II
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I . ' - .
In 1774, John Adams, afterward president of the United States,
visited the college, and the following appears with reference to
it in his journal:
The apparatus is the most complete and elegant I have
seen. The scholars sing as bndly as the Presbyterians of New
Vork. The president is as high a son of liberty as any in
America. Princeton's patriotism, however, was not confined
to words and demonstrations. In 1775 its president, John
Withcrspoon, and Richard Stockton, one of its trustees, were
members of the legislature which deposed Franklin, the last
tory governor. A few months later these were enrolled
among the signers of the declaration. On the 9th of July the
news reached Nassua Hall, where the Committee of Safety
were holding its sessions." The building was grandly illum
inated, and independence proclaimed under a triple volley of
musketry, all with the greatest decorum." On the 27th of
August the first provincial congress of New Jersey met in the
college library and elected the first state governor and chief
justice. Hut legislature and study were soon interrupted by
the approach of the British and the college forced to disband
for the time being, as we are told by one of the students at
that time. "On November 29th," he says, "New Jersey col
lege, long the peaceful seat of science, was visited with the
melancholy tidings of the approach of the enemy. The pres
ident, deeply affected, entered the hall where we were col
lected and giving us suitable instruction and good advice, bade
us farewell."
On December 1 the forsaken halls were filled once more,
for Washington, halting from his retreat before Cornwallis,
quartered his exhausted soldiers there and refreshed them for
a week. Scarcely had he withdrawn when old Nassau whicn
had gladly sheltered the blue was unwillingly forced to harbor
the redcoats of Cornwallis. For almost a month the British
staved pillaging and destroying; but the battle of Princeton on
January 3, put an end forever to their depredations. The
engagement began about a mile .from the campus, but the
British soon retreated to the sheltering walls of the college
which still bears the scars of the cannon balls fired to dis
charge them. One of these, it is said, entered the chapel and
struck off the head of George the Second's picture, which it is
believed was taken with them by the soldiers on their retreat.
It is a fact well worth remembering that the history of the
battle was written by George Bancroft while a guest of the
late Senator John K. Thompson at Princeton. After this bat
tle Nassau hall remained as a hospital until the close of the
war, under the successive commands of Generals Sterling,
Putnam, and Sullivan. In 1783, however, fill traces of war
were banished and the Continental Congress, then holding its
sessions in the library, proclaimed from its steps that peace
was at last concluded with Great Britain. In the library, also,
Peter Van Berckel, minister plenipotentiary from the states
general of the United Netherlands, presented his credentials
to congress and was "welcomed with solemn and imposing
ceremonies", and almost within the shadow of its wall Wash
ington wrote his celebrated farewell orders to the armies of
the United States. It was the commencement of this year that
congress attended in a body, having adjourned its sessions "in
honor to the college president, once a member of this body,
and to our own, still a trustee of the institution." Imagine
the throng of distinguished visitors. Washington, Suzernc,
Madison, L'ee, Carroll, Gerry and others honored the exer
cises with their presence as no college has been honored since?;
and Washington, to still further show his appreciation and
approval, presented fifty guineas to the institution, which the
trustee's ordeied to be expended in a full-length portrait of him
by the elder Pcale. The picturestill hangs in Nassau hall in the
same frame from which that of George II. was so readily torn.
Congress left Princeton on October 4, and for many years
the college remained undisturbed by echoes from the outside
world, save the visijs of several noted French travellers. In
1812, however, commencement was again honored by the
presence of a nation's hero. General Scott, when returning
wounded from his victory at Lundy's Lane, paused for a day
or two at Princeton, receiving an enthusiastic ovation from the
students, and from the faculty the honorary degree of Master
of Arts. In 1S24 the Marquis de Lafayette paused here dur
ing his famous progress through the United States, and
received from the hands of President Carnahan the diploma of
Doctor of Laws. Thus we might continue, did space con
tinue, telling of Washington Iring's visit to and description
of the college; of William Henry Harrison's campaign speech,
delivered from its steps; of John Tyler, Chester A. Arthur,
Eliphalet Watt, Matthew Arnold, Bancroft, Henry Ward
Bcccher and many others who have been honored guests at
Nassau hall.
Such are the scenes the old halls have witnessed, standing
still among their clinging ivys, memories of brave deeds and
noble words, of a history too deeply interwoven with that of
the nation to bear a separation of a story which Nassau's sons
may tell with living pride. A. CHURCH.
Inspiration.
"The charm of the best courages," says Emerson, "is that
they are inventions, inspirations, Hashes of genius." Is not
this the charm of all our best doings? Doubtless there is a cer
tain power in humdrum plodding; happily for most of us in
this every-day world, the greater number of our duties can be
fairly well performed without much enthusiasm. But what a
difference, not only in the pleasure of the doing, but in the
beauty of the things done, that are done in our "higher
moods!" How they affect the lives around us!
Is it so difficult to keep up to the higher mood? How is it
when the doors and windows of the soul are thrown open for
the exhilarating influences of the outer world to pour in?
"Inspirations," what are they but a breathing in of something
external to oneself? "Flashes of genius" whence do they
come?
One kneels before the fire-place trying to coax a blaze.
The wood is all piled up. The embers crossed the glowing
coals beneath and yet no sign of flame; only thick volumes of
smoke, clogging and stifling. A touch is brought from with
out a single breath from the bellows, a tiny scrap of paper
beneath the vuaU, and lu! the bld.c leaps up and flashes along
the pile, far beyond the point of the enkindling influence. So
in life, it is the touches from without that we need in our lives,
for then comes the "higher moods."
The Hartford Couraut is the oldest American newspaper.
Edgar Allen Poe's poems have been translated into Italian.
Already ten editions of Emily Dickenson's first volume of
poems have been sold.
Professors Bryce and Jebb, of Cambridge university, are
personally interested in the work of university extension.
Through the kindness of the pope, the first map that was
made which included America will be exhibited at the Colum
bian exposition.
It is understood that Charles Dudley Warner is to take
charge of the editor's study in Harpers Magazine sometime
during the first part of the year.
The Strasburg library, which was destroyed during the
Franco-Prussian war, is being leplaeed through the liberality
of an American, Colonel M. R. Muckle. He his thus far
given more then 36,000 volumes printed in English.
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