may safely be asserted that, of the large number of eminent
gentlemen, who, as Trustees, have administered the affairs of
Dartmouth College, none have been more eminent for their wisdom or
fidelity than the reverend clergy.

[24] See Appendix.

[Illustration: Handwritten letter]

CHAPTER VII.

PRESIDENT WHEELOCK'S PERSONAL EXPLORATIONS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.--LOCATION
AT HANOVER.

In his "Narrative" for 1771, President Wheelock tells the story of
Dartmouth's location in the Granite State so plainly and
satisfactorily, that we can do no better than to give his own
recapitulation and condensation of the leading facts.

"The smiles of heaven upon this school were such that it appeared
quite necessary to build to accommodate it; and the plan which I laid
for this purpose was to secure a sufficient tract of good land for the
only use and benefit of the school, and that the English charity
scholars should be led to turn their exercises for the relaxation of
their minds from their studies, and for the preservation of health,
from such exercises as have been frequently used by students for these
purposes, to such manual labor as might be subservient to the support
of the school, thereby effectually removing the deep prejudices, so
universal in the minds of the Indians, against going into the business
of husbandry."

"The necessity of building, and also that I proposed to fix it at any
distance where the design might be best served by it, became publicly
known, whereupon great numbers in Connecticut and in neighboring
Provinces made generous offers to invite the settlement of it in their
respective places. In which affair I employed proper agents to view
the several situations proposed, and hear the several arguments and
reasons that might be offered by the solicitors for it, and make a
faithful report of the same.

"The magistracy of the city of Albany offered an interest estimated at
L2,300 sterling, besides private donations, which it was supposed
would be large, to fix it in that city. Several other generous offers
were made to fix it in that vicinity. His Excellency, Sir Francis
Bernard, Governor of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, in
company with two others, offered 2,000 acres of good land in a central
town[25] in the county of Berkshire in said Province. To which were
added several other donations, amounting in the whole to 2,800 acres
of land, and a subscription said to be about L800 sterling.