f 'Lightfoot's Harmony of the
New Testament,' under date of June, 1764, has written across a leaf:
'Received from the Rev. Dr. Gifford, of London, sundry second-hand
books given by poor persons to the Indian Charity School in Lebanon,
of which this is one.' Marks on other volumes show that Dr. Gifford
was a contributor as well as a collector. Edinburgh, too [through Dr.
Erskine], sent its offering of books, and as the struggling school
came to be better known in England, through the commissioners sent to
solicit aid, and through other sources, such gifts probably became not
infrequent. The early history and intentions of the college were such
as to particularly interest clergymen, and in proportion to their
means they were doubtless the most generous givers of books. Their
names written across fly-leaves show that many volumes, in different
parts of New England, did service in their studies before finding a
place in the college library. One of the most noteworthy of such
benefactors was Rev. Diodate Johnson, of Millington, Conn., who,
besides other gifts, in 1773 bestowed his entire library."

Nearly at the same period with Mr. Johnson's donation, Hon. John
Phillips, of Exeter, made a handsome donation, for a philosophical
apparatus. The subsequent appropriation of the money, for another
purpose, compelled the college to dispense with this useful furniture
for a considerable period.

The commencement of the Revolutionary struggle soon proved a serious
embarrassment to President Wheelock: "The din of war drowned the
feeble voice of science; men turned away from this 'school of the
prophets' to hear tidings from the camp." But the heroic founder stood
manfully at his post, faithfully performing his duty, with only brief
interruptions, until, in the midst of that great conflict which made
us a nation, he was called to his reward. He died, after a lingering
illness, at Hanover, on the 24th of April, 1779. His first wife, Mrs.
Sarah (Davenport) Maltby Wheelock, of the distinguished John Davenport
family, died in Connecticut. His second wife, Mrs. Mary (Brinsmead)
Wheelock, was spared to minister to the last earthly wants of her
revered companion.

President Wheelock lived to see his earnest efforts to promote sound
learning crowned with a good measure of success.

The graduates of this period attained such eminence, in nearly all
the paths of professional usefulness, as to indicate most plainly that
they had laid good f