Colonial North America: Harvard University Archives

prisoner & some left [a?] table upon her being at it. Ridiculous!

Monday. The junior began Terence instead of reciting [Cosaris?] commentaries. I had some symptoms of 1 dysentery. Look physic.

Tuesday & Wednesday. About this time Bedford ws burned by that party who left New-York to reinforce [Pigor?] upon [?]. Having found that our troops had found a retreat from [?] ya did not land, but anchored off New-London; then proceeded to Bedford when they destroyed 1 chief stores & about 15 or 20 houses. Is this an indciation of humanity, sound policy or a pacific disposition? By gentlemen from Newport it is said that 1 enemy in 1 late engagment had between 1,000 & 1100 killed wound & missing, & that thier officers suffered very much. This agrees with 1 most [judicious?] of our army & is not altogether improbable.

Thursday Sept[ember] 10, 1778

Heard Dr. Mather preach & lecture; after which he mentioned that public prayers were to be offered up at [the?] New North for Dr. Eliot, whose life was almost despaired of. A large number of French officers collected round [the?] old Brick during [the?] lecture, even to [the?] interception of [the?] service, but soon drove off to Cambridge. Called at Dr. Eliot, found [the?] family in [the?] [?] [distress?]; having no hopes of his recovery. Attended public prayers at 3 o'clock, where Dr. Cooper preached a sermon; Mr. Lathrop made [the?] first & Mr. Wight [the?] last prayer. The whole assembly which was very large appeared very much affected. Fryday. We had a meeting to settle some college accounts , etc. at [?] we heard [?] Dr. Eliot was dead; we considered it as a very [?] loss to [the?] college & were [?] mourn [?] for him, but with joy heard [the?]

report contradicted before noon.

Saturday.

Read Montesquieu's Spirit of laws in original French. Found it exceedingly profitable & very entertaining. The dysentery had not quite left me by which I was necessitated to take some more glycerin.

Sunday. Sept. 13 Preached at Newtown New. Dined at Col. Fuller's who, I found, had been in [Capt?] of present war. Drank Coffee with Dr. Parker, who appeared sociable, friendly and judicious, but rather dejected on account of our present public prospects, altho' he acknowledged [yon?] to be more fair and promising than he could reasonably have expected. This is not uncommon only, tho' perhaps unreasonably [the?] case with many. Called at Mr. [?] whom I found in appearance near his end: [friendly?] & almost [?]. Heard in the evening that Dr. Eliot died in the morning. This good of this great man left

I [would?] with the same Dignity of happy composure of mind with which he lives in it. He calmly took leave of his family & friends. He left a message in the morning with his departing breath to be communicated to his people by Mr. Thacher. The purport of it was, that the Doctrine he had taught you he still believed to be true & that he found the greatest comfort & fortification reporting from you in a dying hour. This [?] was dedicated in the [?] of the afternoon sermon; & being attended with Mr. Thacher [usual?] [?] , was extremely affecting. The whole town appeared to fell a loss.

Monday

Last evening Mrs. Osgood, Major Osgood's lady of Andover, died at Mr. [Forcrofts?], after several days illness. She was amiable in her appearance & deportment; beloved by all her acquaintance & esteemed for her piety & goodness.

Tuesday

After dinner went to Dr. Eliot's funeral.

Dr Gordon prayed with [the?] family, Dr Langdon with [the?] men at [the?] New North & Dr Mather with [the?] women at his own meeting. The congregation & [?] preceded, corps: it was followed by [the?] family, relations, women, [overseers?], corporation & government of [the?] college, clergy, officers, gentlemen, carriages. It is [said?] [yet?] [his?] procession consisted of 600 [couple?] beside about 30 carriages & yet it extended about half a mile. He was laid in a tomb upon Cops hill, which he had purchased not long before. My intimacy in [the?] family let me to feel [the?] loss to them, as well as to [the?] college & [the?] public. I spent [the?] evening at [Mr?] Townsend with Mr. Prince [etc.] I slept with Mr Newcomb. Had a late chat upon [?] matters, & upon life & [the?] world.

Wednesday. Paid my respects to [the?] Dr's family: found them mournful, but very well [comforted?], considering [the?] tenderness of their affection & [the?] greatness of their loss. I introduced

Prince at Dr Mather's whose family I ever found extremely kind & hospitable. At 4 o'clock I attended Mrs Osgood's funeral as a pall-holder: & walked back from 1 tomb to Mr [Foreroths?] in procession.

Thursday. Very stormy in 1 forenoon. ------Went into 1 Library with some French Gentleman. I could not converse w them altho' I read the language; & my bashfulness prevented my making such attempts as wd be most useful. I find it necissary, or at least expedient to be able to converse in French, for numbers of 1 navy are up every day. Mr Adams of Watertown died last evening after a tedious confinement of 50 days. He left a widow & an infant son. He had been settled about 5 months & ws [ent?] off in [a?] midst of agreeable prospects.

Fryday. Prince called upon me in 1 evening

Said he had [bought?] a number of books out of the late Dr [Imiburt's] Library, & I found they were so cheap that I proposed to go down the next morning.

Saturday

To Boston with Prince before breakfast. To [Imiburt's] library & culled all the forenoon. I got about 30 & Mr. Gannett about 40 volumes pretty cheap. Dined at Boston & made all possible haste to get to Mr. Adams's funeral, but we were too late. He was handsomely buried & his widow put in mourning by the town. Slept at Parker's where we spent a late evening.

Sunday, Sept. 20.

Preached all day at Waltham. Mr. Cushing did not return from Little-Cambridge before I left his house, which [stripped] me of the enjoyment of his company any part of the time. ------ Called at Mr. Hall's Watertown. Found that many remained without affecting Mr. Adams, even to his death: & thought it would be difficult for any one to suit all parties.

Called upon Mr Adams who appeared loney & much affected, but well composed. ------ Heard at Club that Admiral Thepel had engaged a French fleet off [?]; that himself was killed & his fleet much damaged but, particulars could not be assertained. Dr Appleton ws able to preach at Watertown and attend a funeral at Cambride.

Monday. It was strongly rumored that 1 Britsih troops wd come this way [?] sometimes - fleet ws seen off our Bay. The Council were about calling in 1 militia & convention troops have been chiefly sent to [Phertland?], except 1 Germans. [Prixzes?] comes in almost every day. Last Saturday Mr Eames was introduced into 1 Tutorship in form. The President read the veto of his election and then inculcated upon the students a proper attention to their new instructor.

Tuesday

We were frequently visited by the French officers of the navy; but their general appearance was no ways engaging, nor their [mien?] & address so soft and courtly as I expected from that class of men.

Wednesday Read Montesquieu; found him more entertaining & more instructive. He lays down many excellent rules for the government of mankind; points out the foundation of them and frequently illustrates them by examples from history both ancient and modern. Indeed he is considered, & perhaps deservedly, as the legislator of nations.

Thursday.

Heard Mr. Gordon preach a sermon upon mortality; in consequence of Dr. Eliot's death. Dined at Deacon Jeffers. Found Mr. [Echalis] had a call at the old South; who have always attended in the stone chapel find this meeting was turned into a riding school by the British troops.

Called at Mrs. Eliot's --- the family [was?] very gloomy --- She feelingly defined her [son?] at College might be taken good care of and critically [?] as he had lost his parent, friend & guide ----I returned to college at 5 o'clock, that I might not leave, the [chapel?] vacant. The evening Dr. Eliot was buried, upon the absence of all the [government?], Chandler, a {Senator?}, prayed in the Chapel. It is said he performed well and that all was conducted with propriety; but I did not [hope?] to leave the matter in such an uncertain [situ-?] [ation?] again. Friday [?] some French authors and was desirous of learning [?] pronounciations; but [was] [amidst] [?] multitude I could get no good opportunity. Saturday Affairs of college go on very quietly and [?] general disposition of the students pacific and studious. Sunday. Sept.27 Preached at Medford all day upon an exchange with Mr. Osgood. After meeting