The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-23

WILLIAMS CoLLEeE, August ls, 1854.

WILLIAMS CoLLEeE, August l6, 1854.
Up among the green hills Of Berkshire, once
more breathing pure Dir and drinking clear
water, with it's majestic old mountains rising on
every side from the beautiful valley, which
they embosom, luxuriantly CARRIED with the rich
foliage OF the primeval forest looking just as
they used to look, years ago, when Was Fresh
man. 1t seems rs | look upon them stretching
away to the northward in the soft light of the
setting SUP, that not tree has been felled, not
a rock torn from its bed since / caught my first
glance at them, from the box of the old red
:. North Adams Stage"
Well, suppose most of the trees now ia
sight were standing then, and long before too
giants OF the wood before the cornerstone of
West College was laid. For what are score
of years to one Of these stalwart oaks or hem
feel almost an old man.
The prize rhetorical exhibition came of, as
usual, On Tuesday evening. The pieces were
very fine, much more SO than usual, and the de-
clamation good.
Chamberlain, Bronson, aud Lansing gave most
general satisfaction 10 the audience. The prizes
were awarded. to Marsh, of Springfield, in the
Junior class; Bronson, of New York city, in the
sophomore; and johnson, Of Albany, ia the
freshmen.
The Grafton before the Ade'phi Union Society
was delivered this year by r. Waldo Emerson.
His subject so nearly as | learned 1T from his
speech, was the Aim of the Scholar" 1t was
as deep as original as sententious, and as OBJ
scure IS is usually the case with the great meta
physicians efforts.
The commencement exercises upon the sue
ceediDg day were OF high order Of merit. 1
think no college in the country can show 50
high an average excellence, both in composition
and delivery, upon the commencement stage,
each year, as Williams. There seems to be
generally a sort of parity existing among
nearly all the class, and almost any speaker OF
the day, taken at random, would, if speaking
upon real occasion, give satisfaction to any
audience.
The Grafton of Seaver, from Boston, was an
admirable effort of genius, and held the atten-
ton of the audience, completely. The GRAFTON
OF Atkins, from Roxbury, upon " Yankee No
tions," was piece Of polished wit, and mani
tested great talent.
Taylor, of Morristown, N. j., was another of
the stars, and gave universal satisfaction, both
in the composition, and in the admirable and
natoral delivery Of his Grafton upon Partial
Truth"
Doud, of Louisville, N. Y, and Tuthill, of
Blooming Grove, N. Y, also gave great
pleasure to their hearers
The valedictory was delivered by Rockwell,
of Peru-a little village which lies somewhere
above the region of perpetual congelation, on
the peak of some mountain in this vicinity almost
inaccessible, and SO rocky and rough that a
drop of water cannot stand still in the whole
township. Perhaps the best speech of the after
noon was delivered by Stoddard, OF Boston.
have only one fault to find with the COM
mencement exercises There ran through nearly
all Of them a vein Of "Abolitionism," a"Higher
Law" "Anti- Nebraska faint. Now, it seems
to Inc that this is in very bad taste upon COM
mencemeot stage. In an academic institution,
while Dung men are supposed to have been
engaged in abstruse investigation, ana living
in scholastic seclusion. 1t hardly sounds well to
hear such very youthful, and, at best, some
what inexperienced men making use of the
most vituperativc and denunciatory epithets
concerning our prominent statcsmen, or state
measures. Particularly is this tho case, when
such expressions offend large portion OF an
audience who stand in the relation of guests.
ALCMNCs