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Coffin, Charles, 1765-1820. Journal of Charles Coffin and David Gurney, 1781-1785. HUD 785.14, Harvard University Archives.

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This diary appears to have been kept by two different students, both members of the Harvard College class of 1785. The first two pages contain entries made by a student named David, believed to be David Gurney because the entries relate to the freshman curriculum and Gurney was the only student named David who was a freshman in 1781. Gurney originally titled the volume "A Journal or Diary of my concerns in College of important matters." He made entries from August 28 through October 21, 1781, recording his lessons on Virgil, Tully, Homer, the Greek Testament, Hebrew grammar, English author John Ash's "Grammar," and a text called "The Art of Speaking." At the top of one of the pages recounting these studies, Gurney wrote in large, bold letters: "About how I misspent my precious time." Charles Coffin's entries begin on October 25, 1781 and fill the bulk of the journal. Coffin kept this diary while a student at Harvard College from 1781 to 1785. Although most of Coffin's entries are written in Latin, an account of his July 1781 examination for admission to the College is in English.

Biographical Notes

Charles Coffin (1765-1820; Harvard AB 1785) was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on September 4, 1765. He attended Harvard College, receiving an A.B. in 1785 and an A.M. in 1788. He was a physician and a teacher who worked in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and later in Beaufort, South Carolina. He died in Beaufort on September 8, 1820.|David Gurney (1759-1815; Harvard AB 1785) was born in Bridgewater, Massachusetts in 1759 and fought as a private in the American Revolutionary War before enrolling in Harvard College in 1781. He earned an A.B. in 1785 and an A.M. in 1788. In 1787, Gurney was ordained a Congregational minister in Middleborough, Massachusetts; he served as minister there until his death in 1815.

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David

A Journal or Diary of my Concerns at in College [??] of important [? ?]

{Tuesday, August} 20 Arrived at Cambridge [?]
{Wednesday} 29 attended prayers no recitations
{Thursday} 30 attended prayers, did not recite.
{Friday} 31
{Saturday, September} 1
Sunday 2
{Monday} 3
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A Journ [corner of page missing] beginning Domini [corner of page missing] quo in Collegium Harvardi [corner of page missing] mittelbar[?]. On Tuesday July 17th. Set out for Cam[bridge?] arrived Wednesday morning was present at Commencement; In the transactions of which I (poor as I am) expect to bear a feeble part. On Friday 20th was examined for admission in Tully, Virgil & Greek Testament. in Virgil , construed the 743 & 744 lines of [?] in Book [? ]. In Tully passages [?] 6th Section of the first oration against Catiline part of 7th sentence from the beginning of it. In the Greek Testament 4th verse of the 17th Chapter of John's Gospel. Came after the Vacation 28th of August Sept. Recited the first fortnight in Greek Hebrew & English. 2d. in Latin Hebrew & English 3. as the first. 4th as the 2nd. Antiquum a dificium Aula - Stoughtonia dictum vendebatur in vacatione autumnali; Jovis Die octogesima Octobris 23 post meridium. a Domino Gannet Collegii dispensatore emptum pretrio librarum octoginta quatuor. Mercurii Die Octobris 23 ad Bostoniam ibam [?] cum Domina Bowman, profectur ad amitam Boyd, accipi cuam literari; relictur a Domina Bowman cogevar domum peder venire caelo pluente, vel per imbrem nocte ejusdam dici vehementer pluit, vento qua[?] violento.

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Thur. 20 Recite Fri. 21 {William} M recited [illegible text] Dominus [Learoliss?] Sat. 22 This [illegible text] Collegi Harvardini Sun 23 [illegible text] Tutor: ordinatoni [illegible text] Mon 24 [illegible text] [Tues] [Wed] [2]6 Oration in vacello a Domino [Otisharia?][illegible text] Josephine Bond [illegible text] [die?] Octobris occasionem [illegible text]. 27. Huiusce diei nocte nempe Martis, tragadia egregia acta eft in Sacello, actonbus, Quincy, Pecke, Wells, Baker, [illegible text man], Dawson and Rensselaer mi concursus et hominum and feminarum interpret qui ea maxime [delectation?]. 29. Hoc die pluit colum and [eratvelsuit aligui?] tempestatis, [qua?] impediurt me, guomimus ad [precco?] and recitationem [ineme.?] [bis?] absens hae septimana, a [illegible text] and recit. Dec. 6 Domo accepi tunicam, Fagulum, and braccas, par anoque manicanum lam'anum armmini [fex?] item literae. 7 Die hefterno [illegible text] [Alleyn?] folidos un folidos un decimal denarius decem folvite, et quoque mi [illegible text], folidos novem and denarius novem procurare Collegii numeraui [ari?] a [fuerunt?] reliqui [sangrapha?] [med?] trimestris,

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13. Hoc die celebrata est act[text missing] solemnis; concionatus est [text missing] meridiem; prandi apus Do[text missing] all linguo Heb. &[?] professorem ub[text missing] Dominus James Tutor, Dominus Pay[text missing] vini promus, Dom. Anderson, Townsend [Townsend], Dingly & [?], per noctatian[?] [word struck through] apud dominum Dingley Hoc hebdomada a precitivo teralefui [?]. 19. Die hodierno in munere Profidis constitutus est Josephus Willard, ab [Domi] illustrissimo Domino 9th Hancock qui post [?] inaugurationem, orationem latinam pronunciasit deinde Dominus Payne, pronunciasit amoque dein reverendus [reverendus] dominus Howard precatus est, [?] postremis fuit exercitatio, cantio. Omnes, fine facto, ordine processerunt ad aulam [?]ucelli ubi altera parte stante a Decitera, altera [altera] a sinistra fecerunt aram per quam Profes, junatories[?] & Tutores ibants[?] in aulam [aulam?] pronpim[?], utinam profes novus nobis [?] bonum beneficium & pub ejus cura & inspectore vigeante litera & bene & fideliter fungatus[?] officeo jus & in terris dice moretus & vivat & demum[?] in fides beatas accipiatus vivere in oternum, amen, -

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