You have repeatedly gratified me with your Letters, Some of which are
So genteel, and polite that I am not aſhamed to expose them, as the performances of Boys of Your Standings; and by all I am
refreſhed with the accots of your Health, &
wellfare. I have ſo good accots of your Satiſfaction, good Behaviour, Advantages, and Proficiency in your Buſineſs that I covet to give you as large an Opportunity at College as can conſiſt with my Truſt, and your being imployed
moſt directly in
Subſerviency to the great Deſign in view. But I very much regrett your neglect to learn the indian Language, than which no Branch of
Learning, excepting chriſt and him crucified, is more neceſsary for you.
Ripley
&
Hebard have begun to make them an indian Grammer
& Nomenclat
[illegible][guess: ure] under
Peter's Dictates. They
are well ingaged in their Studies, and make laudible
Proficiency therein. I am glad to hear
that
Friſbie has So intitled
himſelf
to the Eſteem of his Tutor, as to be by him invited to make Trial for the
Dean's
Donation; yet as those Studies will be far leſs useful to him than ſome
others; and will prevent his accompliſhing
himſelf in other Branches of
Literature which will be neceſsary for him, I dont think it will be adviſeable
to comply with the proposal. Phyloſophy, Hyſtory, Oratory, the art
of Reaſoning, moral Phyloſophy
&c will be much more useful.
If you go into Schools in the wilderneſs in the Spring it will be of great
Advantage to have Some previous
Acquaintance with the Indian Language
at leaſt So much as to converſe with them about common Affairs.
I have laid a Plan for comfortable Studies
for you; &
Deacon Woodward is
now proſecuting the Same. I hope he will accomodate you, ſo at leaſt, as
to be a proper medium between your preſent Situation, and the indian
Country, So that you may not have the
mortification to paſs from the one
Extream to the other without any Gradation.
Letters from Home of late a
ndre very friendly &
incouraging. General
Lyman, I underſtand is Suing hard to have
this School
fix'd within the
grant which (as I ſupose you have heard) he has obtained on
the
Ohio.
I have Sent you a few Narratives printed in
London. preſent the
Revd
Preſident
& each of the Tutors with one, and one to
M.r Bird
& another
to
M.r
Whitleſey, preſent my Reſpects to each of those Gentlemen, and
let your Tutors know my mind reſpecting your Studies.
I have lately had a Letter from
M.r Brainerd, in which he informs
that no Intelligence can be had
in that Quarter reſpecting the Horſe that
was Stole from
Johnſon.
M.r Wales proves a very agreable
Maſter; and our State is as comfortable
as ever you knew it to be. My people
appear ſurprizingly kind & Affectiona
^[illegible][guess: te]^
towards
towards me.
It is a Time of Health, &
univerſal Love & Peace among us. I bear you all upon my Heart every Day. am often refreſhing my mind amidſt my Fatigue with the hopes that God graciouſly
deſigns much Glory to his great Name, & good to men by each of you, in due Time. and I am, my dear Children
P.S. I am glad to hear that the freſhmen, are not plaged
& worried of late with that, worſe than hoggiſh, kind of Diſcipline, from their Superiors, as I think you call them. If there Should be a
revival of it, & you Should find it diſtempers your minds, & interrupts your Peace & commu- -nion with God, I would have you aſk a Diſmiſsion from College, & come home. but watch and guard that you be not found blameworthy in
your Carriage towards any.