From the Massachusetts gazette. Thursday, February 2. 1764. An account of the fire at Harvard-College, in Cambridge; with the loss sustained thereby.

From the Massachusetts-Gazette, THURSDAY, February 2, 1764.

An ACCOUNT of the Fire at Harvard-College, in Cambridge; with the Loss sustained thereby.

BOSTON: PRINTED BY R. AND S. DRAPER.

CAMBRIDGE, JANUARY 25, 1764.

LAST night HARVARD COLLEGE, suf|fered the most ruinous loss it ever met with since its foundation. In the middle of a very tempestuous night, a severe cold storm of snow attended with high wind, we were awaked by the alarm of fire. Harvard-Hall, the on|ly one of our ancient buildings which still remained, * 1.1 and the repository of our most valuable treasures, the public LIBRARY and Philosophical APPARATUS, was seen in flames. As it was a time of vacation, in which the students were all dispersed, not a single person was left in any of the Colleges, except two or three in that part of Massachusetts most distant from Harvard, where the fire could not be perceived till the whole sur|rounding air began to be illuminated by it: When it was discovered from the town, it had risen to a degree of violence that defied all opposition. It is conjectured to have begun in a beam under the hearth in the library, where a fire had been kept for the use of the General Court, now residing and sitting here, by reason of the Small-Pox at Boston: from thence it burst out into the Library. The books easily sub|mitted to the fury of the flame, which with a rapid and irresistible progress made its way into the Appa|ratus Chamber, and spreading thro' the whole build|ing, in a very short time left nothing but the bare walls. The other Colleges, Stoughton-Hall and Mas|sachusetts-Hall, were in the utmost hazard of sharing the same fate. The wind driving the flaming cinders directly upon their roofs, they blazed out several times in different places; nor could they have been saved by all the help the Town could afford, had it not been for the assistance of the Gentlemen of the General Court, among whom his Excellency the Governor was very active; who, notwithstanding the extreme rigor of the season, exerted themselves in supplying the town Engine with water, which they were obliged to fetch at last from a distance, two of the College pumps being then rendered useless. Even the new and beau|tiful Hollis-Hall, though it was on the windward side, hardly escaped. It stood so near to Harvard, that the flames actually seized it, and without immediate help must have carried it. But by the Blessing of God on the vigorous efforts of the assistants, the ruin was confined to Harvard-Hall; and there, besides the destruction of the private property of those who had chambers in it, the public loss is very great; per|haps, irreparable. The Library and the Apparatus, which for many years had been growing, and were now judged to be the best furnished in America, are annihilated. But to give the public a more distinct idea of the loss, we shall exhibit a summary view of the general contents of each, as far as we can, on a sudden, recollect them.

Of the LIBRARY.

IT contained—The Holy Scriptures in almost all languages, with the most valuable Expositors and Commentators, ancient and modern:—The whole Library of the late learned Dr. Lightfoot, which at his death he bequeathed to this College, and contained the Targums, Talmuds, Rabbins, Polygot, and other valuable tracts relative to oriental literature, which is taught here:—The library of Dr. Theophilus Gale, consisting of—Volumes:—All the Fathers, Greek and Latin, in their best editions.—A great number of tracts in defence of revealed Religion, wrote by the most masterly hands, in the last and present century.—Ser|mons of the most celebrated English divines, both of the established national church and protestant dissenters:—Tracts upon all the branches of polemic divinity:—The donation of the venerable Society for propagat|ing the Gospel in foreign parts, consisting of a great many volumes of tracts against Popery, published in the Reigns of Charles II. and James II. the Boylean lectures, and other the most esteemed English sermons:—A valuable collection of modern theological trea|tises, presented by the Right Rev Dr. Sherlock, late Ld. Bishop of London, the Rev. Dr. Hales, F.R.S. and Dr. Wilson of London:—A vast number of philological tracts, containing the rudiments of almost all langua|ges, ancient and modern:—The Hebrew, Greek and Roman antiquities.—The Greek and Roman Classics, presented by the late excellent and catholic-spirited Bishop Berkeley; most of them the best editions: A large collection of History and biographical tracts ancient and modern.—Dissertations on various Poli|tical subjects.—The Transactions of the Royal So|ciety, Academy of Sciences in France, Acta Erudite|rum. Miscellanea curiosa, the works of Boyle and Newton, with a great variety of other mathematical and philosophical treatises:—A collection of the most approved Medical Authors, chiefly presented by Mr. James, of the island of Jamaica; to which Dr. Mead and other Gentlemen have made very considerable additions: Also Anatomical cutts and two compleat Skeletons of different sexes. This Collection would have been very serviceable to a Professor of Physic and Anatomy, when the revenues of the College should have been sufficient to subsist a gentleman in this cha|racter.—A few ancient and valuable Manuscripts in different languages.—A pa•••• of excellent new Globe of the largest size presented by Andrew Oliver, jun. Esq—A variety of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 natural and artificial, both of American and foreign produce.—A font of Greek types (which, as we had not yet a printing-office, was reposited in the library) presented by our great benefactor the late worthy Thomas Hollis, Esq, of London; whose picture, as large as the life, and in|stitutions for two professorships and ten scholarships, perished in the flames.

The Library contained above five thousand volumes, all which were consumed, except a few books in the hands of the members of the house; and two donati|ons, one made by our late honourable Lieutenant Go|vernor Dummer, to the value of £50 sterling; the other of 56 volumes, by the present worthy Thomas Hollis, Esq F.R.S. of London, to whom we have been annually obliged for valuable additions to our late li|brary: Which donations, being but lately received, had not the proper boxes prepared for them; and so escaped the general ruin.

As the library records are burnt, no doubt some valuable benefactions have been omitted in this ac|count, which was drawn up only by memory.

Of the APPARATUS.

WHEN the late worthy THOMAS HOLLIS, Esq of London founded a Professorship of Mathematics and Philosophy in Harvard-College, he sent a fine Apparatus for Experimental Philosophy in its several Branches.

Under the head of Mechanics, there were machines for experiments of falling bodies, of the centre of gravity, and of centrifugal forces;—the several me|chanical powers, balances of different sorts, levers, pullies, wedges, compound engines; with curious models of each in brass.

In Hydrostatics, very nice balances, jars and bottles of various sizes fitted with brass caps, vessels for prov|ing the grand hydrostatic Paradox, siphons, glass models of pumps, hydrostatic balance, &c.

In Pneumatics, there was a number of different tubes for the Torricellian experiment, a large double barrel'd Air-pump, with a great variety of receivers of different sizes and shapes; syringes, exhausting and condensing; Barometer, Thermometer;—with many other articles.

In Optics, there were several sorts of mirrors, con|cave, convex, cylindric; Lenses of different foci; instruments for proving the fundamental law of re|fraction; Prisms, with the whole apparatus for the Newtonian theory of light and colours; the camera obscura, &c.

And a variety of instruments for miscellaneous purposes.

THE following articles were afterwards sent us by Mr. Thomas Hollis, Nephew to that generous Gentleman, viz. an Orrery, an armillary Sphere, and a box of Microscopes; all of exquisite workmanship.

For Astronomy, we had before been supplied with Te|lescopes of different lengths; one of 24 feet; and a brass Quadrant of two feet radius, carrying a Te|lescope of a greater length; which formerly belong|ed to the celebrated Dr. Halley. We had also the most useful instruments for Dialling;—and for Sur|veying, a brass semicircle, with plain sights and mag|netic needle. Also, a curious Telescope, with a com|plete apparatus for taking the difference of Level; lately presented by Christopher Kilby, Esq

Many very valuable additions have of late years been made to this apparatus by several generous be|nefactors, whom it would be ingratitude not to com|memorate here, as no vestiges of their donations re|main. We are under obligation to mention parti|cularly, the late Sir Peter Warren, Knt. Sir Henry Frankland, Bart. Hon. Jonathan Belcher, Esq Lt. Governor of Nova-Scotia; Thomas Hancock, Esq James Bowdoin, Esq Ezekiel Goldthwait, Esq John Hancock, A.M. of Boston, and Mr. Gilbert Harrison of London, Merchant. From these Gen|tlemen we received fine reflecting Telescopes of dif|ferent magnifying powers; and adapted to different observations; Microscopes of the several sorts now in use; Hadley's Quadrant fitted in a new manner; a nice Variation Compass, and Dipping needle; with instruments for the several magnetical and electrical experiments—all new, and of excellent workmanship.

ALL DESTROYED!

Cambridge, Jan. 26. 1764. As the General As|sembly have this day chearfully and unanimously voted to rebuild Harvard-Hall, it encourages us to hope, that the LIBRARY and APPARATUS will also be repaired by the private munificence of those who wish well to America, have a regard for New-Eng|land, and know the importance of literature to the Church and State.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Harvard-Hall, 42 feet broad, 96 long, and four stories high, was founded A.D.1672.