Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1838-07-21
Commencement OF the New York Uni-

!. Latin Satisfactory and Grafton. This, to begin
with, was too long entirely which was fault with
most of the pieces. Speakers should remember that
brevty is the soul Of wit The Latin itself was very
well spoken, bat then il is very doubtful whether the
audience was particularly edited by the defamation.
From the manner of the speaker he was most proba-
bly, eoauea, at times, but of this all remain in glorious
ignorance.
2 "Engish Satisfactory and Grafton This was
Sautatory in right earnest. The speaker seemed TO
be we'll adapted to his office, tor he extended word
of congrataatien to every body and every thing. He
commented upon matters and things IN general, from
all the various material which he fit to introduce
deduced theory of reform exclusively his own-and
finally wound up by comparing New England
school house, with it's Ichabod Crane gsniusses to
the light Of the sum- and saying that might as well
blot the one from existence the other. OF course
great applause followed this grand justification.
3. "Femaie Education" This speaker as ap-
peared by the programme was excused. We regret
exceedingly that he did not appear, as anything on
this very lovely and interesting subject would have
been gratefully received
4. "Poetry as Source Of Enjoyment."-T
was highly interesting piece and one TOO very com.
mandatory to its author In its style it was easy and
flowing and some parts Of it indicated soul ever
alive 10 The finer poetic sensibies.
5. "Inaaence of The Pulpit"-Ths piece was de-
livered too much in the schoe-boy style. Its author
reminded as very much of the lines, YOU'D scarce
expect one of my age" &c. He was SO rapid in his
delivery to be almost unnellgble If he has deter.
mined upon entering the ministry, we hope that he
will learn dellberaton before he begins to preach.
8. Critical Philosophy was what might
be allied plain sound and sensible dissertation. II
bespoke itself at once as the production of mind of
1ncommeH good common sense-ofa mind in itself
clear anu discerning, and fully master of the task
which 1t had proposed to itself to execute. We ap.
prehend however that the piece better fitted for
an assembly of Waylands than fer the one before
when it was delivered.
7. Influence Of Poetry in the Heroic Ages"-As
for this production hardly know what to say about
1t. tw0s queer sort of thing any how-a sort Of
Dondescrpt-an anomaly in the era of scrbbling-
To irthere was neither beginning, middle nor end
Ii was an all-oyerisA thing. BY the way though we
believe the nearest the middle Of it, was the Mid
die Ages" in the darkness of which its author seem.
ed pretty much bewildcred. But to be more partcu-
lar-First there was a long introduction, in the
course of which the orator attempted TO establish be-
yond all certainty, that Sir Isaac Newton and Ben
jamn Franklin, never were never could, and never
should be Poets. To do this he brought forward va
rious arguments, of the cogcncy and incontrovert-
bill y of which, his auditors were no doubt fully con-
WINGED, for just at this time sort of involuntary
groan escaped each of them, which indicated strong
mental conclusion of some kind. Of tine relevancy
of this introduction to the subject in hand, others can
Judge as well as ourself
The sneake, had M ~ ayv,ved ~La, bo cro~os~d
TO start with, to wit The Influence of Poetry in the
Heroic Ages" Judging from wha, had preceded,
we expected to be completely thunder struck and
swampsd with eoquence. We had prepared for un-
heard of descriptions of heroic valor and kngh,ly
deeds. But aias-alas!! Dread DISAPPOINTMENT ALL
He tried to raise the wind by calling upon some pa.
iron saint hero devil and all, but i, was of no USE
He elected from the audience no emotion, except now
and then plying sigh in his ewn behalf Instead
of arousing in our breast high tenc of chivalrous
feeling he well nigh benumbed our spirits and
had he dwclt much longer on his martyred topic the
splendid and supplying monotony of his cadences
had consigned US inevitably into the hands Of Nor
pheus. But, fortunately, the speaker at about this
time lost sight of his subject altogether, and by one
sudden and gland effort, which is peculiar alone TO
senuses Of his own stamp, leaped from the Hersc
Ages down to our own, which he spostrephized as
the Age Of Free Discussion, os one IN which per.
son has right TO write and talk as he chooses. To
confirm us in the belief that he really thought so,
he freely used his privilege.
BY the way OF changing the subject here followed
pointed alusion to the horrors Of mobs and cock.
fighting, which were denounced as highly deregatory
TO the spirit any heroic age, and represented
precursors to natisns downfall. THIS led 10 con-
trasting the great advantage tho wild and turbulent
spirit Of the rowdy dowdy loc,focos Of the present
day, with that ofthe quiet Bethlehem shepherds But
cannot cr.ticse him farther Suffice il to say that
after quoting extensively from Popes Homer, Gould
Horace, and Days Algebra, the orator wound up
with grand clmacteric upon the American Eagle
roosting on Chmboraze. with one wing shading the
naked Negro Of 81. Domingo, and with the other
shielding from the Borea blast the shvering savage
Of Michigan and the North Western Territory
Such was this speaker-ihe most eloquent passage
his whole performance being the one to his scat.
8. importance Of Geological Iarestigafien"-
Now came piece in every way the reverse Of ,ba,
of which we have just disposed. Take il all in oil il
was the most finished and complete composition Of
any that were spoken. In its diction il was chaste
easy and elegant and il evnced manliness Of hon HI
rarely to be met with in the productions Of youth Of
so few years its author. The manner, 100, of its
delivery was truly beautiful, marked as it was with
that natural ease and grace which ever characteristics