Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-09-20
From The Pla,lsburgh Wing.
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT.

MR. EDITOR - hnd IN Inc last NO. OF
your paper shnrt sketch of the late com,
mencemcnt OF Burlington. The following
more extended sketch Of the exercises Of
that day, and Of those preceding aud con
ncc'cd with II, s placed at your disposal
Imperfect, os 1t necessarily H. from the
circumstances under which IT is penncd. lis
publication is desired in the hope that /,
may prove not Unacceptable to those among
the good people Of this Northern country.
who, from their ncarness TO this !nsiitu ion,
their regard for learning, ond especially
their interest in securing moral and intel
Iectuul culture for their sons, Look with
favor upon this Furnishing University, its
increasing succcss and reputation, nnd far.
widening Influence. It's because thought
TO afford some slight aid TO such persons in
deciding upon the merits and claims Of the
Institution, thai ! have spoken Of individual
performances aud speakers. more than is
usua in the vague notices Of similar ami
versaries, that appear from time to time
and besides, it is in The solid worth Of these
productions of its pupils, that he University
has The best pledge and the surcsl forcrun.
ner Of yet higher prosperity.
Previous to the exercises by the Stu
dents, an Address was delivered on Tues
day afternoon, by Rev. Joseph Tracy, Of
Boston, Mass, before tho Society for Reli
gious Inquiry. md large audience, com.
posed in good port Of clrrgymeD and other
literary gent, men. lis theme was
authority. its binding character in lis two
kinds Of oDicial authority, or that belonging
TO station, and founded on, or ultimately
sustained by, civil power; and moral or
spiritual. arising from the character end
substantial worth Of those possessing it,
This discourse was very clear and forcible
exposition Of IN important subject, certainly
receiving no added pow cr from the manner
Of its delivery. Its admirable views will
be given to the public in printed form.
Prof. Tayer Lewis, Of The n. Y. City
University, in o learned, elaborate, and far
reaching disquisilion, spoke for nearly two
hours, Of Natural Religion as the Remains
Of Primitive Revelation. This position
the Orator vindicaod by on examination Of
the earliest periods 10 the history Of the
most celebrated nations Of antiquity, from
view Of their speculative principles and
religious practices, the high state of culture
that existed a, The first, aud by an inquiry
into the state OF the languages then pre-.
vai'ing, which. he seemed to show, mus,
have sprung into being complete in dcvc
opcment, perfect in form, and foil of life and
power, as il fresh from the hands Of the
Great Creator. Ample altestaions for
nishcd by surviving monuments, gave the
force Of high authority to some views Of The
speaker, by exhibiting the concurrng
belief Of the wise of Antiquity in certain
fundamental doctrines, (such as the Cor
ruplion and Fall of Man his spiritual ia
ture, Immortality, and feeling Of accouna
biiy,) which is prc.supposed ard taken for
granted in the Sacred Writings. rather
than distinctly set forth ard avowedy in.
culca,ed.
This able discourse will soon be publish
ed, 10 compliance with the request of the
associated Literary Societies of the Univcr
siiv. before whom it was pronounced.
In the evening of Tuesday, the JUNO,
Glass held lis annual exhibition. Tho
range Of subjects treated Of, was certain j.
ample enough. "Thc effect of Science or
Superstition" Commerce, Mythology, An
tiquily, Literary Criticism. "Education at
End. and not Means" abe Greek Ian.
guage, and many other themes. were dis
coursed with various abilities. The innn
ence Of Commerce on the progress Of SO
cieiy, was happily set forth by |. Morey jr
The performance Immediately succeeding
was not delivered with sufficient force an,
dis,nctness,-a defect unpardonable Ne i
is no, 10 be atoned for to the auditor b!
any assemb'age of excellent qualities il
the unheard production. In an admirable
mood, was the piece by II. Bates, OF
"Unily Of Character )" none 10 hiah he
strain, or breathing purer spirit. A Poem
by II. J. Raymond. Indicated medra'v
mud philosophical mind Of high order
lis subject, moral i,fucrcc Of Rc1 ciio
upon the past" was treated Of in n s,yl
displaying lhoughlfulness ard imagina,!y
Nower; the employment Of more Image ny
uch as his, fancy nigh, have easily supplied
would not nave been inappropriate to tn
nccasion, and would certainly have enhan
ced the interest excited by his very mori't
rious performance. At the close of it, til
Genius Of the Past was finely introduced
rs taking his stand on some Mount {
Vision by the side of one who, musnl
was from thence contemplating the pas
aud essaying from It's dark augures TO ga,
light aud guidance for his own future.
Perhaps, however, the Grafton of NJ
Halc, on the "Charac crs,ic ID ference
between Ancien' and Modem Eloquenct
and their Causes" was, lit may be fro
the inspiration OF the suhjecl,) at once II
most eloquent in language, ,hc' mos, spir
ted and admirable il delivery, Of thoI
spoken at the Junior Exhibition.
Lest | should encroach 90 much on 20,
columns, content myself with brief n
tices OF some Of those pieces which decm'
the best among tho many excellent on
thnt afforded high qualification Of which
regret that cannot discourse more al larg
The intellectual advance compared wi
the exercises of the preceding evening
which year spent by the class in the big
est studies of science and philosophy mig
be supposed to effect, was very clen'