New-York tribune., 1890-06-05
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
DIR. PEABODY'S BOOK.

HARVARD GRADUATES WHOM HAVE KHo"H'
By Andrew Preston Peabody, D. D., Lie ~
12mo., PIP. $50. Ioughton Mhiih oo
This volume, as the author states In his preface
is designed as a sequel TO his " Harvard heniiins
ccnccs "Tbe men whom it commentaries were
either benefactors of the college, or members OF
one or more of it's boards of government or nstruc-
tion.n DIR. Peabody adds Il knew them all, most
of them with greater or less degree of Intimacy
My object has been, not to give complete bograph-
ical sketches, but rather to put on record my
own personal knowledge and recolectlons OF men
most of whom held and deserved large piace
in the public regard all, in my own reverent ana
loving memory" The Harvard graduates OF whom
sketches are given in this volume are Joshua
Fisher, Nathan Dane, John Pierce. John Pickering,
William Wells William jerks, Daniel Appleton
White, Charles Lowell, Ichabod Nichols, James
Walker Jared Sparks, Samuel Atkins Eliot, George
Barrell Emerson, Stephen Salisbury, Nathaniel
Wood, Nathaniel Ssbee, Cazneau Palfrey, Samuel
Hurd Valley. Stephen Minot Weld, and Increase
Sumner Wheeler. In an appendix there are
sketches of Henry Dunster and Charles Chauncy,
FIRST and second presidents of Harvard College.
All the sketches are interesting, and not
little by reason of their bearing upon old times
The customs and practices of Harvard century
ago; the relative importance of various studies
at different periods; curious details OF eighteenth
century life and society, and many uneditcd ana
racy anecdotes Of wcl-known men, will be found
In these thoroughly delightful memories. 1t may
surprise many people that DR.. PeabOdys experience
leads him to the conclusion that a century ago
young men prepared for college better than now,
and that they worked harder and To more purpose
while there. AS this is in direct contradiction
20 the popular tradition, he reinforces his opiIon
by specific instances of old-time men who In
nippf for twelve
hours a day for seven or eight months The COIN
mon notion that they were ill-preparcd rests he
argues upon the apparently short period allotted
TO preparation; but he points ont that on the
average of modern work, the old preparation ol
seven or eight months would equal between three
and four years of the current kind of preparation
He also is disposed 10 believe that more solid and
substantial work was then done in college. lie
admits that the opportunities for Sinking work
and for acquiring bad habits were dangerously
plentiful under the old regime. and especially as
regards drink. Spirits, beer. etc. were sold III
the college by a salaried graduate, and by some
line of reasoning not easily to be followed. the
mowers that were had decreed rum punch TO he
mot an intoxicating beverage One-fourth OF
the classes DR.. Peabody estimates, became so'S
in those davs: but the other three-fourths worked
like Troans and did not lose time III athletlcs
as at present
The classics, Hebrew and Semitic languages
renerally and mathematics were most faNoreN al
that time. and Harvard turned out many famous
Greek and Latin scholars, though men OF less
various learning than to-day One Is struck, IN
reading these "reminiscences, by the robust IN
dividualism of nearly all the graduates mentioned
There was about them very little of the cooress
uniformity which seems to be the tendency oi
modern civilization. Every man had nus own
sharply defined character, habits and idiosyncra-
cies, and kept to his own views OF lie with
resolution savoring far more of genuine indepen-
dence than the later practice suggests Dr. Pea
body is a skilful and spirited portrait painter or
rather sketch artist. for he does not pretend 10
give more than outlines These however are so
cleverly thrown upon the canvas, so deftly ar
ranged, that they indicate much more than would
Seem possible at the first thought. The book L.
a gallery of venerable Harvard men, all of whom
reflected honor upon their Alma Mater and credit
upon their country Such a catalogue or roll of
honor is in itself sufficient proof of the incsti-
mabe value of such institutions the benciiccnt In
fuences of which can never be measured by the
amount of book learning impaired and required,
but which maintain and dihuse an atmosphere
Of noble emulation, lofty sclf-respect and worthy
purpose, absolutely priceless to any people.