THE 
 
 Flat Hat Club 
 
 AND THE 
 
 Phi Beta Kappa Society 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 George P. Coleman 
 
LJ*7,5 
 
 L^L 
 
 Class „ 
 
 Book. 7 />* // / 
 
 Copyright^ 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 
 
Cpntfna 21*eberle$> tucker Coleman J&emortal Series 
 
 dumber <®ne 
 
 THE 
 
 Flat Hat Club 
 
 AND THE 
 
 Phi Beta Kappa Society 
 
 Some New Light 
 on their History 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 GEORGE P. COLEMAN 
 
 RICHMOND, VA.: 
 
 Press of The Dietz Printing Co. 
 
 1916 
 

 COPYRIGHT igi6 
 
 By George P. Coleman. 
 
 m 
 
 ^5 
 
 NOV 291916 
 
 ©CI, A 4 53069 
 
 It $ | « 
 
THIS BOOK 
 
 IS NtJMRE R /K. OF AN EDITION OF 
 
 TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY COPIES, 
 
 PRIVATELY PRINTED 
 
 FOR 
 
 GEORGE P. COLEMAN, 
 
 OF 
 
 Williamsburg, Virginia. 
 
FOREWORD. 
 
 N going through the letters and 
 manuscripts of St. George Tucker, 
 which form part of the collection 
 of his grand-daughter, Mrs. Cyn- 
 thia B. T. Coleman, I came across 
 a little memorandum book kept by him, when he 
 was a student at William and Mary College. In 
 this book I discovered the formal " testimony of 
 friendship of the society," or, as it might be 
 called, the certificate of membership in the so- 
 ciety. In a second memorandum book I found 
 a catalog of the books which the Reverend Mr. 
 Gwatkin suggested should be purchased for the 
 Club library. Later I found letters of Thomas 
 Jefferson, and of Thomas McAuley, relative to 
 the early history of the Phi Beta Kappa. It is 
 with the hope that some additional light may be 
 thrown upon the history of college fraternities in 
 the United States, that I present this material in 
 
 the present form. 
 
 G. P. COLEMAN. 
 
 Williamsburg, Va., 
 
 October, iqi6. 
 
(Facsimile of Seal) 
 
 Flat Hat Club 
 
 Williamsburg Virginia 
 
 (From photograph presented by Dr. L. G. Tyler) 
 
(Facsimile op Certificate) 
 
 * ^ /• & c ***** I / ' 
 
 Jn% ; &/L€sl tUtA^ fz^rff : ri&j^c- -di^pu>^^ .' /??e*4; 
 
 Jerry* .- Cs*Z:j&4SijS?; £*££*. : &?& a^#-\ 0h4l*? : 
 
(Certificate of Fellowship.) 
 
 Praeses Sociique de F(lat) H (at) Societate 
 
 Nulla praeterire (or praetermittere) aventes quae 
 hoc maxime spectent ut iuventus ediscat colcre 
 virtutem ac invigorent studia, ut aliquando sit 
 grande decus columenque rerum universarum 
 et singularum (eis) quorum haec nosse intersit, 
 
 Salutem Plurimam Dant. 
 
 Ut merita praemia illis nunquam deesse vide- 
 rentur, qui sese modeste ac sobrie (ut iuventu- 
 tem decet) gessere, qui sese bene moratos, Dei 
 observantes, ac doctos amicos praebuere, 
 
 Roberto 2&aptor, 
 
 iuveni probae indolis qui, licet nobis paucos per 
 menses fratribus interfuit, se tamen omnibus 
 honoribus dignum praestiterat, hoc testimonium 
 nostrae societatis amicitiae tradimus. Ut felix 
 faustumque sit, ac virtutem ipsam sibi pretiosam 
 semper colere perstet, Deum ter optimum maxi- 
 mum comprecamur. 
 
 In testimonium fidei tabellarias hasce, com- 
 mune societatis sigillum, et chyrographos nostros 
 muniendos curavimus, apud 
 
 Collegium Gulielmi et Marle, 
 
 Anno Christi MDCCLXXI, Die vero Julii 
 Mensis Octavo. 
 
(Translation of Certificate.) 
 
 The President and Members of the 
 F(lat) H(at) Society, 
 
 Eagerly desiring to let nothing pass that may look to 
 this (end) especially, Viz., that the youth may learn 
 thoroughly to cultivate virtue, and that studies may grow 
 strong, that eventually it (the youth) may be a great 
 ornament and pillar of things general and particular, to 
 those whose interest it may be to know these things, 
 send heartiest greeting. In order that due rewards might 
 not seem to be lacking to those who have borne them- 
 selves modestly and soberly (as befitteth the youth) 
 who have shown themselves well mannered, God-fear- 
 ing, and cultured friends, to 
 
 ftobert 2?aplor, 
 
 a youth of upright character, who, though he has been 
 among us his brothers only a few months, and yet has 
 shown himself worthy of all honors, this testimony of 
 the friendship of our society we deliver. That it may be 
 happy and fortunate, and that he may continue ever to 
 cultivate virtue herself precious to him, we beseech God, 
 thrice good and great. 
 
 In testimony of our good faith, these letters, the 
 common seal of the society, and our hands, we have had 
 set hereto, at 
 
 The College of William and Mary, 
 in the year of Christ 1771 , on this the eighth day of the 
 month July. 
 
 (Translation by Dr. W. A. Montgomery) 
 
Letters 
 
(Letter from Thomas Jefferson to John D. Taylor.) 
 
 Sir : 
 
 The honor of your letter of Jan. 30. is juft 
 now received, and I wifh it were in my power to 
 anfwer it's enquiries, but I am an entire ftranger 
 to the P B K. fociety, it's hiftory and it's objects, 
 it's exiftence is known to me by hear-fay only. 
 The contrary fuppofition has probably been 
 founded on an F. H. C. fociety which exifted at 
 Wm & Mary college, when I was there, of which 
 I was a member, that was confined to the Alumni 
 of that inftitution. 
 
 I do not know, Sir, whether I can yet con- 
 gratulate you on the prospect of a reftoration of 
 the right of felf-government to the transatlantic 
 nations and on the confoling reflection that this 
 is our work, it had for fome time a flattering 
 appearance, but the Northern bears feem briftling 
 up to maintain the empire of force, we may ftill 
 however hope that the hofts on which they rely, 
 may catch the diseafe they are employed to cure, 
 and carry liberty to the North inftead of supres- 
 fing it in the South, to my prayers for the at- 
 tainment of that bleffing there & it's prefervation 
 here, I add the tender to yourfelf of my high 
 confederation and efteern. 
 
 TH. JEFFERSON. 
 Taylor John D. Sp. H. of R. Md. 
 
(Letter from Thomas McAuley to Thomas Jefferson. ) 
 
 Union College ) 7 , , 
 New York State \ '** Ma > l8 ' 9 
 
 Most Excellent Sir 
 
 The Brethren of the New York Alpha of 
 the Phi Beta Kappa Society have directed me to 
 requeft of Your Excellency the communication 
 of any information you may be in poffeflion of, 
 in relation to the Introduction of faid Society 
 into this country, as it has been told to the So- 
 ciety, that you firft brought the charter from 
 Oxford or Elfewhere to William & Mary Col- 
 lege in 1776 or thereabouts, as it is natural for 
 the children to enquire into the pedigree &c of 
 their parents we Truft Sir you will pardon the 
 Liberty we take, in thus approaching their re- 
 puted patron with the Language of enquiry — 
 permit me to fay that there are now 4 Alphas, that 
 of Mafs — Con — New Haven & New York — 
 
 Connecticut has . . 627 members 
 
 Mafs 489 
 
 N. H 421 
 
 N. Y 155 
 
 1692 
 
 We truft the Society has a very healthfull in- 
 fluence on the minds of youth — and will be falu- 
 
tary to the community — We will thankfully re- 
 ceive any communication on this subject — 
 
 And while I am before you Sir permit me to 
 enquire whether in your philofophic recreations 
 you have obferved that Electricity paffed along a 
 wire of one or more miles in length becomes a 
 deep orange colour, is diminifhed in its apparent 
 Volume, But Exceedingly increafed in its inten- 
 fity and influence on the nervous fyftem? in my 
 courfe of Experiment laft feafon I am fully fatis- 
 fied of thefe facts, but am yet unable to account 
 for them and would moft willingly be inftructed. 
 
 I am Sir with the profoundeft refpect for 
 your many public & private virtues & Elevated 
 Standing in the republic of letters, 
 
 Your very Humble 
 
 Servant THOMAS McAULEY, 
 
 Cor. Sec. of New York A. A 
 
 His Excellency Thomas Jefferson — 
 
(Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Thomas McAuley.) 
 
 Monticello June 14, ig. 
 
 Sir: 
 
 Your favor of May 19 has been received, 
 but of the subject it respects I know nothing. I 
 have heard of the Alpha Phi Beta and Kappa 
 fociety, but never underftood either its location 
 or object:. When I was a ftudent of Wm. & Mary 
 college of this ftate there exifted a fociety called 
 the F. H. C. fociety, confined to the number of 
 fix ftudents only, of which I was a member, but 
 it had no ufeful object, nor do I know whether 
 it now exifts. Accept my falutations and affur- 
 ances of refpect. 
 
 TH. JEFFERSON. 
 
 Mr. Thomas McAuley. 
 
Catalogue of Books Suggested for 
 the F. H. C. 
 
The Following Catalogue of Books 
 was made out by the reverend 
 Mr. Gwatkin at the request of 
 the Members of the F: H: C: as 
 being the most useful and valu- 
 able Books with which it would 
 be proper to begin the establish- 
 ment of a Library.— N: B. Those 
 mark'd (2) in margin have been 
 sent for. 
 
 moral philosophy and civil law. 
 
 FOLIO. 
 
 Puffendorf on the Law of nature and nations with 
 Barberac's notes. 
 
 Hobbes Leviathian. 
 
 QUARTO. 
 
 2 Hutcheson's Elements &c of Mor: Phil: 2: v. 
 2 Woolaston's Rel: of Nat: delineated. 
 
Taylor's Elements of Civil Law. 
 
 Cumberland's Law of Nature with notes by Maxwell. 
 
 Harris's Justinian. 
 
 Vinnii Comment: in Instit: Imperiales. 
 
 Nood's Comment: in Justin: Pandectas. 
 
 Cujarii in Libros Elementares Iuris Justiniani. 
 
 Le Droit de la Nature &c pr. Vattel. 
 
 OCTAVO. 
 
 2 King's Origin of Evil with Law's Notes. 
 
 2 Doct : Samuel Clarke on the Attributes. 
 
 Grotius de Jure Belli et Pads (2 Vols.) 
 
 The whole controversy between Grove, Bays and 
 Balguy concerning the Foundation of Morals, in 
 one Vol. 
 
 Butler's Sermons preach'd at the Rolls. 
 
 Bever's Introduction to the Civil Law. 
 
 Succincta Commentatio ad Institut. Justinianias, 
 Happio Auctore. 
 
 DUODECIMO. 
 Puffendorf de Off: Horn: et Civis. 
 Ld Kaim's Elem: of Moral Philosophy. 
 2 Prices Review of Difficulties in Morals. 
 
MATHEMATICS, NATURAL PHILOSOPHY 
 AND NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 Appollonii Pergaei Conica Cura Haliei. 
 Halley's Tables. 
 Gardner's Logarithms. 
 
 QUARTO. 
 
 Newton's Principia Com. per Le Seur et Jacquier. 
 Emerson's Mechanics. 
 Sectiones Conicae Roberto Simpson. 
 Sectiones Conicae, Hugone Hamilton. 
 Pemberton's View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy. 
 Maclaurins Do. 
 
 Geometria Organica Maclaurins. 
 Newton's Optics. 
 Newton's Opticae Lectiones. 
 Smith's Optics (2 Vol.) 
 Maclaurin's Fluxions. 
 Franklin's Letters &c. 
 Priestley's Hist: of Electricity. 
 Priestley's Introduction to Do. 
 Priestley's Hist: of Light and Colours. 
 Gravesand's Experimental Philosophy. 
 Ferguson's Lectures. 
 2 Ferguson's Astronomy. 
 Del'Cailles Astronomy. 
 Gregory Do. 
 Keils Do. 
 
OCTAVO. 
 
 Euclids Elements by Simpson. 
 
 Simpson's Algebra. 
 
 Simpson's Trigonometry. 
 
 Simpson's Essays. 
 
 Simpson's Dissertations. 
 
 Simpson's Tracts. 
 
 Simpson's Annuities. 
 
 Simpson's Laws of Chance. 
 
 Simpson's Fluxions. 
 
 De Moivres Laws of Chance. 
 
 De Moivres Miscellanea Anylitica. 
 
 Robin's Works (2 Vols.) 
 
 Rowning's Nat: Philosophy. 
 
 Pennant's British Zoology. 
 
 Crakelt's Trigonometry. 
 
 FOLIO. 
 
 Catesby's Nat: Hist: of Virginia. 
 Petiver's Works on Nat: History. 
 Blairs Geography and Maps. 
 
 QUARTO. 
 
 Buffons Historie Naturelle. 
 
 Op: Math: Hygenii (4 Vol.) 
 
 All D'Alembert's mathematical works in French. 
 
 Histoire des insects, pr. Geoffroy. 
 
 Elements d 'Architecture Navale par Duhamel. 
 
La physique des Arbres de PExploitation des Bois. 
 
 Chymical Dictionary. 
 
 Elements de Chymie par M'acquer. 
 
 Lectures on Chymistry by Pemberton. 
 
 Pennants Synopsis. 
 
 OCTAVO. 
 
 2 Varenius's Geography by Irwin. 
 Homes's Principles of Vegetation. 
 Elements d'Agriculture par Duhamel. 
 Cotes's Hydrostatical Lectures. 
 Hale's Vegetable Statics. 
 Weston's Introduction to Botany. 
 Milnes' Institutes of Botany. 
 
HISTORY. 
 
 FOLIO. 
 
 2 Carters History of England. 
 
 2 Ld Clarendon's History of Y e Civil Wars. 
 
 Whitlocks Memoirs. 
 
 Burnets Hist: of the Reformation. 
 
 Father Pauls Hist: of the Council of Trent. 
 
 Mariana's Hist: of Spain. 
 
 2 Northern Anti: transl: from Mallet's Introd: to the 
 Hist: of Denmark. 
 
 QUARTO. 
 
 Humes Hist: of England. 
 
 Mrs. Macauley's Hist of England. 
 
 Dalrymples Memoirs. 
 2 Robertson's Hist: of Scotland. 
 2 Robertson's Charles 5th. 
 
 Walpoles Historic Doubts. 
 
 Middleton's Life of Cicero. 
 
 Mosheims Ecclesiastical History. 
 
 OCTAVO. 
 
 Vertot's Revolutions. 
 
 Henault's Histoire de France. 
 
 All y: e Abridg: done in the manner of Henault. 
 
 Voltaire's Histoire Universelle. 
 
 Ld Littleton's Hist: of Henry 2d. 
 
GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Locke on Government. 
 Sidney on Do. 
 Milton's Political Works. 
 Esprit de Loix. 
 
 TRADE. 
 
 Postlethwait's Dict.y of Commce. 
 Child and Davenant's Works on Trade. 
 Great Britain's true commercial interest. 
 Sir Jas. Stewart's Pol. Economy. 
 Locke on altering the Coin. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS WORKS. 
 
 QUARTO. 
 
 Walpole's Acct. of the Painters Ct. in England. 
 Lord Bolingbroke's Works. 
 Arbuthnots Tables of Coins. 
 
 OCTAVO. 
 
 Milton 
 Shakespeare 
 
 Spenser ) Best Edits. 
 
 Gray 
 Mason 
 Hurd's Works. 
 
 Waller's Works and Life, Editn. printed for Davies 
 Cov. Garden. 
 
Webb on Paintg. 
 
 Lord Kaim's El. of criticism. 
 
 Thomson's Works. 
 
 Shenstone's Do. 
 
 Harris's Hermes. 
 
 Locke's Essays on the Hum. Undrg. 
 
 Bishop Berkeley's Phil. Works. 
 
 Hume's Essays. 
 
 Sir Will Temple's Works. 
 
 Entretiens Sur Vies de peintures par Felibien. 
 
 Sterne's Works. 
 
 Melanges par M. D'Alembert. 
 
 Rousseau's Works. 
 
 Hart's Essays on Husbandry. 
 
 Richardson & Fielding's Novels. 
 
LIBRARY OF ^OTEgg 
 
 019 314 063 I