Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-06-29
ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT AT ST.
MARYis COLLEGE,.

tVNheh hhuuai commencement. The eN
ercises began at 10 A. NJ, and consisted
of a Dialogue entitled, Favorite Studies.
lnterspersed with music. The stage wa,
very tasteiully ornamented with large Ameri
can flags and wreaths of eYergreens and
flowers festooned the pillars of the hall.
There were twelve speakers in all. After
few laughable Introductory remarks from
two OF three little chaps, deprecating the
harsh criticism of the audience on their
humble efforts Francis P. McManus deliy.
cred short speech on the Uses and Benefits
OIL Mathematics. He claimed for them that
they afforded to the student the best sort of
mental training-that they strengthened his
reasoning iaculties-and taught him to apply
to all questions the rules of logic and ratioci-
nation. On the whole, he made out yerv
strong case for his favorite study.
He was succeeded by Augustin Messick, a
bright little fellow, who argued warmly in
favor OF the Study of Languages. He main
tanned that knowledge of the principal
languages threw open to the scholar every
age and every country, with all their trea-
sures OF literary and scientific information.
A general acquaintance with Languages, SO
to speak, annlhiates Time; the Past becomes
the Fresent we are made contemporary
with all ages If we do not possess this
knowledge, we remain poor in the midst of
riches, ignorant in the midst of wisdom. and
blind amid surrounding light. He then, at
some length, gave his views on the nefiicacy
OF translations 10 convey to the mind of the
reader the full force and beauty of the origi-
nal. A translation of any work, he said
pears the same relation to the original that
the echo docs to the sound that produced it
-that the shadow does to the realty-that
the sketch does to the finished picture-that
the skeleton does to the living body.
Augustus H. Murphy next gave his views
on English Grammar His speech was very
humorous and elected much merriment. BY
the use of the most execrable English
throughout his own piece, he endeavored to
show his auditors the ridiculous light those
persons put themselves into, who murder
and mangle their mother tongue. He made
OF himself sort OF specimen grammatical
Helot, to warn others from an intemperate
use of bad English.
The Classics found in VIM S. Fox a sturdy
and able defender, The voice OF this Young
speaker is clear and distinct, and his gestures
were free and graceful. With practice he
may become very pleasing orator.
Augustus Elliot answered him and en-.
deavored to show the weakness of his areu.
ments. He compared the effort to become
an accomplished scholar by swallowing
Latin grounds and examining Greek roots
down the throat, to the endeavor of Sancho
Panza to learn to read by chewing the
twenty-four letters of his alphabet He said
classical knowledge was of no practical
utility, as it was seldom or never used in
after life. He likened it to a tadpole's tail
thing meant to bo dropped off as soon as
full growth was attained.
Cornelius Dougherty adduced some yerv
strong arguments in defence of the claims of
History on our attention.
He was followed by Hugh Pagan, who
advocated tue cause of Poetry The inau-
ence OF the poet, he said, was greater than
that of the historian. Though the latter
should possess all the qualities of good
writer, ho will yet be unable to produce as
vivid picture as the poet paints in few
lines, or one that will remain so permanent
in the minds of his readers. In proof of his
assertion he instanced Whittier's beautiful
poem of " Barbara Frietchie" The delive-
ry OF this finest gem of poetry yet evoked
by our late civil war, was received with
bursts of applause
Edward Finn next got off few comicali-
ties on the subject of geography, which
created much amusement He is yerv
promising young speaker,
But the orator who especially appealed to
the risible nerves, and who most frequently
obtained Tor his jokes the recognitory grin,
was WIN. r. Roddln, in his discourse on Novel
Reading He told, with evident gusto, a
romantic story which he had read in one of
our weeklies A lengthy TRADE against the
danger of reading novels, could not be as
effective preventive, as his burlesque and
uayesty on their sensational character.
He was interrupted several times in his
remarks by Edward r. Lee, who added
much TO the entertainment of the audience
by the pertness and humor of his sayings.
The theme "Idleness" was well managed
by John McMenamn. He wanted hard
work and study abolished as nuisances
The mind should be allowed to take care of
itself He did not object to exercise of the
hody, in cricket or base ball, but was rather
inclined TO consider such energetic pastlme
a bore. He preferred his afternoon siesta on
the grass, He was able to worry down his
pies and puddings without knowing what
names they had in Latin, and did not per
ceive the necessity of his stomach under |
standing Hebrew in order to relish cold
custard. He did not think that knowledge
of Chemistry would make mutton chops
slide down his throat more gracefully, or
that an acquaintance with history OF geogra-
ply would benefit his gizzard Besides
happiness was the end and aim of life, and
he felt perfectly satisfied that the dolce far
nients philosophy alone rendered happiness
attainable.
William Harrity, in an able discourse, an.
swered him; reiuted his arguments, and
proved the weakness of the position he had
taken. He then launched out into an elo.
quent eulogium on Industry" We regret
that we have not space to insert few of his
remarks
At the conclusion OF this intellectual treat,
the premiums to the number of nearly two
hundred, were distributed to those students
whose application and abilities rendered
them worthy of prizes.