92 DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 



action and gesture, and the declamation of selections from American orators. 



This class numbered fifty-six, and each student presented three exercises. The 

 Juniors met Thursday afternoons for reading Sluikespeare, the play sclcctod 

 being Julius Csesar. The Seniors meet AVednesdays, for the reading of critical 

 essays on the productions of contemporary English poets, Browning, Mrs. Brow- 

 ing, Tennyson and Matthew Arnold, furnishing most of the matter studied. 

 Besides these essays, others were i)resented, on the lives, and characters, of the 

 authors, and their relations to contemporary literature. General discussions 

 were had on the subjects presented, and the written work was left with myself 

 for correction. The class numbered thirty-three. 



During the spring term, I gave instruction to the Sophomores,meeting in two 

 divisions, in advanced rhetoric, taking A. S. HilVs Friiiciples as a guide. The 

 philosophy of style, and the fundamental principles of narration, description, 

 conviction and pei suasion, were the subjects of study. The text-book work 

 was supplemented by lectures, and the exposition of illustrative passages from 

 classic English authors, the study of Burke's speech on " Conciliation with 

 America," and essays applying the principles discu-sed. The class met on 

 Tuesday afternoons during the term for tlie study of Burke. Each of the thirty 

 students was required to present, before the class, three essays, one descriptive, 

 one narrative, and one argumentative. Daring this term, the work in elocu- 

 tion was carried forward witli the Freshmen, the class numbering fifty-six, meet- 

 ing in twtj sections on Saturday mornings, having the same drill as the previous 

 term, and each student presenting four declamations. The English literature 

 was dropped, the Seniors having essays on historical subjects with Professor 

 narrower. The Juniors met for Shakespeare readings, the same as the pre- 

 vious term, selecting Othello as the phiy to be studied. 



My work during the summer term was, English literature with the Juniors, 

 readings in Milton with the Seniors, and the direction of the exercises of com- 

 mencement vicek. After six preliminary lectures, the Juniors took up the study 

 of English literature, using Skaio's Neto Manual, with Chamhers^s Cyclopedia of 

 Eii(jli!<]i Literature, for illustrative readings. Each student presented before the 

 class, three critical essays, following an outline previously suggested, the entire 

 class having jjreviously read the selection criticised, so as to discuss intelligently 

 the merits of the essayist's criticisms. The class numbered thirty-four. The 

 Seniors met Wednesdays during the term for a study of Milton's '"Paradise 

 J^ost." The first four books were read with such comment and exposition as 

 seemed desirable. The Shakespeare readings were continued with the Juniors, 

 Thursday afternoons. During this term as during the entire year, the Seniors 

 and Juniors met every other AVednesday afternoon todeliver before the students, 

 and such other persons as might attend, original speeches, on subjects sug- 

 gested by myself or chosen by them. AVhile this is a valuahle exercise, bring- 

 ing a discipline and culture obtained in no other way, it involves on the part 

 both of student and instructor a large amount of work. To select so great a 

 number of suitable topics, neither inappropriate nor hackneyed, to secure from 

 the library, observation or reflection, the proper niaterial to plan so as to present 

 in the brief times allowed, only the strongest points, to express the thought so 

 as to secure brevity, yet not sacrifice the oratorical swing of the sentence; to 

 secure proficiency in delivery by repeated rehearsals, — requires an amount of 

 time and effort, not to bo appreciated by any save those who have directed such 

 work. There have been delivered, during the year, one hundred and twenty- 

 two of these original speeches. It was my duty to supervise all the public ex- 

 ercises of commencement. Besides the suggestion, and correction of literary 



