New-York daily tribune., 1842-10-05
EoIuubia College.


die Dutch Church in Nassau-street. The building
was crowded TO sufocation, aad by large portion
of the audience not the most perfect order and al
,entiou were preserved. The inauguration of the
President elect NATHANIEL +. MOORE, III. D.,
preceded the usual exercises. Standing, as we
did, IN the crowded aisle, at some distance from
the stage, wa could hear but little of the address
of Hon. PETER A. JAY or of the Presidents re-
ply. The first seemed to be mainly a vindica,ion
of the collegiate course of study from popular OBJ
jections, and the last was upon the response
bi,ies of the Office and the mutual relations OF
the President and the Students of University
Both were productions of moderate merit.
The performance. of the selected members Of
the graduating class were credtabie 10 their abi-
ties and, important respects, to the discipline
they have received from their collegiate course.
The flourish of the Salutatories was gracefully
executed, and the Poems in Greek and Latin were
well pronounced. There was an Invocation OF
obsolete leirics, rather unnecessary in amount,
it seemed to Us, and the poems were more closely
moulded to ancient models than we should deem
demanded, even by performances of so classical
stamp. The English Ofations and Essays were,
nearly all, very well written and we'll delivered.
They possessed also little brilliancy of thought
as we'll as of style; though there genera
lack of method and discrimination in their COM
position. Thus, although several OF the speakers
mad much to say of Civilization its characteristics,
progress, aids, &c, one at all recognized the
wide distinction between this and Cultivation; a
difference at once made apparent by the fact that
Iceland though behind almost all other nations on
the face OF the Earth in civilization, is yet among
the most cultivated, and has given birth to men oi
Genius WHO would have done honor to the mostre-
fined aud enlightened countries. The Essay on the
Spirituality of Matter, though the contradiction
in the very title Of the subject through the whole
discourse contained much that indicated mind to
which discerning thought and fine, poetic influences
were no infrequent and always wesome visltants
Il aimed to be an argument, however, but scarcely
reached the strength and consistency of sophsn.
The Biography of Music contained great deal
Of slightly grotesque humor, and abounded in his
torical references indicative Of good acqnalnt-
ance with the general subject Its chief fault was
a lack Of method. The Essay on GrecianPhl!o-
sophy' wa. very well writton-but was qslte 100
broad and deep subject for so young writer TO
show his real strength upon. Students, as well as
all others, make sad mistake when they choose
topics for discourse whch they carnot grasp. In
this case nearly all the critical knowledge was
evidently as it must of necessity be, at second
hand: and much of it, to our view, drawn from
mistaken sources. But it is scarcely proper to
notice the performances thus in detail They were
al good-ond several of them exhibited superior
and promising talent As we have said, a lack Of
order, OF scientific met.c1 was the prevailing
fault: the Essay on fUsily of Purpose was, per
haps, least faulty in Mis respect. The Essay OF!
Poetry and the Vaedictory, we did not hear.
We usually attend College Commencenents
mainly for the purpose of judging tierefrom OF
the character of the institution, and this deem,
40 mean criterion. The general spirit, the pre-
vailing tone of the instruction given will, at these
exercises, inevitably be displayed. And, judging
in this way. We should conclude, ircrn TIE per
ormances yesterday, that the tuition this class
has received has been most excellent mall tla;
concerns the outward department $50 to speak,
of education; the drilling in languages and nlathe
mates, the communication of knowledge in all
branches Of study, and the mental discipline con-
scquent ,heroupon. We did hot sec indications
equally strong that the education signifed by the
ety nology Of the word, the dratring out, the de-
yeopemens of the faculties, that education which
hss its work within, which shapes the soul as well
a, gives it kncwledge-had been most sedulously
and successfully prosecuted. The great aim OF
collegiate study should be to acquire the habit o.
cccognizing the one law in multitude 0f facts, o
giving 10 every thing in history aud in life i
nc .uod which is sccnlfc-which has q ground
a! !. Law; Of searching for, of finding and OF
setting proper value upon, principles in ar, in
all studies, and IN morals. We do not know that
Columbia College falls at all behind any instisu-
non in the land in the careful! organization or prac
tica efficiency ol department whose specific duty
it is to provide for these most imperative wants Q!
the youthful mind. We have some ground TO fear,
indeed, that none OF the colleges in the country
attach TO this kind Of instruction, any thing like
the importance which properly belongs to ii. Bus
We could see no ground, in the exercises OF yes
terlay, to believe that any unusual degree of at
tention had been given to this kind of cducato1al
culture in Columbia College. In other and more
commonplace respects the performances of the
class were highly cred:abe and worthy CT all
praise.
five thong it likely to prove OF any service we
would protest most decidedly against the custom
of applauding the performers, by stamping, clap
ping of hands, &C., on such an occasion as this 1t
suits the husdngs or tho political stump. where it
aids produce an effect and is not out of place