The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-08-13
Our Massachusetts Correspondence.

AMHERST, Aug. 10, 1850.
ASshera Coaege-A temperance Lsctwg- ~.
Es,oin p Whipple's Oration-Prise Speakimg-
Commencement EI1cises-Rev Mr.. HSnttmg-
toms Oration-POeni, By n. b. Street, Esq, &c.
Ihe beauty of this town, located within an am
ph'heatre OF mountains, has been made secondary,
curing The present week, to the literary exercises Of
inc coiiege commencement The institution here 10
III a very nounshing condition, and il one may
JUDGE from the graduating class must prove very
useiuI 70 lne community, in sending forth well dis
cipnneu scholars 10 hll the various liberal profess
sions The Rev DR. Hitchcock President of the
College, has been absent for several month"; from
his post OF duty and honor, and is travelling in
Ireland. Ills health is much improved by the
change OF scene and air, and the friends of the COL
lege look for his return, with high hopes for his flu
ture usefulness. Prof. A. Warner has discharged
the duties of the presidential office since DR. Hitch
cocks absence, and from his urbanity of temper,
mild and parental government, and liberal spnt,
has become popular with the students and with tho
public He delivered the baccalaureate address
on Sunday last. 1t was a sound and appropriate
discourse, suited to the interesting occasion.
On Monday, the people of the village, who would
seem to prefer grotesque exhibition OF eloqusncs
rather than an elevated and scholastic discourse,
invited an itinerant temperance lecturer to give
one Of his peculiar temperance entertainments in
the village church. The rush for places was ire
mendous, and the enthusiastic speaker seemed to
give extraordinary pleasure to his auditors. His
extravaganza of gesture-hs fund of anecdote-
his occasional pathos and power, were fully aspire
on W yad me Was greeted WIN mnch enthusiasm
Boston, delivered one of the most elegant dis
courses ever heard, before the literary societies
of the college. He spoke for one hour and half.
without notes, bringing forth well divided, rhe-
torcal and logical Grafton, upon the character Of
the American national mind. The production was
gwen in popular style, upon philosophical basis.
and was admirably managed throughout. Tho
orator was particularly severe upon the socialists,
the "come outers," and the g manifest destiny"
party. Never were they shown up with more sia-
cerity of purpose, or with greater effect. The
people who ride on one idea were routed The il
lustrations of the discourse was very happy. The
three statesmen, Webster, Calhoun. and Clay,
were sketched with keen, analy teal power, that
spoke highly for Mr. Whpple's genius; while the
peroration Of the discourse was delivered with a
fervor and elo9uence not often witnessed on such
occasions. There was much applause during the
baton at the close. The house was crowded with
literary men from vanous parts of the country,
among whom noticed Judge Perkins, Of Salem.
Mass; Rev. Mr.. Parker, thetpoet; Mr.. Buchanan,
the trsgedian, who has been here through all the
exercises of commencement; and other eminent
men. The galleries were thronged with ladies,
and DGdworth's band from New York, dlscOursed
occasion than that of the preceding night, devoted
TO prize declarations, which, however, were not
without agreeable entertainment.
The Rev. DIR. Cox, Of Brooklyn, delivered an
address before the " Society of Inquiry" on We'd
ne sday evening. His theme and manner Of treating
it gave considerable dissatisfaction II was far be-
ne ath the standard of productions presented On
these occasions. However, there were some vslu-
able thoughts in it, His topic was " History"
Commencement was on Thursday This is
ae DAY. the ds Of s,s,sss
The best speaker was Mr.. Shpley, Of Pepperell. in
this State He was easy, manly, graceful, and
eloquent; and by giving right direction to his
Henry Edwards, who delivered the masters ora
ton, also was entitled to very warm appreciation.
HIS discourse was truly philosophical, and re-
Elected msch credit upon the college Of which
he is Of the most efficient tutors. The
Grafton and the valedictory address by Mr.. Au-
CUISINE N. Gay, of Charlestown, gave great salts
faction. 1t one Of the best efforts OF the kind
ever known in this institution. Among the other
may be named the orations of Messrs. Austin M.
Dickinson, Of Amherst; Lyman r, Williston, Of
George ii. eould, OF New Braiatree;
Bishop, jr., of Lenox, and Albert G. Beebee, Of
Guilford, New York. also distinguished themselves.
Taken altogether, the professors of the college
In the evening, the Rev. Mr.. Huntington, Of
Boston, and Alfred Is. Street, ESQ, who had been
appointed, the former orator, and the latter az
poet by one Of the secret literary societies, appear
that delivered by Mr.. Huntington well calea-
lated to enlarge and liberalize the understanding.
The subject Of the orator was sincerity in 40
tom" and II was admirably handled. handsome
ILLUSION was made 10 the character OF the late Pre-
sdent Taylor, and the imitators in literature were
justly described with pungent wit and much sly
humor. The poem was well written, but the late
hour at which IL was SPOKEN deprived Mr. Street
Of much Of that attention to which he was entitled.
This closed the literary exercises They have
been Of 4 very high order, taken altogether, and
do not know that any more interesting literary an
niversaTy can be expected at any of our colleges
than that which has marked Amherst College dur
ing the present week, shall visit Yale College
next week, and compare the exercises or the two