Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-08-06

'N''iS1 uiu bhO cAIciichoo VI othoi puphNo'
We come to our liberty, born to it, because
Others have died for it, No statesman has
planned, no warrior fought, no martyr
died without minglng his influence in
that large measure of sustained order which
is to us bcnignant as Summer, familiar
as dawn. SO of the Machinery Of Life, and
the contricaaces Of comfort. We have come
by gradual stages to the tramp of the engine
and the flash of the wire. The clang of the
Cotton Mill tells ola determined, ever-ad-
vancing civilization, unfolding for ages. How
much genius is absorbed in it ! Who shall
measure the silent study, the minute calcula-
ton of forces, the persistent trials, the improve
ments of rare moments of elevated thought
and invention, which have contributed to it
Whole cycles of discovery are condensed into
every fabric we wear. The only invention
now needed is a machine which shall think.
The same law obtains in the Speculative
progress Of the World. The present state of
Literature is the fruit of slow advances,
through Poetry, Eloquencc, Philosophy,
Science and History; and the progress of the
Fine Ats keeps pace with that of Literature.
Even Historic and Authentic Christianity is
not exempt from this law, Christianity is
indeed vital and simple as at first but it
comes to us in majesty through the past
in contrast with ethicsand systems that have
crumblcd and vanished ,-interwrought with
philanthropic and holy memories, and with
the domain of its influence made more wide
and high.
Thus we enter 20 that which the labor of
f millions has accumulated The wrcstle of
races, the travail-throcs of continents, the
course of dynasties, have wrought it for us.
We cannot attempt to give our readers even
avery faint idea of the nnumerable particulars,
instances of the results of research inventions,
[ developments Of character, products, forces,
, achievements, with W hich the orator illus
trated his subject as he went along. 1t was
, n strong full current of information and
5 illustration which carried all his hearers
along with him and held them interested and
{ attentive to the close.
Q The conclusion was that we each of us
have our place in the series of efforts, as we
have in the succession of benefits that the
normal attainment is not the realization OF
t any past epoch, that the man of the age
0 must be Christian Cosmopohtc, equally
, removed from the false conservatism which
rejects every thing new land the foolish scolism
9 which dccrics the old, and takes whatever is
new because it is new, not because it is good
equally removed from Romanism and Rut
landism. Between these there is a platform
l on which we may dwell
I And final success is certain As age re-
peats itself on age, and ever is ennobled
4 there shall be shaken out the principles of
evil and gathered in higher forms the prin-
ciples of virtue We have personal duty
t intent, unwearied, consecratc, knowing no
1 rule but equity, and making our lives the
seeds of the millenial glories to come.
, Our notice of the grafton of Rev. DR.. Storrs
before the Literary Societies would be in
, complete without an expression of our admir-
t alton of the strength and clearness of thought
affluence of language and grace..and power OF
, delivery, which characterized it. We hope
it will be printed. 1t occupied about two
hours in the delivery ana was listened to with
delight by full audience.
, After the close of DR.. Storrs' Grafton, the
ovoiv'ic' iIoil thoir customary joint meeting
for the election of orator and poet Tor the
election of orator and poet for the next ccle-
bration, as follows. For ORATOR, WENDELL
PHILLIPS, Boston; SUBSTITUTE, Rev. GEO. w
f HIcKoK, ID. D., Buffalo, NJ. Y.
PoET, WIN. ALLEN BUTLER, New York City
SUBSTITUTE, Rev. c. L. GooDELL, Calais, Vt.
CELEBRATION OF THE ASSOCIATED ALUMNI.
The Society of Associated Alumni held
their biennial celebration on Tuesday
afternoon. Judge ROBERT S. HALE, Of
Elizabethtown n. Y, presided upon the stage.
The opening prayer was made by Rev. c. C.
PARKER of Waterbury, followed, after music,
, by an Grafton by Rev. E. CUTLER of Worcester
Mass. Mr.. Cutters subject was The relations
OF genius and common sense. Common sense
the speaker defined to be the spontaneous
agreement and sympathy of the individual
; with the mind of the age while genius is
that dynamic force,-thc necessary
complement of common sense-which
adds to the general stock of power by new
r'ers. The one represents the general level
Of the age, the other indicates the elevation
of one age from another. The successive
gradations Of genius mark the steps of the
: race in its progress, while common sense fol-
lows genius, only, and always,an age behind
it. The one illustrates the principle of per-
petual progress which governs the world
the other the necessary limitations of that
progress. Common sense thus acts as the
brake on the wheel of genius, and the best
ages are those in which the two are equally
balanced. The speaker did not seem to class
the present age among the best ages, Young
America now sets down all opposition to its
progress as sold fogysm,'' and true conser-
vatism is a mark Of disgrace. But what,
asked the orator, has this age done, outside
OF tho mechanic arts ST. much greater or
better than former ages? lie knew of no.
thing achieved hy it in the shape of intel
lectual and moral improvement. which
throws the past into IA very deep shadow
and thought that it therefore becomes the
present to reprcss somewhat its sclf-compla-
cency. But the movement of the race,