xt7sxk84nj8k_136 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7sxk84nj8k/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7sxk84nj8k/data/L2021ua019.dao.xml Kentucky University 18.26 Cubic Feet 32 document boxes, 5 flat boxes, 21 bound volumes archival material L2021ua019 English University of Kentucky Property rights reside with Transylvania University.  The University of Kentucky holds the copyright for materials created in the course of business by University of Kentucky employees. Copyright for all other materials has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky.  For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Special Collections Research Center.  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Transylvania University Library. Record Group 5:  Collection on Kentucky University The Collegian, volume 1, number 9 text The Collegian, volume 1, number 9 2024 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7sxk84nj8k/data/L2021ua019/Box_5_26/Folder_10/Multipage5770.pdf 1873 February 1873 1873 February section false xt7sxk84nj8k_136 xt7sxk84nj8k KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY.

Published bV the LiterarV Societies of KentuckV UniversitV.

 

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7V. 8. f 0/1/2315“ fancied); Sawfly,
7f. J. FEflGUSOfV C/umeimZ/zemz Socz'efy,
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Jfl 0. 7V. fiflflLEJ/L ’Um'mz Zz'Zeimy Socz’eéy,
771/7! . fiflflfifi, 666701722572 Sammy.

TFRMQ

Single Copy, one year, in advance, - -¥’§$1.50 i To the‘getter-up of a Club of ten, one copy gratis.
Single Copy, six months, in advance, - 1.00 t Single Copies, - - - - - - - — 15 Cents.

 

 

 

 

LLL

VOL. 1. FEEEUAEK, 1873. N0. 9.

Q

CONTENTS:
THE ASHLAND INSTITUTE ............................... 12-9 AMONG OUR EXCHANGES ................................. 134
FRAGMENTS FROM FAUS ‘: DEMANDS OF THE AGE ............... ' ................... 136
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. J.»

; larity has been won by r o appeal to stupid preju-

An Eaclm 00]),2/ of either the MAGAZINE, WEEK- '3
LY, or BAZAR qolll be supplied gratisfor every Club .
of Five Subscribersal $4 00 each, 2'72 one rerrriltance; ‘

isubsnrlpzloazs t0 IIABPER’S MAGAZINE, WEEKLY

A Complete Set of Harper’s Magazine, nowcom— -
prising 45 V olumes. in neat cloth binding, will he i
ght at exnense of purchaser, ;

”$2 25 per volume. Single colzmres, by mail, post- T

STUDENTS—--REMEMB ER
——-TIIAT-—- »
1YOUNG’S CALLER

: Is the place to have your pictures made,
t as he will make you better work for less

{money than any other artist.
: {cduct.ions made on clubs of 12 or more.

B O 0 TS A N
unthh/r‘r’ihhMWw '

 

t

I . , .

5 All kinds 01 gentlemen’s boots and shoes
1 made to order, in the most fashionable
, styles, at low prices, by

i JAMES GEORGE.

_ No. 12. South Upper Street.
5 @° tepairing neatly executed.

 

GO TO
15 East llIao‘n Street,

I —-r0n—

Shirts 8: e11 Kinhsei Furnishing Gents

, CHEAP FOR CASH.
|
J. W. Whitney &. 00.,

' 10’]! T ”.0 i.
Drugbists 8. Apethecaues,
Corner Main and Mill Streets,
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKX‘,

 

 

tliivite the attention of the public to their.
! stock of Drugs, Medicines, Toilet Articles
and Druggist’s Sundries. Brushes
of all kinds.
lnks, Pens and Paper,
Cigars and Tobacco,
' Perfumes, Best Coal Oil,
Soaps, Lamp and Lamp Fixtures,
And everything usually kept in a first-class
{ Drug Store.

FMS-R. E AGLE,
Tailor and Renovate,

No. 55 Short Street,

his“ I would be pleased to have the
boys call at any time.

Tinware and. Stoves !

A large stock always on hand for the

; Combs,
1 Baskets,

 

 

hetudentswVery Cheap»

s L. P. MILWARD,
1 NO- 3 Wcst Main Street, next door to Wilgus &

s

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:73 COLL:

g,— ’73.); '—

-W...'..m~v~ 4"“ ~«wvvn- «Aw-{go M‘s-1,...

 

 

ZGIAN

OF KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY.

 

 

“Educate your children and your Country is safe.”

 

 

Vol. 7. Zem'rzyzorz, 101., Few-2mm», 7873. No.9.

 

 

THE COLLEGIAN

OF KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY.

 

 

MONTHLY-

 

 

LEXINGTON, KY., - - — - ‘- FEBRUARY, 1873

 

 

[For The Collegian ]
217]] flSEZfl/VZ [fl/'52]? Z/Y'ZZ.

 

\

Save'those who were members of the Ash-
land Institute, a once Literary Societyof Ken-
tucky University, but few perhaps would care to
hear recitals concerning its past. This was un-
dertaken to meet the desire of her members, but
if others should happen to be entertained, we will
have accomplished that which, whilst it gratifies
the writer, was not expected. Scattered as are
those who were my literary associates of the In-
stitute, from the Lakes to Texas, and having no
means of communication 'with them except by
mail, (and the Society Minutes having unfortu-
nately been misplaced) the responsibility of pro-
ducing something readable has not been enviable.

Mr. J. W. RADLEY was suggested as avery fit
person for such an undertaking, though, upon re-
flection, and after getting, others’ views, the result
was different.

The Agricultural and Mechanical College of
Kentucky University began operations in 1866; the

Ashland Institute was its first production of pub- '

lic note, and until its union with the Adelphan So-
ciety, of the same College, was largely indentified
with its progress.

The College of Arts, the Bible College, and the
College of the Law had been distinguished for the
reputation of their Literary Societies none of
which expected so formidable a rival as was soon
to grow up in that of the Ashland Institute. Du-
ring the session of 1866 and ’67, a number of
young gentlemen of the college, of whom were T.
V. Munson and W. B. Munson, 111.; A. Bowman, of
Mercer county, Ky.; D. Clark, of Paris, Ky.; Hen—
ry Underwood, Jr... of Bowling Green, Ky.; Ben.
Gratz, Jr., of Lexington, Ky.; C. Cram, Morgan
Station, Pendleton county, Ky; Jas. Maddison,
Logan county, Ky.; D. M. Woodson, Frankfort,
Ky.; J. 0. May, Spencer county, Ky.; J. IV. Og-
don, Bracken county, Ky; C. K. Tharp, Owens-
bore, Ky; Rich’d. Colston, of Louisville, and Wm.
Cheek, of Burksville, Ky., met together for the
purpose of founding, a fraternity. After the usual
suggestions. and deliberations, a membership

 

known as the Ashland Institute, a name in ac~
cordance not only with Ashland itself, where was
their college, but with Asland’s illustrious sage,
was formed. Jefferson’s Parliamentary Practice
was set up as a rule of proceeding, and a Consti-
tution was engrossed, which, amongst other pro—
visions provided for a President, Vice President,
Critic, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Sec.
retary, Treasurer, and Door-keeper, who should all
be elected by ballot at the same meeting, to hold
office during a term of six meetings, or longer
should the Society omit to hold an election.

A majority was quorum. Meetings to be held
every Friday night. Order of exercises—Read-
ing, Essays, Declamations, Orations, Debate.
Question to be decided by a committee of three,
who were appointed previous to each debate by the
President, an intermission of five minutes which
was subsequently practiced, irregular debate, se-
cret business, and adjournment. The secret
business related merely to the financial and per.
sonal matters, orders, appointments, &c. of the
Institutue.

Thus the Institute progressed, striving to reach
to a high standard, and receiving now and then
additions, for their desire was to constitute rather
a chosen few than many; indeed, the constitution-
al limitation was thirty-six, and the average mem-
bership was about twenty-five. The Collegiate
Session, beginning September, 1867, found the
mest of the members ready to renew their courses,
and with adetermination to carry forward the
Ashland Institute until it should at least hold an
even position with her sister Societles of the Uni-
versity. To this end they continued their exer-
cises with closed doors, and sought out and re-
ceived accessions from the most advanced new
comers of the College. The 22d of February of
each year is observed as a holiday by the Univer-
sity, and is further recognized by its Literary So-
cieties that each contribute a spokesman for the oc~
casion; this orator, months beforehand, is chosen,
at a secret session, to represent his society, and
such is the emulation amongst them. no small
pains are taken in thes election. Thus each in
succession deliver an oration during that national
day, in Morrison Chapel, before the various col-
lege faculties, their fellow-students, and the citizens
of Lexington in attedanee; the occasion being en-

livened by bands of music and a dress parade 'of'

the cadets. On February, 1867, the Ashland In-
stitute had not cared to be represented, but agreed
upon a representative for the 22d, 1868, which day
was to witness the debut of the Institute, the

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 730 THE COLLEGIflN

._.._._.~__ _...‘_;....

Feb, 7875.

 

crowning of the members hope, and a gratifica-
tion in some measure of their desires. Mr Ben—
ton McMillian, of Monroe county, Ky, was selected
as standard bearer for that day, when in an ad—
dress he depicted the coils of war.

He acquitted himself with much satisfaction be‘
fore a large and select audience, and received the
approval of his society, which after this ventured
to open its hall every meeting night for the in-
spection of visitors.

[To BE commune]

F‘fifl 6flfE/V’Z S 1/72? 0.?! I731 US] .

 

 

(Translated in the original metres.)

 

13 Y KOI’PA.

 

DEDICATION.

Again ye conic, ye wavering forms, again yc
That early cheered my troubled gaze, appear!

Strive I this once to grasp and fast retain ye?
Still holds my heart this fond illusion dear?

Ye crowd around; then o’er my spirit reign ye,
Erst mist-enshrouded, new arising clear.

A youthful trembling all my bosom seizes,

As round your march are playing magic breezes.

ijoyous days ye bring the apparition,

And many shades beloved gather round;
And, like an old andIhalf—forgot tradition,

First Love returns with earliest Friendship bound.
Each pang renews, and wailing’s repetition

Adown Life’s labyrinthine path doth sound,
And names the Good, by cheating Fortune banished
From happy hours, that hive before me vanished.

These following lays no longer they are hearing,
The souls to whom I sung my earliest song;

D'spersel the friendly troop my soul erst cheering,
The echo mute that ers: resounded long.

My heart shrinks back, their very plaudits fearing,
Whist sound my numbers to the stranger throng;

And whomso once my song made happy-hearted,

If still they live, roam through the world disparted.

And me doth seize a yearning, long unwanted,
For that all-still and solemn Spirit-Zone,—-—

Like an rEolian harp, by breezes haunted,
My liSping lay floats in uncertain tone.

Tears gush on tears, the heart, with shul-iers dune l,
Erewhile so strong, itself unmannrd doth own.

All I possess, in distance fadeth ever,

And all I’ve los‘, grows real, dying never.

L UL L A B Y .
(Song of the Spirits.)

Vanish, ye darkling, Gems that are bzaming
Arches above him! Pure in their gleaming.
Tenderly glancing, Lo the high places,
Friendly, entrancing, Far left behind them!
Blue Ether peer. Round the green bases
0 that the darklin: Spreading, they wind them,
Clouds were dissolving! Sparkling and laughing.
Starrulets sparkling, Happiness quafing,
Sun-orbs revolving, Fly the tribes airy
Milder appear. Sunward to fairy '
Spirits Elysian, Isles that are blinang,——
Beauty’s own vision, Ocean’s fair daughters ——
Bending, entwining, Rising and sinking
Wavering hover; Light on the waters.
Longing inclining list to them voicing

 

Follows them over.

Each in gay dresses
Flowing, and tresses
Floating, caresses _
Meadows and bowers,
Where, in youth blooming,
Loving ones ponder,
Life-vows assuming.
Bowers on bowers!

Lo how they wander,
Tendrils ’mid flowers!
Grapes that the vine press
Down, ’neath the wine-press
Gush into rivers,

Foaming, o’er-streaming

. Choral rejoicing.

Meadows high over,
Dancing they hover.
Circle their pinions
Ether’s dominions.
Mountains o’er-roaming.
See how they glimmer.
Far o’er the foaming
Billows they shimmer.
Some in air floating,
Life-ward all gloating,
All on the far-off,
Love—beaming star of
Transport divine.

THE PRAYEER OF MARGARET.

(In a niche in the wall, a devotional image of the Muse

D0" 0303A, flower before it.)

Margaret (placing fresh flowers in the pots.)

Ah! gracious,

To sorrow precious.
Thy look incline upon my need.

Thy heart sword-wounded,
With pangs unbounded,
Thou look’st to where Thy 501 doth bl ed.

The Father view’st Thou,
Thy sighs renew’st Thou,
Uplifting Son’s and Mother’s need.

» Who guesses,
Possesses,

What gnawing woe my bone?
\Vith what dread my poor heart shivers,
Why it longs and trembling quivers,
Knowest Then and Thou alone.

Go where I will, I languish,

For anguish, anguish, anguish,
Burns in my bosom here.

My tears—no mortal knowing——

Are flowing, flowing, flowing,
My heart to breaking’s near.

The flowers Thy niche adorning,
My tears, alas! bedewed:

As I, in early morning, ‘
Fresh blooms for Thee renewed.

Clear stealing through my shutter,
The early sunbeams shone;

Sat 1, in sorrow utter,
My bed already on.

Help! save from death and shame, I plea-s;

Ah! gracious,

To sorrow precious,
Thy look incline uponfmy need.

 

IE]? .E’JV’CT’ZZSIZ fiafil/VG U31 GE.

Why is it that the study of the English lan—
guage is becoming so sadly neglected in the
schools and colleges of our land? It is no un-
common thing to see students familiar with other
languages and very ignorant of their own. is it
that the English language offers no inducements?

It certainly cannot be.

 

We have frequently seen young men translating
English sentences into Latin, and they would not
err in the slightest particular; while on the other
hand, when the time came for them to reverse the

-v-.,.__..»__....._.. ,

 

 

'1
- i
’ l

 

  

 

Feb, 1873.

OF KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY.

 

73/

 

order, by translating Latin into English, they
would murder the “King’s English” most brutal-
ly; they would have plural verbs agreeing with
singular nouns and vice versa.

We once heard a distinguished professor of En-
glish Literature, in one of our universities, remark
that in a graduating class in Latin, not one of its
members committed an error in his Latin transla-
tion, but they most unmercifully missused the
language os their country.

Indeed, the trouble lies not so much with our
colleges as with our common schools. A stop
should be put to it. It is ruining half the school
boys of our land. Many of them are rushed into
Latin, Greek, French, German, 650., &c., before
they actually know what English Grammar treats
of. The parents who have placed their children
under the care of these professors (9) should see
to it, for, indeed, the subject is well worthy of their
attention.

There is need of home work. There is a press-
ing need of reform. To accomplish these ends the
parents must give more attention to the education
of their children, and not leave them altogether to
the mercy of the teacher, who, perhaps, thinks it
all well enough.

We shall have something to say in our next in
regard to the study of languages, more particular-
ly the Anglo-Saxon and the English. R.

EE/VZ'UCEY flIJZIZz‘lZH” [W82]-
JUIE flfAGflZYfl/‘E.

 

 

After a silence of many months, the above-named
magazine again speaks to the world.

The Institute is located in the mountains, its
nearest post-oflice is Frankfort, and the magazine
is published in Indianapolis, Ind. These facts will
be a sufficient apology for the magazine appearing
only semi-occasionally, and being rather behind the
times. Our last June issue, however, has reached
them, and they have given us so much of their at-
tention that we feel compelled to putt" them a little.
The contents of this magazine are varied. In fact
it contains a little of everything but wit or wisdom.
“Is the soul a higher state of physical existence?”
is very satisfactorily answered on a single page,
“Sir Walter Raleigh” is allowed the same space,
while an article on “Perseverance” covers nearly
two pages, no doubt on account of the new and
startling thoughts it contains. in it we are told
that no man can arise to importance without per-
severance; that Napoleon, from an humble birth,
became Emperor of one of the greatest nations on
the globe; ‘ that “the telegraph wires send their
messages with the rapidity of lightning!” (‘9); that
“continued drops of water will wear away marble!”
(Ste. Imagine if you can, 0 learned reader, the as-
tonishment of these country boys upon reading
such astounding statements.

()ne of their writers began an article upon ‘ How
to read,” but when he had gotten down ten or
twelve lines of this (to them) much needed in—
formation, they choked him off at a semi-colon.

“An Evening Reverie” is a “pome.” The writer

 

of this has a surprising imagination, and in the
second stanza finds himself in a queer position.
The meter is so tempting that you must excuse us,
gentle reader, for making our comments in a weak
imitation of his superb and musical numbers. He
begins:

“Careless I lay
On eve’s last ray,
And idly sink with dying day.”
(What he doth lay
Upon that ray,
Ye country poet doth not say.)

(But, having sunk
Down with his bunk,
He swimeth~he would say—“all hunk”)
“Through twilight’s dim
My senses swim;”
(It seems a bath was good for him.)

' (Now he doth seem
To mount 'a beam
Of purest moonshine, all serene.)
“On silver streams
Of moonlight beams
I soar, enwrapt in heavenly dreams.”

~ (He joy doth take,
Ye country Jake,
In plowing clouds to raise a stake.)
“And, having plowed
’Twixt every cloud,
I tear away their spray-like shroud,”

(A sailyor gay
Ye plow~boy may,
Without a rudder sail ’til day.)

“Then sail up through
The boundless blue,
A, million worlds burst on my view,
Though first entranced,
The scenes enhanced
By Aurora’s fitful purpling glance.”

(His voyage o’er,
He reacheth shore,
And we would say, 0, sail no more.
Ye poet swell
Returning well,
Ye little story lives to tell.)

“And far above
The scenes I love,

()n matchless air,'as Noah’s Cove
My spirit sings ' ~
Till tired wings

Turn me again to real things.”

(Ye dove his song
Was doubted long
By all ye Nat. Historian throng.)

Nearly all the remaining space is occupied by
thrilling romances, with such names as “Fate,
Twice Saved, or Blanche Gibbons.”

Subscribe for it; it is the funniest magazine

. publish ed.

 

  

..,....,,.‘.«;:.N— . ‘ _.,_..

73.9 ' . .THE COLLEGIflJV’

Feb, 1873.

 

Q U02fl210/VS.

- There are a few “unfortunate passages” in the
works of most authors that suffer dreadfully at the
hands of aspiring penny-a—liners, whose concep-
tions of their own abilities exceed the reality; and
who, by a plentiful use of these quotations, lift
themselves to a false position, and bask in the
sunshine of this reflected glory—~and this remark
applies, not only to a certain class of writers, but
also to a certain class of talkers. They twist and
distort the conversation, until they can, with the
least shadow of an excuse, introduce the quota-
tion; and then you perceive that it is for this very
purpose that they have been straining the conver-
sation for the last ten minutes.

That an apt quotation is second only to an orig-
inal remark, is certainly true. That an z'napt quo-
tation is second only to total silence, is also true.

The halo of beauty which surrounds these quo-
tations is dispelled. From being choicest morsels
of intellectual food, they are rendered disgusting
by being used as nutriment to jokes. From being
plants of healthy growth, they become sickly ex-
otics.

Let one of these authors describe the inconveni-
ences of poverty, and we are lugubriously informed
that “misery makes us acquainted with strange
bed~fellows,” which, when uttered by Trinculo, was
good, but from the universality of its application
to every class of disagreeable situations, we are
becoming wearied with it, and it is getting to be
“out at the elbows.” . .

The sentimental hero, suffering under the effects
of first love, and wrapt in the sublimity of his
“grand passion,” is made to exclaim to his friends
who are solicitous about his health, “throw physic
to the dogs—I’ll none of it!” and thereby Macbeth
is scandalized by being found in such company.
Cowper shares the miserable fate of Shakspeare,
for this love-afflicted hero is sure to be eternally
sighing for— _

“A lodge in some vast wilderness,
Some boundless contiguity of shade.”

“All went merry as a marriage bell” at every
party, pic-nic, barbecue, bran-dance, club-meeting,
house-raising, corn-shucking, political caucus, and
stump-speaking, that I ever heard of.

At a party, a young “blood” is sure to skip on
the “light fantastic toe,” and in all likelihood, the
fellow could not put his foot into a N o. 8, and per-
haps had never heard of a Benkert boot in his life.

What usher, what master of ceremonies, what
judge, what governor, what petty official of any
description, is not apostrophized in Shakspeare’s

“Oh man, vain man
Dressed in a little brief authority,” &0?

With these authors, a man “sits under his own
vine and fig-tree,” in a “land flowing with milk and
honey,” who is the owner of a few acres partly
covered with sedge grass, of a log cabin, of a few
razor-back hogs, of a brindled cow, and of a half-
starved horse. The man probably never saw or
heard of a fig-tree, and to whom_ fox-grapes were
the height of luxury.

 

mmwv.» ~——-».m-w,—.. - m. man.” «.7 ; M- man”-.. . a.-." . ... -07. , . _ .1 _ ,

 

Rains in dry seasons, clear days in stormy win-
ters, chance visits from a friend, letters from a
sweet-heart, “checks” from the “governor,” drinks
to an impecunious toper, are said to be “like angels’
visits, few and far between.”

A young lady, in her own opinion, “casts pearls
before swrne,” when she wastes her precious con—
versation on gentlemen for whom she cares noth-
ing.

What young lawyer, in his maiden speech; what
4th of July orator, in a spread-eagle effort; what
young divine, with his pale, classic face, in his first
sermon, does not utter-—

“Thoughts that breathe and words that burn”?

To how many homely ladies, do you think,
Keat’s beautiful line—~

“.1 thing of beauty is ajoy forever,”

has been applied?

When a student returns home from the Univen
sity, if he happens to be slightly bleached, or a
little pale from having enjoyed a few nights of
Commencement week with his boon companions,
his fond friends doatingly gaze upon that face-

“Sickl’ed o’er with the pale/cast of thought,”

when the boy had not had a creditable thought in
a month.
Who has not heard of that flower that—-—

“Is born to blush unseen
And waste its sweetness on the desert air,”

Until, in his desperation, he heartily wishes that
some friend, in whom there was a “drop of the
milk of human kindness,” had strangled Gray
when he was a boy.

If ever there was a lie-laden sentence, it is this:
“The tables groaned with every delicacy of the sea—
son,” for the reporter generally comforts himself
with this savory remark, if he failed to get enough
and if there was a scarcity of edibles.

Every old cracked bell in the country is made to
“ring out a merry peel,” and to tell the truth, one
would much prefer to listen to a boy picking on a
splinter. .

Let a man arrive at the depot in time to see the

train in the distance, and how wittily (‘9) he re;~

marks to the amused crowd——
“’Tis distance lends enchantment to the view.”

Ye shades of Campbell! what anathemas should
we heap upon his luckless head to appease your
wrath! ‘

In the last campaign, a politician in a public
speech, when making a desperate effort to “save
his country,” sang the funeral knell to the last line
of Moore’s touching little song: “Farewell—But
Whenever You Welcome the Hour,” by symboliz—
ing negroes under the name of “roses.” Faugh!
in that man the aesthetical element was about as
highly developed as it is in a Berkshire pig.

If a young lady changes her sweet-heart, it is
satisfactorily explained by the fact that——

“A change came o’er the spirit of my dreams.”

Every dismounted fox—hunter offers his “king-
dom for a horse.”

 “WW” fl... .,._.-.._....'_i..-.;....'_‘.w..,...z, WW...” WWW...”

Feb, 1873.

A disappointed man is in the ‘fwinter of his dis-
content.” Let him but miss a meal, and——

. “’Tis ever thus from childhood’s hour
I’ve seen my fendest hopes decay.”

But let the player next to you take the big cas-
sino, when you yourself hold the ten of spades,
and you appropriately remark-—

“Alas! for the rarity
0f Christian charity."

There should be moderation in everything. We
are injuring our literature inealculably by this
course, for when we come to one of these much-
abused quotations, the thousand and one applica-
tions which have been made of it, recur to our
minds, and, as some of these applications are not
altogether pleasant and chaste, the associations
which they thus recall rob us of the pleasure we
would otherwise enjoy.

CHX’ISZflZ’flS 34$”? CJIEZSZIJEIJVS.

 

 

A writer in the University Jllrissom'ian says that
it is not only the pleasure but the duty of Chris-
tians to celebrate Christmas. It is doubtless true
that it is too often their pleasure, and that in a
very unbecoming manner, but that it is their duty,
is, I must confess, a new theolgy to me. The
writer has evidently been misinformed as to what
the Christian’s duties are. I would respectfully
acquaint him of the fact that they are recorded in
a book commonly known as the Bible, and that the
doctrine he advocates is neither expressed nor im-
plied in that volume. I predict that a careful
perusal of that book will satisfy him on that point.

It cannot, then, be a religious duty, for all these
are provided for in the Bible; and certainly no one
will show such consummate ignorance as to affirm
that it is enjoined by the State. , If it is claimed
that Christmas should be kept to honor the birth
of Christ, the object is most sadly missed, for
there is no living man who knows on what day he
was born. This much is pretty certain, however,
that it was not the 25th of December. I have not
time nor space to enter into a full discussion of
this subject, and will give but one reason for sup-
pOsing this to be true. Our Lord was crucified
when he was 33.1,— years of age, at the Jewish Pass-
over, which occurred about the last of March.
This fixes the date of his birth some time in the
Autumn. The exact date cannot be determined,
and was no doubt withheld from us for a wise pur—
pose. We are not to worship Christ as a babe,
but as the Lord of the Universe. lVe admire him
as a child, but reverence him as an exalted Savior.
If it be asked how December 25th came to be fixed
as his birth day, the answer is that this was done
three hundred years after Christ, by the bishop of
Rome.

The only remaining reason I can conceive of
why keeping Christmas is a duty of Christians, is
that there is a necessity in the very fitness of
things for the world to have, at least once a year, a
grand carousal, and therefore Christians should
take a part to make the wickedness common. Of
course every one thinks this absurd, but allow me

 

01? [CENT UOKY UNIVERSITY. 733

to say, it is no more so than the assumption that
Christmas should be observed by any man, whether
saint or sinner. .
Apart from all this, there are strong reasons for
believing the world would be far better off if that
day was forgotten. These are found in the innu-
merable sins committed during the holidays. I

appeal to my readers to say, from their experi-

ence, if this is not true.

“/1 OIEZJV'G SO FOOZZSHJLS’ 217]?
£31 U617 0177 F00£S.”~

 

 

The highest conception many persons have of
humor, is that it is simply something foolish.—
They seem to reason that whatever excites laughter
is humorous, and therefore the nonsense that so
frequently graces, or rather disgraces, the columns
of our newspapers, is genuine humor. Now, if
this reasoning were correct, there would be few
things under the sun that are serious, for there are
few that are not subjects of laughter with some
people at some times. Things the most solemn, as
well as those the most absurd, frequently call
forth the loudest laugh, on account of the peculiar
circumstances under which they occur, and more
particularly on account of the parties engaged.
This, however, does not show that there is any-
thing humorous in the things themselves, but it
it does show that laughter is not always the index
of humor. It is true that this is its object, but not
the frenzied sort that is heard in midnight carou-
sals or from the inhabitants of Bedlam. A maniac
may laugh, but cannot be merry. It never seems
to occur to these people that good sense has any
connection with mirth. With them, the more gro-
tesque the assemblage of ideas in any composition,
the more highly it is enjoyed. The effect, too, is
heightened by its being as far removed from com-
mon sense as possible. Carrying out their notions,
a madman or a fool would be the merriest writer
in all the realm of literature.

The distortions of thought that are frequently
presented to the public for humor, demand that
their unfortunate authors be pitied rather than ad-