. The Harvard book : a series of historical, biographical, and descriptive sketches. d no one connectedwith the government of the College. Accord-ingly, he found his way to Cambridge, andelbowed himself into the Meeting-house just atthe close of the exercises, when President Wil-lard was giving their degrees to the graduatingclass. He did not quite understand what itwas all about, but was amused at the oddity ofthe proceedings, and continued to watch theirprogress. Presently, the President, seating him-self in the curiously carved old oak chair whichhas been the academic throne of the heads of
. The Harvard book : a series of historical, biographical, and descriptive sketches. d no one connectedwith the government of the College. Accord-ingly, he found his way to Cambridge, andelbowed himself into the Meeting-house just atthe close of the exercises, when President Wil-lard was giving their degrees to the graduatingclass. He did not quite understand what itwas all about, but was amused at the oddity ofthe proceedings, and continued to watch theirprogress. Presently, the President, seating him-self in the curiously carved old oak chair whichhas been the academic throne of the heads ofthe College from time immemorial, and crowninghis well-powdered wig with his square cap, beganto announce the honorary degrees. Soon heheard his own name among the number. Hedid not know what it meant, but he understood that the authorities of theUniversity, with not one of whom he had the slightest personal acquaintance, hadbestowed an honorary distinction of some sort upon him. Fourteen years after-wards he received the degree of Doctor of Laws, and was thenceforth always known. The Preside I56 COMMENCEMENT DAY. as Doctor Bowditch. He was afterwards elected a Fellow of the Royal Society ofLondon and Edinburgh, of the Royal Irish Academy, and of other foreign scien-tific bodies, as well as of all the principal ones of this country; but he declared tome that not any or all of the honors he afterwards received gave him so muchpleasure as that unsolicited and unexpected Mastership of Arts at Cambridge. Itcame, he said, just at the right time, and was indeed a word spoken in season. Thus Commencement gradually changed its character from the riotous and uni-versal holiday of fifty years since to the quiet and undemonstrative festival whichit has now become. The change was one that came over it through the changein the habits and circumstances of the people. There was no external pressurebrought to bear on the matter, as I remember, unless it were as to the suppres-sion of the booth
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