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9
wishes and the most ardent supplications to the divine being
for the lives, the health, the prosperity, the usefulness, the earthly happiness
and heavenly bliss of every individual classmate.
In the review of our collegiate life let us reflect upon the numerous
claims imposed upon us for lasting gratitude. Can we forget the many
obligations we have here incurred to our parents? Their anxiety for our
welfare directed us hither - their affectionate advice has encouraged
and restrained us - their bounty unpaid has supplied our need. Can
we forget the founders and superintendents of this University? In
the midst of embarrassments, their efforts have caused spacious
edifices to arise for our accomodation: and they have furnished us
with guides to the temple of science. And can we forget the instructors
who have broken down before us the obstacles that impeded our
march; and have screened us from the power of those fascinating objects
that were continually striving to allure us from our path.
Can we forget what rich stores of knowledge they have opened to us?
They have displayed to our view all the beauties of ancient literature;
have made us pause with delight on the admirable specimens
of human genius as exhibited in the gilded pages of the [?]
they have led us through the fertile fields of Greece and
Rome and bid us pluck their richest productions. Our minds have
been thus fertilized by all that is useful in ancient literature and
gradually prepared for the reception of the nobler but more difficult
mathematical sciences. Here [too?] our obligations to our instructors
return upon us for their endeavours to give us a relish for the
difficult process of abstract demonstration and thus to induce on
[?] a habit of thinking closely and reasoning clearly. The grand and inten