David Avery, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1767 May 26
26 May 1767[1767-05-26]
Call Number767326.2
[note (type: abstract): Avery writes to express his desire, and list his reasons, for going to college rather than early into missionary work.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is formal, clear, and legible.][note (type: paper): Large sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good condition, with light-to-moderate staining, creasing and wear.][note (type: ink): Dark brown.][note (type: layout): Pages 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
[Opener]
As the [Reaſons | reasons]Reaſonsreasons you offered for our not
going to College, are some of them new to me; and [eſpe‐
cially | espe
cially]eſpe‐
ciallyespe
cially my [Shortſghtedneſs | shortsightedness]Shortſghtedneſsshortsightedness is such, [& | and]&and Judgment of Af‐
fairs so [inmature | immature]inmatureimmature , I am quite unfit for an [Anſwer | answer]Anſweranswer.
It will be a great [Diſappointment | disappointment]Diſappointmentdisappointment 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 | necessary]neceſsarynecessary for a common Recommendation,
at [leaſt | least]leaſtleast among People and Gentlemen in North-Ame‐
rica[place0170.ocp], where I might be known; [&c. | etc.]&c.etc. if it should ever
happen I might not be engaged in a [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission, or if I
should — And it would be an Advantage in [gitting | getting]gittinggetting
into [Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness in [thoſe | those]thoſethose parts, if upon some sufficient
[reaſon | reason]reaſonreason I should not [purſue | pursue]purſuepursue the [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign. The [Diſlike | dislike]Diſlikedislike,
and evil [Suſpiceon | suspicion]Suſpiceonsuspicion of many who [profeſs | profess]profeſsprofess [Friendſhip | friendship]Friendſhipfriendship
to me, and are not Friends to the [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign, will be [raiſ‐
ed | rais
ed]raiſ‐
edrais
ed [againſt | against]againſtagainst the Plan, and will be apt to think hard of
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Wheelock[pers0036.ocp], ([tho' | though]tho'though the [Reaſons | reasons]Reaſonsreasons should be given) and
so the School[org0098.ocp] and [Cauſe | cause]Cauſecause might be reproached. The
cruel tongues of many would then be set on fire, (as o‐
thers like [diſpoſed | disposed]diſpoſeddisposed have been,) and "say, [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
would not treat one of his own Sons so, who should be [de‐
ſigned | de
signed]de‐
ſignedde
signed for the same Work: But were there not some lu‐
crative Views somewhere at the Bottom, things would
not be so." [Tho' | Though]Tho'Though the [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign has gained ground, and
become more Honourable than our Colleges; yet, Men
of [thoſe | those]thoſethose parts, will not be so [senſible | sensible]senſiblesensible of it, ['till | 'til]'till'til by and by;
and not only so, but, Sir, will not the School[org0098.ocp] and we, who
have gone so far, be looked upon in a diminitive Light
by the College? I [imagin | imagine]imaginimagine it will be a great Advantage
to [git | get]gitget an Acquaintance with Scholars, that when they
shall leave College and enter into [Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness abroad,
one might be of service to another. And, may I [expreſs | express]expreſsexpress
the [Paſsion | passion]Paſsionpassion — How comforting and supporting will
[Friendſhip | friendship]Friendſhipfriendship be to one in the [lonly | lonely]lonlylonely [Deſert | desert]Deſertdesert! It is but a short
[Seaſon | season]Seaſonseason I can have to [git | get]gitget an acquaintance with [any Body | anybody]any Bodyanybody
special within two years and half here — and to be sure
I [muſt | must]muſtmust be under poor [Circumſtances | circumstances]Circumſtancescircumstances among the Pagans.
And will not an acquaintance with Men of Learning
be of great Advantage to one, who [muſt | must]muſtmust be so much [ex‐
poſed | ex
posed]ex‐
poſedex
posed in a crafty World as a [Miſsionary | missionary]Miſsionarymissionary? There are
several [Exerciſes | exercises]Exerciſesexercises of Improvement at College, we have not
here; [tho' | though]tho'though they are not [abſolutely | absolutely]abſolutelyabsolutely [neceſsary | necessary]neceſsarynecessary for one who
expects to spend all his Days among Heathen; yet would
they not be [servicable | serviceable]servicableserviceable and [inlarging | enlarging]inlargingenlarging to the Mind? What
you said, Sir, as to the [Mathematicks | mathematics]Mathematicksmathematics, it give me [Satiſ‐
faction | Satis
faction]Satiſ‐
factionSatis
faction — To have a tolerable acquaintance with them
I [suppoſe | suppose]suppoſesuppose is sufficient — Other Studies would be more [agre‐
able | agre
eable]agre‐
ableagre
eable, as well as profitable — I can [eaſily | easily]eaſilyeasily, (and indeed,
it would be too black Ingratitude not to) believe your
Plans and Schemes to be the [moſt | most]moſtmost for my Profit, and
to fix me for [Uſefulneſs | usefulness]Uſefulneſsusefulness. And was the School [fixt | fixed]fixtfixed
and set up, it would not give me the [leaſt | least]leaſtleast [Uneaſi‐
neſs | Uneasi
ness]Uneaſi‐
neſsUneasi
ness, If I did not go to College at all: But [untill | until]untilluntil
that is done, would it not be [beſt | best]beſtbest, all things [conſidered | considered]conſideredconsidered,
that we should spend a little time at College, as was [pro
poſed | pro
posed]pro
poſedpro
posed, and agreed to, when we entered the School[org0098.ocp]? [Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
Kirtland[pers0315.ocp] often (with tears) laments his short Acquain
tance with [Claſsical | Classical]ClaſsicalClassical, [Scholaſtice | scholastic]Scholaſticescholastic Studies; and thinks
it to be [neceſary | necessary]neceſarynecessary for a [Miſsionary | missionary]Miſsionarymissionary, as well as any
other Calling in Life.
going to College, are some of them new to me; and [eſpe‐
cially | espe
cially]eſpe‐
ciallyespe
cially my [Shortſghtedneſs | shortsightedness]Shortſghtedneſsshortsightedness is such, [& | and]&and Judgment of Af‐
fairs so [inmature | immature]inmatureimmature , I am quite unfit for an [Anſwer | answer]Anſweranswer.
It will be a great [Diſappointment | disappointment]Diſappointmentdisappointment 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 | necessary]neceſsarynecessary for a common Recommendation,
at [leaſt | least]leaſtleast among People and Gentlemen in North-Ame‐
rica[place0170.ocp], where I might be known; [&c. | etc.]&c.etc. if it should ever
happen I might not be engaged in a [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission, or if I
should — And it would be an Advantage in [gitting | getting]gittinggetting
into [Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness in [thoſe | those]thoſethose parts, if upon some sufficient
[reaſon | reason]reaſonreason I should not [purſue | pursue]purſuepursue the [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign. The [Diſlike | dislike]Diſlikedislike,
and evil [Suſpiceon | suspicion]Suſpiceonsuspicion of many who [profeſs | profess]profeſsprofess [Friendſhip | friendship]Friendſhipfriendship
to me, and are not Friends to the [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign, will be [raiſ‐
ed | rais
ed]raiſ‐
edrais
ed [againſt | against]againſtagainst the Plan, and will be apt to think hard of
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Wheelock[pers0036.ocp], ([tho' | though]tho'though the [Reaſons | reasons]Reaſonsreasons should be given) and
so the School[org0098.ocp] and [Cauſe | cause]Cauſecause might be reproached. The
cruel tongues of many would then be set on fire, (as o‐
thers like [diſpoſed | disposed]diſpoſeddisposed have been,) and "say, [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
would not treat one of his own Sons so, who should be [de‐
ſigned | de
signed]de‐
ſignedde
signed for the same Work: But were there not some lu‐
crative Views somewhere at the Bottom, things would
not be so." [Tho' | Though]Tho'Though the [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign has gained ground, and
become more Honourable than our Colleges; yet, Men
of [thoſe | those]thoſethose parts, will not be so [senſible | sensible]senſiblesensible of it, ['till | 'til]'till'til by and by;
and not only so, but, Sir, will not the School[org0098.ocp] and we, who
have gone so far, be looked upon in a diminitive Light
by the College? I [imagin | imagine]imaginimagine it will be a great Advantage
to [git | get]gitget an Acquaintance with Scholars, that when they
shall leave College and enter into [Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness abroad,
one might be of service to another. And, may I [expreſs | express]expreſsexpress
the [Paſsion | passion]Paſsionpassion — How comforting and supporting will
[Friendſhip | friendship]Friendſhipfriendship be to one in the [lonly | lonely]lonlylonely [Deſert | desert]Deſertdesert! It is but a short
[Seaſon | season]Seaſonseason I can have to [git | get]gitget an acquaintance with [any Body | anybody]any Bodyanybody
special within two years and half here — and to be sure
I [muſt | must]muſtmust be under poor [Circumſtances | circumstances]Circumſtancescircumstances among the Pagans.
And will not an acquaintance with Men of Learning
be of great Advantage to one, who [muſt | must]muſtmust be so much [ex‐
poſed | ex
posed]ex‐
poſedex
posed in a crafty World as a [Miſsionary | missionary]Miſsionarymissionary? There are
several [Exerciſes | exercises]Exerciſesexercises of Improvement at College, we have not
here; [tho' | though]tho'though they are not [abſolutely | absolutely]abſolutelyabsolutely [neceſsary | necessary]neceſsarynecessary for one who
expects to spend all his Days among Heathen; yet would
they not be [servicable | serviceable]servicableserviceable and [inlarging | enlarging]inlargingenlarging to the Mind? What
you said, Sir, as to the [Mathematicks | mathematics]Mathematicksmathematics, it give me [Satiſ‐
faction | Satis
faction]Satiſ‐
factionSatis
faction — To have a tolerable acquaintance with them
I [suppoſe | suppose]suppoſesuppose is sufficient — Other Studies would be more [agre‐
able | agre
eable]agre‐
ableagre
eable, as well as profitable — I can [eaſily | easily]eaſilyeasily, (and indeed,
it would be too black Ingratitude not to) believe your
Plans and Schemes to be the [moſt | most]moſtmost for my Profit, and
to fix me for [Uſefulneſs | usefulness]Uſefulneſsusefulness. And was the School [fixt | fixed]fixtfixed
and set up, it would not give me the [leaſt | least]leaſtleast [Uneaſi‐
neſs | Uneasi
ness]Uneaſi‐
neſsUneasi
ness, If I did not go to College at all: But [untill | until]untilluntil
that is done, would it not be [beſt | best]beſtbest, all things [conſidered | considered]conſideredconsidered,
that we should spend a little time at College, as was [pro
poſed | pro
posed]pro
poſedpro
posed, and agreed to, when we entered the School[org0098.ocp]? [Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
Kirtland[pers0315.ocp] often (with tears) laments his short Acquain
tance with [Claſsical | Classical]ClaſsicalClassical, [Scholaſtice | scholastic]Scholaſticescholastic Studies; and thinks
it to be [neceſary | necessary]neceſarynecessary for a [Miſsionary | missionary]Miſsionarymissionary, as well as any
other Calling in Life.
But, I am but a Child, and know
not what is [beſt | best]beſtbest in the
Affair — I can with the [greateſt | greatest]greateſtgreatest [Submiſsion | submission]Submiſsionsubmission and [Reſig‐
nation | Resig
nation]Reſig‐
nationResig
nation to [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Wheelock[pers0036.ocp] [reſign | resign]reſignresign the whole Matter to your
parental [Goodneſs | goodness]Goodneſsgoodness, and Judgment. I rejoice I have yet
a Patron who knows better what is [beſt | best]beſtbest for me, than [myſelf | myself]myſelfmyself:
Affair — I can with the [greateſt | greatest]greateſtgreatest [Submiſsion | submission]Submiſsionsubmission and [Reſig‐
nation | Resig
nation]Reſig‐
nationResig
nation to [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Wheelock[pers0036.ocp] [reſign | resign]reſignresign the whole Matter to your
parental [Goodneſs | goodness]Goodneſsgoodness, and Judgment. I rejoice I have yet
a Patron who knows better what is [beſt | best]beſtbest for me, than [myſelf | myself]myſelfmyself:
Thus, Sir, I have [indeavoured | endeavoured]indeavouredendeavoured a few [Reaſons | reasons]Reaſonsreasons, why I should
[deſire | desire]deſiredesire to go to College, as hath heretofore been [propoſed | proposed]propoſedproposed: And,
if there be any Weight in them,/ with the [profoundeſt | profoundest]profoundeſtprofoundest Reverence
I [begg | beg]beggbeg they may be [conſidered | considered]conſideredconsidered —
[deſire | desire]deſiredesire to go to College, as hath heretofore been [propoſed | proposed]propoſedproposed: And,
if there be any Weight in them,/ with the [profoundeſt | profoundest]profoundeſtprofoundest Reverence
I [begg | beg]beggbeg they may be [conſidered | considered]conſideredconsidered —
I [imbrace | embrace]imbraceembrace this, as the [firſt | first]firſtfirst and [beſt | best]beſtbest opportunity I have
had to return you, my [moſt | most]moſtmost sincere and hearty Thanks for
your [Expreſsions | expressions]Expreſsionsexpressions of tender Care and Concern for my Health.
had to return you, my [moſt | most]moſtmost sincere and hearty Thanks for
your [Expreſsions | expressions]Expreſsionsexpressions of tender Care and Concern for my Health.
I can only add, that I am, with all [fillial | filial]fillialfilial Duty and
Humility,
Humility,
[Closer]
Reverend and [Honour'd | honoured]Honour'dhonoured Sir,
Your [moſt | most]moſtmost obedi‐
ent, [moſt | most]moſtmost dutiful,
and very humble
Servant
David Avery[pers0064.ocp].
Your [moſt | most]moſtmost obedi‐
ent, [moſt | most]moſtmost dutiful,
and very humble
Servant
David Avery[pers0064.ocp].
To the Reverend
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp],
Lebanon[place0122.ocp]
Connecticut[place0048.ocp].
From Avery[pers0064.ocp]
From David Avery[pers0064.ocp]
May [26.th | 26th]26.th26th 1767[1767-05-26]
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp],
Lebanon[place0122.ocp]
Connecticut[place0048.ocp].
From Avery[pers0064.ocp]
From David Avery[pers0064.ocp]
May [26.th | 26th]26.th26th 1767[1767-05-26]
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0036.ocp | M r Mr. Wheelock | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0315.ocp | M r Mr. Kirtland | mentioned | Kirkland, Samuel |
pers0064.ocp | David Avery | writer | Avery, David |
pers0036.ocp | Eleazar Wheelock | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0064.ocp | Avery | writer | Avery, David |
pers0064.ocp | David Avery | writer | Avery, David |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0170.ocp | North-Ame‐ rica | North America |
place0122.ocp | Lebanon | Lebanon |
place0048.ocp | Connecticut | Connecticut |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0098.ocp | School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1767-05-26 | May 26: 1767 |
1767-05-26 | May 26.th26th 1767 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | Revd | Rev. |
modernization | Reaſons | reasons |
modernization | eſpe‐ cially |
espe cially |
modernization | Shortſghtedneſs | shortsightedness |
variation | inmature | immature |
modernization | Anſwer | answer |
variation | Diſappointment | disappointment |
modernization | neceſsary | necessary |
modernization | leaſt | least |
modernization | &c. | etc. |
modernization | Miſsion | mission |
variation | gitting | getting |
modernization | Buſineſs | business |
modernization | thoſe | those |
modernization | reaſon | reason |
modernization | purſue | pursue |
modernization | Deſign | design |
modernization | Diſlike | dislike |
variation | Suſpiceon | suspicion |
modernization | profeſs | profess |
modernization | Friendſhip | friendship |
modernization | raiſ‐ ed |
rais ed |
modernization | againſt | against |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
modernization | Cauſe | cause |
modernization | diſpoſed | disposed |
modernization | de‐ ſigned |
de signed |
modernization | senſible | sensible |
variation | 'till | 'til |
variation | imagin | imagine |
variation | git | get |
modernization | expreſs | express |
modernization | Paſsion | passion |
variation | lonly | lonely |
modernization | Deſert | desert |
modernization | Seaſon | season |
variation | any Body | anybody |
modernization | muſt | must |
modernization | Circumſtances | circumstances |
modernization | ex‐ poſed |
ex posed |
modernization | Miſsionary | missionary |
modernization | Exerciſes | exercises |
modernization | abſolutely | absolutely |
variation | servicable | serviceable |
variation | inlarging | enlarging |
variation | Mathematicks | mathematics |
modernization | Satiſ‐ faction |
Satis faction |
modernization | suppoſe | suppose |
variation | agre‐ able |
agre eable |
modernization | eaſily | easily |
modernization | moſt | most |
modernization | Uſefulneſs | usefulness |
variation | fixt | fixed |
modernization | Uneaſi‐ neſs |
Uneasi ness |
variation | untill | until |
modernization | beſt | best |
modernization | conſidered | considered |
modernization | pro poſed |
pro posed |
modernization | Claſsical | Classical |
modernization | Scholaſtice | scholastic |
modernization | neceſary | necessary |
modernization | greateſt | greatest |
modernization | Submiſsion | submission |
modernization | Reſig‐ nation |
Resig nation |
modernization | reſign | resign |
modernization | Goodneſs | goodness |
modernization | myſelf | myself |
variation | indeavoured | endeavoured |
modernization | deſire | desire |
modernization | profoundeſt | profoundest |
variation | begg | beg |
variation | imbrace | embrace |
modernization | firſt | first |
modernization | Expreſsions | expressions |
variation | fillial | filial |
modernization | 26.th | 26th |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Honrd. | honoured |
& | and |
tho' | though |
Tho' | Though |
Honour'd | honoured |
This document's header does not contain any mixed case attribute values.
Summary of errors found in this document:
Number of dates with invalid 'when' attributes: | 0 |
Number of nested "hi" tags: (consider merging the @rend attributes, or using other tags) | 0 |
Number of tags with invalid 'rend' attributes: | 0 (out of 17) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 15) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 0) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 101) |