Stephen Olin
Published: 2012-02-01
Total Pages: 232
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: finished scholar?a devoted servant of Christ?an able and faithful minister of the New Testament; and thus a blessing to the world, to his country, and especially to the Church with which he was connected, and the literary institution over which he was called to preside. My acquaintance with Stephen Olin, writes the Rev. Charles Mallory, commenced in 1817, at Middle- bury College. He was then in the sophomore class, one year in advance of me, so that we were together in that institution three years. Mr. Olin was noted for his orderly and respectful compliance with the rules of the institution, and for great diligence in study. As an original and profound thinker, he was regarded by his fellow-students as without a rival. His investigations were not confined to the prescribed course of scholastic study, though he deemed it important to be complete and thorough in all his college recitations. His acquaintance with general history was extensive. To this was added a considerable intimacy with standard works of taste; and few young men of his age were so profoundly acquainted with the political affairs of our country. As a writer, he stood in the very front rank; as a debater, in the literary society to which he belonged in the institution, he sometimes exhibited surprising strength. As a declaimer?a mere rehearser of other men's words and thoughts, he was regarded as among the most uninteresting in the college; his manner was dull, heavy, and awkward; but when thrown upon the resources of his own mind, and warmed up by the heat of discussion, he was peculiarly engaging and impressive. We then began to see, what multitudes more fully perceived in his subsequent career, how his mightymind could drive from the thoughts of his auditors his defects in voice and manner, and rise to the...