novel and shocking to vulgar prejudice, exposed him to great obloquy, and even peril. So far was the rage of the populace carried, that a lighted shell filled with gunpowder was one evening thrown into his parlour window. The affair was brought before the General Court.

Dr. Mather's characterisic humor, not to say his spleen, on the election of Dr. Sewall, appeared in a short remark. "This day Dr. Sewall was chosen for his piety." Dr. Sewall was, indeed, a man of the most ardent and exalted piety. Accordingly Dr. Eliot, who without doubt spoke partly from his own personal knowledge, says: "He was a man who seemed to breathe the air of Heaven, while he was here upon earth; he delighted in the work of the ministry; and when he grew venerable for his age, as well as his piety, he was regarded as the father of the clergy. The rising generation looked upon him with reverence, and all classes of people felt a respect for his name. He was a genuine disciple of the famous John Calvin. He dwelt upon the great articles of the Christian faith in preaching and conversation; and dreaded the propagation of any opinions in this country, which were contrary to the principles of our fathers. Hence he was no friend to free inquiries, or to any discussion of theological opinions, which were held true by the first reformers. His advice to students in divinity was, to read the Bible always with a comment, such as Mr. Henry's, or Archbishop Usher's, and to make themselves acquainted with the work of his great predecessor, Mr. Willard, whose Body of Divinity was then in great repute. Though he so often preached the doctrines of the gospel, yet he never entered into any curious speculations; his object was to impress upon

people what they should believe, and how they must live to be eternally happy. His sermons were pathetic, and the pious strains of his prayers, as well as preaching, excited serious attention, and made a devout assembly. His character was uniform, and the observation has often been made, if he entered into company something serious or good dropt from his lips.

His very presence banished away every thing of levity, and solemnized the minds of all those who were with him.'" 1

Though not accounted a great man, he was highly respectable for his talents and learning. He was a very good classical scholar. "He could write handsomely in Latin when he was an old man, and had read many authors in that language." He was honored with the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Glasgow, at the same time (1731) with Dr. Colman. Upon the resignation of this gentleman in 1728, he was chosen a Fellow of the Corporation and resigned in 1765, having served the College faithfully and usefully in that capacity thirty-seven years. He was a benefactor of the College. "His donation of money to be appropriated to indigent scholars, has been of considerable use. He gave this during his life, and was among the first to repair the loss of the library, when Harvard Hall was consumed by fire, by making a present of many valuable books. This devout man also gave much alms to the people. He possessed an estate beyond any of his brethren; but he always devoted a tenth part of his income to pious and charitable uses." 2 He died June 27th, 1769, in the eighty-first year of his age.

1 Eliot's Biographical Dictionary, pp. 422, 423. 2 Ibid. pp. 423, 424

He was nearly related to the three great men of the name of Sewall who held the office of Chief Justice of Massachusetts. The first was his father, the second his cousin, and the third, who was the late eminent and excellent Chief Justice Samuel Sewall, of Marblehead, was his grandson. The latter left several sons who were graduated at Harvard College, and who still, as ministers or laymen, honorably support the credit of that ancient and distinguished family.

CHAPTER XVI.

FAILING in their endeavours to obtain a suitable person for the office of president from the community at large, the Corporation seem to have been compelled to have recourse to their own body; and made choice of a gentleman, whose paramount claims and qualifications for the appointment must have rendered the circumstance of his being a Fellow of the electoral body an objection only with the over-fastidious; - the Rev. Benjamin Colman, pastor of the Brattle-Street Church in Boston. He was chosen by the Corporation Nov. 18th, 1724, and the choice was approved by the Overseers at their first meeting afterwards, which was on the 24th of the same month. We have the authority of his son-in-law and biographer, the Rev. Mr. Turell, for saying, that the vote in his favor was unanimous. A committee, consisting of Judge Sewall, Col. Townsend, Col. Quincy, the Rev. Mr. Prince, the Rev. Mr. Webb, and the Rev. Mr. Appleton, was appointed to apply for his consent and that of his church, and to procure from the General Court "a proper salary for his encouragement."

Mr. Colman, in his own opinion, "not being well with the House of late years," thought it prudent to defer his answer till the General Court had acted upon the application for his salary. The House voted

Mr.

not to fix a salary till he had given his answer. Colman refusing to accept under such circumstances, the Overseers voted, Dec. 17th, 1724, that "the same Committee doe now again wait on the Honble. Genl. Court with Mr. Colman's answer and with this vote, praying that the matter of a salary may be considered by them and so acted upon as may be most for the speedy settlement of a President in the College and therein for the good of the whole province.' Col. Byfield and the Rev. Mr. Wadsworth were added to the Committee. The next day the Committee reported to the Overseers the following vote: "In the House of Representatives, Dec. 18, 1724, the question was put, whether the Court would establish a salary or allowance for the President of Harvard College for the time being, before the person chosen to that office had accepted the duty and trust thereof. It passed in the negative, nemine contradicente. Wm. Dudley Speaker." This decided Mr. Colman to give his final answer in the negative.

Those who consider how few, at any time, among the great number of individuals distinguished for their endowments and virtues in the various departments of life, possess the requisite qualifications for the presi-dency of a college, will readily conceive that the Corporation must have experienced no small difficulty in finding a suitable person to fill the vacant office. Accordingly it was nearly six months before they came to another choice. At length in June, 1725, they fixed upon the Rev. Benjamin Wadsworth, Pastor of the First Church in Boston. The Overseers approved the choice June 10th, and appointed a Committee for similar purposes with those mentioned in the account of the previous appointments. They were moreover