The Oxford falcon. [volume] (Oxford, Miss.) 1865-18??, 1866-08-09


even tnan this. for in the scenes Of
that eventful interval, in which all Of
you we're participants to greaterOr
less extent, much that you had pre-
v;Ously acquired was lost sight of and
forgotten. Those to whom has been
cOnRded the management Of the uni-
versity, both TruFtees and Faculty,
approaching your peculiar disadvan-
tages, and earnestly desiring 70 assist
you in veIcOmiDg them asfatas prac.
ticabIe. without changing the estab-,
lishsd curriculum of study, or intend
ing to lower the standard of scholar
ship. endeavored TO provide special
means of instruction adapted to the ex-
igsncy, and Of which yOu have he'd the
benefit. But forget not for q moment
that the extent to which YOU will be
pro6ted by these meaHs, if not depend
ing entirely, certainly does for the
most part upon yourselves. Property
may be inherited, or obtained as the
result Of the labor Of others, but
knowledge can only be acquired by the
personal effort of him who would
possess 1t. : - @yrs
There is nothing, perhaps, of which
youth are so freq uently reminded as
of the value of time, and yet nothing
Of which notwithstanding these admo-
nitions, they continue to be so prodi-
gal. To all of you the proper inn
provement of time is important. not
only as determining your reputation
and relative status as students here,
but as iOreshadowing and shaping your
future career but to those Of you
who have attained an age when under
ordinary circumstances you would
have completed your college course,
but who, by the untoward events allu-
ded to, now fad yourselves far in the
background, the value Of time is be-
yond all computation. To cheer aud
stimulate you to its diligent improve.
ment. / might refer you to tcores Of
instances of those much further ad-
vanced in years than yourselves, and
labOring under far greater disadvanta-
ges who yet by an invincible energy
of purpose, sVrmounted all obstacles
and stand out0in history as the senti
nels of progress to mark the path
, way of successive generations. But
TO these men, hours and minutes were
the golden atoms Of Immortality that
! were gathered up and boarded With
more then a miser's care. If you de.
sire to attain their eminence, you have
but to emulate their example. and t.
adopt as your motto with reference tC
| these precious. AeetiDg hours, that sig
nihcant and solemn admonition which
is inscribed upon the diaI-plate at one
, Of the leading universities of the Ole
= World-"Peyiatnt ct insputantur ~
: The fable Of the tortoise and ID,
hare is intended to teach the value O
perseverance. and you may lest assur
ed, my young friends, that success il
. life depends infinitely more upon ex
: traordinary application than upon ex
: traordinary gifts. Be not discoura GET
! by difficulties that present themselve
4 in your path, however formidable the
may appear, for it will generally b
found that they are magnified by you
! spptsheusious, as the fgsge-oE object
y are distorted when SEEN through
} mist aud you have but to 60 resolute
ly forward TO fGd that they will van
: ISL or recsde as you approach. VIII
= has not been impressed with hi
= thought 10 journeying through noun
!" famous district, aud especially by rail
way? Hills mount on hills, and Oil
y cling ridges begirt the horizon. seem
: ing to prec ude the possibility Of fur
- Their advance, but still the fiery course
moves on drawing after him his poi
. derous train, like the involutions
7, some colossal serpent.-now wiudin
- through some narrow defile.-now di
- appearing In the darkness of som
% yawning tunncl-then emt rgiug agai
Il into the light Of day, and pautiDg u
n some steep ascent; the panorami
If meanwhile, ever changing like Il
10 shifting figures OF huge KALEIDOSCOPE
=, the vaLquisLed genii of the moul
al tain still recediug and leaving one a
IN ter another of Tie entrances to the
70 strOng-ho.ds ungusrded, until at lengr
the sumnit-point is gained. and Il
o triumphal car of conqueriDg scienc,
lv goes laundering on it's swift descel
:. into smiling wales and, fertile feel
IS, beyond
in But above aud beyond all temper
on ~ success or Intellectual triumphs u
r. may achieve here or elsewhere, let i
f. tegrity of character be priced as t
he pole star Of your destiny. This, it
is true. will afford you no exempt,
n. from the poisonous tongue Of defam
q. ton, for as that mighty wizard b
,e taught us, who, with almost the tour
Of Of Inspiration, has revealed the d
,Ie pravity as well as illustrated the d
en- nifty ADD glory Of man.
"a. BE thon chaste as ice, as pure as snow
Thou shalt not escape caiumny."
90 And as there ever have been, so the
nd ever will be, envious and mahgna
nd natures who, without necessarily bel
aft corrupt themselves, have yet We
ith imperfect appreciation Of the value
character, and recklessiy assail t
II character of others without knowing