Middletown transcript., 1891-07-02
by his classmates and friends at the

evening was Inc presentation "a SSA-
tifcates by Mr.. AsG. Cox. Mr.. Cox,
before handing the graduates the
papers which had cost the young
men so many hours Of careful study,
gave them some good advice, which
will doubtless prove Of great benefit
to them in future years.
One of the est musical selections
of the evening was an instrumental
duet, II Trovatore." by Miss Allie
Mckee and Mr.. FL. L.. Clayton. This
selection was heartily applauded, and
a second selection, " The Darkey's
Dream" was equally well received.
Prof. Tharp next introduced Prof.
E. B. NAPLES Of Philadelphia, gem
tleman we'll known here from having
spoken at the commencement exer-
cises of the Academy two years ago.
Prof. NAPLES had selected for his sub.
iect on this occasion " instruments of
Progress and The TRANSCRIPT is
pleased to be able to present it to its
readers in FULL lglln&
The concluding piece for the even-
ing was a vocal duet, See the Pale
Moon" by Miss Allie Mckee and
Miss Ethel Paryis. -..,,.i
Prof. NAPLES address follows,;,n,
INSTRUMENTS OF PRoeREss.Y
Ladies and Gentlemen: | occupy.
in relation to the speakers of, the
evening, the position OF the rear car.
1t is not the most desirable car to
travel in remember story Of the
rear car experience of a party of tour
lists. The ladies of the party became
very much annoyed by the joiting Of
the car, when one of them was heard
to exclaim, in her discontinue, "Why
don't the Company leave the rear car
off 2" When my friend invites me to
address you again, / shall suggest
that be leave the rear car off. p ss
am here tonight because | could
not say no. l was unwilling to dis
appoint your principal, and | could
not forego the pleasure of meeting
nv friends in Middletown once more.
l am not here, however, to deliver q
lengthy discourse on some learned
theme about which / know li6tie. and
you would know less when I got
through. Nor am I here to deliver
an Grafton to particular profession.
If | were to address teachers alone, |
would select some special subject, 40
the best method of using a switch,
perhaps. If were to address con-
vention of lawyers, / would do well to
dwell on the life and character of that
eminent English barrister, Sir John
Strange, over whose remains a CRATE
full public has erected a monument
bearing this inscription, Here lies an
honest lawyer, and that is Strange"
If | were to address an assembly OF
doctors, would probably advise them
to cease terrifying, their patients with
that much abused saying, you have
sent for me just in time, an hour later
would have been too late" e.f.I
Nor am here to preach a sermon.
If were, I would begin like persons
kissing-with an introduction, two
heads and an application. But | ap-
pear as a speaker at large, and, fol-
lowing the instincts of a true
American, / shall simply make
a speech. We live in an age Of
progression. Things are run on
the progressive plan. I heard the
other day of a progressive dinner
party. Looking back over a century
of the Nations History or even ovel
the space of a generation, we note
great changes. We have advanced
in material wealth and moral forces
In one brief century we have grown
from a nation of thirteen states ,tc
forty.four from four millions popu-
lation to sixty-three millions. W.
have extended our western boundry
from the Father of Waters to the
Golden Gate We have advanced
from wooden plow-shares to steam
plows. From canoes to cunarders
It took Washington seven days
to 90 from Mt. Vernon to New
York city, now steam takes us in
seven hours.
In some things, however, we have
made little progress. We have
not advanced on the poetry of Homer
or the sculpture Of Phidias /; on th,
architecture of ancient Greece anc
Rome, or the master painters of the
middle ages; but in education, in in
ventions, in mechanical contrivance
and in moral forces, we have surpass
ed all previous centuries combined
This is an age of applied power. Il
electricity, the storage battery is des
tined to play an important part. Th'
individual is storage battery of al
most infinite capacity. Power is tn
star of his exhibition. The right US
of power is success, and the highes
success lies in the path Of his natura
tastes.
We no longer wonder at the world
progress. We have learned to expect
great things. Every morning pape
announces some new aehievem ent i
art, science or literature. We are nc
surprised, but often astounded. Doc
tors giving us new names for old dis
eases; telescopes penetrating the un'
explored remainders of space and re.
vealing unnumbered worlds; micro
scopes revealing Infinite organism
full of delicate and iridescent lowell
ness !" geology reaching down int
the stored energies Of the earth an
revealing their benefcence and powel
telegraph and telephone annihilatIn
space until there are no more foreig
lands. We shall read in tomorrow
journal the happenings of to-day j
London and Peking. We stand j
awe and simply exclaim, what next
The race Of life," says Carlyle, " hs
become intense, therunners are treat
ing on each others heels. Woe to ii
man who stops to tie his shoe-strings.
Yet there are no miracles in thel
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