New-York daily tribune., 1843-06-29
MIR Exeref,,s Grafton.

of the heat. most unconfortably crowded I1on'
THEo FgELISGHUYsES, the Chancellor OF the
University, presided, and the Exercises We
opened with Prayer by Rev. Dr.. Skinner ne
Address, delivered by Hon. a. Fl. EVERETT was
two hours in length-at least twlce too ioHg io'
the occasion, considering the exercises lfat were
to follow and the discomfort OF the aunltors. After
a few general remarks relative to the University,
| the ADVANTAGES Of It's position, its mgh character.
brilliant prospects. &c, Mr.. EVERETT said he
should speak OF the Moral Influence of Learning,
with especial reference TO the frequently expressed
fears that the cause Of sound culture and of true
morality is in great danger from the food OF books
which seems just at present to sweep over the
land.
Mr.. Everett contended that upon general pm
ciples, by the operation Of natural causes, these
apprehensions could be shown to be entirely
groundless. Literature he thought in all cases
the exponent OF the society In which fourished-
stamped with its character, and, ii corrupt the
effect, not the cauSe, of social corruption.
sckly and vicious literature, by It's very nature, Is
| unable to exert corruptng influence; for IN
health alone is power; all disease IS weak and
! lacks the force to produce corruption and im1nor
ahty. Butpassing from these general principles
Mr.. EVERETT proceeded TO exemplify and Illus
trate the position he had assumed by reference to
the literature Of the world and especially tlat ol
Greece Of which he spoke at great length and
oftentimcs with slight pcrtinencc to the general
subject. The poetry, religion and philosophy OF
the Greeks were each discussed In turn, and the
writings of Homer, Socrates, the Tragedians,
Xenophon and others were criticised at length.
Plato Mr. Everett acknowledged to have been
one of the most distinguished men of his timc
and ne found in his writings spirit of reverence
for the Truth which would always commend them
TO the love OF the scholar. But his contributions
to metaphysical science he thought of little value
his scheme of Republic, if it could have been
made actual, would have been absurd, and his dis
courses concerning Law seemed 10 HIM OF much
less value than they had been deemed. Though
he granted that Ccero's appcllation. when he
called him the divine Plato was not unmertcd.
and thought that IN many respects he was at once
both the Paul and John of the Greek religion, Mr..
Everctt's exposition of Plato was much less salts
factory, and his admiration Of his philosophy
much more qualified than has been that OF schol-
ars still more profoundly acquainted with his works.
Leaving Greece, Mr.. Everett, in glancing at
the literature of Europe, mentioned the names OF
Dante, Tasso, Machiavelli, &c, among the ltal-
ians; Lope de Vega, Ccrvantes and others among
the Spaniards, Camocns in Portugal, Racine
Rousseau, Corneille, Bossuct, &c. in France, Mil
ton, Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Macintosh in
England, and Bryant, Cooper, Irving and others
in our own country. His commentaries on these
writers were of course brief and hasty. Hespokc
also Of the periodical literature of the present day
which he fearlessly asserted to be in advance
of the age; and cited the names of the most en-
inent contributors to this department ofliteraturc
both III Europe and America The names OF
WEBSTER and LEGARE were received with loud
applause; and upon the latter he pronounced a
feeling and eloquent eulogy statesman rare
ly gifted and a scholar of most splendid accom-
plishynents The affecting circumstances of his
tul and appropriate manner.
The Grafton, which was concluded with per-
sonal appeal to the gentlemen whom he more par
tcularly addressed, abounded in elegant and strl,
ing passages, which evnced scholarlikc and
cultivated taste. 1t lacked .drccncss and IN
tcrest and the chief aim, announced al its open
ing, seemed entirely lost sight of in the des'lltory
criticisms into which the orator wandered. We
were sorry that Mr. Everett, in seeking to show
that Literature in its purity is the minister of
Morality and Virtue, deemed ii necessary to
smooth over It's glaring impurities, and TO
apologize for lccntious and dcpraved authors
from Anstophancs TO Moore, by urging that much
should be excused to genius, as if high Gifts d.
minlshed, rather than increased, the respons bity
of their possessors
The POEM by Mr. GEORGE IL. ColroN was a
beautiful and spirited production upon the subject
OF LIFE. 1t was written in Spenserian verse, and
was well worthy of the author of Tecumseh
IL The Loco-F Focos Of the louisville District
Ky, by fomenting local feud among the Wings,
enabled to elect an irregular candidate named
James c. Sprigg to thelast Congress. There he
proved a more abandoned drunkard than he was
at home, and got piece of his car bit off in
drunken fight with one Of the low rowdies with
whom he associated. With this certificate of
honorable character and conduct, he went home:
and we see that the Loco-FocoS. having inetiect-
ually attempted TO run man of their own party,
have again adopted this fellow as their candidate
We do trust there is decency in the District to
prevent his election
NEwYoRK GEOLOGICAL REroRT-Messrs
Carroll y Cook, the printers Of the two conclud-
ING volumes of this great work, inform US that
they arc printing them on the same paper and the
sane presses, with substantially the sane work
men that We're employed on the SIX preceding vol
umeS bv Mr. Weed. OF course ,he -nnor, ,,.i,;nL