Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-08-17
[Reported for the Free Press.1
MIDDEERURV COMMENCE ,.ENT.

Whcl was delivered by IIOl. = W DOAhDAAN'-
His text was "W hatsoeyer thou fndest to do, do
It with thy might" lie urged in the disc urse
the Importance Of selecting congenial call
ing and tie duty OF lea ling earnest life.
THs SOCIETY CELEBRATIONS.
The Philomat esian society held their anniyer-
sar, MEETING in the forenoon Of Tuesday. The
grafton by c. W Fowler, President of the Law
school at Poughkeepsie, n. Y, aroused a good
deal Of enthusiasm among those who enjoy good
speaking He spoke OF the Versatility Of Amer
ican Uratory" showing that in American 0 atory
are blended the two essential elements Of effective
speaking-reason AMI passion. lie mentioned Otis
ami Henry, ebster and Clay, embodying the
true idea OF eloquence.
In the afternoon the PLiladelphian ociety eel
ebratcd their anniversary. After "Music by the
Choir" and Prayer offered by Ex Prof Board
man. the Society listened to the Rev. Henry
WILKES. D. D., Of Montreal lie announced as
his theme the "irrepressible conflict" not that
between the North and South but the ''confIct Of
Ages" lie thought it was proper upon such on
occasion to take a survey Of the moral and relig-
GUS world From the outlook to which he
conducted the audience, Pig4aisa. was first seeD,
feeble and worn with age, 'the death rattle in its
taroat. hardly capable Of iefence, much less Of
aggression Uh1medanisa was next seer, ,holdins
TO but one truth, 'thcre is one God Again
was seen the Roman Church, not efete like
Pagaui,n but living and vigorous Its Priest
hood take advantage Of every opportunity, and
are ready for every place aud time. From the ex-
IRENE Of credulity, again, has sprung the extreme
Of Iafdehv. Iufdclity Of the present day numb
ers among its supporters many amiable and
talented men. Again are seen from the outlook
forms less prominent than these which have
b cen considered. Among these the various
forms Of ofdishonesty and petty oppression and the
common wroa Is that spring from selGshness.
Toueet these forms of error VIC must engage in
the "IrrcpressibIe Conflict We must not shrink
from responsibility; but use the truths ofthe
Gospel with ..earacstness. courage and hope"
The object Of this Conflict we cannot fully know;
yet .Development Of Character is an important
end attained True soldierly qualities. can only
be gained in the fed.
The evening WIS devoted to the
PARKER.Ay PRIZE EXHIBITION.
There was grel, interest manifested in his Ex-
hIbition. and many Of those who wished to hear,
could get neither sitting nor standing place. The
pieces were Follows
FRESHMEN.
l. The ancient Enthusiastically
c. d. Noble, Mddlebury.
,. The BeIs.-E. a. Poe
Harrison Prindie Arlington.
3. The Bavou.-E. A. Poe.
Albert r. Slbin, Saztou's River.
). Oroheus and Eurydice j. i.>axe.
Z 4. -turdeven- Weyb-itge
SOPHOMORES.
3. Settlement os New EngIani.-Webs
Hugh G. Campbell Putncy.
G. Plea Of Sergeant Buz'uz.-Charles Dickens
John K. Converse, P.ut0n.
:. Defense Of Grceuleaf-G. :. Hillard
Henry A. Eaton, Granville.
s. The Death OF Hamil,on.-Dr. Mott.
Charles c. Harris, W. BrattleboIo
JUNIORS.
o. The Practical Element in American Eife.
Nathan Hau, Westminster.
ia Political Poem.
E. Hibbari Phelps Orwell.
II Thistles.
James Z. Pierce, West Townshend.
ID Our National Literature.
John b Young, Duane, N Y.
The prizes we're awarded respectively to Messrs
.Jin and s,urlcyaut eff theF reshman class Con
verse and Eaton Of the Sophomore, and Young
ani Pierce of the Junior class
The Plea of Sergeant Buzfuz' was delivered
with unusual distinetness and effect. The genius
of Dickens was as usual pre-ominent.
The selection from John g. SAKE, although per-
haps more domonstratiye than SAKE would have
made it, was certainly Saxy. There was but one
voice as to the Justice Of awarding the prizes to
these selections.
In the selections from Poe there was the una
yoidable fault Of the wln; of adaptation Of the
selection, to the genius Of the speaker; for who
can reoite from Poe, without unnatural excess oil
action and leaning towards "dramady.' Yet
.crbe Raven" was appreciated by the speaker and
worthy Of the prize. The "Defense of Greenleaf'
was spoken with an carnestness we'll beftting the
character Of the composition. The original pro-
ductionz Of the Junior Glass were worthy Of the
time and place.
CoMMENCENENT DAY.
Today wednesday, there has been the usua
procession, marching to the music Of 'Dodworthsl 81
Band" and now the members of the Graduating
Glass are speaking. It Is hard work with the
thermometer at 50 : outside Of the church, ard
an air inside quite beyond the range of the t. or
mom eter The crowd show their appreciation Of
the speaking by the quiet attention they give,and
render themselves comfortable by tho palpitation
of several hundred fans The Poem by E. B .Sher
man, of Brandon, has excited some sensation and
is a success. The whole schedule is as follows;
COMMENCEMENT.
Wednesday,, tug. $.
Arranged alphabetically, except the appointments.
PRAYER.
MUSIC
81. Oratio salutatoria,-
II. F Walker, Pittsford.
?. Grafton. The Love of Office,
D. Il. Adams, South Royalto1.
3. Olation. Success dependent on ExertiOn,
l. Literary squisition.-Plagiarisms Of the
British Poets J. Q. Dickinson. Benson.
uUSIC.
). 0ratiou.-Happiness the reflex of Energy,
". S. Green, Sheldon.
6. 0ration.-Ancient Cities,
c. NJ. Hollis, Randolph, Mass.
:. Grafton The Coalition Ministry Of l7s3,
S, L. Miner, Castleton.
IS. Poem.-Common Sense,
Z. D. Sherman, Brandon
MUSIC.
9. oration.-Jhe Rise of Freedom in Italy,
F.Montgomery, Walden.
10. Oration.-The Enthusiasm Of American Char
acter,
j. C. O. Redington, 0gdensburgh, N. Y.
| IL. Oration.-Genius and Poverty,
Geo. Richardson. Spring Grove, Iowa
| *l2. Historical Grafton Gold,
Ii. 2. Higley, Castleton.
MUSIC.
| AFTERNOON.
! l3. Grafton Tho Progress of the Nineteenth