The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-06-22
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.
commencement Exercises OF wash
fngton College.
LEXINGTON, VA, June 10, 1867.

,r Immense crowd assembled 10 night TO
,ear the address OF Rev DIR. w - Fiurner
before the society of Alumni OF washington
goliege There was n large turnout OF the
ammni who entered the church IN procession,
nreceaed by the Armory Band AFTER prayer
XIV Rev Mr. whisner, Methodist pastor in
Lexington, General Echois introduced Dr
PInmer. whom he was proud to recognize as
an alumnus.
q" n~ Piumer announced as his theme "The
S,nav Of the Ancient Classics and proceeded
=, once 20 discuss IL In an address OF great
newer. a bare outline Of which may be given.
The great object OF education Is not so much
10 store the mind as TO discipline IL, and there
is therefore no force in the objection often
urged 10 the classics that none but PROBES
sional men need them. The study of the clas.
sizes should not be begun too soon-certainly
they should not be pushed 10 the neglect OF
our mother tongue, The study OF Language
will not give a boy brdias. You can't make
nightingale out OF a Jay bird, nor an Arabian
conrseT ont of A shetland pony. liza boy has
not brains il is \ waste of time for him TO At.
tempt to study the classics. Nor does the
study of language make man good. You
may educate man till he knows like flend
and has the heart of n demon. Education is n
curse unless At the same time yon educate the
heart. II is not the object OF the study OF an.
Cient languages 10 give man stock OF big
words. Dr. Rush opposed the study OF the
ancient languages, and used the powerful
weapons OF his satire against this perrerson
of them He told the story of the old woman
who got very happy, and shouted at church,
and who, when asked the cause of her JOY, re.
piled that she was delighted at 90 those blessed
words Phrygia, Pamphylia, and Mesopota-
mia - and of a doctor who COMPOUNDED and
alarmed his patient by the use of Latin jargon
10 describe the d sease and remedy.
There is no natural hostility between the an
cient and modern languages but, on the con-
trary they should go hand in hand rs helpers
TO each other. He would not disparage the
study of the sciences, but At the same time he
lie had reiOiccd 10 learn that the honored pre-
sident and all of the professors OF Washington
College consider the thorough study of ancient
languages and mathematics IN essential foun-
ia lion 10 a good education. Modern civilZa-
ton has never advanced without the aid OF the
dead languages. BY a knowledge of them,
Luther and his co-workers greatly promoted
the reformation.
The speaker here cited various authorities TO
prove the value of the ancient classics, and
spoke OF great men whose greatness was large.
" enhanced by a dilgent study OF the classics.
Robert Hall, one Of the brightest lights of his
age, had made some progress in Latin and
Greek at the early age OF twelve, and after
wards became one of the ripest scholars of his
own or any age.
The distinguished gentleman then passed 10
commend Hebrew 10 the study Of the youth OF
the land, speaking earnestly and eloquently OF
the antiquity and beauty of its literature, en-
bracing history, biography, law, poetry, phi
losophy, ethics, &C., such rs is nowhere else TO
b. found.
He commended Greek as so complete 4 Ian
guage that no other has ever rivallcd ii, and
expressed wonder that all subsequent IAN
guages were not merged into the Greek. The
speaker illustrated and enforced his position
with considerable earneStness and ability, and
said, in conclusion 4" The day on which Greek
is banished from our colleges we had as well
go into liquidation
He then spoke of Latin rs the rival of Greek
for eloquence poetry, and philosophy, and
illustrated this position Al some length. he
gave as appropriate 10 the times translation
from Iivy, where the herald proclaimed 10 a
conquered people, bowed down at their mis-
fortunes 1.-The Roman Senate ordains that
this people shall be free, be governed by their
own laws, and be free from all taxes
The speaker alluded TO the enthusiasm with
which our fathers used 10 study the classics,
and expressed the hope that there was re.
viyal OF interest in this respect There is no
danger that we should know too much of the
classics, and we must guard against permit
ting our knowledge 10 be- perverted.
The speaker then gave 4 very interesting
sketch OF the origin and history of Washing
ION College, interspersing il with notices of its
former Faculty, which your correspondent re-
grets not having space tc give.
Quoting the remark, "The true heraldry
of colleges are their sons, the speaker then
spoke in glowing terms of the great names
among the alumni of Washington College ::
Archibald Stewart. Judge Roane, John Hail.
Alexander Stuart, General Brown, Hon. John
COalter, James Pricsty, Daniel Blain, Moses
HOge, ID. H., ArcnlDdiu AleNdNutT, ~ H.,
John Holt Rice, Major John Alexander, Colo
mel James Mcdowell and 4 host of others,
who have filled places of honor and gone to
their rewards, are among the illustriouS
alumni of Washington College.
The speaker would not allude 10 the living,
TO many of whom he owed 4 debt OF graft
tude he could never pay.
Abiding to the perilous times in which we
live, the venerable orator closed with IN earn
est appeal 10 his brethren of the alumni 10
rally around their old Alma Mater, and give
her their warm sympathies, tervent prayers,
and best efforts.
Tomorrow we have the commencement day
proper when the diplomas will be awarded,
addresses delivered, &c. DR.. NJ. ID. Hoge will,
ut the same time, deliver the address before
the literary societies. LEXINGTON.