Remarks on the Harvard triennial.

  • Jonathan Peele Dabney
Date:
[1847]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the Harvard triennial. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    Warning ; and wondered how large was the simplicity that stood in need of it. It may be said, in passing, that the Preface referred to, is no circular from the Corporation, though evidently intended to pass for such, and, to our knowledge, thus mistaken by numbers. It is nothing but an individual's call. While these strictures are in progress, a fresh Triennial will be seen from Yale, in which the idea, suggested from Harvard, is car- ried out. But we well know it has been deliberately done ; under auspices like those of Professor Kingslcy and Mr.' Librarian' Her- rick ; and we doubt not a moment, worthily in all points of that ancient academic seat. By its side, the document of her sister col- lege will present but a sorry comparison. Whatever rivalry there may be on a greater scale, of which their respective sons and friends sometimes speak, there will be none here. We now take leave of the Harvard Catalogue ; only subjoin- ing a few of the more notable examples to which we have adver- ted. Minor blemishes must be dismissed with little ceremony. One or more specimens may perhaps be gathered fiom every col- umn. To every reader, the illustrations here seen, will prove, we doubt not, an abundant guaranty of greater abominations* which might be shown. The aggregate of error in the unexhib- itcd cases,we will venture ' a guess,' without making any computa- tion, amounts to some hundreds of years. A late College Treas- urer, (we learn it from a sure source) thought the Catalogue a heavy item of charge, recurring needlessly often. Well might he so deem, if it could produce only results like these. In the au- tumn of 1845, an injunction suspended for many weeks the deliv- ery of the catalogue ; to the exceeding inconvenience and great ill-humour of numbers of graduates. And all for what ? That a half-line of fancied omission in his titles might be supplied, at his clamorous call, to the name of a public man, of somewhat large, but not too happy, notoriety. Did the honourable Corporation think that these were the gravest errors that called for their interfe- rence ? If some modest and deeply secluded country minister, whose fresh clerical honour [S.T.D.] had by some accident been forgot-
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