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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (July 5, 1885)
VHihiH 10 THE HESPERIAN. theologian will be versed in science as well as in his Bible and with a mind thus enlarged he may be able to unfold the mys teries of earth and ipon each new truth Christianity shall dis cover the seal of divinity." Following the oration came a song by Dr. Palin Saxby, "The Stories the Stars Could Tell." Thiswas of Mr. Saxby's own composition and we arc assured by competent critics that it is a musical gem. The only girl graduate, Miss Mary L. Jones, then read an essay on the "Influence of the English Ballad." Her ap pearance was charming, and she read with composure and considerable force, though, as is gencraly the case with young ladies, her tones were not sufficiently strong to reach the back rows of scats and the persons standing up against the wall. The following synopsis will give a faint idea of the ex cellencies of this most pleasing exercise: The ballad marks a stage m the literary dcvclopemcnt as certainly as docs the stone or iron age mark an era in the in dustrial growth of a people. English literature has not re sulted from evolution. The Elizabethan writers were the re sult of a violent revolution instead of a national growth. Originally the ballad was not a native of English soil. The Saxons were not an adventurous people, or if they were, they possessed little imagination to turn their exploits into verse. But with the advent of the Danes came the min strel and ballad. The Northmen possessed the vivid imagination necessary to appreciate the poetic in their exploits, and to turn them into the rinc'mg rhyme of the ballad. Wherever they pene trated there the minstrel followed, singing first the songs of his native land, then the deeds of the conquered race. The ballads of the middle age perfectly mirrored the emo tional life of the people, whose feelings were not yet deadened by cruelty. The clear, ringing note of the ballad was martial music to the warrior, exciting him to higher, nobler deeds. The ballad is pre-eminently the poetry of feudalism, chival ry and the crusades;. The wild raids of feudal warfare were its very life; and when these ceased and a more peaceful civ ilization settled upon England the minstrel passed out of na tional life. The middle ages arc looked upon as a blank in English lit erature, and so they arc as far iw formal expression is con cerned . The Greeks arc the only people who passed from the simplicity of the ballad to the philosophy of Socrates. The nature of Shakspeare is not the nature of the ballad, but in fact a nature with whole centuries of civilization behind it. A brilliant literature was kept up from Milton, but it lacked national force. Through all the years of artificial culture civilization was steadily advancing. Social and political growth was accom plished by mental progress. The cultured circle was increas ing, now and then including one who still held the ballads of his fathers fresh in his hands. The group of history in the eighteenth century was not so large but that one vigorous mind could effect all. The four teenth century literature could not be engrafted on the eighteenth century civilization. The law of nature was at work in England not less than in France, and Scott was the first to advance the new ideas. In poetry Burns and Words worth completed the transformation. Poetry is no longer a display of intellect; it is the literature of the emotions, and nowhere does it send such a thrill through the heart as in the short, crisp tones of the ballad. A piano and organ duet "La Favorita" by Miss Cochran and Dr. Saxby followed. It was an artistic and enjoyable performance. Conway G. McMillan then gave his oration on "Robert Burns," which may be summarized as follows: There was a time one hundreds years ago, when reforms of every nature were characteristic features ot the period, Poli- tics, religion, social states were changed. At this time, too, English literature received an impetus in a new direction. The poetry which had so long satisfied the popular craving now became intolerable and reform was demanded. Tope and his school had inflicted their unnatural, bombastic verses upon the people until such writing and style clogged upon he appetite of eycry reader. Nature had been disregarded. The river of verses had been flowing through artificial groves, but had never reached the virgin forests. Cowper and Burns appeared as leaders of reform. Burn however was the real front of the opposition to artificiality. The environment of Burns' poems gives a clue to their popularity. Freedom, with nature unknown before his time. He drew his inspira tion from the humblest sources, but succeeding in creating marvclously beautiful superstructures upon unpretentious foundations. Bums' poetry evidences his sincerity. Every word is born from truth. What Burns says he believes; what he advises has served as his own guide. There is no hollow sham of theatrical scntimcntalism about the verse of the Bard of Aycrshirc, Carlylc tells us that a sincere man is always respected. This utterance found an example in Burns. He was not only natural and sympathetic, but strong in his mental make-up. Although not a scholar he knew how to use the tools of language, and that, too, more artistically than many of those who had better advantages than himself. Thus the genius of Bums is seen to be broad and allcompassing. Mr. A. G. Warner's subject was an unusual one "The Lack of Brains" and he treated it in his characteristic and muscular style. A vigorous, eloquent speaker on all occa sions, he fairly out-did himself on this his last appearance as a student of the University. An idea of the thought of his oration may be gleaned from the appended skeleton: The good to be derived from each new reformatory move mont is over-estimated, because of the enthusiasm of its cham pions. This has been the case with the various religions, the strong government idea and the belief in the social omnipo tence of liberty. The latest alleged panacea for all social evils is the reason, supplemented by the work of education. It was at first supposc.l the reason of the "natural man" could of itself accomplish all things; but that this was a mis take was shown when a courtesan, crowned asa goddess of reason, lead the mob on a devil's dance through Paris, and the failure might have been anticipated from the mental awkwardness which even the keenest intellects had displayed when handling even mathematical problems. Kctormcrs now preach education as the one thing needful, but education is only a "drawing out" and if there be nothing but folly in a man the best education can do him lit tle good. There graduate from our colleges many fools. The public schools contain many thousands of children who have not brains enough to understand long division. The rcr.son ing powers, like all the rest of man's faculties are in an un completed state. The struggle for existence now takes a form which makes life itself depend upon intelligence. No such thing exists as a conflict between labor and capital. It is a struggle between the mentally weak and the mentally strong. The survival of the fittest implies the extenuation of the un fit. Nature does not believe that all men arc equal and re morselessly accomplishes the killing of the mentally weak, contending against this elemental law, reason assisted by education must work slowly, painfully, unsurcly. This fac may as well be acknowlcdcd for though some benefits may result from delusion, delusion is not a benefit. Realizing the boundlessness of the work to be accomplished, man will be better circumstanced to do what he is indeed fitted to per form, and though he no longer expects to come up to the ho rizon, nor lay hands upon the rainbow, though like an unde ceived Columbus, he knows that the world is larger than his imagination had ever pictured it, yet he feels that the un known land of the future is beautiful and bounteous, having beauties to cheer and riches to reward all noble efforts. Each graduate received a small cart-load of flowers, books, and other favors, besides compliments enough to turn the heads of ordinary individuals. Mrs. Grace B. Dales closed the programme with an ex quisitely given song, after which the usual degrees were con ferred upon the graduates. In addition, Hon. A. W. Field and Mr. H. H. Wilson were given permission to attach M. A. to their names, and the degree of B. A. was given Miss Madge Hitchcock, who was a member of the class of '78. Immediately after the sound of oratory in the Opera House had died away the procession re-formed and returned to the campus, where the cornerstone of the chemical laboratory was laid. Speeches were made by the Chancellor, C. H. Gere, C. A. Holmes, A. W. Field, and Prof. Bessey, Prof. Sherman read a poem, the band played stirring airs and the artillery squads fired a number of guns in honor of this important event in the history of our University. equality, naU'.re, manhood,' were the leading ideas of the time At such a moment the whole world welcomed a writer who hour by students and friends of the University who were bid embodied such ideas in his verse. Burns had a sympathy ding adieu to each other and to the college year of 1884-85! The most pleasant and successful Commencement ever held here was agreeably brought to a close by theChancellor's levee in the senate chamber. The hall was filled until a late
