The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-03
Richmond Female Institute.
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES.

8s H
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES.
Tho commencement exercises Of this
nonular seminary we're held at the First
Baptist church last night, and were wit
messed by large audience, composed largely
of the representatives Of the best classes OF
Richmond society. Smiths excellent band
Mt intervals discoursed appropriate music,
which added greatly to the attractiyeness Of
the exercises.
After prayer, the President introduced
the exercises with some tasteful remarks on
the recurrence Of these joyous anniver-
saries. He briefly welcomed the overflow
ing audience, and in the name of the ladies
thanked them for their kind presence. He
would not believe that such throng-so
brilliant, so fair, so intelligent-assembled
under any idle love of pageant and show,
nor even under the peculiar spell that
gatherings of the young and innocent, espe
cially of the young of the fairer sex, uni
formly exert upon the hearts of all. He
conceived it to betoken an interest, not in
girls and young ladies merely, nor in these
rs gathered in groups and adorned in at
tractive attire, but an interest in their edu-
cation, their refinement, their progress. lie
would fain believe that the old pride and
reverence for the noble women of Vir
ginia-not less noble now than when Wash
ington. who learned virtue and wisdom at
the knees of one of them-women who
would take no second place beside any that
any age or country Of the world has known
burned yet in the heart of our people with
an ardor only enhanced by the trials thai
have shown us new traits to love and adj
mi.e. In this period Of wreck and chaos
let us cling to this idea: We shall be, as
people, in dignity, in honor, IN all that
which the word refinement but feebiy ex-
presses-we shall be what we shall prepare
our daughters to make of their sons.
The Grand organ then pealed forth It's
mellow tones in simple ar:
1.-The bonds of school are breaking
al the pupils uniting in the chorus with
fine effect.
READING OF ESSAYS.
Smiles was the pleasing subject of Miss APP
y srson's essay, read by Gen. Bradley 1ohn1
son. II was we'll written, and contained
several fine flights of fancy ana 1eehhS.
The ;nauenee OF q mothers smile was beau
+;f,,Il,. brourht out. The smiles of Nature
wore also portrayed with delicacy and taste.
Tha inruence Of beautiful teeth upon the
smiling propensity was wttily put, and the
professional beau, with his perpetual smile,
derenerating sometimes into the mere
smirk. received summary justice.
The fair writer concluded with the In
;,nction to " scatter smiles" as we pass
everywhere.
Miss Annie Z. Sands wrote on the Plea
sures of Memory. Her essay was read by
Rev. DR.. Hopson. Beginning with the state
ment that different sources Of pleasure are
sought by different men, but there are Ger
tain incidental sources Of pleasure Of which
the memory is the most important. It's inllu-
pnce on various classes of persons-the
scholar, the traveller, the warrior, the states
man, and others-was fully discussed, with
historical illustrations. Several apt poeti-
cal quotations were introduced with good
effect. and the conclusion readily drawn as
to the necessity of furnishing such materials
To memory, and would make it u source OF
pleasure only.
Miss Eddie II. Moon, of Albemarle, gra-
duated in mathematics Mt the last session.
Her essay on Beauty and Fashion was read
by Colonel Marmaduke Johnson. Begin
ming with definition of beauty, or rather
with u lucid proof that there can be no de-
fnition of it, she then defined fashion
also, and showed the points of agreement
AID of disagreement between the two
Beauty is permanent; fashion, with few
executions variable. Both may be the
source of ills innumerabic. Beauty, by itE
fatal power, so often illustrated fashion,
by absol birg mind and thought on subjects
below the true dignity Of man.
The essay had less Of fancy than some
others, but contained some sallles OF humor,
and was well written.
One Of the essays-that BY Miss Point
was short poem. Its title was g Drltted
Fancics.' The Ecene was evening, the
Twilight pinning her mantle with a rose
presently light fa!! of rain, and then, in
place of the rose, n star. The relative
merits of the rose and the star-the one
bright but tlceting, emblcmatic of love; the
ether, permanent, Of hopc-are presented
Meanwhile the moon appears, and IN al
cpisode we look over the carth--its grave
wards, battlc-felds, etc.-with her, anC
draw the moral from each. Then the moor
is obscured by cloud, and presently goe;
down. The darkness startles the dreamer
and she seeks in all this the emblem Of
life. Soon the morning star appears, ano
the mystery is revealed: life is only the
prelude to Heaven.
Such is most imperfect outline OF inc
piece, which seems to have considerable
merit. 1t was read by Rev. Dr.. Burrows
"The IIcart-Its Shadows and Sun
heams,' was the subject chosen by Miss
Puryear, of Mecklenburg, Va. This wa'
read by Rev. Dr.. Burrows. 4 few some
what spicy paragraphs about kinds o.
hearts (s,reethcarts included) stolen hearts
&c. introduced liz to very fine discussion
of the effect Of sunbeams and shadows
prosperity and aiiliction-upon the heart
it was shown that the alienation OF thcs
was needful to develOne and strengthen
character. The violet ueder the snow Wa
beautifully taken as the type Of brave
cheerful disposition battling against al
verse circumstances. The style of tn
essay vas very good, and it was enliyene
, by some fine touches Of Imagination.
RisSeS-a very dainty theme-was take
by Miss R land, daughter Of Rev. DR.. Rylan
Of this city. Read by Mr.. Mcdonald, of tn
HhU.l Referring to other expression
of feeling, all were declared inferior in ex
pressiyeness and power to this. The dit
terent kinds Of kisses-those Of alteration
friendship, and loye-wcre discussed. In
writer was unable to tell orhut kind tina
was described in the Bible as follows :" ia
cob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voic
and wept.n The power of kisses, their fri