New-York tribune., 1886-11-09
A PROUD DAY FOR HARVARD.
LOWELL THE ORATOR; HOLMES. THE POET.
IMPRESSIVE SCENES IN MEMORIAL HALL-GREEriNG
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
CLASSIC GRACE OF THE LII
ERARY EXERCISES.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
CLASSIC GRACE OF THE LII
ERARY EXERCISES.
,BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE-)
Bosroy. Nov s-Ths dear old town OF Boston
~oke nm this morning to the music OF the cannon
which welcomed the President OF the United o'a'oS
20 the Capital of New-England. Ho mas oeeh re-
ceived with the cordial loyalty which Massachu-
.etts keeps ever in reserve for Chief Magistrate OF
the Nation. leave my colleagues to say what oe-
fsl him in Boston. My concern Is wholly with har-
ward and its quarter -millenial jubilee Ihoso VINO
we're to witness to-day's proceedings were warned
10 be in Cambridge by 8, an hour which recalls
The early habits of the early Puritans The Presi-
dent himself was announced to leave the Hotel VEN
dome in Common W ealth-ave at S:15. The author
tiles seem to have calculated that for triumphai
march of four miles, an hour would suihce' Duu III
WAS 1918 before the President alighted at tne
steps of Gore Hail. The college grounds mean
while were alive with college students OF every age
and of all classes since 1917. The nave OF Oore
Hall was a rendezvous for celebrities. There were
the men whom Massachusetts, delights 10 honor'
the Eots the Lymaps the Lees. the Endicotts'
the Pe.bodys the aoars, the Fairchlds, and scores
of Others. The college authorities, the college
vuests the great digntaries of the State, OF tho
Judiciary. of the pulpit and of the bar, mingled
together.
Colonel Lee. chief marshal, had no little trouble
10 start out all these personages and array them In
due order for the march; nor DID he attempt IL
till President Cleveland arrived. who may wen
have inferred from the promptness OF the order
which followed his coming that he had core iate
President Eliot gave him greeting mono tbe less
cordial and none the less stately The Governor OF
Massachusetts, accompanied his superior olfcer. by
1890 the procession was already en- route Holh
T. 1n% %hA rtr
of the older college buildings, their windows filled
with ladies' the grounds themselves hlIed Win
cheering ultitudes. The procession disentangled
itself easily Its line of advance was kept clear
with little help from the police. Nor had the COL
lege marshals In their conspicuous uniform OF
evening dress, though with black ties. much work
to do after once their flock had started. The blue
sky bent over them, luminous with November
SUM- and swept by breeze that told OF coming
winter. 1t was as good day as the most sanguine
could have foIeseen, and # cold. there we're all
Cambridge and half Boston who faced 1T serenely.
The Memorial Hall of Harvard is worthy OF Its
object piece of architecture which puts to shame
many pretentious structure. Those oil us
who approached it as strangers applauded the de-
cision of the college authorities that there and
nowhere else this crownng ceremony OF this cele-
bration should be held. The President passed In
amid the salutations OF the great company Gus
tered about the winding steps. He uncovered all
uncovered. as we entered for, tie threshold once
crossed we stand on consecrated ground lhls
lofty hall with its grained roof and stained WIN
dows, is paneled with marble tablets whereon are
written the names of Harvard's heroes and mar
tyrs The marble is not whittier than their lame.
More than one of the names recognized as borne
in life by men " HON knew. One of Them young
Spurr saw fall on that September morning which
dyed with 10y al blood the yelOwing cOrnields OF
Antietam. To- the left Is the great hail. to the
right the Sanders Theatre, which admits this
throng by rather narrow doors, that presently
seemed narrower still when we waited TO leave.
They say the auditorium is meant to hold
1900 persons. 1t was hall full when went IN ana
before the exercises began full 1000 men ana
women were there. The ample platform, which
fills one side of the room, had but decent space 1or
the great persons and guests to whom it was ap-
pointed with lust room left for the desk OF the
orator President Eliot was on the back seat. for
once a position of authority President Cleveland
sat on the edge of the platform on the right OF the
brown walnut reading desk, turning his prohle 10
the audience Governor Robinson. OF Massachu-
sctts, sat next to him. Behind them you saw the
glitter of epaulets and sword belts. PRESIDENT
Dwight. of Yale, faced President Cleveland. Dr.
Holmes lent color to the scene with the crimson
silk lining of his robe. which. | conjecture. his
Oxford doctorate entities him to Mr.
Lowell was in gown and cap all OF sober black.
Two delegates from Oxford and Cambridge
blazed in scarlet The rest of the platform bor-
rowed nothing from the rainbow, but the badges OF
magenta red which the chosen color of Harvard
were everywhere conspicuous. The gallery was
the brightest spot in the theatre and the brightest
spot in the gallery was central seat in front oc-
cupied by Mrs. Cleveland. The critical and scept-
cal Bostonians have with one voice pronounced
the Presidents bride charming.
can bnt mention the dignfed intro tory
address of Judge Devens president of the Alumni
Association and the prayer and music which fol-
lowed. There were two things above all Others
which we had come to hear. Mr.. LowelPs Grafton
and Dr. Holiness poem. The college authorities
were of one mind wtl the public. All else was
cut short to CIV space to these two. Judge Devens
would not even go through the formality OF intro
ducing either to the audience which SO eagerly
expected both. Mr.. Lowell met with long
applause as he came forward to his pulpit. 1t un-
neryed him and he faltered as he began, but after
a sentence or two. his voice steadled itself His
oratory. for orator he is, has sweet deliberate
ness of method which is his own. He gained firm
hold of his hearers in the first five minutes and
kent it TO the end Nothing could be easier than
the tone of his exordium II was conversational
and put orator and audience easy terms with
each other. The audience had some share in this
never saw such audience. There sat 900
men of an intellectual eminence that might be
matched elsewhere, bat, perhaps, never has been
Every ono one on the platform was q
Harvard graduate and Harvard had set her stamp
on their fine faces Nobody who looked into them
would ever again scof at culture They are men
who have succeeded in life and whose lives are SO
many ornaments to the community. My testimony
and homage to them is that of the son of rival
university mother. Yale could make as good q
muster. but it has not been my fortune to see
such q gathering of Yalensans, nor need any body
who heard Harvard's cheers for President Dwigh
of YALE speak Of these two universities as rivals