New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-08-21
Yale ColIege-Dr. Bethune's Address before
the Literary societies.
Correspondence Of the New-York Tribune.


subject himself TO some severe criticism IN some
parts of his speech shall leave that task, how
ever 70 others
He congratulated hinseon being permitted 70 sppear
before such an audience He could also congratulate tue
Of the different Societies their position anc
advantages tie regretted that he had not himeei i'm
proved the advantages which ey now enjoyed. Inc
tune 10 him past but i still remained WIKI them o.
improve = the vigor and freshness OF youth, and q
persevere IL s5ors ennoohng a. their rewards were
our discourse viii, Therefore be on STUDY
study here. could BE- pursued to the best advantage IN
scenes inspiring courase-under the Shadow OF ns
tuition founded piey. and crowded By asplrans from
every section OF counrrysn Institution whose Pro
-sors eminent for every virtue As they excel IN
every -cence-an Institution dear 10 a. as 'E>EAA
Bile YALE"
The dav On which the young 90 out from this In
.-if,tion (. properly called commencement" That day
l. the beginning OF .iic 20 them They 20 forth 10 com
nence lite In the busy world bfrelHm n urnn 70 resist
the temptation. Of his embrurins world. which would
draw them esrrhward from noher and hoer pursuits 20
faint their being with slofh. the cprosy OF the soul
College coursc may be compared 70 the tabled
scenes OF the regions below There tor some the vuiure
ruaWs the vitas with Impotence tantazes them win
unrewartcG hopes cooms TO an eternal labor OF roll
ing no a burden Sysphus ike which ever rolls down
again leaving them 20 congratulate themselves only that
they may remain the bottom. To others Is an eysi-
um where labor is crowned with slores more lasting
/ than those OF ancient Rome.
/ study in ia wider sense means zeal in acquiring
knowlcdae of anv kind The study of letters Is the
theme which We would here dwell upon-Letters which
reveal the mind of antiquity. The true end OF lie =
preparation tor eternity Religion il the study Of God
of our fellow men and OF ourselves with the relative
duties which we owe 10 Him and 70 them. The scrip
lures are full of mans history full of the history OF the
working of the human heart They tel u OF the misery
following each departure from eni ana tne reward o.
IN adherence 70 right The proper study OF mankind
| man The style the scriptures u not barr and
| meagre. Apohegm maNims and proverbs Illustrate rs
ragcs The study OF the scriptures swakens love Tor
who orbid- US to study the history of in
his works Why the Creator 80 lavish OF trees ana
shrubs and flowers. moulding their anatomy ans pant
ins their leaves with such beauty and spendOr Why
| eve u bill and valley and lake aid river why give W
! clouds dark clear or heecy or when they pass away
sagine the clear blue vault with the ,arniture of sun
moon. planets and consielaon-if they were not made
t be- studied and admired And there not beauties
splendid ~ these in the hymns OF David the rhspsodes
% the Prophets and the sermons OF the great FOUNDER OF
religion There Is beauty IN letiers-whether OF
sacred scriptures the productions OF the ancient
And II we may gather flowers from the natural world
why may also gather flowers from the writings
of man. with all their beauty melody, and pathos
There deep silence resting these old writings
"a we hold communion with them unseen spirits seem
| fo hover over " and we hold fellowship with them
They give miraculous power OF bringing distant au
fhors us. and making the dead alive lhey tell us
also that IL Will be with generations yet 10 come and
thus link ourselves with the past and connect
ourselves with the future, We feel indeed that we are 'u
mortal.
There has indeed been tendency to engrait the mys
eries Of ancient writers upon the simplicity OF religion
hy conjuring up accidental rcsemblances IN fato ana
others theories Ia the doctrines Of religion mus nuc-
ducng walking ghosts from the limbo OF heaihelsn INTO
the christian cson Thus the friends OF religion nave
teraiy gone down 10 Egypt for help and thus me
gospel i put in false position when hothns unuei
God can remedy save -anctfed learning And yet l.
uy by careful study OF the ancients that we can discOv
the defects of their moral and religious opinions
Here ready 10 resist the Piaionsts, II the-
giants Of intellect could grasp the truths lehhe"
ly the child who reads the first verse IN MS bible no"
nefsby ridiculous do they appear who turn their back
the Of truihand think they can discover what
1 a. ~. 4,tt+
| Revelation
He then spoke of Luther Meancthon. Calvin, Grotiu'
owen. Baxter. Doddridge and others OF great piety
who heapcd classic spells in the temple OF Hod Does
ne Devil triumph more IN the library than IN the secia
ian squsbblcs where the most empty headed are the
noisy. If we cannot force out the evi splrt by
.eadng may try an nkstand man with an ide"
his head, and pen his hand the best thing In the
world 20 drive away Devils.
He then pointed out the models IN classics which
| houd be studied by the historian the biographer sc
Homer from his dafees throne and others OF antiquity
,re still models and Shakespeare Is exceled III
rama by Hschylus. Shakespeare only described human
nature as it s-Hschyus transcribed human nature IL
The Greek language =. the most finished systcrn
rived by Ia comparison. the best modern tongue
Gems rude II l. the perfect similarity between thought
nd utterance. 1t Is Ike drapery to their sculpture
,hch rather displays than covers the symmetry winch
Iad faults 10 hide.
| II not the learned man who becomes Pedant or
Who hides his ignorance in sonorous polysyAabcs,
The man who becomes student must be brave and
| evoted man-Learning viii have no rivals. He must
4 acrifce every thing for Der sake.
There are men calling themselves literary men who
make books merely tor profit and not for love literature
though may scOurse theru from the temple 81 10
nature fingers itching for the bundle OF
cords Providence sometimes uses the most hateful and
gy things to produce certain results aud III are not
without their uses.
| Others write novels To make people stare. And yet
al may have their The world Is but laboratory
n which new facts are evolved fer the further Undue
Some people demand practical men instead OF theo
lists But what the practical blacksmith 10 construct
ghnin. rod without Franklin to give It utility by
MS theory, A may be practical sailor. but theo
had 10 invent the compass and osarthms and their
application. Had 1t not been for theorists Enough
practical guide locomotive along railroad
when every thing is in order utmost speed would
till been horses legs. In this connection he men
toned that neither owen nor Fourier were Original tneo-
rsts.
He then reviewed the most applicable 10 iacili
| tate study An eminent Philosopher had recommended /
companion in study The conversation .oi intelligent
women a great help 20 study. The simple remarks /
OF children and the conversation Of the ignorant
we're mentioned among the helps. Excitements should
bee avoided New exciting discussions waste nentoi /
energies.
The soul energising through matter requires good per
-unal habits To incur bad habits Is % commit suicide /
Want OF water and excess Of food, are the principal .
Of bad health IN students. student complains
II dull spirits and confused ideas. Perhaps for many
be- has only washed his hands and face As II clean
ness consisted only in appearances What would you
il your washerwoman cleaned only the collar and
wristbands OF your shirt But she plunges the whole
body sospsud- TIL every part Of II Is washed thor
ppOcrene only twenty -isdis from the residence
~ the Muses. Had a TO send to College, would /
rather send him o. College with bath houses, than with
profe-sorship in logic.
In this country. accused Of OverwOrAing the /
brain aud the stomach This makes the literary man Of
country. the aftenuaed angular being that he is
Here the house wascOnyulsed with aug hterthe robust
heavy appearance OF the orator conrsdlctng MS theory
DIR b. remarked you there exceptions" =
lie ridculed long and fsgung walks swinging weights
IN close room, &c. and recommended fishing excur
Ons the pleasures Of which he skeched with graphic
eOquence The Scotch intellect remarkable for .
robustness acquired from heathu and joyful exercise
they dom live IN the walls OF their Colleges for ever
ID they live krOui and black beer. He here
mentioned several anglers who distinguished /
Divnes and Literary and who lived very old
The command 70 Peter Kill and eat, for J.
The use OF ne-h against the theories OF whose
lric juices weak their brain. and who would .
iced US on bran bread and sOps Meat may be eaten
once day, and then but sparingly II quit work
Tor study, and continue 10 yormandse. they Will creep
nto early graves. They die not Of study but Of meat
Nature gives vegetables. and 90 produces them that
they iast the year round. We must confess that Ia