New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-04
BERK SHIRE REVISITED.

our mountain-sides with pomps and airy spendcrs'
The SUBMITS are brown and bald, but the southern
slopes are green and golden with the miracles OF the
increasing wear. The tropic winds have blown their
resurrection trump, and buried foliage and blooms
come forth from Winters sepulchre.
A pro,racted absence from scenes rendered " like
can old familiar face by the varied experiences of
four college years. induced strong desire to revisit
nv intellectual mother. The wish was parent to the
deed. and I followed the birds in their northward
fight to the shining peaks Of Berkshire.
The Mansion House has changed proprietors since
first tasted its Lospitalites one rainy night as mel
anchoIy Freshman so many years ago, " 1emPora
"autanfur e nos mutamnr in Ills, worthy old Pro-
fessor X would echo so mournfully. But he too Is
changed. and the place that once knew him knows
him no more forever.
All but the natural features of the grand landscape
has departed and standing upon Stone Hill this morn.
ing / felt in a land of strangers. A generation ha
arisen that knows not Joseph The SCARED sides of
Greylock were shadowed with mournful forests a. Of
yoie. The Hoppers Gulf, like an inverted hollow
pyramid, yawned its roofess cavern unworn by the
fight of times and seasons. The hazy HooSac range
girdled the eastern view, and the rounded peaks Of
Taconnic the west; while north and south the valley
narrowed through long perspective of unrivaed
beauty. The columns of Luxor and Thebes fade
into toys in comparison with this noble mountain
vista.
The changes in the village have been remarkable.
Several housesh been painted barns buded and ia
mar henroosts removed, but the kline still pasture
the broad avenue and the trembling church threatens
its weekly congregations. Mr.. Seymour Whitman a
name synonymous with liberaity and public spirit,
has just opened street through his princely do
mains, which offers some highly desirable locations
for Summer residences. Gentlemen with large fami-
lies Of manageable daughters would do well to ex-
anime.
The College scarcely seems identical with the in
my memory except in name. The Faculty is larger
and more gifted and efficient. AT the head is DIR.
Hopkins, whose pulpit eloquence has 50 often de-
lighted New.York audiences of late, enhancing
where others fail to engage the rowing eye and ear.
His form has not yet lost all her original brightness
though somewhat bent by care and years. How well
recall his commanding appearance in youth as
wrapped in cloak Of blue, one trowser perchance in
careless boot, he strobe abstractedly along to morn
ing prayers, revolving those thoughts which have
given him Immortality of famcl Study has
dimmcd his head and characterized his face with
lordly wrinkles eloquent of daily toll and nightly
vigil His method of instruction is modelled after that
of DIR. Griffin, and he informs the dry carcass Of
Senior Metaphysics as Pygmalion verified his statue.
Professors Tatlock, Griffin and Cox yet remain. The
venerable men have come down to us from former
ger Grafton.
the buildings the Chapel and West College alone
are original The former reminiscent of bitter winter
morning prayers by the dull lamp-ight just piercing
tbe gloom has changed it, hue to a nondescrpt yellow.
The latter is already in process of alteration and inn
movement. Could those old timbers speak, what
tales might they not tell But it is better that they
are dumb.
Lawrence Hall, erected by the munifence of the
Boston merchant whose name it bears, is recent
building containing the College Library and the slabs
from Nneveh. Its basement has rooms for the meet
incs of the Trustees pictures Of old classes, &c. Its
external architectural not remarkably happy, resem-
bling more than anything huge octagonal brick ink
stand with stopper
The situation of old East College twin OF West Col
leee destroyed by fire in 1884, is occupied by two con-
yenient buildings which will compare favorably in
outward appearance and internal accommodations
with any college buildings in this or any other country
I'm the rear of these is the Observatory, erected by
Prof A. Hopkins one of the oldest and best practical
astronomers in the country. The building OF stone,
and the Oldest of the kind in the Union, bearing the
same relation to America that the Tower OF Babel did
to the Chaldeans
The stream which ran so unsteady at the foot Of the
hill has been choked BY dam, and the refux is dig
pifed by the title of Lake Graylock-an ambitious
name for such singularly appearing body of water;
probably by the rule of contraries-lucus non
lucendo The grounds are at present disiigured by
abortive attempts at landscape gardening.
Directly upon the brow OF the hill the Society OF
Natural History propose the erection of building de-
voted to the objects contemplated by their consttu-
ton. They are assisted by a beneiacton from dis
tinguished gentleman of New-York. The plan Is not
prepossessng on paper, nor can ! discover any
fitness in the site that has been selected.
Another object of interest Is the Mission Park
SPOT sacred TO all the Christian world as the birth
place of that scheme of evangelzaton which has sent
its agents to every cline and every soil under heaven
AS this was the greatest moral enterprise OF that age
perhaps the Hoosac Tunnel is the greatest physical
undertaking of this The mountain looks sullen and
frowning enough to deter less bold spirit than that
of SsrrelI. who has taken the job. Workmen are ex-
cavating the external faces with pick and spade, the
old borer having been discarded II cost the inventor
a reputation and fortune. What abdominal dincuE
ties may be encountered is uncertain, but the enter
prise followed BY success and the drifts approach t
thin curtain of stone alone ineryenes between tne
towns with third Of c thousand feet overhead, the
man who breaks through the vail viii experience q
sensation that ought to make him century older
We live by "deeds, not years"
On future occasion propose giving your readers
some thoughts on college discipline and the course Oh
study at present as compared with that OF former
years its inferiorty and want of adaptation to the
spirit of our institutions. j. L. H.