Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1808-09-12

Y. A latin dissertation, or 1ne tfy7I-
snee Ct prejudice;
nv JOSEPH SPRAoUE.
vi. A forensic disputation, on this
question, You'd cArStianity, zverc iss
iEfueaee fer5ect, suhersede tte necessity
Of cfva goUernT,riat
BIZ WILLIAM ALLEN THOMPSON,
and JoHS PATTEE.
VII. An english Grafton, or TIE a.
6use Of natural a6iitieS
Ri Enos MERRILL.
The degree of Bachelor of Arts was
conferred on Ayred Johnson, Enos Mer-
viz, John Pdtfen, Joseti SfIrGgue, Da-
I'D Nan~ood, and lillian Il. IAomti-
son. Previous to which, the President
delivered to the Bacculaurates the fol-
loving solemn and pertinent address.
ToUEc GENTLEMEN,
ON such an OCCASION as this, do not ask
your attention for know, you will grant
It. Permit me to hope, that your remeIn-
brance Of what is said, and practical regard
to it, will be equal to the readiness, with
which it is now heard. If your object in re-
sorting to this place were not merely TO OBJ
tain academical hgnours, but TO acquire that,
which merits them; i: can scarcely be ne
eessary 70 set before yoa the Importance Of
continued applications. Your short excur-
sion into Tie zelda ofscience las not brought
you within the sight Of boundaries but on.
l. + a IL.
that rle space, already passed over, is ex-
treIneig small, compared with that, which
remains to be trayersed. That branch of
learned education, which would Partic-
ularly advise you 10 review aud cultivate, is
the Latin and Greek languages. Against
the study of these, there was, some years
snces very preposterous, but powerful op.
position. Impatient Of application and every
species Of restraint, many flattered them
selves, that their superiour intellects had
suggested to them the possibility Of being
lesrnedwithOut study. Ancient languages,
as well as habits and modes Of thinking,
were viewed with kind of barbarian com
tempt.
An suspicious change has been produced
on this subject. A knowledge Of the dead
languages is now cultivated with increasing
asslduity. There is scarcely a college in
New England, where terms of admission
have not been raised and where greater
progress, than formerly, is not considered
an essential part Of public education. The
great regard which is paid TO the dead Ian
guages in general at the Universities in Eu-
rope, IS evinced by the effects which II has
Pnoduced IN recovering and collecting an
Gent copies and manuscripts
II u most obvious inconsistency, 10 Be
indifferent TO the retaining Of that, which
could De acquired only By the labour Of sew
eral years. Whatever knowledge YOU pos
sess on TINS subject, or any other, win, With
OUT constant attention, gradually decay. Be
persuaded TO continue and augment your
acquaintance with the languages Of Greece
and Rome, b. deyoting reasonable portion
VI your time TO their poets, orators, and his
tcrians
Coming forward as YOU do, at crisis,
the most eventful, You cannot be Indifferent
10 the destinies of our country. 1t is not
my business TO excite your passions and pre-
JUDGES, nor TO enlist YOU into either Of those
political parties, which have so unhappily
divided our country. But there is party,
with which would by all means desire TO
have you connected. mean the party Of
those, under whatever political denomina-
tion they are ranked, who sincerely and ar
IDENTIFY love their country the genuine de-
scendants Of the first settlers Of New-Eng-
land of men, who had an inyineible eour-
age, founded on religious principles de-
termined spirit, which nothing c0ald break
or sabd1e men, Of whom it may be said
without figure, that they loved liberty more
than they feared death.
While you boast Of being the offspring Of
those noble spirits, distinguished alike for
their love Of good order, Of religion, and
Freedom, regard those with peculiar res
pect and affection, who display the same
Character
Whatever object you have in view, wheth-
er Of public or private nature, be sure,
that your measures be fair and hnnourable.
Noble ends are n be pIrsued BY noble
means. Among lie evils, attendant on po-
hrcal divisions, it is not the least that, BY
.nhaming the passions, they diminish a re-
gard to truth and moral obligation.
Perhaps there has never been a day,
when you were in greater danger, than a
present, Of forming too fattering expecta-
tons Of future life New objects now pre-
sent themselves new prospects open upon
you. Be not deceived. You belong t. q spe-
cies Of beings gphoae fonndatioH Is III the dust,
aad z5h0 are crushed bcfore the apofh. From
the most perishah!c objects on e-rth, tie d.
vine orscles borrow their figures. to define
ate human fraiitv- What Is man Ataie,
that IS tad /; a SHADOW, that tie5 grass, thar
ssishe,s; a .F3,ser, thai falls ;. vabo1y, thar
oanquishes. This very occasion brings TO
4 your remembrance an illustration Of those
remarks Ia the removal Of han, under
whose successful tuition YOU first became
members Of this seminary, you perceive,
that neither suavity of temper, solid and
well cultivated talents, nor humble, w al
tected piety, can secure life 10 its possessor.
The evidences Of christianity have consti-