Colonial North America: Harvard University Archives

will be. This [?] find almost as difficult a task as any in a [?] of a year. Watched as Mr [?] who was extreme bad with a nervous fever. He was delirious, [?] [?] all night. I once [thought?] him near his end. I called [?] [Mrs?] [?] but he revived. She behaved [?] [?] [?] [?]. Saturday Took a little nap in morning which served for all day. And I find that I am frequently most [?] after a loss of sleep, owing to an irritation of my nerves. Rode up to Needham. Sunday Aug.16. Preached at Needham all day. [Dr. Appleton?] began to talk, in evening, about a [?] to Mr Hall, who was yet at Falmouth detained by [?] of his intended partner. [?] that [?] was sick and could not attend college [?] for [?] the whole immediate [?] [?] [?]

[?] [?] fell upon Mr Garnett & me. Monday. Gave {the?} freshmen some direction & advice. They always attend {the?} Latin tutor {the?} first week after commencement. The French fleet wr off Newport, late [?] & it ws supposed they wr blown off [?] coast to a considerable distance. Heard [?] Librarian ws well, who went volunteer to [?] [?] last Sunday week. — Tuesday. Attended the funeral of [?] [?] in the same house, but of different families at Little Cambridge; and engaged to supply there for the present. Wednesday. The freshmen attended steadily & performed much better than I expected. All of ym cd read Latin pretty wall, altho’ many in the [?] clas wr old. They, I & others, make Latin alternately, every other afternoon. Thursday. They finished the second

oration in Cicero. I went to Boston & heard Mr. Clark preach his first Thursday-Lecture. He was sensible & popular. Heard nothing very particular from [Mr. Ward?], only [?] our troops had advanced very near [?] enemy & that after being driven once from [?] [works?] [?] [?] you. The prospect seemed to indicate that [{the?}] expedition would take up more time than was first expected. I spent some agreeable hours with my friends, as I had not seen [?] for some time.

Fryday. In [{the}] afternoon to Medford. Mr. Osgood was unwell but not bad: unable to preach. Mr. Payson of Chelsea, Mr. Woodward of Weston & Mr. [Adams?] of Watertown unwell. The extremes of weather, it is proposed, have affected [{the?}] constitutions of many. Spent [{the?}] evening at {Captain} [Brooks's?] & returned to College about 10 o'clock, where I found a number somewhat noisy, but whom I dispersed

after some appearances of obstinacy. Saturday. Heard that {a?} French fleet had returned to Thashland somewhat shattered by [a] storm. The Languedor, a [74?, [parted?] in the storm, after which she fell in with an English Gh. A [fever?] engagement ensued. Both were damaged. The Languedor [put?] into Boston to refil. The Captain lost his arm & a number of his men wr killed & wounded. Sunday. Aug 23. Preached at Little Cambridge. Told [?] after meeting I should supply for 1 present & [?] but 5 L per day. Drank tea at Mrs Greaton’s Monday. Mr Willard came in after I ws a bed; upon which I got up, eat [?] & [?] & chatted with him till very late without being sleepy, althou’ I went to bed by 10 o’clock because I could not keep awake. Tuesday Carried my [?] up to Grentish

to have 1 {the} top cleaned. The weather ws extreme hot. The Thermometer flood at 9 1 1/2. Mr Dana returned from Congress. Bro't nothing important. Said they moved immediately into Philadelphia after 1 {the} troops left it. That the enemies fortifications around 1 {the} city wr not strong or formidable. Wednesday. Spent some part of 1 {the} evening at Dr Winthrop's wt Misses Dana, & Wainwright: the rest at Mr Dana's with him, Judge Trowbridge, Mr Willard &c. Mr Dana said Govr. Johnson has lost his reputatio on both sides by his duplicity, & his ineffectual attempts to bribe some of 1 {the} Americans. We heard at 1 {the} President's that 1 {the} expedition ws like to prove abortive. That w wre moving off our heavy artillery: and that, as we could not be assisted by 1 {the} French fleet we must leave 1 {the} Island. Thursday. Mr Gannett & I applied to the [bene-] [?]

-tory of Council for 1 {the} civil & military lists, that we might obtain them for a continental register. Dined at Mr Welles's near 1 {the} Fortification. The French fleet ws said to be below but not yet in fight. Drank Tea at Dr. Eliot's. Watched with Mr Foxcroft who ws very delirious & very droll. I slept but very little. Read a Treatise upon 1 {the} grounds & reason of 1 {the} Contempt of 1 {the} Clergy, by Echard. And altho' it ws wrote about a century ago it ws replete with learning, wit & good sense. Fryday I was sleepless all day, except a small nap before dinner. By which I found I could do with much less sleep than heretofore. My inclinations to wakefulness or sleep are, however, very various. This day ws chiefly spent in 1 {the} business of 1 {the} College; as we had a quarterly meeting to make up 1 {the} bill to 1 {the} last of August according to 1 {the } desire of the

Treasurer. Saturday Heard that 1 {the} Volunteers had left, or were leaving 1 {the} Island: and that Messrs Newcomb & Winthrop wr the only dissentients in 1 {the} independent company, who voted or protested against it. The French admiral, & 1 {the} Marquis de la Fayette attended 1 {the} board of war at Boston. Sunday. Aug. 30 Preach'd all day at Little Cambridge. Mr Fuller told me ten oxen wre drove to Boston for 1 {the} French fleet. Eat very harty of water melon, for 1 {the} first time. Attended club at Dr Appleton's as usual. Heard there had been an engagement upon 1 {the} Island; that the enemy had sallied out upon our advanced parties, but that we had driven them back again. The particulars we could not learn. A Frenchman wrote to Fayette that we might be well satisfied with

the day. It is said some English ships have arrived at Newport. Monday. Hear that we had lost in 1 {the} battle of Saturday 60 killed & 160 or 180 wounded: but that we kept the ground. The action it seems ws not general; but lasted several hours. A fleet wd seen below Boston, but it remained a matter of speculation & of uncertainty what, or whence it was. Tuesday. This day Mr. Payson of Chelsea saw 25 sail of large ships, which appeared to be beating into 1 {the} habor. At night they disappeared. They permitted [--asters] to pass & repass. Wednesday. A number dined with us in 1 {the} hall & took a glass of wine with me, after dinner. I then went to 1 {the} President's & with 1 {the} other gentlemen in our habits, waited upon Mr Tucker into the Chapel, at 3 o'clock. He preached the Dudleian Lecture, which is upon 1 {the} first Wednesday in Sept. The subject ws 1 {the} Validity of

of Presbyterian [Ordination?], which he arranaged very well. ---- {Colonel} Bridge returned from Rhode Island. Said our army made a safe retreat from the Island last Sunday night and were in detached or separate bodies upon [the?] mainland. --- {Sir} [Sherbarne?], a volunteer from dartsmouth, lost his leg in {the} engagement upon {the} Island, by a cannon ball. Several officers of my acquaintance were killed or wounded. A report prevailed this afternoon {that} {the} Britons had landed at Bristol, but it was from [dis-------d?] Last night {the} town of Boston [was?] [alarmed?], & {the} troopes & militia in arms, [this?] of {the} [right?]: but {the} alarm did not spread. {Doctor} Eliot was confined, unwell. Thursday. Rode to Boston round in a shaise with {[Misses?]} Wendell. Dined at {Doctor} Mather's with several of the clergy. Saw {Mister} Winthrop in Boston on his return from Rh. Island. He had a [fit?] upon {the} day & field of action, but escaped unhurt by {the} enemy. By {the} best accounts it appears that {General} Sulivan

conducted thro 1 whole expedition at grt regularity I spent: that he effected an exceeding good retreat: and that 1 failure of his attempts was owing to the shattered condition of 1 French fleet which obliged [ym?] to put round to Boston; & to 1 arrival of about 6,000 as a reinforcement to [Pigor?] from New York.

Fryday & Saturday. Read Terence, an account of his life, writings & a disertation upon ancient tragedy & comedy, prefixed to his works. This author is esteemed one of 1 purest Latin comic writers. He ws a Carthagenian by birth but a Roman by education. He is remarkable for 1 [justness?] of his characters & purity of his diction, but is rather an imitator of Menander than an original pact.

Sunday. Preached at Newton. Saw 1 officer who married Miss Berrett. The [chh?] I heard objected to her continuing to commune w you because she married a British