The New Hampshire Gazette

New York, June 26.

From the New-York Mercury.

Mr. Printer,

Please to insert the following in your next Paper.

WEDNESDAY last being the Day appointed by the Governors of King's College, in this City, for the Commencement, I had the Pleasure of being present at the first Solemnity of the Kind, ever celebrated here; which was, through the whole, conducted with much Elegance and Propriety. The Order of the Procession from the Vestry Room, where the College is now held, to St. George's Chapel, was as follows: The President, with his Honour the Lieut. Governor, who, by his Presence graced the Solemnity, were preceded by the Candidates for Bachelor's and Master's Degrees, with their Heads uncover'd, and were followed by the Governors of the College, the Clergy of all Denominations in this City, and other Gentlemen of Distinction of this and the neighbouring Provinces. After short Prayers suitable to the Occasion, the Reverend Dr. Johnson, the President, from the Pulpit, opened the Solemnity, with a learned and elegant Oratio Inauguralis. The Exercises of the Bachelors were introduced by a polite salutatory Oration, delivered by Provoost, with such Propriety of Pronunciation, and so engaging an Air, as justly gain'd him the Admiration and Applause of all present. This was followed by a metaphysical Thesis, learnedly defended by Ritzma against Ver Planck and Cortlandt, with another held by Reed, and opposed by two Ogdens.

The Bachelors Exercises were closed by a well-composed, genteel, English Oration, on the Advantages of a liberal Education, delivered by Cortlandt, whose fine Address added a Beauty to the Sentiment, which gave universal Satisfaction to that numerous Assembly. After this Mr. Treadwell, in a clear and concise Manner, demonstrated the Revolution of the Earth round the Sun, both from astronomical Observations, and the Theory of Gravity, and defended the Thesis against Mr. Cutting and Mr. Whitmore, a Candidate for the Degree of Master of Arts. This Dispute being ended, the President descended from the Pulpit, and being seated in a Chair, in a solemn Manner, conferred the Honours of the College upon those Pupils who were Candidates for a Bachelor's Degree, and on several Gentlemen who had received Degrees in other Colleges. The Exercises were concluded with a valedictory Oration, by Mr. Cutting, universally esteemed a masterly Performance. The President then address'd himself in a solemn pathetic Exhortation, to the Bachelors, which could not fail of answering the most valuable Purposes, and leaving a lasting Impression on the Minds of all the Pupils. The whole Solemnity being finished, by a short Prayer: the Procession returned back to the City Arms, where an elegant Entertainment was provided by the Governors of the College.

This important Occasion drew together a numerous Assembly of People of all Orders, and it gave me a sincere Pleasure to see the Exercises performed in a Manner, which must reflect Honour upon the College; and incite every Friend of his Country, to promote so useful, so well regulated an Institution.