The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-02
BRILLIANT OCCASION.
UNIVERSITY or VIRGINIA, !

UNIVERSITY or VIRGINIA,
TUESDAY NIGHT, June 90, 1865.
The crowd Of visitors hos steadily in
creased with each coming train, and the
hail tonight was more densely packed than
ever with an audience Of unsurpassed bril-
liancy. Certainly there were never ga
thered together before, in the same number,
,uore beautiful women or splendid-lookiug
men than one looks ouI upon from the plat
form of this noble hall. Thanks to several
members Of the Faculty, your correspond
ent secured tonight an excellent position
for seeing and hearing. We had the
usual routine Of marching and counter
marching, which always clicitS Interest
and applause. Rev. Mr.. Tinslcy, chap
lain Of the University, made brict, appr0-
PIRATE prayer, and it was announced that
the first order would be the presentation of
the medal awarded to the author of the best
essay in the University Magazine. This
medal is given BY the Washington and JEFF
ferson Societies (the joint owners Of the
magazine), and is awarded by committee
of the Faculty. The report upon this oc-
casion was read by Professor B. l.. Glider
sleeve. After announcing that the COM
mittee had unanimously awarded the prize
10 the article entitled "The Bachi Of Euri-
pides," the report criticised most severely
some Of the articles which had appeared in
the magazine, and satirized in the in
imitable manner Of the learned Professor
vf Greek certain styles of writing. The
committee had really decided between sevc-
ral articles of the same author. The report
closed with an earnest cxhortation to the
students to rally around and sustain the
magazine by the best talent, most matured
thought, and most facile pens Of the Uni
versity. -
The medal was presented by Professor
George F. Holmes in n short speech of rare
beauty, eloquence, and power. He ex-
pressed his entire acquiescence III the
severe but just criticism of the report, and
babe the young men heed its counsels.
Many of the articles which appeared du-
ring the past session had done credit
neither to the writer's, the magazine, nor
the University. He eloQuently and earn
estly exhorted the young men to do their
part in silencing the sncers at southern
literature; and said that this could be
done, net by simply trusting to 4" southern
genius,' but by earnest, patient oc0rk. lie
exhorted them to initiate the simplicity OF
style of the successful contestant for this
prize, and to labor earnestly to learn TO
write the noble language in which Hamp-
den spoke and Shakespeare wrote. The
announcement that the medal had been
awarded to Mr.. A. NJ. Miller, Of Peters
burg, was greeted with immense applause
by his comrades and friends. In presenting
the prize Professor Holmes said it afforded
him the more qualification because the recipi-
ent had not neglected other duties to obtain
this trophy, the best evidence Of this being
that he bore off eight OTHER honors-among
them the highest in the gift of the Univer-
sity. He Was sure that he would regard
this not as an attainment Of the highest
prize in life, but as merely an incentive to
future exertion. He spoke of Mr.. Miller's
magnanimity in expressing qualification
that q comrade had won from him the first
prize in the Political Economy class, and
closed by earnestly exhorting hin to pursue
the same course in nobly striving to revive
that Virginia of whose glory we had heard
to-day, and whose pristine renown is to be
restored not by vain regrets for the past,
but by manly, earnest work.
Mr.. Miller gracefully thanked the COM
mittec for their courtesy and kindness:
The prize was great one, but received
increased lustre from the source OF the
award. He gave several points in which
the writer welded greater power than the
speaker, spoke OF. theglory of the University
Magazine before the blight OF the war, and
earnestly exhorted his comrades to restore
it 10 its oldcrenown.. - -
The President of the Jefferson Society
Mr.. j.. D., CAN'T, of Georgia-graeetully
introduced the orator of the evening, Mr.
w. T., Burdett, of d"est Virginia. His
theme was HThe Empire and Power OF
Literature. i 1t was well-chosen and skill
fully handled. Many passages in the
speech were peculiarly happy, and your