The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-11-02
IN MEMORY OF WoOLSEY
ONE OF YALE'S MOST FAMOUS
 PRESIDENTS.

ing.
 A delightfully."- appreciative addres
 regarding the late President Woolsey
 of Yale, was that dellNered by Profes
 sor George P. Fisher at the commem
 oration of the one huEf1redth annlver
 sary of President Woblseys birth by
 the New Haven Colony Historica
 Society last Thursday evening. Pro
 lessor Fishers address was no
 read from a manuscript, but was ar
 expansion of brief notss. After refer
 ring to the many yearsIpf his acquaint-
 ance and intercourse Nvith President | Woolsey, he said that he had never 1 been conversant with a more able man
 -or even With one assable, The i'm | rression of his mental powers and
 resources was not in the least weak
 ened as the result of long intercourse | One never felt that one had taken the measure of him. NoB the Professor
 said, had he ever kno3vn a man who
 on the whole, inspired \ more profound
 respect Considering his descent and l his circumstances in early life, he could
 not have been other than a we'll l-bred
 man. He was a nephew of President
 Dwight, who was a grandson of Jona-
 than Edwards His father was a mer-
 chant of high standing in New York.
 In his boyhood he mef at his father s table prominent men, federalists of the Hamilton school. Tn his spirit, Presi- dent Woolsey was a patrician, in the hast cnnca of rn,d. caOt r,
 who expected the same respect to just claims which he accorded to oth- CTS. He was a conservative, open
 minded yet with no sympathy with destructive theories in politics or re- lieion. He always regarded universal
 suffrage as an unwise and unsafe ba- sis of political society, and the specu-
 lations of the school of Jefferson on the
 source and sanction of civil authority
 as superficial and untenable. In his
 youth, after graduation, he had the ad-
 vantage of studying law for a time, be-
 fore spending a period in theological
 study, which was followed by service
 in the office of Tutor at Yale, and by
 a sojourn, for purposes of study, for
 three years in Europe His principal
 but not exclusive, study abroad was the
 Greek language and literature. As professor In this branch the extent and
 accuracy of his attachments were abundantly manifest, and became fla
 miliar to the world of scholars by his editions of Greek dramas and of the Gorgias of Plato. Plato was a favorite author but Dr. Woolsey was familiar with the Greek classics generally In truth classical antiquity on all sides was drawn within the compass of his studies. The retentiveness and accuracy of his memory were Illus trated by Professor Fisher by several striking instances. But the Presidents linguistic studies had a much wider range. He was versed in the Scrip lures in the original tongues, as well as with the principal modern lam guages. In the department of general History, of which he assumed the charge after he became president, he was a most accomplished scholar and instructive teacher. In third branch, International Law, his proficiency was such that his treatise on this subject was and Is recognized on both sides of the ocean as of high authority He was consulted by the national govern ment on various occasions. in relation to disputed questions of moment It is generally supposed that the post of minister to England was offered him by President Hayes, but declined. Tn his copious work on Political Science, Dr. Woolsey has embodied discussions of high intellectual and ethical value, with rich illustrations from his vast store of ancient and modern learning. With Theology, especially in Biblical science and church history, pr. Woolsey was hardly less conversant. Professor Fisher remarked on leading character istics Of President Woolsey in his off, cial administration his relations to the Faculty, and his views relative to the functions of the different departments of college government. In speaking of the personal traits of Dr. Woolsey. Professor Fisher dwelt on his almost sincerity and truthfulness his hatred of every false show, which inspired an abhorrence of everything artificial or meretricious in culture and in style, whether of speaking or writ ing, and an unshrinking avowal of | in Biblican crit cism, in an- ticipation of later, accepted opinions. | Tn connection with his absolute verac- lty, a distinguishing excellence of | President Woolsey, observations were | made on his intense love of justice, his | and the singular disinter- | est tedness which characterized him in his official career. Tn his conception of | and practically, piety and ethical feeling, devoutness and philan- -hropy. were inseparable. His appre- ,iation of the vital relations of Chris- .ianity to society was illustrated in lis writings on Divorce and on Com and Socialism, The earnest less of his religious convictions was associated with a broad catholicity. which caused him to be deeply inter .sted in the promotion o1 the cause of Christian Union. It was not his dis inction as scholar and an author done which led to his being placed at he head of the American committee ,n the revision of the New Testa ament Scriptures, and te his selection to pre- tide over the Evangelical Alliance at ts assembly in New York in 1872. The Lddress of Prof. Fisher closed with ,rief remarks on the three great pres dents of Yale between it's foundation nd Dr. Woolsey's retirement in 1S71- Hap, Dwight and Woolsey.
 It is understood that the address will