The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-08-18
commencement.

Tho Glxty-eighth a1niversary OF Mid
dlebury ColleCe was more than usually
interesting and attended under ox-
tremely favorable circurc ssanceg. The
weather, which has alwaya been pro-
verbally hot, was la2t week decidedly
cool and comfortable. The alumni and
other friendr OF The college began to
gather on Saturday be{ore, and came in
quito rapidly On Monday and Tuesday.
The alumni register for 1872 has many
names which suggest interesting per-
sonals for the local paper. Anon =
them arc noted D. DIS, Prof.'s, n C.'s
&c.
SOCIETY ANNIVERSARIES.
We rave an abstract &C the baccaleu-
rsat9 last week. Tuesday morning The
Philomathesian Society held It's ami
versary, tho President Of the Society,",
Oscar D. Scott, presiding. A process
sion was formed at the college, which,
marshaled by Mr.. A. D. Whitney and
preceded by she Keopo Cornet Band,
marched to tie Congregational church,
which vas already filed by large au-
dience. Ralph Waldo Emerson deliv-
cred an address, and held the audience
spell-bound, though everyone was
ready TO affirm that they did not like
him. His subject was Greatness, Us
developed by the Heroic Student" The
address disappointed many who OK
pected brilliant performance but,
aside from its rambling looseness, it
was model of excellence in matter
and manner of treatment His style OF
delivery was studied effort at stupid
ity, and yet was attractive in spite of It.
No abstract short of full notes would do
Justice to the performance.
In the afternoon the anniversary OF
the Philadelphia (religious) Society
was celebrated by an address by Rev
+. w. Fiske, d. D., of Chicago; sub
ject-"Oratory." A knowledge of hu-
man nature is absolutely essential to
the cultivation of this art This know
ledge may be acquired by two methods
notwithstanding and considering
self and others-and observation. The
orator, to DO able to influence men.
must mingle with them, learn their
different tastes, habits OF thought,
weaknesses, motives, and learn to talk
with them in their own language.
There is another and more important
way to study human nature. This is
to study man in books. Here we have
man already dissected and open to our
inspection. The Had of Homer con-
tains a more complete picture of hui
man nature than can be learned from
any one character in the world. In
their delineations of humanity consists
the value of classic authors. Chaucer
was a great portrayer of human nature.
But in literature Shakespeare is the
great portrayer of the human passions.
Almost intuitively he pierces the hui
man heart, and marshals its passions
into his service. He was completely at
home in every phase Of character. The
tragedy of Macbeth displays wonder
full knowledge of the workings of the
human conscience. Tho Apostles
Paul in partlcular-are remarkable for
the adaptation of their language to the
minds of their hearers. They were
great masters of the oratorial art, and
contemporary critics even classed them
with Demosthenes and the other Pa gan
orators. But we find the power to
move men in the greatest degree in
him "who spake as never man spake"
He was the embodiment of the perfect
orator. Let II be our aim, whatever be
our sphere, to strive to lead men o
duty and virtue. Never were there
greater indictments to seek this power
oforatory than are nov offered to the