The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-21
THE ALUMNI OF HARVARD coILEGE-ADDREss
OF LORD NAPIER, THE BRITISH MINISTER,

The Alumni Association of Harvard College hao
their triennia festival at Cambridge Massachusetts,
on Thursday last. The banquet attended by a
large number Of distinguished gentlemen, including
Hon. Edward Everett Lord Napier, Chancellor Fer
ris, of New York, &c. Lord Napier was introduced
by Hon. Robert c. Winthrop "thc honored rep
resentative of Queen Victoria, whose life and her
fulRlment of every high duty had gained her the
love and respect of all true hearts" He compliment
ed Lord Napier, and made humorous allusion to
his ancestor, the inventor of logarithms The band
played ''God Save the Queen" and the audience
rose and received Lord Napier with immense cheer
ing, when he spoke as follows
Mr. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN ! might be justified in
pleading you the of little accustomed to
express his sentiments in public assemblies for have
rarely venued beyond the circle of diplomatic service,
and diplomacy is silent work The inability under
which should labor on all occasions is peculiarly appar
ent with now when am invited, as the minister OF
England to stand before audience which mbodies the
intelligence and science OF America and To cast down my
feeble rod in presence OF the great magician of Msachu
setts Great applause Gentlemen, old Cambridge, in
England might have sent to young Cambridge, in Ameri
ca authorized representative than myself am
furnished with credentials from the courts of learning
and in those courts have passed the most agreeable
period of my life and if had been faithful instead of
a vagnnt son, could not bear wear warmer aicc-
ent and patient Of ncglects Gentlemen, in conse
quence of this connexion howsoevcr slight am enabled
10 revive the recoections OF Trinity in the halls of Hair
yar and to express the satisfaction which experience
in being presented to this society," which is dgnifcd by
the pen of Prescott the voice of Everett, by the
of Longfellow and the Incompatible pencil OF an
Allston Gentlemen, while contemplate this new Cam
bridge fancy there is youthful charm In the affinity OF
old familiar names.
These names cry aloud from the ground and remind
us of the duties and claims of kindred blood and gladly
stand in this hall beneath the portraits of men whose
lives the basis and whose example, is the e-bood
of national greatness and1 feel what deep resemblance
and close affinity there is between respective universe
ties and that the chief distinction is that of age The
president has spoken of the university of America as
old institution the A har OF this Cambridge will
cuse when say that regard couple of centuries
light matter in the life of woman. Great applause and
laughter And feel certain she will forgive me when
her with the most distinguished consideration that
she is still young. Laughter Gentlemen, the figure
of our great academy appears to me magnificent and
stately not careless Of her useful calling, of the oblga
tions which the glorious past imposes the present but
pointing GLADLY to her accumulated monuments OF piey
and learning and taste graced with the rich inheritance OF
time brought from beyond the graced also with the
bcnefaetons of her children and with the recent
wards of independent cxerton she woes the present in
the likeness of youth and hope and bends her ardent
gaze upon the anticipated plans of the future.
Gentlemen il is not necessary that l. after what we
have heard to day should plead the value of collegiate
institutions. offer my wanest aspirations that yon
may long preserve and carefully strengthen those ns
buttons. 6Du know best how much they contribute to
cxal and discipline the mind. You know what high
uations they excite, what durable friendships they
sodate what pleasures for after recollection they gather
in To the careless student or to the remote outside OBJ
server, collegiate duties may sometimes appear yoke
burden but to the great family of university
whom have the honor TO address, 20 those who have
long since left the academy for the senate the bar for
the pulpit the mart Of trade for the deck the
c,nphow priceless are the recolections Of the walks
of the common library and the common chapel and the
common tablet
Gentlemen, / deeply sensible of the common
dation which the honorable chairman has bestowed upon
the discovery Of my ancestor in the mathematical line
Ilatghtcrl discoveries that not associated exclusive
y with agreeable recoecons and also for the common
datons which he has bestowed upon the Inferior but not
contemplate, services which different members of my
family have been enabled to yield in the Of letters
or that of arms lApplausc.l
Gentlemen, we cannot discard and may not despise
the associations of relationship My lived in the
border time of fable when numbers were stil ensayed
by belief in nccromancy, and the victims of super
stition is strange, after the lapse of three hundred
years. that the vgils of rccluse, who familiar with
the mysteries of figures and Of science should notwh
standing the great Chinese advancement, be recommen
daton Of his poscrity to the good will and favor of
American college. Great laughter.
Now, gentlemen allow to give you another in
stance of the estimation in which the inventor of loga
rithms has been held in the United States On late
casion had the honor to visit Mr. Csts and with him
to inspect the relics of Washington at Mount Vernon
The first object he exhibited old engraving, which
he said had hung for great length of time in the private
apartment of the President, which he supposed must
have connexion with my You may conceive
with what surprise and qualification found it por
trait of the inventor of logahms Great laughter and
applause shall not lie accused of presumption If
present to the library Of this university copy of the life
of that man. accompanied by very difficult analysis Of
his works. which has been published by relative of mine
Mr. Mark Napier, and which unites the exactness of
mathematician with the forvor of descendant. Zap
pla,isc.
Gentlemen, the Nattering and agreeable reception
which have received to-day is but continuation of
universal welcome which have everywhere met in the
United States. recognise in this general kindness not
only that hospitality which in this country is always be-
slowed, and before it is deserved but also manifesto
ton Of that love of England which is kndlod In the
of the American heart and which is always burst
ing forth in act of courtesy and assistance In what
has been stated to-day also recognised manifestation
respectful her Majesty the Queen for that ancient
which is so gently and wisely by her. Immense
applause with cheers lam also gratifed to observe that
the thoughtful interest and benevolent labor which the
Prince has bestowed upon the interests of indus
try, of education and of the arts has not escaped the
knowledge and the admiration of the people of the Uni
ted States. GApplausc
The honorable president has also had the goodness to
wish agreeable residence and prosperous admins
tation in my official duties in the United States need
not tell you that add the wamcst aspiration to his
of those who believe that the coriaty OF orr
social aud literary relations will very he fully reject
cd in the correspondence of country Appause Since
the close OF the hcstties between England and America
little animosities which various occasions have sprung
up have been all successfully settled with the exception
Of one minute difference which at this moment
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