Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-01-14

iilOSt prolonged existence. A whole genera
tion of men has passed away. The infancy
Of that day has rpened into manlo, d-the
mature of life Of that day has sunk into de-
crepi'ude-Its old age has long since gone
We come Dack here unremembered and un-
known; new forms meet our eyes; voices no
longer familiar salute us; we ask for those we
knew, and are answered by their descendants.
FroTt This living solitude we take refuge in our
recolleetions, aud strive to people the present
with the past. We recall the anniversaries
which marked our own entrance into the
world--our companions radiant with their
own young happiness at lcaping over the
barrier Of their secluslon, and the gay crowd
that thronged 10 share their pleasures. There
was the father, who came to witness the hon
ors of his son, the promise only, as he fOndly
deemed, of the greater distinctions that u
waited him-there was the mother, who wept
with an anxious Joy at the triumph Of that
child " hom she had nursed in her own bosom
there was the sister whose young heart
swelled at the applause which followed her
own dear playmate. The ,ather, the mother,
and the sister are all gone. We walk through
these halls, and pronounce the name Of our
companions. 1t was once echoed back by
some shout of youthful merrment. But no
answer comes now. We look into the cham
5crs, round every one of which some fond as
sociations dweIls. Tho beds are there, just
as they were wont to be, but they who once
leaped from them to greet us, lie " lowlier
beds, where we shall soon join them, and
from which there is but one, the final wax
ing. These are the things that bring home
to us our own absolute nothmeness. hey
make us pause and ponder on that which in
the tumult of life is too often forgotren-thar
aL knx, 10
worth all that human eye has ever seen, the
deep, and dark, and unfathomed mystery Of
the human soul. They make us look inward,
too, for self-examination, and if that scrutiny
may suggest many things, which might have
been better done, or more wisely left undone,
we may rejoice in being spared to repair
them. But if these thoughts are mourniul,
they bring with them at least one consoling
assurance. These changes, this decay, are
I only in ourselves-they have not touched our
! country. One generation has passed away
/ another has succeeded-but nature IS ever
the same bounteous mother. The fields arc
as green, the harvests as abundant-and on
n country, blest with n thousand advantages
best above all with free institutions, has out
stripped even the widest dreams our imagi
4. nation had pictured for her. Our own inst
> tuition has had its full share in the gener'
advancement. We see it with increased an
increasing resources--with an enlarged an
distinguished'body of Professors-a more nu
= merous train of students-with all the evl
dences of great and growing prosperity.
But we must not sadden, with persona
themes like these, the parting hour OF ou
young friends, who are about to do as "
once did,-with joyous spirits exchange thel
secuSion for the active duties OF the worlt
A H. .NH hns
who have gone before them, may not b
wholly useless-and will venture, therefore
to address to them few words not inappro
4 pirate now, and which may not perhaps b
altogether forgotten hereafter.
j You have this day finished your education
!, You must now begia your studres. I'm
G. education will have been unavalling, II II ma
not taught that altho' much is done, much re
) mains to be done. The taste for letters !
: yours.--and your minds, prepared by discl
[ plne and instruction, have received the seed
r of all useful learning. But the h.rvest the.
| may Weld depends wholly on yourselves. }
4 these rich possessions be neglected, they vii
run to waste and destruction, leaving you th'
: melancholy examples of an abortive effort
!, improvement. But care and cultivation vii
add largely to your present requirements
and conduct you TO any honors or distinctions
' 70 which YOU may aspire. To this you are
! often exhorted by those preceptors whose
A own success is the best testimony OF tile val
: ne of their instructions-but | cannot do yo'
a greater service than by adding my own eX
y nerience to their assurances, that liberal stud
los will be the safest guides and the trnes
= friends in every condition, private or public
i to which you may be destined.
t You come on the stage Of life at peculi
: ,r neriod. For more than half centur
O tho world as been shaken by a great strue
dl oIo between new ideas and old institutions
q THE mass of mankind have outgrown the re
d straints of their infancy, aud are STRIVING L
= adapt their governments to their Opinions
= while the great problem on the part OF exist
|. inp authorities, is how to yield gracefully, an
,.I seem TO concede what may else be extortet
n, Wha,e YER may he the result, the contest II
n self has developed an intense, and sometime
It distempered, energy in the passions OF me
4 and forced wider diffusion OF knowleog
I. "a more universal educatlon-a more aIe'
If and excited feeling among all conditions
n Such community requires IN It's Leaders
= corresponding power OF intellect Ihey WI
p, not submit their rights, or liberties, or con
e plicated interests, to incompetent hanos-
v and although sometimes misled by passion,
:. their purpose is to give power to those on'
!. who have capacity to employ u use'u'Iy au
}. safely. From you, therefore, destined as yo
C naturally are to be prominent IN your na.lN
f communities, more is expec,ed-mo,e WI
!. be cxacted-and your only hope OF dlstln'
T. ton is, to be in advance Of those whom yo
&c aspire to lead. You must go on, or you nu
e 90 down; and you can 60 on only oy alng.' '',
perseverance in your studies, so as 10 wiz
"a stand the heated competition around YOU
N They are more valuable now, rom the'r Po'
20 or to counteract the influence OF mere P'yS
!! cal wants. which is the tendency Of our ag