Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-06-14

NTEILIGENCEk WEDNE
Naiad, while the sterner mythology of the
North delighted in tales of Odin and Wal.
halla, home of departed heroes. The i'm
agination had its place also in the philoso-
phy of tho ancients, and its effect is
breathed forth to rs Of to-day in the liv-
ing pages Of Pythagoras. In the sphere
of nature all beauty Joins in one grand
chorus of praise to the Creator. Leaving
the sphere of art lastly consider the effect
of the imagination in religion. When the
first vague idea of God dawns on the in
FAINT mind, the soul stretches out to grasp
it and make it its own. Moses, the stern
law.giver, and David, the sweet singer,
were largely endowed with this faculty,
and their history is the history of religion
for 1000 wears. Then follows the sad
story of the cross, in which tho imagi-
nation reached its highest development
when tie divine prophecy was fulfilled.
s.The seed of the woman shall crush the
serpents head"
Music-Country Girl polka-Faust.
Oratv:,-s The Realm of Genius &C.
d. Meyer. Mans intellect brings all!
nature under his power. Fittingly did
Shakspeare exclaim, "What a piece of
work is man ~ While this godlike crea
ture is thus above, he is not at variance
with nature. In him we find the capabil-
ity of penetrating natures secrets and
laying them bare to the astonished world.
Rejecting it is true only borrowed light,
he seems the creator when he is in reality
the creature. This is the prerogative OF
genius, and he recognizes no petty class
distinctions made by society. Born uni
versal heir to all humanity, the genius
challenges the admiration of the world.
Emperors die and arc forgotten, but tho
genius lives in the generations that fol-
low him. The first remarkable example
of genius was Homer, the blind old bard
of Scio's Isle, whose Iliad and Odyssey be-,
came the wonder and delight of the world
ages after he had passed away. In Plato
we find the whole range of science accu-
mulated in one person, Mozart is the lIv-
ing embodiment of his own art, and the best
of all his works are given to religion. In
our own tongue the palm of the highest
genius has been awarded to Shakespeare,
for his works show him to deserve the ap-
pellation Proteus of the human mind. "
Though men of genius arc often deemed
day-dreamers, they are the first to advance
into unbrOken paths, and eventually their
labors make the wilderness blossom as the
rose. As tho interpreter of nature s vol
ume the man of genius is not the author,
but tue mouth. piece of truth. The power
of the ideal world flows into him, and
through him becomes meat and drink to
the world.
Oration-" The Genius of Melancholy. -
Francis E, SHREDDER. Temperament is an
attributive force, God given in the highest
sense of the word. however man may see
fit to use it. Mans nature is twOfOld, a
world life and life of soul, an objective
and subjective existence. The one state
of being is continually retreating within
itself, while the other meets the world
half way. We can not presume to
know mans inner life until that
great day when the vail is lifted and
mans spiritual existence is exposed. The
opposition of these two forces is brought
about in a great measure by the grossness
of material life. How grievous to see
great mind harrassed by pretty cases
One of melancholy temperament has i'll
tense feelings and is filled with vain long
ings to reconcile the contrarities of life.
Who shall say that his yearnings fail OF
purpose. His is keen sensibility, deptl
of perfection gained by rejecting on the
| vanities of life. In science he is cold and
sceptical, in art he is warm and passion.
ate. The works of Hawthorne and Poe
are reflections of the fitful lives OF
their authors. Melancholy men are promo
to seek extremes of heat and cold in ex
pressing their thoughts and consequently
have an aptitude for humor. But the
humor of him who feeds on melancholy il
begotten in charity, the handspring of a!
genius.
Music-Aria. Won FRANKIE.
Grafton" The Poet and his Mission
q. C. Stahl. In labor, in art, and in al
the varied occupations of men, one indi
vidual seeks to impart his thoughts tt
another. The poet finds in flowing
verse the readiest means of accom-
plishing this object. From the time
the stars began to move in their ap
pointed orbits, beauty has been th'
poets theme. Nor is tho love of the beau
tiful in nature confined solely to the poet
The whole world bows with enrapturcd ea
when the poet tunes his Tyre. Poetry neeC
not be confined to such strict accuracy Al
history, although most of its materials ART
drawn from this latter stOrehouse. Nor il
it right to suppose that the mission of the
poet is simply to please and amuse. Hi:
true mission is to instruct by bringing ;
good influence to bear on the lives of hi
fellow-men. He must touch mans feelings
in such way as to affect both his rational
and emotional nature. His home is not IL
the workshop of the crowded city, but il
the lonely recesses of the forest. Thence
he derives the material conveyed by hi!
soul-thriliing words, and as We call tt
mind the great poets that have peopled thu
| globe we are forced to conclude that theil
| works are monuments that will outlast the
material mausoleum of the proudest O
the worlds rulers.
| Music-Gambrinus- Zikoff. I'm
mediately after the music ceased DR.. j. P
Wickersham arose to present the report
of the committee who were to decide tht
contest. He prefaced his remarks by
stating that tho committee based theil
decision mainly on the three following
points: First the choice of subject
and its treatment. Second, the
composition and style Of the address
And third, the oratorical delivery. Ht
then announced that by the decision Of
tho committee the gold medal was award
ed to Nevin G. Heisler. This announce.
ment was received with vociferous and
long continued applause, which was re
peated when tho youthful orator stepped
forward tc receive the we'll earned prize
The contestants deported themselves in 9
manner creditable to tho institution and tt
themselves, and their we'll written ora
tions and graceful delivery attracted re.
peatedly tho plaudits of the assembled
crowd. DR.. Appel then announced the
order of the commencement exercises yc