PREFACE.
This History had its origin in the following circumstances. In March, 1836, the Author accepted an invitation from the Corporation of Harvard University, to prepare, as President of the institution, a discourse, to be delivered on the second centennial anniversary of its foundation, in commemoration of that event, and of the founders and patrons of the seminary. From the researches, into which he was led by this undertaking, it became apparent that these topics could not be satisfactorily investigated before the day fixed upon for the celebration. The Author, therefore, decided to prepare such a general sketch of events and characters as might be comprised within the limits of an occasional address, and to announce his intention of attempting to do justice to the subject in a work of a more enlarged form and permanent character.
