Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1871-06-24
Hampton sydney.

The closing exercises Of HamPden Sydney
College, which took place on Tuesday, We'd
ucsday, and Thursday Of las: week, wereof an
unusually interesting character.
On Tuesday night the celebration Of the
Union Society took place. Berkeley and
Clarke counties carried off the honors.
The Wing correspondent says:
Professor II. C. Alexander introduced the
speakers. Mr.. C. s. Liugamielter Of Berkeley
county. West Virginia spoke on Sincerity
the Soul Of Eloqucncci' Mr. j. l.. CuTrie Of
Alamance. y. c., on the " Progress Of the
AGE" Mr.. Meade Haskins. of Brunswick, Va,
presented the speakers medal TO Air. Geo. IL.
Burwcl. Of CARRIE county, Va, and Mr.. Q. W.
Hollis Of Berkeley, West Virginia, delivered
the final grafton. These young gentlemen dis
played points Of excellence which indicated
that they had attended 10 composition aud elo-
cuti0n and had not been negligent Of ;ne excel
lent opportunities here afforded tnem for thor
ough study and mental discipline They de-
Gycred their speeches without hesitation or
much apparent embarrassment. Not one was
under the necessity of referring to his manu-
script, and hardly one was observed 10 indulge
in the unpleasant pastime Of clearing his threat
or drinking a superauous glass Of water in
order 60 recover the lost thread Of his discourse
On Wednesday, Prof. H. C. Alexander de-
Gyored the annual address before the Literary
Societies His theme was "Tho Obligations
of the World to Men Of Letters" It's spoken
Of as a mastery production, interspersed and
euliyened in an exceedingly agreeable manner
with anecdotes, incidents and characteristics,
that exhibited an extraordinary acquaintance
with the annals of every age and nation.
An amazing tract Of history was covered
and the literary epochs Of the worlds history,
from the most remote times down to the pre-
sent, were distinguished as to their personal and
general characteristics. The Dispatch CORES
pendent says:
Ia the galaxy, or succcs sion Of galaxics
that passed under review, we saw ESChylus aud
Elupides, then Bu1yan, Addison, Cowper, and
Fielding; the wits and poets of the eighteenth
century, the noyelists and humorists of the
present; Dickens and Thackeray, Hood and
Tennyson, the magazine writer's the uewspa-
pcrs and their editors; the stars and buGoonS
Of every era; the rise and the decline and the
fall Of literary preteusions, even down to Hol-
mcz Bret Harte, and Mr. Joshua Billings: the
North aud the South, the East and the West,
were subjected to the searching analysis Of
criticism as much distinguished by refined taste
as by felicity Of description. John Randolph
Tucker was referred TO rs the conseryator in
our day Of forensic wit, and the accomplished
Nr. Gi.iersleeye Of the University of Virginia,
was quoted as having described the poetry Of
Swimburne as Tcnuysoniauism possessed
with an evil spirit"
The address occupied three hours exactly in
It's delivery. and closed with an appeal to the
young gentlemen before him that was eloquent
aud thrilling. The interest that was maintain
Cd for So long q time could only have been up
held by the brilGancy wit, and occasional hu-
NOR that sparkled on the audience and enliven-
ed the inevitable weariuess Of 50 long q dis
course.