'Ill III till,
THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
v
S
r
and charade-s already proved, but theso comic clinrnc
tors were Shnkespcaro's own creation. Ills variety of
Imagination bus given him his superhuman excellence.
Ills genius has painted alike truly, the gentle and tho.
simple made ot'ihcm one united whole, an entire world.
The recitation of Absalom by Miss Alice Tuttlo camo
next. This was oHoctivoly rendered and commanded In
the audience profound silence and attention. That Miss
Tuttlo posscses a clear conception of the s'ul circumstances
giving rise to this poem was clearly evinced in her tender,
pathetic quality of voice. "That the best interests of the
Country demand Free Trade" was the subject for de
bate. Mr. J. II. Mockolt Jr. maintained that Freo Trade
is not trade wholly unrestrained by the laws of countries,
but that it imposes taxes on goods of home manufacture
the same as on imported goods; that tariff" raises the price
of those articles upon which it is imposed. This is its
object and it cannot make them cheaper. Mr. C. T.
Brown, In his speech on the negative, said that if all
nations were equally advanced in wealth and civillzatioiii
if they could start on n basis of absolute equality In al
their developments, if universal benevolence could tako
the place of universal selfishness and nations could live
together in peace, Free Trade would follow as naturally as
commercial intercourse. But it will be the effect rath
er than tho cause of such a state. While the main object
of taxes on imported goods is to furnish u revenue, yet,
iu levying them, care should be taken to foster, build
and protect such manufactures and occupations as are
best suited to our climate and people, with tnc view of
securing to her citizens fair wages for a day's labor, for
our farmers a home market, and to our country strength,
wealth and independence. Miss Anna Saunders eulo
gized Longfellow. Miss Saunders believes that the rc
alistic school in modern flcton is suicidal in its tendency.
In accepting it wo arc precipitated from Shelley's height
of "awful loveliness" to a depth of awful ugliness. Lit
erature should bo something that lifts up to a higher
plane; something that gives us noble impulses. Such
poems as Longfellow's "Psalm of Life" have saved . men
from suicide. Mr. Longfellow m a&tered all the languages
of Northern Europe. As a translator he is unsurpassed
if not unequalled. He was a good man ; a Christian faith
breathes through all his writings. Ho was an American
preeminently nn American. His writings havo laid the
foundation lor a genuine American Literature; they hold
the balance even between the "realistic" and "romantic."
He swept every string of truth, beauty and tenderness;
he keenly comprehends the hopes and fears common to
humanity and glorifies them by the touch of genius. Let
us rejoice that America has given to the world this master
typo of scholarship, combined with simplicity of dic
tion, the best loved poet of the nineteenth century.
The programme closed with an oration by Clement
Chase, on "John Howard Payne," preceded very appro
priately by a piano duet, "Home, Sweet Home," with
variations, by Misses Cora Fisher and Edith Doolittle,
in which the full expression of Payne's masterspiece
was exquisitely and sympathetically produced. Mr.
Chase introduced his subject by referring to the poet"
actor, and then proceeded to give a sketch of his mel
ancholy and lonely life , with a history of the famous
song, of his residence in Tunis, his death and tho late
rct'irn to his native land. The reason why tho simple
"Home, Sweet Home," has found so warm a placo
in tho hearts of all humanity, wero enumerated, and
tho oration closed with a beautiful trihuto to homo and
mother, which wo would like to give but lack of spaco
prevents.
Tho music of tho Palladlau exhibition, which was
wholly society talent, consisted of a grand "Overture
to Ruy Bias," by Miss Mamlo Hitchcock, Mr. Frank
Wheeler, Mr. Geo. Hitchcock, and Miss Anna Hawkins;
Song, "Departed Days," by Dan. Wheeler Jr.; Vocal
Solo, " A U o cara by Miss Mary Leonard and an
Instrumental duct, 'Home, Sweet Home," by Misses
Cora Fisher and Edith DooliUIo. Lack of space pre
vents mention of each piece severally, but speaking of
tho music as a whole, It was excellent and wo rcjoico
in the fact tho more it having been the effort of homo
talent.
GRADUATING EXER01SE8.
This morning at 8:80 sharp, the regents, faculty ca
dets and students generally, formed tho procession on
he campus. Headed by the cadet band aud commanded by
Lieut. Townlcy tho column marched two by two to the
opera house where the parquet was as usual reserved for
the students. This year for variety some attention had
been paid to the decoration of the opera house. Pictures
had been brought down from the society halls and the
columns wero draped with many colored tarletau
Where the old proscenium ily had always greeted the
eyes of the audience the enterprising class of '83, had
placed their matto "Jlolcm mens movct" in letters of gold
on black background. After the Invocation the crowded
house listened to the orations of the graduates.
Miss Chapman in speaking of the possibilities andprob
abilalics of American Literature, said that literary work
in America had received little attention before the begin,
ing of the present half century, but the advancement
which has been made in late years proves that it is not
improbable that Americans may become distinguished
through their authors. Since the literature of Euglish
speaking people is not complete, why may not others
speak with loftier inspiration than even a Shakespeare or
Milton? America has great advantages which no other
nation ever possessed, and is better fitted to produce men
who will imitate that which has been done. That Amer
icans arc not wanting in genius aud industry is proved
by the enormous increase of patents in Washington. Tho
great and only critic today is the reading public; and
public taste has triumphed over old time standards.
The people have asked for natural truth and thought
apart from artificiality, and they are bound to have it.
Tho literary work of America has been largely imitative
and, though becomnig more charactaristic, the influence
of English writers is still strongly felt. The peculiar
viewsofBurns and Shelly found a ready welcome in
republican America. Their love of humanity and gener
osity were strong appeals to American hearts. Our Lit
erature, tho strongest band of society, the powerful
support of a represonativo system, which says, the public
shall be enlightened. Whatever may befall other insti
tutions, our Literature will always remain an object of
common interest, said Herbert Spencer, "Americans may
reasonably look forward to a time when they will havo