The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-07-27
College Cemmes-em eats.
'UR NEW HAVEN CORRESPONDENCE

4 OOAeSo COmmeb ~cm eHts.
| OUR NEW HAVEN CORRESPONDENCE
New HAVEN, July 26, 1851.
| The Preparations for tie Commencement at YaL
College.
am ons Of the earliest arrivals at the Elm city
Of the numbers which will resort to this great lite.
tary festival-a Yale College commencement. Well
it may be called festival, for ancient is its nsti.
tuition, and go numerous are it's living graduates,
and SO wide are their connections, that when Alma
Mater holds her venerable and ole form levce such
multitude of her ohili ren and friends are gathered
around her, comprising among them so many distin-
guished and respectable persons, as to fill the city,
and to make it the greatest occasion Of the year.
The college now celebrates its one hundred and
fftysecond anniversary, and il has than three
thousand living graduates. The only college that
could compare with her in respect to general into
rest, is Harvard, and Princeton may be named in
the connection; but think the interest in Yale is
more national than either. Her students are from
more widely distant parts.
This is the time when old classmates re.assemble
to meet each other and their friends in New Haven
The ladies' OF the city take this opportunity for
social testiyty, and there more parties during
commencement week than, perhaps during tho
whole season besides, Your correspondent being.
like the spectator, silent and unobserved but at
tentve, stranger, has already heard of three which
will take place, after the other, beginning this
evening in three first rate families one at Judge
8, and one at Mrs. DIS, and one at Mrs SIS, and
there will be enough more besides.
The very printer boys have holiday. No paper
IS issued upon commencement day, in accordance
with iinmemorial custom. When all is over, tho
strangers who have made New Haven a summer TO
treat-'unti commemorative the most part
migrate to Newport or the White Mountains, or Ma
baLt, some salubrious resort; the boarding
schools are out, and the streets vacated of the
young ladies and the school boys, and Of the five
hundred students OF the University; many Of the
citizens leave with their families, that it is va
cation, and the city is yielded tho quietness of
its diminished population, and the torpor of
August.
Ii is delightful to exchange the sultry and dusty
New York for this open and shady city. From my
window III the Tontine, LOOK out upon as fine a
view as either the city or the country can afford
lcome to his place, although there is an excellent
new one, ecause it is fine old place, uncovered
in magnificent trees, with home. like air, a savory
kitchen and deep cellar. The Maine law has not
yet passed in this old State, though it was endeav-
ored and did rot want much of getting through the
House
Yesterday strangers occupied many of the pulpits
heard fine discourse in the morning, from a son
of the late Hon. Judge Dagget. In the afternoon,
went TO the College Chapel where the baccalaurate
was preached by DR.. Fitch, the regular preacher
to the College, before brilliant audience of pro-
fessors, clergymen, literary gentlemen and ladies'
This is the first Of the exercises of commencement
week. A farewell sermon is preached year after
year to succeeding classes and in turn they feel the
emotions which afict sensitive minds ut last times
and closing scenes, while to others who look on the
occasion is one of annual recurrence, and works
great way station in life. Without attempting to
be pathetic. we can sympathise with the manly
grief Of class Of young men who must disorganize
after so long and deghtful union they hear this
second farewell pronounced. The first is pronounced
upon presentation day." which was six weeks
ago. an interesting occurrence, and so far as know
peculiar to Yale College, of which, as have heard
it described, may give you an account at future
time.
There is report that DR.. Fitch will resign his
duties as preacher. If after thirty five years of la
Dor he wishes to retire to the elegant competence
which awaits him, ! hope he does not 20 with feel
ings wounded by the mischievous and impertinent
satires Of the students In the papers which appear
once year, the sapient productions of two Soph-
more societies. the faculty are always libelled with
wit. and the good doctor gets liberal share. He is
a man accomplished in everything but extempora-
neous speaking in the analysis of subject he is
unrivaed, his sty lie is elegant, luminous and forci-
ble his imagination chaste and vivid, and his dcs-
crptive sermons regarded gems even by those
who will not pay enough attention to understandand
consequently admire his argumentative discourses
His address upon this occasion was one of those
solid dscourses which remind of the old dvines.
The face of the sturdy old gentleman was lunna-
ted with tenderness. and if the rumor OF his re:ig-
nation is true perhaps he was more affected by the
ree ,tion that this was his own last hacca laureate
There is to be brilliant affair in the shape of
regatta, at Lake Winnepiseogee to which tho club
boats Of Yale have been invited by certain proprie
tors of hotels of the particulars of which will
inform myself before my next and communicate
them if they are Interesting This morning there
is gentle rain. which is much needed for the
parched up grass, which has suffered greatly from
the drought.
Among the guests at our house are Judge Cone
and George q. Dawson, of Georgia; Hon. John
Tracy, of New York; and Madame Anna Bishop
and Mr.. Bochsa, who give a grand concert this
of Hon 7. Butler King are in town. There will
be numerous arrivals to-day but despatch this
early in the morning. Tomorrow the Concio al
Clrpa, generally remarkable for itslength, will be
delivered by Rev. Wa. q. Weed, of Stratford, and
on Wednesday we ore to have Grafton from
Whplle, and poem from Picrpont, before the
Phi Beta Kappa. Yours, Sc, vIAroR.