Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-21

PRINCETON. Old and New Recollec-
lions Of Undergraduate Life. By James
w. Alexander. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons 1898. From George
VI. West Company. Pages, 100. Price,
S25.
The entertainment proffered by this little
volume invites many readers outside OF
the authors brother alumni-the circle
TO which it is especially addressed. The
"reminiscences of undergraduate life when
repeated, even by an Indifferent racon-
teur, always command a ready and
grateful hearing from every collegian.
There is a fascination which age never
stales around the memories OF college
days, and a sufficient sameness in the ex-
periences OF the alumni of different insti-
tutions 20 make them all boon com
panions and common participants in the
pleasure of recalling the hours of aud
lang syne, and the associations and Incl
dents of academic life. Nor is the in
terest only shared by themselves. The
annual commencements OF our literary
institutions are always graced by the at
tendance of a very liberal proportion or
the fair sisters cousins, and friends of
the students who vie with them in the
enthusiasm and esprit de corps with
which college coloIs and fraternity
badges are proudly Haunted and the de-
tails of college experiences find no reader
or more generous listeners among our
collegians than they do among their
sympathiZing maiden friends.
The author, of course, speaks con amore
Of his Alma Mater. but the severest
critic must concede that he does not
transcend the bounds of good taste in
his LOYALTY to her history, with which
his personal and ancestral associations
are so closely united, and which has.
through more than a century ana hal1
challenged and received the affectonate
veneratioh of all our American people.
With that earlier history Virginia,
through many years, was most honorary
associated. Such sons of hers as Presi-
dent James Madison. Light Horse Harry
Lee. Governor William Il. Giles, were
among the earlier alumni OF old Nassau
Hall.
Samuel Davies the Father OF Presoy-
terianism in Virginia. was called from
ninisterfal life in Virginia to live and die
as the president. His successor was
the distinguished John Witherspoon who
as representative of New Jersey. had the
double honor of signing the Declaration
OF Independence and the Federal Constr
tuition. and, upon his death, another Vlr-
ginian. the Rev. Samuel Stanhope smith,
was called from the presidency OF Hamp-
den-Sydney college 10 succeed nm. An
other Virginian, and president or Hamp-
den Sydney college. the Rev. Or. Archl-
bald Alexander, though never connected
with Princeton College, except as mem
her of its Board of Trustees, was for very
many years the leading professor In the
Theological Seminary located In the same
village. and he and his distinguished sons,
the elder of whom were natives OF VIZ
ginia. were among the most conspicuous
and influential citizens of the then niue
village One of these sons, the Rev
DIR. James w. Alexander who began MS
rninisterial life in Charlotte county, va,
and ended IL as pastor or the largest
PRESBYTERIAN church in New YORK city
was for some years professor IN tue
college. His wife was, like himself VIZ
ginian by birth and inheritance, a sister
of the late Dr. James L. Caoeli' so long
a professor in the University OF virginia
One of their sons was the late Rev.
Dr Henry c. Alexander, professor IN
Union Theological Seminary. The author
~ This little volume is Of the same MS
toric stock.
princeton. in the olden time. drew its
natronage very largely from virginia
and her sister Southern States. In the
fort,es and ffties the students were about
equally divided between the North ana |
the South, and when the war broke OUT. |
an 1861. about one-third OF the under
graduates were southern youths. The |
author gives this very interesting account |
~ their departure homewards:
"Immediately after the bombardment |
in Charleston harbor, the venerable Dr.
AtacTean than president of the college, |
naIled the, knts together IN the old |
chanel and sessed them on the situa-
,ton THE old mans heart was wruns
~, tha conflict Of emotions. He told the |
rvs that conciliatory measures having
sailed. and war being inevitable. he ana
The other members of the faculty were