New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-06-29
COMMENCEMENT mORALITIHs.

II is an unpleasant popularity Of the present period
that we think 30 much about thinking. The Presi
dent of a College, when he takes leave of little
flock Of JUS fedged Bachelors, tells them that they
must be sure 10 go on cultvating their minds; that
intellectual pngress alone is consistent with true hap
pness; that they must be faithful TO the Republic and
to themselves; that no wishes them abundant prosper
ty and grea deal oftasie The Bachelors then pack
up their goods aud go out for pilgrimage over the
hot sands Of this wilderness of world"
each one bearing a parchment certificate that
he has studied to the acceptance Of his Fac
uty for four years, Greek, Latin. Mathe-
mates, Naturil and Moral and Intellectual Phioso
ply, with other small side branches Of learning.
Many Of the young gentlemen thus dismissed are full
Of rather indefinite aspirations and poecal purposes.
Most Of them are Of ingenious spirit and mean to
be honorable industrious, and successful. They are
going out TO tie Battle of Le-for so they call t-and
propose to be good soldiers. There is immensely
Of preparaton-what shall we say Of the performance
There is something pathetic in the consideration that
80 many must fall and fail must die by the wayside,
must waste mind and lose heart in the strugge-so
many Of thee poor boys now starting with tho
morning light upon their unwrinkled brows! For of
all failures in this world of disappointment. there is
none sol melancholy that Of the intellectual man
missing the pnze of success through feebeness of will
or the peryerty of fate and suffering tenfod more
than wretches of less sensitive nature. But the
world moves On in its of business or of pleas
ure mindful for the most part only of its own affairs,
and thinking il does enough if it besows momenary
sigh upon the private tragedy of which every day
brings a new one. A newspaper, consecrated to the
practical hustle of affairs, can do no more.
We believe that we have read about ten thousand
sermons, addresses lectures, and speeches, be the
same more or less, upon "The Duties of the Scholar
in the Nineteenth Century" At any rate, we have
read more of them than We propose ever to read
again. The best of them are but respectable repe"
titions The Bachelor of Arts is to WOO solitude as
BRIDE lie is TO give his days and nights to high
philosophy. He is to BIO vrtuous lie Is TO be truth
full lie is to be patriotic. After hearing this he goes
awav he forgpts his Greek and Latin as soon pos
sible he opens brokers' office in Wall-st, or cotton
mill in Lowell; he practices law aud dScards his
yrtue he turns politician and has no use for it; he
breaches without il; or he becomes member OF Con-
gress, and finds "high philosophy" drug II he
ever talks about it again, it is only once year at
the Commencement dinner. OF purely professional
scholars we have hardly hundred in the whole land
and most of these are engaged in teaching-tho mill
horses if we may say so, of classical routine The
rest of the Bachelors arc doing something better
they are making money
Now. if the President of a College should say to
his departing pupils, "My young friends be sure and
make money :" what clamor would fill the Academic