1857.] Colleyc JJill Commencement. 355 



Mr. F. G, Gary then announced the fact of Mr. Mattoons 

 election by the unanimous suflrages of the Board, and proceeded to 

 welcome, his successor to his new position in a brief and compre- 

 hensive speech, every sentence of which was full of meaning. 

 There was a depth of feeling and seriousness of manner that 

 made a solemn impression upon the entire assembly, and furnished 

 a good salutatory for all the after exercises. The keys of the College 

 were then given into the hands of Mr. Mattoon, who was pro- 

 claimed President of "Farmers' College," and duly invested with 

 all the rights and privileges pertaining to that office. Then follow- 

 ed the Inaugural address. After some preliminary remarks, the 

 speaker announced his theme. 



appreciation — IT3 CULTIVATION AND BLESSING. 



lie defined Appreciation, the perception and enjoyment of the 

 beautiful and sublime, the good and truthful in every department 

 of knowledge where it is proper for finite mind to carry its investiga- 

 tions. It was assumed, not as a matter problematical, but of experi- 

 ence, that this sense of appreciation is as universal as the speaking 

 tongue is found ; but greatly modified in the degrees of its manifes- 

 tations. In this particular men differ, as in temperaments, sensibil- 

 ities and judgment. Some are more emotional than others, more 

 imaginative, with less depth of understanding and power of will to 

 control the passions and hold in check the wayward fancy. Hence 

 arises the necessity, would we cultivate the appreciative sense^ of 

 educating the whole man. The reasons for this were made very 

 plain, and we can but cherish the hope these reasons were compre- 

 hended and indorsed. 



Instead of decrying the imagination, and leading his hearers to 

 look with suspicion upon every production in which this ethereal 

 faculty has inwoven a flower, though it be no more than a modest 

 violet, he gave it a high place — its own place in the empire of mind. 

 Thoughts upon this point, though incidentally thrown in, were 

 timely, truthful, morally forceful. 



But for the highest attainable perfection of the appreciative 

 sense, it was contended that students must go back to the days 

 when prophets and kings were poets, divinely inspired, and Homei 

 tuned his world entrancing harp. In other words, they must study 

 on classic soil and learn to hold converse with the spirits of the 

 mighty dead, " who yet speak." And this not for the sake of cul- 

 tivating memory, or copying forms, but imbibing the very spirit 



