The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-06-27
FROM CHI ARLOTTEsyILLE.
Week Celebration of the
Washington Literary Society A Gay Time
Speeches of Messrs. Farrar, of La,
and Penn, Of Va, sc.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.]

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.]
CHARLOTTESVILLE, June q, III.
Commencement week opens very bril-
liantly, with the celebration Of the Wash
ington Literary Society tonight. The dec
orations of the hall are not rs elaborate as
usual, but are in very admirable taste. The
lawn is most brilliantly illuminated with
calcium lights, Chinese lanterns, etc. We
have the usual large and brilliant audience,
marching of tho societies, chattering OF
bellies and beaux, music by Weber's Ger
mania band, from Washington, etc.
Before the orator and other honor men,
the Faculty, and other distinguished visi-
tors are escorted in by the marshals with
batons, sashcs, and ribbons, it is quite evil
dent, in looking over the audience, that
there are present an unusually large num-
Der OF alumni, rs we recognize OH every
side faces familiar in days of yore. And
we hear that there are the strongest antici-
pations that we will have this year grand
gathering of the classes from every quar-.
ter.
AS we wait for the opening of the cxer-
clses we can detect on every side, even
amid the general clatter, expressions indi-
catlDS great uneasincss among the students
as TO the results of several OF the most i'm
portant examinations. Greek, mathe-
mates, law, medicine, and other reports
are yet TO be made, and there is great flut-
terln2 among the candidates. The degree
men have not been announced, but we
nope to send the list tomorrow.
The exercises of the evening were opened
with prayer by Rev. George Il. Taylor,
chaplain of the University. The president
OF the society, Mr.. 3. Gibbs, of Mississippi,
announced as the recipient of the dcbaters'
medal Dir. e. II. Farrar, of Louisiana.
Mr.. Gibbs presented the medal in an adj.
dress, which Was applauded.
Mr.. Farrar gratefully accepted the honor
as testimonial of the kind feelings of his
comrades, more highly priced than the
glltterlng gold. He touchingly alluded to
the coming Of the parting hour, the at
tachment they felt to Alma Mater, and the
Interest they would ever cherish in the
grand career; and spoke n few earnest
words of counsel to his fcllow.students.
Nlr. Farrar's speech was brief, appropriate,
and i'll excellent taste, and received the
warmest applause from his comrades and
bouquets, ETC., from the ladies.
Mr.. Gibbs then introduced the orator,
Mr.. Il. E. Penn, of Virginia.
After a graceful introduction. in which
mans love of novelty was presented, the
orator announced as his theme, ''The Rev
olutionary Character of Modern Opinion"
This was considered with reference to
1. Philosophy. Thinkers have cut loose
from the tralnmels of precedent, and there
is now no accepted system. All is chaos.
datcriali>man ldcaism are cnsagedin wild
conflict with pure Phcnomenallsm and BAR
winlsm. This revolutionary character re-
vcals IN activity which is a hopeful sign,
but also 4 radicalism which is dangerous.
=. Religion; which, though not Of the
earth, is influenced by the prevailing pas
sions of men. The disturbances in the
English Church, the ratiOnalism Of Ger
many, the sacrilcge of the Paris Commune,
and the taking away the power of the
Pope, were adduced in illustration.
3. Literature; which, in Il measure, is
influenced by the current ideas in religion
and philosophy. Since 1913 there have
been two revolutions i'll the literary tastes
of the people the first by which the great
poets of the beginning of the century, OBJ
scured by Tennyson and Browning. and
the second still in progress, by which these
last are yielding to those Of inferior merit.
We have now "the idle singer Of an
empty day" epicurcan in It's worst sense,
in doctrine and tendency.
t. Society; in which the great upheavals
occurring indicate deep-seatcd and oppres-
Sive evils.
Here the speaker took sad and almost
gloomy view, declaring that the dread iiend
Of Radicalism had entered our homes, and
the sweetest joys of life have vanished, pei
haps forever.
5. GoUernnl ent.-Thcre have been "wars
and rlmors of vars both in the old world
] and the new. Politically, the world is in Il
transition state.
We cannot tell what the end will be. Our
| trust should be in Il wise and merclfuI
Providence. But while we trust we must
also labor, and cling ever TO the truth and
! to the right.
Only the barest outlines Of this address
are given for though, with exceeding goot
taste, it occupied only some thirty-tve OF
forty minutes in delivery, its points wer,
well sustained and handsomely elaborated
Mr.. Penn has an unusually graceful de
livery and 4 good voice, to degree no
often attained here, and yet not perfectly
He commanded the attention of the audi
encc. lie was interrupted with frequen
applause, and his hits at the woman's right
movement seemed to give especial Satisiac
ton. His speech was sensible, brief, ant
above the usual merit Of college speeches
When Mr. Penn took his seat the banC
struck up, and the crowd dispersed to The
lawn.
The sold Wash " may, on the whole, bt
proud Of her celebration. ALUNNUs.