, Richmond, for Virginia documents

24 Nov. Gov. James Whitcomb of Indianapolis, for Indiana documents

24 Nov. Gov. Albert G. Brown, of Jackson, for Mississippi documents

25 Nov. Gov. Isaac Johnson, West Feliciana for Louisiana documents

27 Nov. Gov. Wm Tharp, Milford, Delaware, for Delaware docts.

27 Nov. Gov. Bebb, Columbus, for Ohio documents

4 Dec. Gov. Thos. G. Pratt, Annapolis for Maryland documents

9 Dec. Gov. Charles C. Stratton, Trenton, for N. Jersey documents

             Beside the preceding long letters  I have written many short ones & notes to individuals; to which it may be added that very many books and pamphlets have been given to the Public Library in consequence of hints, etc. given viva voce.

 December 23, 1846

             Wednesday. Geo. B. Cary, H.C. 1844, attended a party last evening in Boston, & at eleven & half o'clock waited on President Quincy's daughters to their carriage, apparently well. He was found dead in his bed at Boston this morning – apoplexy.

 December 24, 1846

             Thursday. The Law School in Cambridge, of which Cary was a member held a meeting, Prof. Kent presiding, to pass the usual resolutions, etc.

             J.P. Dabney in the Library. He has been collecting facts for many years respecting Harvard College graduates. Some of these he has published in the American Quarterly Register. This work contains notices of the Salem graduates also of the Tory graduates. Mr. Dabney has also made a list of all graduates who have been drunkards, which he has been discouraged from publishing. He has published a list of old graduates, in the Quarterly Register. In a paper at Dedham many years since he published notices of Dedham graduates. He finds a peculiar zest in collecting everything which he can find against persons. He has certainly exerted himself very diligently to collect materials & if his misanthropy was less & his charity greater & mind better balanced than it is, he would be able to prepare a very valuable book relating to the alumni. I know no person, man, woman or child, who likes him. He is an Ishmaelite indeed.

             Early in April 1842, President Quincy applied to me to edit the Triennial Catalogue, there never having been any person before that time to take special charge of it. I demurred; knowing how peculiarly liable to such a work must necessarily be to mistakes. Several interleaved copies of the Triennial, as was usual, had been sent in 1839, to persons who were interested, to correct errors, notice deaths, etc. with the request that they should be returned in season for use in regard to the Triennial of 1842. An interleaved copy was sent to Dabney, among the rest. After making corrections in it for the time loaned, he considered that he ought to be authorized to prepare the copy for the press, in 1842; though no allusion to the subject had been made which would authorize him to expect it more than either of the others who had received the interleaved copies of 1839.

             After three interviews I had with the President, so much was said that I was prevailed on to undertake the editorship. Dabney was indignant, though the application to me was entirely unexpected & unsolicited, tied a stone to his interleaved copy as he says & threw it from the Brighton Bridge into the Charles River, so that I should not have any benefit  from his memoranda. From that day to this he has been a bitter enemy. I examined all the Corporation Records, Overseers Records, etc. which had never been done for that purpose before, & made the catalogue as correct as could be expected in such a work. Knowing Dabney had made much research & would do all he could to decry the catalogue, I instructed the printer & the binder not to let any person examine it but the President or myself, till I gave orders that the copies were ready for delivery, which would be at Commencement time. As I had anticipated, Dabney went to the binder to look at the sheets, about a week before the time for their delivery, for the purpose of getting errors to prepare a condemnatory notice which he intended to get inserted in some newspaper on the morning after the publication. My precaution prevented his seeing the sheets. He wrote his article, however, pointing out the errors which he was confident he should find, & only waited to see the catalogue before forwarding the communication to the paper. Upon examining the catalogue he found his article so valueless in those points in which he felt confidence that there were not errors enough to justify him in sending it to press. The Catalogue was issued on Alumni Day, the morning of the Tuesday of Commencement week. Dabney now changed his tone & accused me of plagiarism. Talking as he to every one about it, on the public days of that week, I heard him near the book store, talking in a tone so loud that I should hear, bringing his accusations before an acquaintance. I stepped to them & insisted upon knowing what was said. Dabney asserted that ninetenths of all the corrections, etc. which had been made were the result of his labors, & that I had procured them from Judge Merrill's interleaved catalogue, & that he had furnished them to the Judge. I told him it was not true, & that I did not take ten items from the Judge's catalogue which I did not find elsewhere & that all the additions, corrections & alterations of every kind, which I had made, were between 4000 & 5000. Judge Merrill subsequently told me he had obtained but seven new items from Dabney & that for each of these he gave him in return two which he had not got. When the edition of 1845 was issued he renewed his attack. I had but ten weeks to ascertain dates of deaths & carry the printing of about 160 pages through the press. Of course there must be many errors, omissions, & imperfections. The ascertaining and inserting of the deaths was an entirely new feature. Not a step had ever been taken by any person towards such an object. After a signature had been passed in printing it was impossible, of course, to insert deaths subsequently found. But more than 3200, that is, more than three quarters of them, by very great exertion, were obtained & printed. Dabney would not come to me if he found errors, but would tell my acquaintances. In this way three or four of his corrections were received which turned out to be errors of his own & not mine. He now says there never was a man who sowed so little and reaped so much as I did in ten weeks.

             The Boston Courier of the morning on which the Triennial was issued contained a statement respecting Triennials in which I spoke of Lowell as belonging to Nova Scotia. It was a mistake. Dabney addressed a note to the Editor couched in the most bombastic & Sam Johnson style. I tried to obtain it of the Editor as a curiosity; but it was so ridiculous that he would not publish it nor let me have it except to read it. There appears to be a tinge of insanity about him. 'Tis said he was indulged while a child, till he was spoiled. He is worth $8000 or $10,000 now; but twenty years ago was very poor. He studied divinity; but did not succeed in his profession. He published Cambridge hymns, edited Mrs. Barbauld's works, Tyndals Testament, made a prayer book, over the proof sheets of which he would swear with passion, the printers told me. I have repeatedly offered to furnish him with items of information respecting graduates; but he is so insane he will have none of them. If he calls on a family & finds the furnace register not exactly agreeable to him he takes the liberty of adjusting it to his own feelings & censuring the family for their folly in having it different, even though it be precisely suited to their habits & wishes. He was in the habit of sitting in the bookstore, to save the expense of fuel, till the owners kept the fire so low that he was obliged to abandon it for some warmer place. He haunted the Historical Society Library all last summer, boring every man that visited it, till he became so bad that a short time since the Librarian put a notice on the door that the Library would be open only from twelve to one o'clock & locked the door the rest of the time. This broke up his plan for winter quarters & he wants to make the College Library his residence during the cold season. If he were not selfish, would be quiet, & not annoy visitors so that their time is nearly lost, & would be more like decent people, there would be pleasure in helping him collect materials. But he is too noisy, vociferous & selfish for comfort.

            A large handbill, which had been printed in Boston soliciting volunteers for the army in Texas, & containing invitations to persons to call at Scollay's buildings in Boston to enlist, whence they would be sent forward to Texas, was pasted in the night upon the President's small gate, the one that was sometime since nailed. "Scollay's buildings" was erased and "President's Office" was substituted with a pen. Texas being regarded as a kind of asylum for rogues of every kind, the joke was quite applicable to students, rather more so than it could be to a civil officer, who would only do his duty in sending rogues to Texas. Probably the deed was by the same individual who previously had nailed the same gate. The students as a body are above such insults. The mischief is confined to a few.

 December 25, 1846

             Friday. The Boston Courier contains the Resolutions respecting G.B Cary ---- Christmas Day. College exercises omitted. --- Spent the forenoon in the Library.

 December 28, 1846

             Monday. Another trial to elect Dr. Palfrey to Congress.

 December 29, 1846

             Tuesday. Forty-two years ago to-day, in 1804, I was born in Union, Maine, on the Robbins Neck, on the side of the hill northerly of the junction of the St. George's river with the Seven-Tree pond, in the Southwest lower room of the house subsequently owned by Rev. Henry True and in the same room in which Henry A. True, his son, was born. My mothers' name was Persis Morse. She was daughter of Obadiah Morse and born at Sherburn, Massachusetts. My father, a physician & the first who established himself in Union. He studied medicine with Dr. Carrigain of Concord, N.H.. He was son of Jacob Sibley of Hopkinton, N.H., who was son of Jonathan Sibley of Stratham, N.H. who was born at Danvers or Manchester, Mass. & whose father, 'tis said, lost his life at the time Haverhill, Mass. was destroyed by the Indians, though his name is not among those killed on the occasion. There is a tradition that after the fight he went to assist in extinguishing the fire of the meeting house and thus lost his life. My grandmother's name was Anna George. She was a native of Haverhill, Mass. born some distance below the village.

             Spent the day in the State House, Boston, endeavoring to compile the Library sets of the State documents, laws, resolves, etc.

 December 30, 1846

               Wednesday. Spent the day again at the State House.

 December 31, 1846

             Thursday. Again at the State House. Also attended the meeting of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

January 1, 1847

             Friday. New Years day. Several persons in Boston & Cambridge endeavor to introduce the New York New Years Day custom. Some unsuccessful efforts of the kind were made here a few years ago. In New York City, the day is a holiday. All ordinary business is suspended. The streets are thronged; but not a lady is seen in them. The ladies are prepared all day to receive company. Cake & wine stand on the table for all gentlemen who call. The gentlemen make as many calls as they wish or many as they can. They are expected to call on all their female acquaintances. If any little jars have occurred during the preceding year it is expected that upon a call being made everything will be overlooked. It is also a time for dropping such acquaintances as are not desirable.

             In the evening at a party at Mayor Green's. How were invitations given & parties managed one hundred years ago? Now, the mistress of the house, nearly a week before giving a large party, addresses billets in her own handwriting generally to the persons she invites, in the following style, "Mrs. G. requests the pleasure of Mr. H's company on Friday evening next" & signs the date & street. Mr. H is expected to return a written reply; & if he accepts the invitation it is generally soon after receiving it, the invitation & something like the following: - "Mr. H accepts with pleasure Mrs. G's polite invitation for Friday evening." A written answer is expected whether the invitation is accepted or not, so that Mrs. G may know in season how many she is to expect. Within two or three years the practice has become quite generally to enclose the billets, as well as letters in general, in envelopes, tho' before that time envelopes were not used for either. The guests ordinarily go to parties in Cambridge a little before nine o'clock. Refreshments provided about ten o'clock. Not far from eleven o'clock the party breaks up. In the course of a week, each person invited, whether he accepted the invitation or not, is expected to make a call. Otherwise his conduct is regarded as a slight & he probably will not receive another invitation to the same place, unless there be satisfactory reasons for omitting the call. Prst Everett seems to be setting an example by going to parties at eight o'clock and leaving at ten o'clock.

 January 8, 1847

             Friday. For several days occupied in preparing the Massachusetts Legislative Documents & Election sermons, etc. for binding. In the evening at a party at Mr. Samuel Newell's where was dancing.

 January 9, 1847

             Saturday. Cyrus Woodman, Esq. of Mineral Point, Wisconsin, has spent a week or two in the Library examining the series of the Relations de la Nouvelle France & other works for historical items respecting Wisconsin. He is a native of Maine. He says when the Wisconsin Legislature is in session, a kind of mock legislature is got up by "outside politicians".  A regular organization is had & if the man who is chosen governor is a man of talents & wit he affords a great deal of merriment when he sends in his Message, in which he generally "takes off" all the politicians and men holding office and measures. Even in Harvard College for many years it has been customary to have mock parts proclaimed on the days when Commencement & Exhibition parts are assigned.  The mock parts commonly are made out so as to be peculiarly appropriate because of their bearing upon some peculiarities or circumstances of the several individuals to whom they are assigned. At Yale College the joke is carried so far that mock orders of Exercises for Commencement are printed in a style precisely similar to the regular orders, & are distributed as freely as they can be, so as to bother the spectators; great care is pains being taken to substitute as many false orders as possible for those which are distributed, for spectators, on the seats before the Exercises begin.

             Funeral of Mr. Pomeroy, who died on Wednesday of erysypelas, dropsy, and a complication of diseases, having been taken down seriously ill on Christmas day. He was quite wealthy & public spirited. In Northfield where he made his money by distilling New England rum, he gave the Congregational Society about 5000 dollars, after which he built a meetinghouse & added to the above sum the receipts from the sale of the pews. Many years ago he gave 1000 dollars to the Divinity School in Cambridge. And since residing in this place he has shown his public spirit by many little acts which were not striking enough to create much sensation. He was active in getting up the Lyceum building. In the drought of summer he labored very industriously, watering the trees on the sandy soil of the common. He provided long walks of flag stones, - also posts on the exterior side of the walks by the side of the common, etc., etc. 

January 14, 1847

             Thursday. The last day of the College term. Last evening the Faculty had a meeting. A.H. Flanders of the Senior Class was sent from College, being virtually expelled. To a certain extent he may be considered as not being an accountable mortal. He seems to be destitute of a moral sense. He took books from the library a year ago without having them charged. Eleven uncharged volumes were found in his room. For this he was excluded from the College Library. When the fall term commenced in 1846, he wrote a very penitent letter to the Librarian, pledging himself to the observance of the laws of the library to the very-letter, & his privilege was restored. This took place without a report to the Faculty. Yesterday, in consequence of suspicion, his room was visited, & though he denied upon his honor that he had any book, he was obliged to yield the keys to his secretary, which was found to contain another volume from the College Library. He immediately came to the Library & begged piteously to be excused. But he was immediately reported to the President. He also forged in the Library by getting at the charging book & crossing a volume which he had not returned; & when he suspected trouble he returned it. He also within a month or two forged a large number of omnibus tickets. He endeavored also to get admittance to the theatre by passing an obsolete ticket. One student in his entry told me that he was probably the only person in his entry, from whom he had not stolen. He was guilty not only of licentiousness but of mean, low, dirty acts too indecent to be named. There is but one feeling among the students, the feeling of joy and rejoicing that he is sent away.

 January 15, 1847

             Saturday. To-day a gentleman visited the Library from New York City, who performed the whole journey for the purpose of seeing E. Pemberton's funeral sermon on Rev. Mr. Nicole. The work was never published; some copies were printed for the relatives & friends. The Library chanced to contain two copies, & as one of them was in loose leaves, & had no donor's names upon it, he was permitted to take it & give what he pleased. He gave five dollars & congratulated himself on getting  it so cheap & said he should endeavor to aid us by forwarding some documents, etc. hereafter. This fact confirms my doctrine that not anything is too unimportant to be preserved in a Public Library.

 January 17, 1847

             Sunday. Died this morning in Boston, George G. Kuhn of the Senior Class in Harvard College. He was brother of Austin Kuhn of the class 1843 & died of the same disease, consumption. Funeral to be on Thursday the 21st instant.

 January 18, 1847

             Monday. Died, in Lunenburg, of consumption induced by scrophila, Rev. Richard T. Austin, a native of Waldboro, Maine, whose name was formerly Reuben Seiders. His body to be brought by cars to Cambridge to-morrow for entombment on Friday.        

January 22, 1847

             Friday. Funeral of Mr. Austin from Mr. Newell's meeting-house. The organ played a voluntary, Mr. Hopper, Episcopal clergyman, read portions of scripture, "Unveil they bosom, faithful tomb" was then sung by the choir, after which Mr. Newell made a short address & followed it with a prayer.

 January 24, 1847

             Sunday. At Mr. Clarke's in the forenoon. P.M. at the German Lutheran meeting in Suffolk Street Church, where all the services were conducted in the German language.

 January 28, 1847

             Thursday. At the Historical Society meeting, chosen Recording Secretary pro tempore.

 February 2, 1847

             Tuesday. Took the 9 o'clock train of cars to Lowell, tarried there about two hours, then went to Nashua. When preaching there in the fall of 1834, after much difficulty I prevailed on five or six influential men to go with me to the spot where the Unitarian meeting house stood, with a view to convert the grove surrounding it into a cemetery. They spoke discouragingly about the probability that all the lots would be bought. They were prevailed on, however, to undertake the work, & in a short time found it necessary to purchase more land & add it to the meeting-house lot. Such was the origin of the Nashville [sic] cemetery.

             Took dinner with Mrs. Thayer, with whom I boarded, her husband not then being dead. Took tea with Daniel Abbot's family. Proceeding in the cars to Manchester where I spent the night with Edwin A. Bodwell, late Registrar of Deeds, new Captain of a volunteer company to go to Texas when called for, with whom I became acquainted by way of the American Magazine.

 February 3, 1847

             Wednesday. To Concord.

 February 4, 1847

             Thursday. A.M. to Mr. Sanborn's - in the evening to my uncle Stephen Sibley's in Hopkinton, where was Mrs. Gage, somewhat improved but still badly deranged. Her mother is also somewhat deranged.

 February 5, 1847

             Friday. Called on the family of the late Judge Harris; took tea with Judge Matthew Harvey, late Governor of the State. 

February 8, 1847

             Monday. With my uncle, S.S. went to grandfather's place of residence, on which at present lives James Hoit, who married Clerrinda, daughter of my uncle Amos. After dinner my uncle Isaac Rice & wife came to Mr. Hoits & we returned to Henniker that evening & passed the night.

 February 9, 1847

             Tuesday. We proceeded towards Bradford & met Winsor Ward, my cousin, son of Josiah Ward, who married my mother's sister. From him I learned the inhuman treatment she received from her son Sylvester. Half-starved, frozen in her bed till her back had an ulcer twice as large as a man's hand, beaten with a stick by her granddaughter at the instigation of Sylvester, if she happened to be in her way; & though totally blind & about 87 years old, always denied assistance in going to bed, in dressing or undressing, kept in the greatest filthiness- it is horrible to think of. W.W. said that he was not aware of the extent of her sufferings, particularly as she always expressed an unwillingness to leave the place which had been her home for nearly half her life. Finally when he determined to take her away by force, & procured assistance from neighbors, he found the blind & feeble old woman making breakfast of cold water, a cold potatoe & a crust of bread. The change from suffering to comfort was probably  more than she could bear & she died 9th May 1845, nine weeks to a day from the time she was removed to his house. While Sylvester's first wife lived his mother was kindly cared for -- But after she died about four years ago, she was neglected. S. married afterward a miserable girl of 17 years of age, who lived there, & one great recommendation with him was that she would not "wait on the old woman."        

            Called on Mr. Martin of Bradford, who married Marinda, daughter of Daniel Bean of Warner by his first wife. Then we rode to Timothy Eastman's in Warner where we dined. At dinner proposed that uncle & aunt Rice & Uncle & Aunt Eastman & Aunt Hannah Sibley should go down with us & spend the evening at Uncle D. Beans. Thus we made a greater family gathering of the Sibleys probably than will ever be got together again in the vicinity. Mrs. Rice, Bean & Eastman were Sibleys & sisters to Hannah. Their husbands were there & uncle Stephen and myself.

 February 10, 1847

             Wednesday. Passed the forenoon at Mr. Bean's, examining old letters relating to Union, Maine, & to the Sibley family. In the afternoon returned with my uncle S.S. to his home in Hopkinton.

 February 11, 1847

             Thursday. Made calls in Hopkinton village. Hopkinton is a town of great historical interest. It has been a shire town. The N.H. Legislature has been held there. It was a prominent rival with Concord at the time the decision was made to build the State House at Concord. It once had more weight than any other town in the State. There were many distinguished men in Hopkinton, among whom were John Harris, Judge of Probate & afterward for several years judge of the Supreme Court; Judge Green of the Supreme Court; Horace Chase Judge of Probate; Matthew Harvey, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Gov. of the State, Member of Congress, & District Judge. It has sometimes been said, formerly, "as goes Hopkinton so goes the State." My father's native place. Now there is but little business done there. Hereafter it will not probably be understood what the town has been in times past.

 February 13, 1847

             Saturday. Went to Concord, accompanied by Mrs. Gage. In the evening went to Mr. Sanborn's, where I spent the night & obtained much information respecting the Sibleys.

 February 14, 1847

             Sunday. Returned to the village. Heard Mr. Tilden preach at the Unitarian church. Upon my return in the afternoon I found that Mrs. Gage had become so much worse from excitement that it was necessary to send her to the quiet of her father's house in Hopkinton. Took tea with Mr. Tilden.

 February 15, 1847

             Monday. Soliciting  books for the College Library. Examined the Document room at the State House & obtained many, besides many from individuals.

 February 16, 1847

             Tuesday. Returned to Cambridge, bringing several cubic feet of books & pamphlets as gifts for the College Library.

February 17, 1847       

             Wednesday. Find several things, sent to the Library, during my absence, also that the State of Florida has voted all their documents which can be found, to the Library, & that they shall continue to be sent. Found seven or eight letters, among which were two from Union, one giving an account of my mother's sickness with paralysis, the other mentioning her death which took place February 5, 1847, at a quarter before four o'clock P.M. She had been feeble for two or three years & partly deranged. She was born at Sherburne, Mass., 20 April 1772. daughter of Obadiah Morse Her mother died when she was six weeks old & she experienced the "tender mercies" of a drunken stepmother. Peace to her spirit, for she has had none too much here.

             The name of my mother's mother was Fairbanks, & her mother's was Coolidge before marriage. My grandmother & all her brothers & sisters died of consumption, but none of the children died of it, though very many of the grandchildren (who are my cousins) have died of the disease.

             My great-grandmother, who was a Coolidge, had a cancer wart on her nose, which never troubled her as she never irritated it, & her brother died of cancer. How far are these diseases hereditary in the family?

February 18, 1847

             Thursday. The Corporation's nomination of E.N. Horsford for Rumford Professor was confirmed at a meeting of the Overseers to-day, who also approved a plan submitted to them by the Corporation for the establishment of a scientific department in the University, upon a footing like the Law, Medical & Theological departments. 

February 25, 1847

             Thursday. At the meeting of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

 The custom of wearing mourning is going much into disuse. The extent to which it was formerly carried was very objectionable & it was very oppressive to poor people. The custom is to wear it for one year or thereabouts & in the meantime not to attend any parties for pleasure. Though there are cases where grief never ends, yet there was great hypocrisy in carrying matters so far. It may be well to wear a slight badge for a time. Crape has generally been worn upon the hat, but recently alepine is substituted.

March 8, 1847

            Monday. Dispatched to Florida letters of acknowledgement for the Resolution passed by the Legislature to furnish a continued series of the Documents, laws, etc. to the Public Library of the University at Cambridge. Seven letters I have written to Florida in connexion with the movement to get the documents.

March 9, 1847

            Tuesday. President Everett summoned before him three members of the Senior Class & informed them that the Navy Club must be abolished. It is time. It is a disgrace to the College. The scene last year was such that many persons were ashamed to be seen looking at it. Everything which has a tendency to lower students from their standing as gentlemen, ought to be abandoned. Last year some members of the Class itself would not join in it.

March 11, 1847

            Thursday. The second trial for election of Mayor in Cambridge, there having been no choice last week. Mr. Green re-elected by a small majority. Mr. Green's unpopularity is owing to his efficiency in doing his duty.

March 12, 1847

            Friday. The Students are at their tricks again. This morning a half-sheet of paper was wafered upon the gate of the President, containing the words "Painting done here" & below, within the circumference of about the size of a half-dollar, was a person's head rudely scrawled with a pen, having the cheeks coloured red. At prayers at night, some one admitted a dog into the Chapel & it was considerable annoyance. Many of the students are too boyish to have their liberty; they ought to be treated like boys and kept in a school room constantly under the eyes of the teacher. The tricks of which they are guilty indicate a very low tone of sentiment in a few individuals. At this time there is a little ill feeling among some at the dissolution of the rowdy navy-club, so called.

March 13, 1847       

            Saturday. This morning died in Boston, of dysentery & the consequent hemorrhage, Fr. Wm. Greenwood, Proctor in the University and Member of the Divinity School, son of the late Rev. Dr. Greenwood, of Boston. He was a feeble man & lost a brother, an undergraduate, of consumption, two years since.

March 14, 1847

             Sunday. How singular the operations of the mind. Several times within a month I have tried to anticipate the feelings I should have in case I knew I were irrecoverably sick. Last night I had a dream that I was pronounced incurable by the physician, & though the dream was vivid it was not possible to bring the feelings to a realization of the situation.

 
            Attended meeting in Boston; went to Mrs. Stevens in Charlestown with whom lives her mother, my aunt Whitney. Besides being blind & quite infirm, her mind partakes somewhat of the monomaniac spirit, which my mother had. Saw there Mr. Lee, town clerk of Manchester, Representative to the General Court & his wife who was daughter of my Aunt Whitney's daughter Farrar who died at Manchester, probably two years ago. 

March 15, 1847

                 Monday. Quite a "fuss" in Cambridge about the legality of the election of Mayor. It appears that the messenger of the clerk of Ward One dropped the returns of votes for that ward into the Cambridgeport Post-Office, & that the City Clerk did not go to the Post Office till the time in which by law they must be returned, had expired. The Aldermen & Clerk, however, decided that the return was nevertheless legal & gave Mr. Green his certificate. The opposition party are endeavoring to have the votes of Ward One rejected, which will make Douglass, his opponent, Mayor. This difficulty going on, with considerable spirit, it is discovered that the person who acted as Warden at the election in Ward Two, was not sworn, though the law requires it. Thus the two wards being rejected, the third ward was the only one whose votes were legally to be counted, & in the that ward, Mr. Green had a majority.

             This is a very interesting day at Brookline, it being the semicentennial anniversary of Rev. Dr. Pierce. Accounts to be found, in detail, in the Christian Register and Boston Daily Advertiser.

             Vessels, both national and private, loading with grain, raised by voluntary contributions, to relieve famishing Ireland. In Boston Harbor, side by side as it were, lie vessels one fitting out on its errand of mercy to Ireland, the other carrying destruction to the Mexicans. The inconsistency of mankind!

 March 16, 1847

             Tuesday. Prof. Peirce reads a communication before the American Academy, to show that Le Verrier's discovery was accidental, & that the perturbations or irregularities of Uranus are not satisfactorily accounted for by the planet Neptune. The communication will be printed probably in the forthcoming Smithsonian periodical.

             Rec'd a letter from Gov. Horace Eaton, of Vermont, containing a copy of Resolutions passed by the Legislature to furnish the College Library with the State Documents, Laws, etc.