Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/457

Rh into a long friendship, and in the ecclesiastical claims of the times which were now dawning upon them, William Smith found in William White a diligent and judicious colaborer, and in personal matters a patient and considerate friend, one to whose hands he finally committed his selected works for publication when he found the end of his busy life approaching. The Degree of Master of Arts was conferred in course upon the Rev. Samuel Keene of the class of 1759, on Messrs. Grimes, Kinnersley, McHenry, Peters, and Yeates of 1761, Cooke, Jones, Porter, and Watts of 1762, and Anderson, Davis, Johnston, Lang, and Porter of 1763. Messrs. Huston, Ogden and Waddell of 1761 and Hunt of 1763, applied too late for their Degrees. "But," as the Minute has it, "the Mandate being filled up, the Company waiting in the Hall, and no Time to get a new Mandate written or signed by thirteen Trustees according to Charter, it was resolved that these gentlemen could not be admitted at this Time, and ought to have applied sooner." The honorary degree of Master of Arts was conferred upon the Rev. Nathaniel Evans, although he had not received the previous degree of Bachelor, on account of the interruption in his studies during the season which was spent in the counting house 2 as a mark of their Attention and Regard to his promising Genius and great merit; and on Robert Strettell Jones, the son of Isaac Jones who became a Trustee in 1771, and the grandson of Robert Strettell a Trustee. Dr. Smith records the events of the day in the Minutes, and his narration of them is so interesting as to bear their reproduction. The Forenoon's Exercises were: I. Salutatory oration, by Mr Alexan- der. 2. Forensic Dispute, " Whether the Planets be inhabited." 3. Verses on Science, written and spoken by Mr Evans. 4. A Syllogistic Dispute, " Utrum, Sublato Statu futuro, maneat satis firma ad Virtutem obligatio ? ' ' 5. The first part of Dr Morgan's inaugural Oration. The weather being very warm, the remainder was adjourned to Friday Forenoon, May 2 Smith, i. 480. Minutes 3 May, 1 765.