Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-08-14

commencement at Amherst.
The exercises of Commencement were opened
on Sunday, the 9th inst, by the baccalaureate
sermon, by President Stearns, before the senior
class His subject was "Chrlst in the PROBES.
sions." The address was earnest truthful, and
PRACTICAL and surpassed, in the opinion of all who
heard him, the address of last year. The prize
defamation was on Monday evening, August 10Th.
Prizes are offered by Mr.. Sweetser of New York,
through the college, for excellence in declama.
tion--two for the freshmen and two for the sopho,
more class. Five competitors from each class
we're selected, by the faculty, from those who pre-
sented themselves as candidates, after regular
hearing This choice the faculty have seen hit
to reserve to themselves, in order TO prevent the
disturbing operation Of cliques and societies. in
case of election by the class, as has heretofore
been the custom.
: Prize speaking is one of the most popular Of
the exercises Of the week, for the reason, that,
while all the orations, ETC., both of the dis
tinguished speakers from abroad and OF the
college appointees, are original, the competitors
on this occasion, select pieces from the masters
of prose or verse, thus affoiding relief and
they are moreover, well drilled in their elocu-
ton, and have all the advantages of dramatic
effect.
The speaking was this year very credltable to
| the classes Represented. The decision was re-
ceved by the audience with general dissatisfac-
ton as TO some Of the awards. Especially, the
| selection of pieces, by the appontees, from the
| sophomore class, was made in excellent good
4 taste. and the result was felicitous. The great
consideration in such selection is the adaptedness
of The speaker to his subject. The best speak
ers Of the evening would have made but an in
different appearance in other parts. One must
| be somewhat Websterian to speak Websters ora.
tons. The bold, splendid defamation and noble
scorn of Massachusetts to Virginia" requires a
CORRESPONDENCE bold and noble mein, voice, and
gesture while "The Bells" need only the pure,
clear, and ringing tone. Many speakers have
strongly marked peculiarites of speech and man.
ner Now, unless these harmonic with the SEN
tment and tenor of the piece declaimed, they will
| be offensive, and the ear will al once detect the
peculiarites, as not according with tit represen
tation. The programme was as iollows;--
ERRsBMEN.
l. eupposed speech Of John Adams, from Webster. r.
BY Nathan A. Knapp, Brooklyn, N Y.
2. Liberty and Union, from Webster by M. M. ira
8. Last Dsys Of Herculaneum, from AtherstOne.-By
| Edward o. ahephard, Nashua, N. n.
Parhasins. from N. P. whisky Lsyerett 3
| origgs. Bristol Com.
The Moors Revenge, from Enthusiastically Heur,
NJ. Holmes, West Northwood, H.
soPHoMoREs
9. 5ugurha In Prison, from Rev @. Wolfe. By Da
! | via Beatie Geneva, N. Y.
The Bells, rom Edgar A. Poe. BY w. johnson
Putnam, Hopkinton, Mass.
The Maniac, Anon. BY SANFORD Waters Billings
sharon, Mass.
Massachusetts to Virginia, from John g. Whittier
Bv Thos. NJ Boss, New London Conn.
10 Hohpur. from shskspeAre's Krg Henry tn
Fourth. By Luther Kesne, Jr, Atkinson. Me.
The first prize, for the Freshman class, wa
awarded TO Bdw. o. Shepard second to l. S
Griggs. First prize for the Sophomore class u
s. w. Billings; second to L. keene, jr.
Parrhasus is the most difficult piece Of poetry
for recitation. which we have ever heard an,
here, as usual. the iu.t effect was not given. Tn
unconnected ordinations OF the painter, Will
he continues 10 make the form Of the Boun'
Promotheus" writhe in anguish on the canvass
are strung together into speech which is rattle'
of to the poor wretch on the rack, the brush |