The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-02
THE CLOSING EXERCISES.

THE CLOSING EXERCISES.
The final celebration Of the Mu Sigma
Rho and Philologian Societies of Richmond
College took place at the Second Baptist
church yesterday afternoon.
The church was well filled, although the
affair came off at an unreasonable hour.
After spirited tune by the band, Rev. DR..
Poindexter opened the regular exercises
with prayer.
THE ESSAY.
Mr.. E. Darlington Cabell, of this city,
member of the Mu Sigma Rho Society, was
introduced as the essayist. His subject
was "Earth's Battle-felds," upon which
he founded very interesting essay. He
alluded, in beginning, to the general de-
sire pervading the mind of man to under
stand the relation between cause and effect,
which he held to be one Of the two final
causes of human philosophy. The diff
Guilty found in tracing this relation, and of
recognizing in all things an over-ruling
Providence, led him to speak of war,
which men found it hard to believe came
from good God. The ravages of war are
he alone clearly perceives their entire rela-
ton to the existence of nan, who thoroughly
traces the relation between the unseen
cause and visible effect. The essayist then
proceeds to speak of some Of the physical
buttlc-ields Of earth which stand forth
most prominently in history. Marathon,
Waterloo, Manassa, the field Of Appomatt0x,
we're spoken of at length with appropriate
reflections after which the essay streyerted
to '' battles upon the broad free field Of
thought, where contests Of equal Importance
are continually Transporting" Without the
mind OF the statesman the victory Of the
warrior would be comparatively unprodnc-
tive of results. Demosthencs, though not
in arms, struck heavy blows for Grecian
freedom; Cicero, By eloquence and perse-
vcring vigilance, brought Cataline and his
conspirators to disgrace Talleyrand's ma
nuuVring caused Waterloo to be fought !;
Patrick Henry did as-much as Washington
10 obtain the independence Of America.
The essayist, in conclusion, spoke at
length of moral warfare and the parties
therein engaged. Though the names of the
victors in struggles against temptation and
sin might never be known and honorcd as
such, they we're known TO their Creator aud
Saviour, who would in due time give them
their reward Moral warfare commences
ut the cradle-it ceases at the grave; it's
duration is the period of human existence
its end where the stream Of life loses itself
in the ocean Of eternity.
TIE GRAFTON.
The orator of the evening, MIR. j..
f. L. Holmes, of Southampton, Of the
Philologian Society, was then introduced.
After an appropriate Introduction, he
announced his subject as " Unwritten
Poetry" intimating that he had been led
to select this bject that for on evening at
least those present might turn their
thoughts from the troubles and cares which
oppress to the consideration Of such sub
jects as might afford pleasure while they
profted. . szl
Abiding to the fact that poetry was SO
generally underrated, he proceeded to no
tice the objections to it, which he thought
owing to the multitude of Indifferent poets,
the amount of bad poetry, and the intense
ly practical turn of the age, which might be
excused in our own unfortunate people, but
should not be encouraged, since its indul-
gence tended to lessen the enjoyments Of
life and retard the progress of those intiu-
ences which constitute the greatness Of
people. But the greatest popular objection
to poetry was due to q misapprehension Of
its true nature. The speaker then argued
in defence Of written poetry-it was the
oldest species Of written composition-it
was the language of primitive and unso-
phisticated nature, and the vehicle through
which were expressed the nobler feelings of
the heart-it embraces all subjects, and has
occupied the greatest intellects of ancient
and modern times, and the will of the Gre
ator has been revealed to US largely through
this medium. Military leaders have en-
ployed its influence to urge their troops to
deeds Of valor, and it has been at once the
index of nations character, and the con-
trolling influence in the formation Of that
character. ##. g-2
Passing to consider poetry in the larger
acceptation of the term as the language Of
nature, the speaker dwelt ut length on the
imperfections of written and spoken Ian
guage, which could not suffice to express the
feelings of the heart, unwritten poetry
pelnS du asleupt-aiuioos d WILL 1then Pe
to indicate some working of nature within,
some echo of nature without. AS written
language is imperfect, the greater part is
unwritten. Nature speaks to the heart cf
man in poetry. All natural objects have
their echoes in the heart. These truths
were appropriately and beautifully illus
trated. But nature has another voice, which
all recognize as such-music natures un-
written poetry. Man has regulated this
unwritten poetry, but it is impossible to
catch those notes which float around him.
Music is the key which unlocks the boarded
treasure of the soul. IS
Unwritten poetry, as wrought out by man,
was next considered. Man has other SYM
bols by which toexpress himself than those
which arc written. No Language is 90 ex-