Page:The librarians of Harvard College 1667-1877.djvu/24

18 LIBRARIANS OF HARVARD COLLEGE. forthwith the Library-keeper take an Exact Catalogue of the Books in the Library, and that the Same be printed in Order to transmit to friends abroad."

3 October, 1722. " That Mr Gee Library-keeper having prepar'd a Catalogue of the Books belonging to the Library for the press is desired to take care to get 300 Copys printd off & stitch'd for the use of the Corporation."

At the meeting at which the last vote was passed Mr. Gee resigned, but the publication of the catalogue he had made proceeded and it was issued the next year in a small quarto volume of 106 pages, under the following title: "Catalogus librorum Bihliothecae Collegij Harvardini quod est Cantabrigiae in Nova Anglia. Bostoni Nov- Anglorum : Typis B. Green, academiae typographi. MDCCXXIII." This is not only the first catalogue of the Harvard College Library, but probably the first library catalogue printed in America. The "Praemonitio ad Lectorem" described briefly the arrangement of the Library and the catalogue. The books, it says, are arranged in numbered cases of seven shelves each, and the books on each shelf are also separately numbered. Attached to each case is an index of the books in it. By the direc- tion of the Corporation, the catalogue is divided into three alphabetical sections, according to the size of the books, folio, quarto, and octavo and under. That the books may be readily found, these numbers are given in the left hand margin, while the right margin is devoted to the place and date. The preface ends with an appeal to the reader: "Cum nullum in hujusmodi Laboribus utcunque versatum lateat, quam proclive sit in numerorum notis et ejusmodi aliis, identidem errare ; niliil restat nisi ut fretus Lectoris Candore, & Humanitate hic filum abrumpam." There are about three thousand titles entered in this catalogue. The most of the works are theological, and the Latin language predominates. In English literature, Shakespeare and Milton are almost alone, while in French the works of Clement Marot are oddly enough nearly the sole representative. Mr. Gee was ordained 18 December, 1723, pastor of the Old North, or Second, Church, Boston, as the colleague of Rev. Cotton Mather. In 1732, Mather having died four years before, his son, Rev. Samuel Mather, was settled as colleague of Mr. Gee. But a separation occurred nine years later, and a new church was built for Mr. Mather. In 1747 Samuel Checkley was called as an assistant to Mr. Gee, who remained an invalid until his death in Boston, 22 May, 1748.

His wife was Sarah, daughter of Rev. Nathaniel Rogers of Portsmouth, N. H., a near relative of President Rogers and of Rev. John Rogers (Librarian, 1714-1718).

Joshua Gee was a powerful advocate of revivals, and distinguished himself by his defence of Whitefield, whom he entertained at his home in Boston. He was a member of the assembly of clergymen that met in Boston 7 July, 1743, to discuss the progress of religion in this country. In a printed letter to the moderator he complained of indiffer- ence and the doctrinal errors prevalent among the New England ministers. He is said to have been considered as a possible successor to Wadsworth as President of the College in 1737. His learning and his penetrating mind gave him great influence and made him feared as a possible "fire-brand among the churches." Yet it has been said "his foible was a strange indolence of temper. He preferred talking with his friends to everything else." As a preacher he was full of zeal and convincing in argument. He greatly endeared himself to his people, and was instrumental in founding a library for the use of the church.

Beside the letter referred to above, Mr. Gee printed a sermon preached after the death of Cotton Mather in 1728, and the next year two sermons under the title "The straight gate and the narrow way." It was said of him that he "was reluctant to print his discourses, when urged, because he must finish them with some labour."

AUTHORITIES : Appleton, Cyc. of Amer. biog., 1887. Quincy, Hint, of Harvard, 1840, ii. 3-4. Sprague, Annals Amer. pulpit, 1857, i. 312-314. Winsor, Memorial Mat. of Boston, 1881, ii. 224, 227, 240.

1722-1723.

Mitchel Sewall, the seventh child of Major Stephen Sewall of Salem, and Margaret, daughter of Rev. Jonathan Mitchel, was born 29 October, 1699. He was with his uncle, Chief Justice Samuel Sewall, at Cambridge on commencement day in 1714, and at his graduation in 1718 the Chief Justice "saw Mitchel Sewall hold a ques- tion." He took his master's degree three years later, and was Librarian of the College 1722-1723.

Mitchel soon returned to Salem, becoming clerk of the court of sessions and common pleas in 1725, and justice of the same in 1733. James Jeffrey, in an interleaved almanac, mentions a journey to Ipswich 24 August, 1727, with Mitchel Sewall, B. Lynde (afterward chief justice), and others, to proclaim the king (George II.), and adds that they "supped at Stanford's and returned at 2 in the morning."

Sewall inherited his father's home in Salem, where he lived until his death, 13 October, 1748, "a very respectable and worthy citizen." His