ry right to expect that
they will be, men and women thoroughly and
healthily alive through their perpetual contact
with the facts of life--that when they take the
books which have the knowledge in them, like pure
water in silver urns, though they will not drink
as deeply, they will drink more healthily than
many of those who in the deader and more
artificial life of college halls bring no such
eager vitality to give value to their draught? If
I understand Chautauqua, this is what it means: It
finds its value in the vitality of its
students. . . . It summons those who are alive with
true human hunger to come and learn of that great
world of knowledge of which he who knows the most
knows such a very little, and feels more and more,
with every increase of his knowledge, how very
little it is that he knows.

Julia Ward Howe, author of the song beginning "Mine eyes have seen the
glory," and honored throughout the land as one of the greatest among the
women of America, wrote as follows:

I am obliged for your kind invitation to be
present at the celebration of the twenty-fifth
anniversary of the founding of Chautauqua
Assembly. As I cannot well allow myself this
pleasure, I send you my hearty congratulations in
view of the honorable record of your association.
May its good work long continue, even until its
leaven shall leaven the whole body of our society.

The following letter was received by Dr. Vincent from one of the most
distinguished of the older poets:

April 29, 1882.

J. H. VINCENT, D.D.,

DEAR FRIEND: I have been watching the progress of
the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
inaugurated by thyself, and take some blame to
myself for not sooner expressing my satisfaction
in regard to its objects and working thus far. I
wish it abundant success, and that its circles,
like those from the agitated center of the Lake,
may widen out, until our entire country shall feel
their beneficent influences. I am very truly thy
friend,

JOHN G. WHITTIER.

After these endo