220 Nations lately become Literary. [Ch. XXVI. 



president. He entered on the duties of his office 

 in the month of July the same year, and held the 

 first commencement in June 1758, when eight 

 young gentlemen, alumni of the college, were ad- 

 mitted to its honours*. 



The corporation of Trinity church, in the city 

 of New York, early countenanced this college, 

 and made a valuable donation to its funds. The 

 institution also received important aid from the 

 honourable Joseph Murray f, one of his majes- 

 ty's council, and attorney-general for the pro- 

 vince. He was a great friend to literature, and 

 left the whole of his estate, consisting of books, 

 lands, and other property, to the college. The 

 names of some other benefactors, but less conspi- 

 cuous than these, are to be found on the records 

 of the institution. 



From this period we may date the rise of a 

 literary spirit in the province of New York. It 

 is true, this spirit was possessed for a long time 

 afterward by comparatively few individuals, and 

 produced -effects by no means so general or im- 

 portant as the friends of knowledge could wish \ 

 but from this time the advantages of liberal edu- 

 cation were more frequently enjoyed in the pro- 



* The names of these young gentlemen are, Samuel Ver- 

 planck, Rudolphiis Ritzema, Philip van Cortlandt, Samuel Pro,- 

 voost, Joshua Bloomer, Joseph Reed, Josiah Ogden, and Isaac 

 Ogden. 



t Joseph Murray, esq., was a native, it is believed, of Great 

 Britahi, and received his education there. The \alue of the 

 estate which he left to the college amounted to ab(?lit ten thour^ 

 sand pounds New York currency, or twenty-five thousand 

 dollars. 



