Remarks on the Harvard triennial.

  • Dabney, J. P. (Jonathan Peele), 1793-1868.
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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    [3 ] fied that his offering was unwelcome,—in such case perhaps, no other course remained than the one taken. But, when the desk could so easily be rid of what it does not want, as in the instance before us, what apology shall be made ? There were eyes, whether he knew it or not, that would sparkle with malignant joy to read what he had written. It is on all sides an admitted rule, that every book is amenable to criticism ; it is an obvious corollary, that the way should be left open for it. Yet a pamphlet, such as was the subject of my remarks, plain- ly can be brought to no other bar than that of the daily press. It does not comport at all with more stately and professed Reviews. And yet here is one of the fraternity, exerting every nerve to block up the avenues to the judgment-seat ; with' an earnestness, .that may well arouse curiosity to pry into his hidden and probable motives. On the very threshold of that ill-starred article it was said, that it had been the chief misfortune of the Harvard Triennial, to have escaped all crit- icism in past time. The editor gave or tried to give (what was not asked) his reasons for refusing such criticism. Intangible as they were, they seemed, in the best form and shape that could be giv- en them, to be some vague and shadowy fancy that family affin- ities rendered any thing, having an unfriendly bearing upon the college, peculiarly unfit for his columns. To this point it may suffice to reply, —what few readers of average understand- ing will need should be told them — that the present distin- guished Head of the University, to whom is gladly tendered our share of the general respect and admiration, is about as much implicated in any of its strictures as if he continued to the present moment to adorn a foreign court. They most literally all pertain to a preceding period. No catalogue has been issued under his name and auspices. When- ever that time comes, we live in the hope that a better sera will begin.