mitchell_da857_c-001

Windsor, Vt.
The Washingtonian Sept. 2, 1811.
Commencement
1811

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE.

On Wednesday last was holden the ANNIVER-
SARY COMMENCEMENT at Dartmouth College.
The Class, which received the Honors of the
University consisted of about sixty Members,
from which 8 or 10 were selected to exhibit in
public : and we are sorry to remark, that silence,
as to the merits of the performances, would savor
of injustice to the character of the Institution.
With the exception of the [P]hilosophical Oration -
that on the Influence of the Fine Arts - and perhaps
one or two other pieces, [the] exercises were cer-
tainly below par ; and this is the least, which can
be said to heal the wounds of disappointment ex-
perienced on the occasion. NO SON OF DART-
MOUTH, to whom the reputation of that College
is so deservedly dear, could consent, to let off
the respectable circle of Strangers, who were
present, with the impression, that what they saw
and heard was a fair specimen of the fruits of
four years' application, at Hanover, under such a-
ble and experienced Instructiors ; or, that the
productions, generally speaking, were the best,
which could be exhibited, by a limited selection
from so numerous a class.

A young man, of reputed talents, by the
name of FAIRFIELD, actually committed an
outrage on Decency, by presenting himself appar-
enrly, to insult, as well the Corporation as the
Audience, both by the matter and the manner, of
what was denominated, forsooth, " An Oration
on the Liberty of the Press." Clemency,and paren-
tal feelings, are strong characteristics of the Ex-
ecutive of the College ; but there are cases,when,
even with him, their mild influence must yield to
the sterner dictates of Justice : And this we take
to be one. If the young man has not completely
disgraced himself, he ought, like CAIN, to have
a mark set upon him, by the Hon. Board of Trus-
tees. The youth, who could so ungraciously re-
ceive, must certainly have but little claim to the
Honors of the Institution.

It is painful, in the extreme, to make these
remarks ; but they are necessary to vindicate
the character of the College. The Class was
numerous, its general character stood high, and
the public expectation was, probably, too great
It certainly proved so in the sequel ; -for it was
considerably balked.

When a few are selected from a Class, pro-
meritis, to exhibit in public, (whatever may be
passable at younger Universities) at Dartmouth
we are not prepared to expect MEDIOCRITY -
even in a single performace. EXCELLENCE
must be stampt on every production, or IT OUGHT
TO BE SUPPRESSED.

In our next, we hope to present a list of the
Graduates. The Degree of Doctor of Laws was
conferred on the HON. EGBERT BENSON of New -
York, and on BENJAMIN ABBOTT, Esq of Exe-
ter (N.H.) Dr AMOS TWITCHELL, of Keene,
received the Degree of Doctor in Physic. A-
mong the strangers present, on this occasion, was

the REV. Dr. DAVID, President of [Middlebury]
College.