The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-09-02
WISCRh IL AMY.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

was uncOniortaoly Hiled with learned and nm
learned doctors OF Divinity, Law, aud Pbysic.
Masters and Bachelors, Beaux without Arts
and Bells with them city-fops and country
clow0s men, women and children of all sizes
and colours, covered with powder. dust. blush.
es leghorns and rose wreaths.
I" The weather was excessively hot, and /
should had rather dry time of it, as the d.
rectors of the Cas,alian fountain neglected
the annual sprinkling of poetry, which is so
refreshing TO lovers Of romance and rapid
iingles, had it not been for a couious sutfnsi-
on of preparation, which threatened to inun-
date me.
IS is usual, believe I saw much more
than heard. First the Governor ASCENDING.
the stage with his Aids, anon, some stammer-
ing speaker, looking most wlshfuIly for his
aids, in order to preserve his memory from
reproach, by a continuity of speech. Some
times thought heard the paIpitations of an
anxious parent, catching, with suspending
breath, the distant whispers of son, who was
endeavouring 10 give, by his gestures, pa
thos, which was only to be seen in order TO be
felt Sometimes, the murmur of applause was
family heard from some kind hearted friend.
who felt DESTROYS of I" raising the wind" to
watt applause, for catching sentiment, be-
yond the narrow circle ofits audience.
I" In such cases, felt for the involuntary
agent of his own suHerings, who was inter-
rupted perhaps, in the most interesting part of
his performance, by degree Of applause,
which he must have been as unwilling to
have produced, as to have received.
"The custom of making bosterous accla-
of "a L. liz
wearing away, at Cambridge. 1t is frequent
" the source of invidious jealousies among
worthy parents, who have sent their sons 10
Collage, because they were. so ready in trans
latiug fable of Esop, and could furnish, at a
reasonable notice, the latin word for pen, be-
fore they had learned how to use it thereby
giving promise Of shining talents to their
parents.
Who dream of little Charles. or William graced
With prolix wig, down flowing TO the waist;
They see the attentive crowd his talents draw
They hear him speak the oracle of law
"Such prophets, OF their children's future
fame, always feel disconnected, when the same
tribute is not paid to their darling hopes,
which parents fondness assures them, is due.
Here, saw an eye glistening with joy
and perspiration, asthe formal proclamation,
made by the worthy Presses, gave the note of
preparation, that son or brother was to ap-
pear, like one of the train of Mac0etb's per-
sonages, coming like spirits" SO departing.
6 There is one part Of the customary per-
formances, which seems to have nothing, but
the sanction of precedent 10 support it but
this you know, with gentlemen of the law. will
sometimes justify even abuse. alude to The
formal dish Of euogv, which is annually serv-
Ell up by one of the orators, to the memory OF
the patrons of the Institution like boiled
leeks. the standing dish of French and Welsh
cooks. Though Madam Glasse has given a
receipt for cooking one article of food in
twelve different ways, yet the most accom-
plished housewife would De sadly posed, IN
extending the number of one hundred, with
out betraying the original elements of its
composition.
Ii seems as if the ingenuity of the orator
was 10 be tried by the variety of modes, in
which he could serve up an old hash, with
new seasoning. This custom has already
rendered that portion Of the GRAFTON, which
makes this proclamation, bout as interesting
as the first chapter of genealogy, or as the
list of names, in the Harvard catalogue.
1t was amusing to see the significant mods
given in pride by those, who understood the
latin orations, and the vacant stare OF those,
who wished to be considered as understanding
them, and who carefully watched the counter
ances Of the former, whenever the orator
paused, that they might catch the emotions
which he wished to excite.
But to return.-The defamation, with a
few exceptions, did not answer my expecta-
tons. There seemed to be action without
feeling. This was not the species referred to
by the ancient master af oratory. in hls re-
commendation OF dction,' action action.
We may cut the air in every direction, in an
affected frenzy of fee9ng-thump our breast
at the words slheart" or " SOUL" or carefully
extend our arms over the globe" when we
mention it or its concerns, and yet appear
little better than the autornaton Of the PnpPet
show. There appeared great dehclency III
their oratoric5l exhibitions, which am I'M
wiling to ascribe TO the cause, to when nasy
have imputed II, in their remarks on the sue
cessor 10 such distinguishes scholars. ana
writers, as Mc'KeAn and Adams.
With the thermometer above ninety, and
an atmosphere, whose frsgrancy did not come
from a bank of siolets, l spent three houfs
most uncomfortably. | was almost Inei'eo
with heat, if moi with Joy, WREN nearu tne
President, announce the distributor Oh inc
parchment honors which seem as Necessary
now -a-days, To the confirmation OF man u'io
10 a literary commuuion, as IS cer'iiIcsitse
from the HeTaid's Office, 10 Englano, 10 Pfo'e
the bearer'stitle TO Lordship, or me PRIV
eges of a gentlemen---the latter of yynich' IN
BUR couatry, you know, is not SO arllhcialiy
made. How many sheep skins have oeeh
cruelty stripped from the harmless animals
which they once covered, merely to become
the evidence Of literary honors, so indiscriml-
latelv bestowed, that the holder of them, not
o saw the onblic, 10 many cases, would flnd It
lifIicuIt 10 explain the tenure, by which ne
,lalms it This diploma currency, IN the
literary world, is what the prcsent bank-bill
Iystem Is in the commercial world. Rags
md parchment have no intrinsic value IN
l,a,asof.. We a 70 always ready to deCry 1