The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-03
College Cornmcnccments.

| ~
halt Just To sow md reap q crop!"
|
! '~ College CoInmcnccn,ents.
PHoSoGRAPHIC ECHOES FROM TIIE SPEECHES
MADE Br THE BOYS At TIE UNIVERSITY,
LEXINGTON, ROANOKE. RANDoI IPH-MACoS
RICHMOND, HAMPDES-sTDNEY, AND OTHER
| PLACES.
T. fPhonoa rnpl,ed by Burlcltc
"Man is the architect OF his own fortunes.
| In all the sweeping currents Of human
events, In all the aspirations anu ambitions
of other ages, how nobIy-"
Night brings out The stars. [It also
brings out the bugs, and the essay neglect
ed to say so.-ED.l 1t is only when sorrou
and misfortune have darkened our lives
that the brighter traits OF character. the
! GOdtikc instincts OF man's nature. shine
forth amid the surrounding gloom. like"
| "The press und the balot-boX, The great
palladium OF human liberty. what power
is theirs in moulding national characteris-
tics; what has been their influence as agents
OF civilization; what do we sec"
| "AS we glance back across the wide un
s.! folding centuries that stretch between us
and the buried ages OF the past. how the
ruins and wrecks OF the grandeur OF man
! in his proudcSt estate, in his
"Lifc. like mighty river, springing in
unseen fountains deep in some mountain
glen, then mcanucrinG, Il ccaselcSs. spark
ling riyuIet, through vcrdant meadows.
and adown many sleeps, and at length"
''Tu-day we stand upon the threshold Of
life. ready TO cross it with impatient feet.
and, rs we strain our eyes TO pierce the
curtain Of the future, our hearts tell us
that"
:" hat man has done, man cln do. All
that the past has taught us, all thut he
great and good in other ages have done for
us, all that the pages OF history, in the
stormy tiMcs Of old
"Thucydldcs, towering high above ordi-
nary men in an age that counted among
its leaders anu teachers such poets, and
artists, and Statesmen rs SophocICS and
.F-chvlus, Phidias. Xe,IXis, and Parrhasiu$.
Hcrodo;uS, and Nenophon, Thucydldes,
himself great among the great, is said TO
! have remarked -"
But what, let Ms ask ourselves. were
| the motives Oh Alexander in these Brilliant
achievements? When we consider that no
her conqucror ever effected so much in 30
short a time, and when we reflect that tie
oDlv motive that led him to carry war, and
bIoot!Shcd, and terror into almnst every
part Qi The then known world WAS co.dS
selfish. inhuman ambition. we arc led TO OK
claim. with the immortal WaShington-'
, -. Iiccrcn from all creatures hjdeS The
book ci tutc.' And although often we
would 5an penetrate tie rcH Of the future,
Yet at length. in the wisdom OF T3per years,
taught in tie rugged school OF experience,
we yield to"
"Nan, hcl,cSs in himself, untaught by
the instinct Of The lower animals, incapabi"
in his natural condition OF protecting him
sell. prey to the clements. and at tile
mercy OF the beasts OK the field, yet aided.
Ccve!opCd, and elevated by the creating art
OF his o"n brain and the skill Of his own
hands. he is found"
..Amon" the ancient Greeks, whose wis
dom, craftsmanship, and art has been band
ed down to lis through the centuries. it was
considered enc OF the highest and first dn-
ties of the citizen to provide for"
"Woman- Heavens last. best gift to
man-wnat is her mission? What is the
| lfe-work waiting for her earnest, patient
! hands? Tie hand That rocks the cradle
| truly may shake the world; her strength i
gentleness. her courage is confidence, and
she walkS-'
"On the broad ocean OF life VIC launch
our barks fcalleSslv: we face the storms us
we welcome the sunlight; and. serene and
confident amid the changing currents and
the b"tng winds. We spead Our sails and
boldly hold our-''
"knows he, who knoweth himself, the
first principles OF hunan knowledge? The
man WHO"
Blows the wind never 50 i'll that it
blows 20 good to some one. Across the
broad ocean OF life. into our very faces the
tcmpcsts may howl, but the fearless sailor
meets Tie storm and calmly trims his
Corn is King. To-day, more than ever
before, the agricultural interests OF The
country are overs;:adowin@ all others Until
Il. we contemplate them in their I'M
mcnslty--"
I've sly farewell. To YOU, whose pa.
thence and wisdom have led Us with .cul1n
bands along the dizzy sleeps OF learning !
hii, and TO you, dear classmates. whose
cheerful"
" A-amm. BIN! Young gentlemen
hmm. B'hn! aud young-hn-a-!a-
dies: il is-whoo-toot
! (Tnat settles it. That rupturcd the ma
chine. There never was 4 pbono=raph et
built strong enough to sand the resonant
strain OF Sclcol-committeemhn winding
his small but mellow horn with red ban
dana handkerchief while he thought OF !.
word. That winds MP the report.)