Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-07-20
Ip,irrsd at s r,quc., q the students. q Vim Mary
LEDICToRY ADDRESS
PROFESSOR WELLINGTON,
On closing the Session Of Uiham s. Mary College,
O~n I,stN

2SD JuLT, 1871.
Gentlemen: The examination that has just
closed, finishes this session OF William & Mary
College and suspcn1s for the present, the cndeOr-
ing relation of Precep;or and Pupi that has existed
between us Tor some months; aud nothing now re-
mains for the Faculty To DO, but to distribute the
honors which you have all been tolins Tor, ana
which many OF YOU have so Justly earned suty
which we shall have the pleasure Of performing on
the morrow and Ills accomplished we snail sc
parate, soma for short rctlpd, ana many, per
h,ps never 10 meet again IN tins world. The occA-
sion is one Of deep interest, and calls iorlh the ic"
main and unembellishcd observations | am now
nbou, 20 make before you. Some Of these, my
young friends, would have been made wIh more
force and advantage 20 yourselves, nj the begin
ninc than at the close o' " session; but at inat
perind YOU were without the experience you have
since acquired, and you would therefore have teen
less capable OF approaching their Importance. their
advantage, and their truth. $50
We part gentlemen, | expect, under very differ
IN, imnr,ssons and sensations. You arc about to
return to your dear parents, friends, and homes de
LIGHTED TO be freed from the restraints and daily Ia
bors OF scholastic discipline and with that eertanty
of lrcccss m future life, which the buoyant spirit of
the vou,hCul heart never tails TO conure up: While
we your Precepiors, on the contrary, armed with
the experience OF ripper years, cannot nut oe iu OF
anxiety for your future weiNei ana ANXIOUS 10
observe the use and application you will make OF
the principles OF knowledge we have entedrourgd
TO inst into your minds Nino months OF unin-
torrupted application TO study may appear to you
lnner m hut YOU nave Oec0 mere, you viii
have learnt that il barely suffces TO permit US TO
take more than a superficial glance OF the volumes
we have opened before you and which after all,
lead us but into the very portals OF science, without
entering upon is more internal mazcs. Any one
ncouainted with The extent Of human know edge,
will know TINT tho prime pies It embraces, and upon
which the sciences arc founded, have occupied the
attention Of the wiScst men, through ages Tor their
establishment, and cannot therefore lie examined
into much more be acquired, in ? few short months:
consequently any ono who comes here, or indeed
To any other College, with the expectation OF tslnS
made perfect must leave N disappointment. Hu.
nan knowledge IS so extensive and diversified that
tho acc Of the oldest man, passed in constant arp-
cation would be incapable Of acquiring the whole
O H. AL the clore, that we can aim at or desire,
is 10 select such parts Of as are best calculated 10
promote the interests OF society, by making men
useful to each o,her; and this selection, sma. as
may be- we are incapable, for want OF time, Of 70,
lowing out into its several manifestations. All that
COLLEGE can effect not to make students perfect
bt 10 sud, and direct them IN the several roads to
p=rlcon so th1t IN after life they may pursue their
Onward march with diminished difficulty ard inter
ruptJnn SO far, then, from believing yourselves
perfect when YOU leave this place, you must cons-
der yourselves as Just commencing journey,
through n narrow and crooked road, beset with DIFF
ficultles but which, II followed with perseverance,
in the right course, will lead eventually 10 the tenn
ple of fame You have learned 10y this tine some
of tn. adsantt-.S Of education and the vast scope
OF human int. &C., when properly directed. You
have been taught hat cultivation Of the mind dis
pels all idle fears and supersiIions and that II is
Ih ronr t.II Constitutes the grades or distinctions
in clv2 s-cic.y. What an lnduccmeni docs this
hold ont 10 Won, Gu uvate and store your minds
You tfcrtby rcu4rc a wealth that is within your
reach, and of which change or revolution OF
State or county can deprive youi wealth which
NAV turn 20 your highest advantage when you !e iSt
CXpfct its utility. II Is by such preparation you nj
yourselves for the CHEST posts Of Honor your
country has 10 bcstCw and as a country Is better
known aOroaC, 10y the actions Of us ruets, OF cad
ing characters, than 10y the general manners OF the
peop!c So Of course, the more enlightened they be
come the more elevated will be the position oil
the Nation IN the eyes OF the world.
As one essential means OF making these acqu!sl-
lions, diligence and perseverance cannot be too
much insisted upon. We may admit with Locke,
that the mind is capable OF receiving any Kind OF
imprGssion that is offered to II but we must also
admit that the minds OF oil are not at the same
strength and power FAD the body subject
changes, sometimes puny and weak, aud Of
Others, strana atL1os.s- II is not every one
VINO processes mat sublime genus, which,
Peerless, scars above the clouds"
which only requires slight glance Of Thing, tc
trace IL through all its bearings. Such were New.
ton, TorrcceI, and few others who might bC
named; but they are rare phenomena. By tar the
larger portion Of mankind possess medium stale
of mental development; and TO such, diligence and
perseverance form most valuable aids, for by these
there few difficulties That may not he suImOunt-
cd. Indeed, nothing is more annoying to me, Ihs n
to hear young person assert the imposslDIIy Of
their doing any practicable act, on the score OF Its
being TOO hard or difficult; since II only shows that
due diligence and perseverance, have not been re.
sorted to-
We annually see this principle amply illustrated
in our COLLEGE examinations: for all those "hO rave
applied, with ordinary cI.geGce and perseverance,
prove by tie facility with which they answer all
questions and obtain the reward Of their l5UDuIs,
that the OF stacy is no: too grcG o. cx'sIu-
Cd ard yet We fnu such Students have sufficient
time fof pleasure and recreation: while others, no:
dt nc. 60, IN mCnta .p3tIty but who have devy e.
NOR time % pleasure ana amusement, than 70 'or.
iug their minds ind. when l is TOO LATE, iHlt - l.
every eZerlOn t4Cy c1nny, make up their ost tune,
md hat they mus suJFG.. 20 the mOrlIlrauun al
leaving us, wi,hou; any honorary maxi O. Cs,nc-
fiOn.-wnI.e al the same time they mo coIni IN
fhinking'yJ impose more wri-h'y morfr! -st on
their teachers, by showing them that their pains
aud sndeayOu-s 20 instruct, have been set q. Gausht
and have tren utterly c,srcsasIed.
How different, ton, must HC the feelings O these
Two classes II students on arriving az their homes.
The frs. proudly uufods bis trophies Of industry
and success 20 his a1ml-ug parents, who thereby
become doub.y delighted az hs return, enc fee am.
p'y COMPENSATED for tue expense they have incur
Gsd, and the prvaiIors they have suffered through
his abscn-, because these documents convince ihgD
that hs time he's been prof EJIy employed, md l6at
Iis mind las been expanded and stored with know
Ledge such a, fts him 70 be a more useful and va
l1iUlc member Of society. Thy5e, On the tOn.g1ry,
W % have 20 20 home, without such honorable les
t,mJrIs.s, are deprived Of great portion Of TIE dc
light tia; wOu.s attend their return. They snur
enquiry, aud may even funwi..ing.Y aLJ unfn:en-
tonaIyJ Drr. oJ.Dggy on the Institution they have
Ic'' Uy falling 70 give candid end J1s. account Of
their own Inaren.0rf whereby p.g teacher M De
come blamed fIf bic waIl ~ yea and attention O.
the advancement. yt his pupil. Tie aT. other. gain
who -yU5Jer College hguYIrs o. ngi TYrry tus
trouble o. cgnieu5Irg for, under tas false rDlOa,
that they merely gru'y Presen! yHnly, 0...y..
Producing 6Hy permanent 1Jv1Iage. IT, H
however, very mistaken rg.Du. tn. cr.vn ~
Lure. won ~ the GrerrU youth %, the .yuI.-
gfmes or he Eag e. r. ftHgr D tho rs1d al Zoe u.
diem chief, were Il.rIus.-s..y worm rJ.r.ur, ya!
were esteemed Y1yuud lig by tie weFfafs, Ds.sDk.
they were public lslImDui4.s Of puys.s. Strength,
ur.l.ty Of pr0WSss 900 w.r. llYW m4rh ugrg yf.Y..
u1Ie then, must u- me Bl8.g which li gg.r.y and
publicly bestowed, as lhs reward u mgnt|, rather
than OF cDrTDTcl. exc. aurl And sI.U .. Tie GA
ture Of a collegiate certificate Dr diploma. J.. my
gfauiy vanity, but % is vanity ol kind which no
mon need be ashamed Of and Us Influence o no.
ns eyancscrut as m1y De supposed, for o. frequent.
ly hangs about the tc1rcr during bis whole fa, nnI
often affects bic future destiny for few men can
give the attention that I5 necessary TO obtaining a
degree 900 any branch OF learning, without Hrg4.ury
some tastc and liking for ihc subject OF invgs'Ig1.
ton. The lamp thus becomes lighted and w
know not how long, or how brilliantly, Il may burn
after life.
70 give such Badges thsirdu weight, ami mo- 3,
them truly honorable 10 o. necessary tIlt like fH,
Laurel crowns Of old, they should Doe hardly earn
cl, since ihCir value depends, alone, ON tho Difficult
ty OF their Obtenuyn. It's a want Jf due rcglrd o.
tUs circumstance, that has tended TO dc11.c or,
Il in