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A VIEW OF THE WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY AT MIDDLETOWN, CON,

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Written for the Monthly Repository, and Library of Entertaining Knowledge. THIS Institution has just been incorporated by the Legislature of Connecticut. The buildings are situated in the city of Middletown, in the state of Connecticut, and are the same that were lately occupied by the American Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy, under the care of Captain Partridge. The Academy having failed in its operations, the buildings were vacated and left useless on the hands of the proprietors. At this time, several annual conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church, were preparing to make a united effort to establish a College under the patronage of said Church and were holding their privilege of location in the market, for the purpose of securing a liberal local subscription. To secure this privilege to the city of Middletown, the proprietors of the Academy offered their buildings as a gratuity, for the use of a college or university for ever, on condition that there should be an additional endowment raised, of $40,000. The citizens of Middletown and its vicinity, with a commendable zeal, by a public grant, and by private sub

* The annexed engraving executed expressly for the Repository, is from a drawing by Johnson. The view was taken from the Methodist church. The building at the left of the College, called the "College Chapel," contains a number of separate apartments, cal. culated for recitation rooms, &c. The third building, with wings embraced in the view, is connected with the Palestine garden. A subsequent number of the Repository will contain a minute de scription of the College buildings, together with an historical sketch of the city of Middletown.

scriptions, pledged about $18,000 of the endowment. These offers, together with the other local advantages, fixed the university in its present location. The conditional endowment has been already pledged, the general plan of operations struck out, and the time for opening fixed to be the third Wednesday in September next. There are many circumstances which render this a favorable place for the proposed university. The size of the city is favorable-were it much smaller, it could not afford the accommodations necessary for such an Institution. Were it much larger, or were it a place of commercial importance, it would be much more difficult to control the students, and preserve their morals. is central and easy of access-central, because it is within twelve or fifteen hours sail of New-York, the great commercial emporium of the nation-easy of access, because it is on the navigable waters of a river, on which steam boats ply daily, from New-York in one direction, and into the interior of New-England in the other.

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The site itself is delightful. Few, if any, excel it. The buildings are on an eminence, about one half mile from the river, commanding a view of the town, some neighboring villages, the valley of the river for some distance, and a most fruitful surrounding country, highly cultivated and interspersed with dwellings, gardens, and orchards, in rich rural loveliness. In a word, it is a rural city, reclining in quietude on the slope of a verdant valley, washed by a stream, that heads in another empire, and by which it stands closely connected with the great and busy world around, without partaking much of the bustle of its business, or the contagion of its moral corruptions. The air is salubrious, and the water fine-and perhaps no place in the Union surpasses it for health. And it is certainly not the least among the recommendations of the place, that the inhabitants partake largely of that character of morality, industry, frugality, intelligence, and equality, for which NewEngland in general, and Connecticut in particular, have always been noted.

The plan of education struck out by the Board of Trustees and Visiters, who are the immediate guardians

of the Institution, is well suited, it is believed, to the present circumstances and wants of the community. Radical changes, in old Institutions, are effected with difficulty; hence while the literary seminaries of a lower and less permanent character have been greatly improved, and in some instances, thoroughly renovated, by the increased experience and light of succeeding generations, our most richly endowed and popular colleges and universities, have remained almost stationary. The Wesleyan University, however, is to be constituted on a new, and as is believed, on an improved plan. Some of the peculiar features are the following. 1. The scholars are classed, in the diffèrent departments of science and literature, according to their advancement in each, without reference to their standing in other departments, or to the time they have been in college. The standing of the students is to be ascertained and fixed, by timely and thorough examinations. 2. When, by these examinations, an under graduate is found worthy of a degree, he is admitted to the accustomed honors of a graduate. 3. Though none but classical scholars are admitted to a degree of A. B. all the other advantages of the University may be enjoyed by those who wish to receive instruction in the sciences and modern literature, to the exclusion of the classics; and these are also entitled to a diploma, specifying their attainments in the studies they have pursued. 4. The professors have a moderate salary secured to them, but all above this is contingent, and depends on the success of the University, and the industry and ability of the professors. 5. Provision is made for the removal of such professors from office as are found to be incompetent or inefficient. 6. The government is to be more strictly paternal, and less by statute laws and a penal code, than is common in most of our American colleges. Such, in a few words, are the local advantages, the character and prospects of the Wesleyan University. If the plan be well executed, and the literature and government of the Institution be ably sustained, by a judicious and competent Faculty, we cannot doubt but special success will attend it. With the ordinary blessings of Providence, we may expect, in a few years, to

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see this University taking a high rank among the useful institutions of our country.

The Faculty elect are,

Rev. WILLBUR FISK, D. D. President.

Rev. STEPHEN OLIN, A. M. Professor of Ancient Languages.

THOMAS DRAKE, M. D. Professor of Mathematics and Natural Science.

AUGUSTUS W. SMITH, A. M. Adjunct Professor of Mathematics.

REV. J. F. HUBER, Professor of Modern Languages.

CONSTANTINOPLE.

This city is in its circumference about ten or eleven miles; its population amounts to about 400,000 souls, of whom 200,000 are Turks; the residue are Greeks, Jews, Armenians, and Franks, who carry on the commerce of the city. There are 35 public Libraries, some of which contain 15,000 volumes, there are 518 seminaries of learning, and 1258 primary schools. The Christians have their patriarchal church, and 22 others. The Armenians have an archbishop and three churches. The Roman Catholics have six convents; and the Jews several synagogues. There is also a Lutheran church.

Constantinople stands on a point formed by the Propontis or Sea of Marmora on the South, and the harbor called the Golden Horn on the North East, commanding the opposite Asiatic shore; the Bosphorus at this point being about a mile and a quarter wide. The harbor is secure and capacious, 200 yards wide at the entrance, and extending 7 miles into the land. By shutting up the straits of the Bosphorus to the North of the city, and of the Hellespont South West of the Propontis, Constantinople is rendered secure from a naval attack, and the approach on the side of the continent is small in extent, and easy of defence. Perhaps there is not in the world a situation for a city, equal in beauty, safety, and commercial advantages, to that of Constantinople.

The crescent or half moon, was adopted by the Turks as their symbol after they had taken Constantinople. It was the symbol of Bysantium from remote antiquity, as appears by medals struck there in honor of Roman Eraperors.

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