David Avery, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1767 May 26

Author Avery, David

Date26 May, 1767

Call Number767326.2

abstractAvery writes to express his desire, and list his reasons, for going to college rather than early into missionary work.

handwritingHandwriting is formal, clear, and legible.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good condition, with light-to-moderate staining, creasing and wear.

inkDark brown.

layoutPages one and two of the letter are on one recto and verso; however, the third page of the letter is on two verso, not two recto. The address is on two recto.

Persistent Identifier

Revd and Honrd. Sir,
As the Reaſons you offered for our not
going to College, are some of them new to me; and eſpe‐
cially my Shortſghtedneſs is such, & Judgment of Af‐
fairs so inmature , I am quite unfit for an Anſwer.
It will be a great Diſappointment of my expectations
according to the Plan and Agreement I came upon, not
to spend any more time at College. If I rightly re‐
member, the Agreement was, that I should be fit
ted for College — and spend the major part of the
term of four years there, and then to receive the
Honors of College, if accounted worthy of them. This
would be neceſsary for a common Recommendation,
at leaſt among People and Gentlemen in North-Ame‐
rica
, where I might be known; &c. if it should ever
happen I might not be engaged in a Miſsion, or if I
should — And it would be an Advantage in gitting
into Buſineſs in thoſe parts, if upon some sufficient
reaſon I should not purſue the Deſign. The Diſlike,
and evil Suſpiceon of many who profeſs Friendſhip
to me, and are not Friends to the Deſign, will be raiſ‐
ed againſt the Plan, and will be apt to think hard of
Mr Wheelock, (tho' the Reaſons should be given) and
so the School and Cauſe might be reproached. The
cruel tongues of many would then be set on fire, (as o‐
thers like diſpoſed have been,) and "say, Mr Wheelock
would not treat one of his own Sons so, who should be de‐
ſigned for the same Work: But were there not some lu‐
crative Views somewhere at the Bottom, things would
not be so." Tho' the Deſign has gained ground, and

become more Honourable than our Colleges; yet, Men
of thoſe parts, will not be so senſible of it, 'till by and by;
and not only so, but, Sir, will not the School and we, who
have gone so far, be looked upon in a diminitive Light
by the College? I imagin it will be a great Advantage
to git an Acquaintance with Scholars, that when they
shall leave College and enter into Buſineſs abroad,
one might be of service to another. And, may I expreſs
the Paſsion — How comforting and supporting will
Friendſhip be to one in the lonly Deſert! It is but a short
Seaſon I can have to git an acquaintance with any Body
special within two years and half here — and to be sure
I muſt be under poor Circumſtances among the Pagans.
And will not an acquaintance with Men of Learning
be of great Advantage to one, who muſt be so much ex‐
poſed in a crafty World as a Miſsionary? There are
several Exerciſes of Improvement at College, we have not
here; tho' they are not abſolutely neceſsary for one who
expects to spend all his Days among Heathen; yet would
they not be servicable and inlarging to the Mind? What
you said, Sir, as to the Mathematicks, it give me Satiſ‐
faction — To have a tolerable acquaintance with them
I suppoſe is sufficient — Other Studies would be more agre‐
able, as well as profitable — I can eaſily, (and indeed,
it would be too black Ingratitude not to) believe your
Plans and Schemes to be the moſt for my Profit, and
to fix me for Uſefulneſs. And was the School fixt
and set up, it would not give me the leaſt Uneaſi‐
neſs, If I did not go to College at all: But untill
that is done, would it not be beſt, all things conſidered,
that we should spend a little time at College, as was pro
poſed, and agreed to, when we entered the School? Mr
Kirtland
often (with tears) laments his short Acquain
tance with Claſsical, Scholaſtice Studies; and thinks
it to be neceſary for a Miſsionary, as well as any
other Calling in Life.
But, I am but a Child, and know not what is beſt in the
Affair — I can with the greateſt Submiſsion and Reſig‐
nation to Mr Wheelock reſign the whole Matter to your
parental Goodneſs, and Judgment. I rejoice I have yet
a Patron who knows better what is beſt for me, than myſelf:
Thus, Sir, I have indeavoured a few Reaſons, why I should
deſire to go to College, as hath heretofore been propoſed: And,
if there be any Weight in them,/ with the profoundeſt Reverence
I begg they may be conſidered —
I imbrace this, as the firſt and beſt opportunity I have
had to return you, my moſt sincere and hearty Thanks for
your Expreſsions of tender Care and Concern for my Health.
I can only add, that I am, with all fillial Duty and
Humility,

Reverend and Honour'd Sir,
Your moſt obedi‐
ent, moſt dutiful,
and very humble
Servant

David Avery.
To the Rev. Mr Wheelock.


To the Reverend
Mr Eleazar Wheelock,
Lebanon
Connecticut.

From Avery

From David Avery
May 26.th 1767
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