The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-13
Our Amherst Correspondence.
AMHERST, Mass, Thursday, I
August 10, 1854,


Our Amherst Correspondence.
AMHERST, Mass, Thursday,
August 10, 1854.
Commencement Week-7Ne First Day-Boc-
calaureate Sermon and Prizes orchlight
Procession-Prcfesssr Feiton's .addyess-
Conferring the Degrees, and Concluding
Exercises.
This is commencement day at Amherst and
all is hustle and activity. Strangers thronging
the streets and crowding the public houses; the
mutual greetings Of graduates aud friends of
the college. who have once more gathered
around the scenes Of former labor and pastime:
the vehicles of the country people standing in
every direction, and the horses munching hay
from the hinder part Of the wagons, and the lit
tie picayune stalls for ginger beer, oysters and
peanuts dottiDg the lawns in every direction,
all present very counterpart of the "Vanity
Fair" and denote that some unusual event Is
transpring. And so it is. Commencement here
is quite different affair from that which takes
place in our cities and the farmers, one day in
the year besides Sunday, luxuriate in their best
suits of " home spun."
The first of this weeks exercises was the BAG
cslaureate sermon, delivered on Sunday by
President Hitchcock. On Tuesday evening
Tie PRIZE ucClbu6CiOu VI Tue freshman ana So
phOnore classes, of which sent you brief no.
tice yesterday. The prizes, of $50, were confer.
red by gentleman who prefers to remain incog,
and were divided into sums of SIS and $40,
allotted to the successful competitors of each
class respectively, viz. u. M. Lane, of South
Market. N. H., and T. Graves, Of Hatfield, from
the sophomore class; j. L. Fordham, of South
ampton, L. l., aud G. II. Beckwith, of Platts-
burg, N. T., from the freshman class The ex-
ercisf passed off pleasantly, and all the speak
trs did themselves much credit. Musi: by the
Northampton Band.
Same evening, grand torch-light procession
by the graduating class, after which followed
supper, speeches and toasts The Northampton
Band was in attendance, and every thing passed
Otto the general satisfaction.
WEDNEsDAY.-At O'Clock A. NJ, q meeting
OF the alumni; adjourned till Thursday, at
o'clock A. M. Present-The class of 1924, II
members. 5 dead; prof. Bella B. Edwards was
member of this classy the classes Of 1880
and 81.
In the afternoon, at o'clock, same day, an
address before the Phi Beta Kappa Society by
Prof G. G. FELTON,, Of Cambri tge. Subject
"a Picture Of the Past, the Agora of Socrates,
the Bema of Demosthenes and the Areo oagas
Of st. Paul" The orator entered into de-
tail Of the past and present condition
Of Greece-her schools and seminaries of
learping-her great men, orators, states
nen and poets, and the places they used
to traverse in their daily walks, the market
place, (agora) the stage (bena,) and the CO.
lossal temples from which they poured forth
their eloqncnce to the assembled multitujes.
He adveIted to the magnificent ruins Of the
AcIopolis, and the great city Of Athens,-her
stained AID crnmbling walls, pillars and sta
tues aHording bis information chiefly from da-
tas made in his recent travels in that region;
and he mentioned this circumstance o. q singu-
ln,, g.. tv,.kx III Ia.
wrecks and ruins of the past. wrapped In con.
temptation and study, there he received his in
vitation to deliver his Grafton before the Phi
Beta Kappa, end there be chose his subject.
He advertcd also in very happy manner, to
the celebrated missionary. Jonas King. After
giving q short sketch Of the present fiourishng
condition of Athens and her schools, he entered
more particularly into the main subject Of his
address, first-the Agora Of Socrates, in which
he portrayed the character Of that great philos-
opher and statesman in novel and highly
entertaining manner, and pointed out the mi
mute peculiarities Of his life, and intimated that
whereas his character was not wholly without
excuse" still there lay deep seated under the
palpable evil, the great principle of natural re-
ligion. Demosthenes, he extolled to the highest
heavens of rhetorical eloquence, and speaking
patriotism which he inculcated in the
minds of the throngs assembled to hear
him, he likened him to our own great
statesman, Daniel Webster, and styled him
the Demosthenes Of modern times; and present
ed most beautiful eulogy on him "who now
sleeps by the ocean, at Marshteld. From the
bema Of Athens was patriotism addressed to
all free nations, but although not like the Uni
ted States In constitution, laws and principles
OF government, still it wanted that union Of
States which has hitherto strengthened the one,
and the lack Of which has been the cause Of the
downfall Of the other. But our first attention
Is due to our own country; let us hold to the
constitution and profit by these sad examples
OF the past. However, time overrules the works
and designs Of man. The character of st. Paul
he presented in o new and interesting aspect
aud n<f mil haAnnds..<. L.. l.o- IL