New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-07-21
INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT Eel
TON

inauguration of Mr. c. c. FELTON, as President OF haf'
ya,d College took place on Thursday, at Cambridge.
The address of induction was delivered by Gov Banks.
The following is its opening passage:
"PRoFEssoR FELTos: The members OF the Corpo-
ration ard the Board of Oserseers OF Harvard College
are assembled on this ion for the purpose OF CON-
pleting by uoostentatous yet solemn ceremony, your
Induction 10 the Ocs of President 10 which you nave
been elected The service assigned to me Is to present
TO you, as eDsgps If yoUr Office aud authority, the
and KEYS Of the institution In performing ths
simple duty, need not commend to yon SIR, the i'm
portant educational interests committed TO yonr
charge az the head of this ancient University No one
can better understand lis rel,ton to pup', the pe?-
pie and the Stale. More than thirty years passed,
with slight int. rrupons within The immediate circle
of its Influence as student aumDus, tutor professor
in different d, partmens, enriched as that period ha,
been by experience of foreign travel, with special
eye to yoir duties and devotion to the gen-
eral educational interests Of the State caano: fail 10
have given Won full appreciation Of tbs dignity VI
the Office, or the important influence which visa,
Just and firm administration OF lspowers can impa't
10 the cause of education throughout the and ls has
only absorbed the cares of the greater part OF your
lfe but It has become by force OF habit az u were,
pant of your estate. For the first me, the University
may be said to hare educated and far IA that result
c, be achieved by outward opportunities aud iufiu'
ence, il has watched the gro eth ana fashoned the
character OF It's presiding officer. An unhes''aaag
election by the Corporations the unanimous eonlrd-
a, prov Of the Faculty aud Alunn the undss SIN ,ieo
satisfaction Of the undergraduates the HnreServed con-
dence inspired in scholars a1d intelligent men every
where ali Of whom are properly represented ~ tnis
assembly assure us that the President il has creaed s
equal 10 his commission, and will faithfully discharge
its duties Like one who rises from the ranks to The
head of An army, who will possess, IN the confidence
of your associates End the public, power when a
more eventtul lie s higher attainments even might
fail TO confer"
The Keys having leen formally presented, President
FELTON, made short reply. Then followed the Ad-
dress 10 the Alumni by the Rev. Dr. Osgood, the ex-
ercses of the Alumni day aud of the Inauguration be-
ing joined At the conclusion of this, President Eel
ton de vered his Inaugural Grafton. Some extracts
are given below:
FRIEsns AND FELLOW. STUDENTS: have accepted
the office of President of this ancient Uhiversity, nos
ignorant of ia labOrs nor inexperienced ID us anXle-
tss. The men who have preceded me-the ilnsirious
Dc ad who T, st in yonder church yard or undor the
peaceful shades of Mount Auburn-the eminent and
beloved among the living, who, having retired from
this scene of duty adorD by their inspiring presence
this day-bave established stal dard OF official labor
and responsibility, which may wei give pause to
any man called TO succeed them. dare not con
pare mys-lf with them. The Hon. President,
Mr.. Quincy, who offered me the hrst appoint
ment ever held in the University, thrty.one years
ago. still lives in frosty but kindly age, aud year
year after hor ors with his welcome couneaance and
cor the bright, consummae flower Of American schol-
arsbip and eoquence in the rich maturity Of his spen-
did genius, sts for the day from his public toi' the
eminent His oran, with whose faithful researches and
mastery work the name and fame of Washington arc
ino soiubly connected cheers with his benignant
kipdpe,s my Immediate pre- ecess0r toe clear aud pro-
found thinker-the philosopher and dvine-,he un-
rvsled master of sacred eloquence who 80 lately held
This and bore these carescomcs to witness The
ceremonies CT the day. happy doubt that he is re-
lease from the burden of Office which he crowned
with 60 much success and dignity. They have, one
ard ALL left their footprints in these academic retreats,
which gray God may be able 10 follow, though II
n u.t needs be with unequal sters.
On this oc .asIon you will not expect from me any
elaborate discussion Of theories of education appear
before You to-day with no new views 10 oiler. 1 AN
not new man here-I am the oldest inhabitant. l
believe Dot one, holding Office IN any department of
the University, when returned after an absence OF
two years, is now III active academca duty. In the
immediate government oft College, my associates are
with few exceptions, men who have been my pupils
without exception, men to whom have been attached
by the ties Of friendship which has never been inter
rnpted by passing cloud Had my PERSONAL wishes
been graled should have been left 10 the eutivat
OF Grecan letters and the stades OF the Proeseorsp
in which i have passed 30 many happy years
When St. Be Sill having long resided in the society
OF The students and philosophers OF Athens,
was called by the du les OF life 10 leave those
classic scenes he departed with lamentations aud teafs
More fortunate than 1T Basil, 1 am permitted 10 re-
main. | sha not desert the Academic Grove. The
voices of the Bema and the Dlonysiac Tneater still
r pg In my ears with all their enchsI tments Homer,
Escbylus, Sophoeles Plato, Aristotle, Demosheues-
| shall not port company with you yet. Ilecyn and
Parnassus. which my feet have trodden literally as
" ell a. fguravely are conseoraed names. Hymettus
still Yields bis honed stores, and the Cephshs aud
Illissus sui muImur with the throngpg memories OF
the past. resign my former duties to younger and
vigorous hands, but my excellent friend aud sue
cessor, know, will allow me TO haunt his lecture
rocm even 70 that period of life when shall be like
The chorus in the Agsmemnon, who,
When hoaiy Ed 10 sere and yellow Leaf,
Nor stronger than feeble child,
Wsnders-s vision in the light Of day.
Brethren we stand here 10 day az the representa-
ives of the oldest University of the American con-
inent. Our Pilgrim ancestors brought VITA them from
Oxford and Cambridge the Epgsh scholarship OF their
ige. They among the best educated men OF heir
were among the nobest men of any time.
If their mores ever cease TO DO honoied here; II,
among the changes that advancing years are always
ak;Dg in the opinions and works OF men, the names
If the Puritan Fathers shall be scorned forgot
en- here the smiles Of Heaven shal no longer rest upon
ls and these far structures now crowded wh studlous
Oub and vsted by the light OF oneXampled prosper-
~ shall crumbe to the eaIth blghted with the
i God John Harvard, whose honored name the in-
tituton bears, was Cambridge man; and the name
# the place, Newtown, was early changed 10 Can.
ridge an,abrgia Nov. ADglorum- Cambridge Of
be New-EngsLmen. Harvard College became the
corporate designation, and the University at Cam
ridge its descriptive synonym.
The State animated by the spirit of the fathers cher
-hed the College, sometimes by annual appropriations,
nd sometimes by special benefacons but by far the
anger part of it's means in activity in all its de-
aItInens have come from private soufees-ia great
from thoEgenorous citizens OF Boston, whose
ames will be identified with the progress of learning
ere. To the College proper have been successiyely
dded the Divinity School, the Law School, the Med
al School, the Botanical Garden the Observatory and
asst but not least, the Museum Of NatuTal History,
uilt by private lbeiality and enlightened munitcenco
+ the Common wealth. The College, Harvard Col
sge the germDal institution giving It's corporate
0 the whoe-and these otner Institutions grouped
round L. make collectively the UniYersitY.