Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-10-22
MISCELLANEOUS,

klCllMOND COLI COMMENCEMENT
Despite the l%nclemency of the weather. aud he worse
'han Egyp tlan darkness IN which the "Ciy Fathers
kindly p'rmlt US all 10 grope Our way through The street al
night, the Second Bah ISL Church was filled On W,dnes
day evening, with an attentive and intelligent audience,
assembled Ia winess tho exercises of the inst Commenee
ment of 'Richmond College,
Owing To circumstances which we shall mention ia.
graduating class consisted of only two members, Jnsinl
hyland, OF kinI and Queen, and Iulndexter =, Jensen
OF i lupanha. Both ol these young gentlemen dclivn1ed
Oralions; and. having no fellow graduates T., represent
doubtless lelt free 10 select such subjects ma suited ihoil
own Turn oil mind, and 10 treat them in their own way
The former took for his subject, "1he Lam Of Pro
gre", " and handled i IN qui Q a spirited manner. Say
ing loo great a tOndnoss for mere truisms, no exhibited
Signs OF a discriminating Judgment. and illustrated lis
Ideas by reference To tho history Of his race in all apes.
which evidenced thai tho speaker had not neglected
the proper study Of MANKIND which Pope tells us is
man.
"Ihe age Of Chiralry.'' when che who could WELD
a lance and could not win alady," was deemed but ''hali
a man. and "when there was thought 10 be II supernnt-
nral power IN the glance of an eye OF the music Of n
(Fayre Ladye'e) voice." was the subj ct oflhe second
Orallon, and was eXtolled by Master or Mr.. =. s. Hen.
son IN strain, which showed thai he had no fear Of a
Ceramics before his eyes, or else had never read of The
renowned exploits attributed 10 Don QuiNolte de Ia Man.
cha. The young orator dwell with seeming admiration
upon the wondruus deeds of CHEERING dho" performed
by those knights Grant If the middle ages, win. re-
nonncIng the pleasures Of home aud the "endrariug titles
of fither, mother, sister, brother" and de,pls,nn the
contracted notion that would coniDe an individual elTylt,
III the cause of humanity 10 a single country, went forth
TO siccor tho distressed, 10 cheer tho fallen, 10 relieve
Me oppressed. and 10 maintain the rights Of The Injured,
wherever aud Whenever they might stumble upon sucl,
IN their wandelings over the earth. But, whatever We
may think Of the merits Of its subject, we cannot but con
Tess that the Grafton Of Mr.. Henson was characterized bv
an elegance Of dlciiOn aud a beauty aud appropriateness
OF imagery, such as which would d. credit H. aIn9sl any
speaker. Indeed, lis sentences were 10 CON plete and
well-iurned that the uiierance of them fell upon ils
ear very like the reading Of some majcslical blank verse
poems.
The Baccalaufoato address of President Rylaud was a
most excellent one, and elninenlly practical. lis part.
ing advice 10 his pupils was such as commended itself IL
every one who heard it; and, If they will but act upon
The principles which he laid down FOR their guidance, The
expressed wish Of their reverend preceptor that these
two young men, who were The first to receive the degree
oil A.. u. from Richmond College, might prove an hanoi
to Their Alma Mater" will be fully realized in lives o.
usefulness to themselves aud their fellow man.
The exercises of the evening were appropriately varied
ly the performances of a selected number Of vocal and in
slrnnenlal musicians, who executed various anthems, I,
the evident qualification Of The large assemblape.
Thus much for the first Commencement of Richmond
Coliege-an institution which, until lately, had scarcel,
deserved lis title, in the accepialion in which the worC
college" IS usually received. The consequence was
that many young men, after receiving q preparatory ed
ncaiion. went OF 10 enrol their names among those Of the
Alumni OF some more renowned seat Of learning. Recent
ly, however, the number of Professors has been increas-
ed, aud the course OF studies has been made as thorough
as that OF any similar institution in the Stale. A system
OF scholarships has also been adopted, which, promise,
good general results aud a. large accession Of students
Thus circumslanced, and with an sble Faculty, Rich
mond College bids fair to have a bright future Of useful
uess and fame. .#,