14. A PHILOSOPHICAL Discourse. 
naturally carry us back to the early times of this country, when 
Harvard-College was firft founded.$ 
= Our worthy anceftors, knowing from their own experience 
the advantages of a good education, very early, after their com- 
ing hither, provided the means of it for their children, and pof- 
terity ; and that excellent man, Mr. Harvard, made a large and 
generous bequeft for that purpofe : in confequence of which, 
the college was founded ; and in honour of him, and to perpe- 
tuate the remembrance of his generofity, | his name was given to 
From that time to the prefent, it has been. productive of 
She happic effects ; and the influence and benefit of its in- 
ftruction have been iis felt. Learning and the principles of 
good morals have been diffeminated ; the arts and íciences cul- 
tivated ; and a fpirit of freedom. and enquiry promoted, and en- 
couraged : in virtue of which, the beft foundations have been 
laid for excéllency in. the learned profeffions. 
"All thefe have operated in fo forcible and extenfive a manner, 
that they ave produced the other feminaries i in America, eftab- 
lifhed for the like noble purpofes : fo that our ALMA MATER 
may be juftly confidered as the remote parent of them all. I 
fay, our ALMA MATER, not merely in relation to the members 
of this fociety, individually confidered, moft of whom, from 
her breafts, drew the nectareous milk of fcience, but in relation 
alfo to the complex body, the fociety itfelf : for, by her difci- 
pline, and unremitted inculcations, the way has been prepared 
for philofophical difquifitions, and an examen into the works of 
fature : without which, or fome fuch preparatory difcipline, 
this fociety could not have been formed : or being formed, could 
not have anfwered the end of its inftitution. 
At 
§ Harvard- ME was d": in the year 1638 ; and the date of its fight 
er was in 1642 
