Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-03-19
GRAFTON OF MAJOR HENRY K,
DOUGLAS,

We have received, with the compliment.
of Major Douglas, his Grafton delivered in
Philadelphia, December 21st, 1871, at the
hrst general convocation of the Phi Kappa
Sigma Fraternity. These fraternities are secret
societies, or clubs, organized for the promo
tion of learning, and the cultivation of fra
ternal good-fellowship among the students of
the various colleges where they established.
Each college has its branch club, which is
named from some letter in the Greek alphabet,
and all the chapters together complete the
organization, and make up the Fraternity"
To be selected orator or poet upon the occa-
sion of a general convocation, or convention
of one of these fraternities, is no small COM
pliment, since the range of choice is gener>
ally coextensiye with the Union. Some of
the finest American poems have been delivered
on these occasions, for example, Gf we re-
member correctly,) Brakes "Curiosity."
Major Douglas proposed, in this grafton. to
point out some of the results of intellectual
and social progress, and to indicate the object
of his Fraternity in connection Herewith.
The first branch of his subject-intellectual
and social progress-is theme which no one
can treat, in few pages, without dealing in
what are called glittering generalities, or de.
generating into downright twaddle and plati-
tude. Major D. has not escaped this uni
versal penalty for attempting too much
What he is pleased to term SHY creed'-is
simply the familiar old hyperbole about Edu-
cation aud its utility, which innumerable
sophomores have rendered SO dear to US all at
! the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT" exercises of our colleges
and universities. All who have participated
I. in these exercises will share our resentment at
the Major for so unceremoniously appropri.
ating as has exclusively, the old literary pas
ture in which we have all reveled, and claimed
right of common from time whereof the
memory of man runneth not to the contrary.
When, however, Major D. comes to treat
the second and less general branch of his sub.
ject-the organization of literary clubs or
traternities. and the part they have played in
the preservation and spread of literature-we
do him but simple justice when we tender him
our thanks for of the most charming
We have read this part of his Grafton twice,
and found it more delightful the second time
than the first. 1t is as clear and chaste in
style, as it is laborious in research, and salts
factory in its conclusions. We particularly
commend it to the serious reflection of the
professional and quasi literary gentlemen ofthe
: county-sea', who are either too indolent, or
too indifferent to the claims of literature. to
attempt even the lowest grade of a literary as
ISOLATION. Shepherdstowu, Duffield's, Lee
town, Martinsburg, Bunker Hill all have their
reading clubs, libraries, OF. debating societies.
The professional men of Charlestown alone
are content to pursue the even tenor of their
way, upon an unbroken level of Baotion dull
ness, aud stupidity. We particularly COM
mend to those gentlemen, who after mature
consultation, determined to have no literary
club no reading, and no library, the following
passage from Major Douglass grafton:
s"Perhaps the very first distinctinction be-
tween civilized and savage communities is
that IN the one we have individuals thinking
ana acting together for common purposes, but
never in the other. Except for self.protection
&
OF action among barbarians. There NAV be
herding together, but there can be no society
among savages. They may camp together,
and hunt together, but they do not think to,
gether When their minds begin to coop
crate for the same purpose, they have taken
the first step over their borders, and into civil
lzatlon. Instead of collection of indiyid.
uals, they become community They then
think for each other, take counsel together,
and soon learn to preserve the results Of their
thoughts and their experiences. Then fol-
low literature and science, the care and work
OF subdivisions of society. We have law
and medicine followed as professions: we
have colleges and royal societies for the gen.
eral advancement OF knowledge socially
We have clubs and fraternities.''
Following out this theme, Major Douglas
traces the history of literary organization in
Europe through the various religious orders.
down to the first English secular club, which
was wont to assemble at the Mermaid Tavern.
where Will Shakspear, Ben. johnson, Walter
Raleigh, and other choice and kindred spirits
lnterchanged such fine, corruscating fancies
as would have done honor to the Symposium
OF Plato: Thence to DR.. Johnson's club at
the Kings Head in Ivy Lane and the "I,it.
erary Club" which johnson founded. and
which continued half century after his
death, and numbered on its roll long list of
such names as Fox, Sheridan, Davy, and
Walter Scott. The conclusion of Major d.
is that these social literary organizations have
been essential aids to civilization, and at all
times the distinguishing feature of communi>
ties justly claiming to be called enlightened.
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