In Dreams Begin Responsibilities and Other Stories by Delmore Schwartz

Author:Delmore Schwartz
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi, epub
Publisher: New Directions
Published: 2012-06-13T04:30:00+00:00

The Commencement Day Address

It was truly a perfect day for such an occasion, even for the events which later took place, for the day too was fitly transformed at the proper time. Large florid clouds, scalloped or foamy at their edges, calmly sailed the sky and merely emphasized the sky’s serene dominion, while the foliage about the campus fluttered mildly in the silken breeze. The campus itself was deformed by the rows of temporary wooden seats, by the speaker’s platform, and mostly by the grandstand, a temporary construction also, where the graduating students had to be seated because there were so many. Yet the grave buildings which guarded the campus protected the scene from such insinuations of a garden party as might have been caused by the summery gowns and parasols of the ladies. Everything was as expected; nothing more could have been asked of the June afternoon.

The Commencement Day Address was to be given by a speaker substituted at the last moment because of the sudden illness of the first choice. This substitute speaker was Dr. Isaac Duspenser, who had recently become famous, after a lifetime of obscurity, for his “History of the United States,” in eight volumes. He was, it seemed, a curious character, having astounded the reporters who interviewed him upon his great successes with many extremely cynical or passionate remarks which made good copy and were widely publicized. It was this newspaper fame which had gained him the invitation to speak, for the President was always interested in publicity and knew that the metropolitan reporters would pay more attention to this commencement with such a speaker present, especially because the university was itself in the metropolitan area.

Having been introduced, the chubby, round-shouldered old man (resembling Clemenceau or Whitehead in old age) began to speak:

“No one,” he began, “will forget this occasion. So complex, so moving, so much of these times, it may lapse from your attention, but will stay in your consciousness, like a tinge of ill-health, part of the underworld in which we really exist.”

What astonishing presumption, thought everyone, and as we did so, the old man plainly giggled, to astonish us even more.

“You lovely boys and girls, or, if you will, ladies and gentlemen, gaze today toward the invisible flower of the future. That is why I shall speak to you about the past.”

Someone tittered. He went on: “How shall I interest you? How shall I interest you in the past which is so much of the future? I know what interests you usually. If I am witty or if I am salacious or if I tell riddles, you will listen to me, and give me your wanton attention. A jokebook or blackout or conundrum, such are the staples of your attention. Well! believe me when I say that I have come to speak to you in the guise of a travelling salesman!”

The audience laughed frankly, very much intrigued.

“I have spent my days in taking time seriously. Now, as you see, it has taken me — seriously!” and he extended a wrinkled hand, as if to show his age.

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