New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-08-13
Commencement Week-University of Vermont.

COrTetpOnQeDCo
BURLINGTON, VT Wednesday, Aug. T. 1859.
The exercises OF the week commenced with an
address before the Society for Religious Inquiry
given Monday evening by Rev. Henry Wilkes OF
Montreal, Canada. Mr. Wilkes took for his CUB
ject the Age and Theology, and most ingenousy
and scholar like did he handle it. freely confess
I-never listened to any discourse In which the
.,sahs. carried out ana Illustrated ILLS Tn vleWs
with more ability and acumen than the orator did
on this occasion. His language was pure bis logic
keen and his illustrations exceedingly apt. he
spoke OF the peculiar characteristics OF the present
progressive age and its demands upon those who
preach the Gospel coutending earnestly for the
great truths revealed in the Scriptures and for the
faith once delivered to the Saints, and reconcling
them with the history Of the human race and the
geology of the earth. l have not space to give
scarcely glimpse OF this mastery discourse. If
the Reverend gentleman always writes andspsaks
as W ell az he did on this occasion, must give him
rank among the first scholars Of the age. His dis
course was unquestionably the gem OF the week
The celebration Of the associate Alumni came of
Tuesday forenoon, on which occasion Henry j.
Raymond Esq Of your city gave the Grafton. Mr.
Raymond is a graduate Of this Universty, and
therefore felt quite at homo. He chose for the sub
iect Of bis address the duties OF the Scholar, and
especially of the American Scholar. He begun by
saving that he should be very brief and ihen spoke
nearly tw mortal hours, at least more than anho1r
and half Had he left out two thirds OF the first
half OF his discourse, which was merely common
! morslizing, it would have been decided I'm.
movement, and one which the au Hence would
| have duly appreciated. In relation 70 the spirit
| .oft ,a nf GA ba Jh
thing was about right, and that scholars should
| lump into the current Of public opinion, and so
along with and guide 1t, rather than undertake ID
stop it, He could not very well help Ringing little
at the Socialists, although ms did not call them oy
| name However, he old them the justice TO say
that there might be few things gathered up from
those reforpers and saved, while the great DUH Oi
their works would die and be forgotten. They
| oueht To thank him for this small favor portion
of lis oratisn was very well written, aud exhibited
a good des of study aud reflection. There are
| many no doubt, who would not indorse all his
opinions in relation to the past, or agree with MS
speculatons on the characteristics OF tae age We
live in .,
In the afternoon the Literary Societies held
their annual Festival. Rev. Mr Wash6urn OF
Newbury port, Mass gave the Grafton aud Rev.
MIR LAnphear OF Derby, VT delivered the Poem -
The subject of the Grafton was the Spiritual Phi
losophy of this Age. 1t was lSbored productO1,
and many parts OF il eloquent and easily understood
but there were many portions oil II so elaborated
and ETHEREAL that could not exactly comprehend
it, In his attempts 70 kil OIL the most suolinated
characterization of our day and establish the
principles of his spiritual philosophy, he took such
high fights and was so long on the wing that
NOT ONLY lost sight of him but lost also the thread
of his discourse which did not reach the earth al
al in his highest sosrings. And when he dld
sometimes stoop toward this mundane sphere, his
thread was drawn out TO the finest s.resch OF tenu
itv. The truth is, he occasionally go. lost himself
in his spiritual wAn6erings, and OF course ne could
not reasonably expect his hearers to follow him
After all the GRAFTON exhibited much genius and
talent in its composition.
Tire Poem was dream and all a dream, from
beginning 10 end. The poet In bis sleep was car
ried Up through the clouds unt he came to stra
,um of thick, murky ali. fHe scene around was
moAt dismal Here he saw man misers0e ano
wretcbed with one motioness eye, which look ed
like a bail Of Ere In his head. He was writing In
agony, and condemned spirit The poet leit this
scene and assembled still higher, when he came In
to bright balmy atmosphere surrounding mosi
beautiful island in the midst Of al ocean whose
waters, clear as crystal, lGyed its shores without
any roar. Upon this island was beautliu
woman, singing most heavenly songs, and minis
tered unto by numerous company OF sweet inno
cent girls. She was the queen OF the island anc
happy, OF course. Now 1t turned out IN the seqae
that this man and woman were once lnhaoltans
Salem about the time Of Cotton Nather. The mar
uasuelv in person and wicked ia heart, and made
anti 10 the woman. She refused him theFe9po'
he feicped himself DO wiched by this weman. com
pIsiued Of her. and she was hung on inc hmo o
he old witch Oak Tree. 10 time 'he MAJ
6sa and their conditions ia the future state nav
.Iresdv been told Ofsuoh dreams Is Com Hencs
ment Day made Our scho ars must nave tne'
! dreams but whether sach words are the '''''s'op