State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-08-30

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE.

VA NPiJIAiJNdlss
Glr EnlTor:-Tlaving attended the late
commencement of Middlebury College,
permit me through the columns of your
widely extended paper, to give some nc
count of the proceedings. will first no.
tice the exercises which preceded the prin-
cipal anniversary. On Sunday afternoon,
instead of sermon Ivy the minister, Prof
Fowler delivered an address to the gradua-
ting class, which was characterized by great
boIdness and Independent views. 1t was
an admirable performance and gave gene
raj satisfaction to liberal men, &c, spoke of
or rather alluded to the political trmmers
of the day, who huve not independence
enough to he honest, nor virtue enounh TO
he consistent. lie urged the importance of
Il strict adherence TO truth in politics, reli-
gion and morals. In short it was full of
striking and original thoughts, happily ex-
pressed, and appeared to me in more res
poets than one, TO have been well timed.
j heard it intimated that it would be pub
lishcd, and / sincerely hope it will be, for
though it he true that the mass will be
likely TO prefer newspaper to Il sermon,
yet cannot doubt but it would be read by
many, and prove highly useful.
On Tuesday afternoon, two or three ora
lions, poem and n literary conference
were given before the Phlomathesian Soci-
city, all of which were tolerabc, and an
Grafton before the Beneficent Society
In the evening there was speaking for
the Parkerian premiums by five members
of each Of the three lower classes. This
exercise, though not very interesting, Mt
tracted full house, and passed off we'll
The style of defamation has much inn
proved Of late years. The evening was
closed by Poem by Rev.. c. Southmayd,
of Burlington, before the Associated Alum
nj, but my position in the house and the
noise were such, that could scarcely hear
a line of it. can therefore say nothing Of
its merits
On commencement day the weather was
fine, and early in the morning the surroun-
ding population began to pour into the VIII
lage in great numbers the streets were
filed, and the notes of the 'Poultncy Band
were now aud then heard amid the rafting
of carriage wheels and ncighing of horses.
The procession was formed at the new
College, stone building just finished
about 9 o'clock and marched TO thee meet
ing house, where the exercises were per
formed
OF the various performances, consisting
mostly Of short oratons, | have not leisure
nor would it be proper to speak in detail
On the whole, though no one would ex.
expect to find the ripeness of thought, am
plitude ofilustration or racincsS Of language
among these 'Juvenas' ms among literary
veterans or even among professional mel
of some age, yet can safely say that these
orations were neither stale, flat nor nm
profitable The topics chosen on sucl
occasions are not always the most interest
ing, yet here they in n good measure Shove,
forth the prevailing thoughts and themes o
the times in their true form and pressure
except in relation to the engrossing subjec
ofslavery, to which rccolect to have hcarr
scarcely an aIlusion. The omission is sin
gnlar, for Take it for granted it was no
tabtcd by the Faculty in this region. n
this time men may speak Of it as they think
One remark often heard made was, tina
the exercises were rather too long or rattle
too numerous, 80 much so us TO beconI