Mr. Treat's; but whilst his was contemptible, yours is excellent."1

If this story detracts from Mr. Willard's merits in one respect, it adds as much to them in another; if it casts any doubt on his superioity as a writer, it raises a high opinion of his skill, and temper, and magnanimity; it is, in a word, a specimen of that true wisdom, for which he was famous, and which manifested itself in his government of the College and in the various transactions, in which he was engaged.

In the early part of his presidency, the printingestablishment, which was nearly coëval with the College, was abandoned. Samuel Green, who had conducted it, with great reputation, for about 50 years, died January 1st, 1702, aged 87 years. Soon after his decease the printing-materials were removed from Cambridge; and it was a long time before any printing was done in this place again.2

The munificence of the Hon. William Stoughton, in erecting the building called by his name, has been al

1 Mass. Hist. Coll. VIII. p. 182, First Series.

2 1704"The Boston News Letter, a weekly Gazette, was first published this year. This was the first News-paper published in America." -- Holmes's Annals, II. p. 490; and Mass. Hist. Coll. V. 208, First Series. "Judge Sewall (MS. Diary) mentions, that he went to Cambridge April 24, and that he gave Mr. Willard [President] the first News-Letter that ever was carried over the river."-Note on the same page of Holmes's Annals.

Printing was stopped in Cambridge by the decease of Samuel Green. Though he has been erroneously mentioned as the "first who printed in New England, or in North America," Daye having been the first, yet he begun very early. "He was unknown as a printer until about 1649.” He was a printer about 50 years. Printing had been carried on in Cambridge 60 years. He was printer to the College as long as he continued business. "Soon after his decease the printing-materials were removed from Cambridge, and probably sold." He had nineteen children

ready noticed. His will, in 1702, contained evidence of his unabated regard for the interests of education, and for Harvard College, "the place," says he, "of my first public education, which nursery of good learning has been an inestimable blessing to the churches and people of God in this wilderness, and may ever continue so to be, if this people continue in the favour of God." Not to mention the provision he makes for the support of the school in the town of Dorchester, his native place, nor his directions for the special appropriation of a part of the revenue of Stoughton Hall, he bequeathed a pasture in Dorchester, containing 23 acres, and four acres of marsh, "the income of both to be exhibited, in the first place, to a scholar of the town of Dorchester, and if there be none such, to one of the town of Milton, and in want of such, then to any other well deserving, that shall be most needy." 1

by two wives. He had the command of the Cambridge militia company, was many years town clerk, was a pious and benevolent man, and was greatly esteemed. Thomas's History of Printing, I. pp. 235–263.

1 Donation Book, I.

CHAPTER IX.

THE execution of the order of 1701, which required the President to reside at Cambridge, and which was the immediate occasion of Dr. Mather's resignation, was, whether from necessity or choice, evaded by the appointment of Mr. Willard as Vice-President; but it was now determined that the College should no longer be subjected to the disadvantages resulting from the non-residence and divided attention of its head; and accordingly the successor of Mr. Willard was brought within the letter of the rule by being elected President.

It may be interesting, at least to the sons of Harvard, to see a particular account of the proceedings upon that occasion. The following paper shows what was done by the Fellows.

"To his Excellency Jos: Dudley, Esq., Capt: Gen: and Governour in Chief, &c. The humble Addresse of the Fellows of Harvard Coll. in Cambridge, shewith,

"That we have, according to the Rules of our House, unanimously declared our Desires that the future Heads of this Colledge may be resident, and, as Resident Presidents were aunciently wont to doe, may govern the Students and serve them with Divinity Expositions, &c. and in Pursuance thereof, we have chosen the Honorable John Leveret, Esq. our next President; of whome we have good Confidence that he will (when accepted and subsisted) lay aside and decline all inter

fering Offices and Imployments, and devote himself to said Work, and by the Divine Help be a very able and faithfull Instrument to promote the Holy Religion here practised and established, by instructing and fitting for our Pulpitts and Churches and other publick and useful Services such as shall in this School of the Prophets be committed to his Care and Charge. We recommend the said Honorable Person as our President to your Excellency's favorable Acceptation, and pray that You would present him to the Honorable General Assembly and move for his honorable Subsistence.

"If your Excellency thinks fitt, so we rest your Excellencys most humble servants.

"Harvard Coll. in Cambridge, Oct. 28, 1707,

JAMES ALLEN, Senior Fellow."

"Voted, That the Revd. Mr. Allen, the Senior Fellow, sign the abbove Address, and present the same to his Excellency, in the name of the Fellows of Harvard Colledge, and Mr. Treasurer with the Fellows living in Boston, are desired to accompany the Revd. Mr. Allen, when he waits upon the Governour with the said Address." 1

At the time when the General Court acted upon this application, they decided a point of no less importance, than that of fixing the constitution of the College, after it had been for above twenty years in a condition of hazardous dependence on the will of the civil rulers. The several attempts to obtain a new charter having, as has been already seen, proved abortive, and there being no prospect of succeeding in any future attempt of the kind, the inexpediency of keeping

1 Mass. Hist. Coll. IV. p. 64, Second Series.

the institution any longer in an unsettled state was now so obvious, as to induce a recurrence to the old charter for the rule of its future government. The General Court accordingly voted, in December, 1707, that, as the Act of 1650, establishing the Corporation of Harvard College, had "not been repealed or nulled, the President and Fellows of the said College are directed from time to time, to regulate themselves according to the rules of the Constitution by the act prescribed." They also granted to the President elect a salary of 150, " to be paid annually out of the public treasury during his continuance in said office, residing at Cambridge and discharging the proper duties to a President belonging, and entirely devoting himself to that service." 1

So loose had been the management of the College, that, at the time this vote was passed, the Corporation, if it might be called by that name, consisted of fourteen members. The number was now reduced to that required by the charter; and the names of the five fellows retained are those first on the list of Socii in the Triennial Catalogue, no names of fellows, before that period, being found in that list.

Mr. Leverett "was by the Governor, at the head of the Overseers, declared President January 14, 1708." The following particulars of his induction into office appear in the Records of the Overseers.

Cambridge, Wednesday, January 14, 1707-8. Present in the College Library, His Excellency Joseph Dudley, Esq. Governor.

1 Prince's Const. of Harv. Coll. p. 14.