At Colledge a clear morning. Heard Mr. Appleton expound those words in 1. Cor. 12 Chapt. 7 first verses, and in the afternoon heard him preach from those words in 26 of Mathew 41 verse, watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation.1
1. Harvard students attended services on Sundays in the First Church of Cambridge (Morison, Three Centuries of Harvard, p. 94). This was a structure built in 1706, since known as “the third meetinghouse,” which was replaced in 1756. “Facing the south, it stood on Watch House Hill southwest of the present Lehman Hall” (Hamilton V. Bail, Views of Harvard: A Pictorial Record to 1860, Cambridge, 1949, p. 41). Its minister was Rev. Nathaniel Appleton (1693–1784), Harvard 1712 (Sibley-Shipton, Harvard Graduates, 5:599–609).
Monday [11 June].
Docno: EJA01d006
Author: JA
Date: 1753-06-11
At Colledge, a fair morning, and pretty warm. About 2 o’Clock there appeared some symptoms of an approaching shower, attended with some thunder, and lightning.
Tuesday [12 June].
Docno: EJA01d007
Author: JA
Date: 1753-06-12
At Colledge, a Clowdy morning, heard Dr. Wigglesworth Preach from the 20 Chapter of exodus 8, 9 and 10th. Verses.1
At Colledge, a Cloudy morning, about 10 o’Clock the Sun shone out very warm, but about 12 the heat was, in part, allayed By the rising of the wind.
14 Thurdsday.
Docno: EJA01d009
Author: JA
Date: 1753-06-14
At Colledge, a Clear, warm, morning But about 2 o’Clock came up a very hard shower, acompanied with some thunder and ligh[t]ning.
15 Fryday.
Docno: EJA01d010
Author: JA
Date: 1753-06-15
At Colledge, a Clear, warm morning, and so Continued.
16 Saturday.
Docno: EJA01d011
Author: JA
Date: 1753-06-16
At Colledge, a fair morning, but, not very warm.
17 Sunday.
Docno: EJA01d012
Author: JA
Date: 1753-06-17
At Colledge, sunshiny-morning, heard Mr. Appleton expound those words in 1. Cor. 12 Chap, from 7, to the end of 11 verse, in the afternoon heard him preach from the first Psalm, and first verse.
18 Monday.
Docno: EJA01d013
Author: JA
Date: 1753-06-18
At Colledge, a warm morning, at 11 ’Clock read Theses on this question, (viz) antliarum et siphonum phaenomina solvuntur ex gravitate aeris.1
1. “The phenomena of pumps and siphons are explained by the weight of air.”
The theses were outlines prepared earlier by tutors or sophisters, generally of single-page length, listing points relevant to the question posed and thus providing material for class discussion. Collections of theses on various questions might be kept by a tutor for the use of succeeding classes or passed down by students. The question might be one which had been disputed at an earlier commencement or be disputed at a future one; for an example see entry of 26 June, below, and note there.
Cite web page as: Founding Families: Digital Editions of the Papers of the Winthrops and the Adamses, ed.C. James Taylor. Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 2007.
http://www.masshist.org/ff/