The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-11-05

bAASAC eAC pilJ bCNbNI hLpNA S4AtNAi and Harvard Of Elihu Yaie's history much is known and much has been written, but the history of John liar yard has been enveloped in obscurity, ard notwithstanding the important part that young minister played in the beginnings of education in this coun- try, the founder of Harvard University has had to wait till the present year for a book devoted to his life-story ana memory This blank in American liter ature has been filled by Henry c. Shel- ,sy, whose "John Harvard and Ills Tin es," just issued by Little, Brown 6 Company, represents wide research and careful coordination ot results Mir shelley's work in this field Is pl- queer work and he gives us a very iii- teresting volume in which he weaVes out of the scanty biographical materlal cbtainoble all the known facts regaru- ing JchD Harvard's brief career HIS surroundings and environment anu speaks of literary atmosphere or hns- land of his day and time. And most readable volume it is. The gllmpses or Haryard's life heretofore have been scanty enough, surprisingly so consla- erfne Harvard's literary reputation That previous efforts to discover John Harvard have not been lacking IS shown by Mir. Shelley's mention in his nreface that in 1842 certain James Savage offered prize of five hundred dollars for five lines or inforinauloh about John Harvard in any pubic or private capacity, and that it was never claimed.
 John Harvard's intelligent liberality and love of learning gave him fame easily. He died young, but his name lives and it was only legacy of $4,- OO0 and 300 books that did it. His name is secure whether in our new Hall or Fame or no. A hundred millions given by a Rockefeller or a Carnegie may not suffice to perpetuate their name and generosity, but Harvards through his philanthropic legacy, has won un- dying honor. As Cotton Mather states the case in his "Marginalia'; Because the memorable MT. John Harvard led the way by a generosity exceeding most of them that followed, his name was justly aeternised by it's having the name of Harvard College imposed up- on it."
 John Harvard's father, Robert Har- yard, was a prosperous butcher of Southwark and MT. Shelley propounds the interesting theory that Robert Har- yard and Katherine Rogers, his second wife. who was from Stratford-on- Avon were introduced to each other by Shakespeare. Certain it is that the Rogers and the Shakespeare families were contemporaries in Stratford, were acquainted, and by no means impossi- ble it is that Robert Harvard, the sue cessful butcher of Southwark, and Will liam Shakespeare, the popular actor and writer of plays in the same bor. ough, should have met and become friendly and have journeyed together to Shakespeares home town in ques' of wife for the widower. At any ratt on the eighth day of April, 1905, Rob ert Harvard and Katherine Rogers were married in Holy Trinity Churcl at Stratford, going thence immediately to their home in the Borough Higi street of Southwark where was borl
 on Nov. 29, s16O7, boy whom the! christened John and who was Robert second son. We are reminded tha Shakespeare revisited Stratford-on Avon in 1596, the year in which Thom as Rogers completed the fine nev house which presumably was the tall of the town; that Shakespeare, iron that time onward, paid annual visit
 to Stratford. and thus had many op portunities for deepening his friend
 ship with the Rogers family"-and z friendship assumed to exist upon tho ground that Shakespeare and Thomas Rogers were schoolmates in their boy
 hood.
 What is known of John Harvard life is now given by the author to- gether with the early influences whicl surrounded him. Then follow remark on his education at Emmanuel Col lege, Cambridge, nursery for illus trious Puritans, his final years il England and his arrival in the nev American world. Illuminating this DOT tion of the volume, are comments O the London of Harvards day, it's peo pie and it's social and intellectual life Robert Harvard died two years befor the young man entered Cambridge an in that short interval his widow ha remarked twice, in both cases to tn betterment of her fortune. After seve years at Cambridge young Harvar
 received his degree of M. A. and q dc parted," he writes in his diary, "earl on Monday 18th day of July, to Can bridge, for commencement, where th
 next day one Nevel young impuder scholar, being a fellow of PembroB Hall, and answering the bachelor { divinity's act in the morning, mair tained openly justification by work and that the very outward act of bal +ism took away sin His brazen- face assertion of these popish points, esp,
 clally the denying of justification |
 faith. was abhorred by myself and 6
 +he orthodox hearers in the commenc
 ment house: and Dr. Ward, the Lac
 Maraaret's professor, and master
 Sidney College, sitting moderator u
 same day, openly rebuked the san
 Nevel for preaching those gross her
 sies. contrary not only to the canon
 cal Scriptures, to the articles and hor
 flies of our church, but to the tene
 and writings also of all our Protesta
 divlnes. as we'll Lutheran as Calvin
 tic. I supped at night at Sidney Go
 1ege. with the same Dr. Ward, whe
 we both lamented the times that th
 wicked Nevel durst so impudently al
 openly maintain the vilest and mo
 feculent points of all popery"
 Harvard must have sailed from En ,oa Ao+v,,eeD fhe 18th of FehrIarv a,