The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-07-08

cious Lindsay Hall was htleu 10 Iepie-
ton at an early hour, and amid the
tluttering of fans, the rustling OF riD-
bons, and sparkling glances from nun
dreds Of bright eyes, the Touthful ora.
tors assumed their posts in the drama OF
the day. The elevated platform at the
extreme end of the Hall was beautifully
and ::;UpYopri;ltely decorated with arches
of evergreen, and bOuqaets of flowers
tastefully arranged, whilst the motoes
of the colleges, and their beautiful in
sigma stood out in bold relief. Promi-
ncnt among the inscriptions, were those
beautiful lines from Milton, setting
forth the distinguishing characteristics
of the sexes. "For contemplation he
and valor formed" "For sottness she,
and sweet, attractive grace" We have
never seen q stage SO beautifully and
appropriately decorated, for which we
suppose the chief credit is due to the
taste and skill of Mrs. J. P. Kennedy
of the Female College. Upon the stage;
were assembled the chief friends ana
patrons of the colleges, with literary
Gentlemen from abroad, whilst the BODY
of the Hall presented Il bright array OF
the youth, beauty and attractlVcness ol
this and ad joining counties. Aftcran ap-
pro1riate prayer from the Nev. D. =.
thalmcrs, the following was the pro-
gramme: -,
-"To win the wreath of fame,
And write on menory's scroll q death
less name.'
7. / Brownlee, Due West, S. {.
The Realities of Lite-A. NJ. Du1lle,
Blackstecks, 5. {.
The Crisis does not make the Man-
r. $. Galloway, Due West, $. &.
What Now?-W. y. Love, Iorkville,
IS. G.
"Trnth, Like q Torch, the More It's
Shook it Shines."-T. ii. Lowry, York
vile, S. c. ,,.,
The Geneva Arbitration-W. L. Mil
Ter, Due West, S. &.
The Speeches of the young men snow
ed much maturity of thought, ana were
well delivcred-distinctly, earnestly ano
unatfectedly. Where all acquitted
themselves well it would he lnvldlouS
to particularize, though we are tempted
to speak in terms Of high eulogy CT one
or two of the speeches especially.
ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS.
After the intermission of two hours,
devoted to dinner and other social en-
ioyments, the company again assehDleu
TO hear the Anniversary Address before
the Literary Societies of the College.
The orator of the day was }. r. j..
Caldwell, Esq, q talented and promising
member of the Newberry Bar. Mr.: Z.
is a son of the late Chancellor and is
the worthy son of a oistlngulSheu sire
His theme was the Esthctlc Faculty-
the faculty Of taste, which taxes cog
nizance of the beautiful; anu his address
was an eloquent and earnest plea I'D
behalf of its cultivation lie began
with q quotation from Macaulay, III
which the great csSayist contrasts the
moralist and the shoe maker, and SHOWS
the true limitation and proper appllca-
ton Cf the utilitarian theory. between
the cook on the one hand and the poet
and musician on the other, the speaker
pronounced in favor OF tile former, and
introduced some happy illustrations OF
their influence upon human happiness
and intellectual progress. But he show
ed clearly that ''man does not live on
bread alone" and that o proper cultiva'
ton of all his faculties can alone tit hlln
for his proper station in life. Tile pre-
eminencc of the faculty of taste was
set forth in clear and fOrcible terms, anG
also the reasons given for the low popu-
lar estimate in which it is held-to Wit,
q disposition 10 unde.valuc what we &c
not possess, a narrow puritanlcal fanatl'
cism, and the erroneous view that lts
cultivation :tetracts from the ability t<
attain success in life. The remarks o
the orator showing how this faculty
comes in aid of the moral sense, an.
sometimes supplies its place, were orlgl
nal and forciblc. He cited many exam
pies from the roll of painters and poets
TO show that the culture of the taste, 81
far from being incompatible with th'
attainment of the highest ENDS OF lie
furnished often the best means thereto
The conclusion of the address was cN
ceedingly beautiful, in which the orator
referred to those gems Of medieval &c
MUS which attract the lover OF art Il
the European Capitals, and i'll which ht
poirted out those beauties of nature
which aa',xe ,pro"ideuce has scattered
in our path, to develop the taste, ant
which furnish an all-sutficient substi
tute for the highest productions of art.
BACCALAUREATE ADDRESS.
Next followed the Baccalaureate Ad
dress of President Grier. which was
characterized by his usual clear anc
vigorous thought, flowing and polished
diction, and earnest and impressive de
livery. Few speakers have more OF the
elements of the orator about them thar
the youthful President Of Erskinc Col
lege-a graceful person, musical voice
land sympathetic manners, adding he"
charms to the flowers of his rhetoric
and lending wings to the pointed arrow:
of his logic. The address was all ear
nest enforcement of the great duty o.
doing that which one believes to bt
right, and illustrated clearly its necessity
as the essential condition OF all harmony
and consistency of action. The pursuit
of cXpediency made one the creature o
present circumstances and varying eXl
gencies, and whilst destructive to all
harmony of life, was fatal to the attain
ment OF its true ends. Those ends were
shown to be immeasurably above the
present and transient, and reached tC
the eternal and the imperishable. The
address was intended to be repetition
of views often presented in the class.
room, and now reiterated under more
wider application. 1t was listened to
with attention, and will doubtless do
good. Then followed the presentation
of the diplomas to the members of the
graduating class.
ALU3INIE ESSAY AND ALUMNI ADDRESS.
A large audience again assembled at
night to hear the Alumn;e Essay by
Miss Mamie Stuart, of Ninety-SiX.
and the Alumni Address of Col. c. B.
Sinonton, of Covington, Georgia. The
Essay was read by Professor Hood, and
sors, Was 'us a5sound;ng e in my hoppy ~ lnouyhts
clothed in expressive tliction, and gave
evidence of refined, and culti-
waited intellect. The theme was "wo-
mans influence and her true position" !"
and was illustrated bya well considered
view of her position in ancient, and me-