Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/465

Rh But it may be worth while to note how the exercises of this interesting Commencement were carried on. -'The Sol- emnity was opened" by the customary religious and loyal service. The local chronicler, the Pennsylvania Gazette, of 22 May. recorded : it was rendered very splendid by the great Number of Persons present, and many of the public exercises being happily adapted to the joyful Event, of which we had received the News the preceding Day. Mr. John King opened with " an elegant salutatory oration in Latin." Mr. Hans Hamilton followed with "An English Ora- tion." Then came "A Syllogistic Disputation, Utrum Praescientia divina tollit Libertatem agendi." Then Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Hopkinson followed each with "An English Oration." The afternoon session began with "A Forensic Disputation, Whether Ease be the chief Good ; the question was opened and stated by Mr. Thomas Read, who denied Ease to be the chief Good. Mr. Richard Lee and Mr. Samuel Boyd, entertained the Audience with many ingenious and specious Arguments on the affirmative side ; which were ably answered by Mr. Robert Andrews and Mr. Phineas Bond." And the "Valedictory Oration was spoken by Mr. Thomas Coombe, who obtained much applause by the Spirit of his Performance, Propriety of Action and Grace of Elocution." 2 Then came the delivery of flows from the poisoning Fountain of Faction and Revenge. * * * I am, worthy sir, with great Faithfulness your affec. and obliged Hble Servt, Isaac Hunt." MS letter with American Philosophical Society. The title of his publication would but invite condemnation to the author by the Trustees, as follows: "A Humble Attempt at Scurrility. In Imitation of Those Great Masters of the Art the Rev. Dr. S th ; the Rev. Dr. Al n; the Rev. Mr. Ew n ; the Irreverend D. J. D ve ; and the Heroic J n D n, Esq.; Being a Full Answer to the Observations on Mr.: H s's Advertisement. By Jack Retort, Student in Scurrility, Quilsylvania Printed, 1765." John Hughes had offered five pounds to the Pennsylvania Hospital if certain charges against Franklin could be proven. His advertisement called ouj a severe attack on Franklin, to which Hunt's pamphlet was a reply. He thus, on the other side from Hugh Williamson, had entered the lists of controversy, and met that punishment which the other escaped. Bibliography of Franklin. Ford. 351. 2 A few years later Dr. Franklin wrote to young Coombe: "That reputation which you are acquiring as an Orator, gives me Pleasure as your Friend, and it will give you yourself the most solid Satisfaction, if you find this by your Eloquence you can turn many to Righteousness. Without that Effect, the preacher or the priest in my opinion, is not merely sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal, which are innocent things; he is rather like the Cunning Man in the Old Baily, who conjures and tells Fools their Fortunes, to cheat them of their Money." To Rev. Mr. Coombe, Lon- don, 22 July, 1774; draft with the American Philosophical Society.