hall.  On this plate was inscribed his name, the day of the month, the year, &c.  From its situation and appearance, the Rebellion Tree would seem to be the one thus described; but it did not receive its name until the year 1807, when the famous rebellion occurred among the students, and perhaps not until within a few years antecedent to the year 1819.  At that time, however, this name seems to have been the one by which it was commonly known, from the reference which is made to it in the Rebelliad, a poem written to commemorate the deeds of the rebellion of that year.

  And roared as loud as he could yell,
  “Come on, my lads, let us rebel!”

* * * * *

  With one accord they all agree
  To dance around Rebellion Tree.
  Rebelliad, p. 46.

  But they, rebellious rascals! flee
  For shelter to Rebellion Tree.
    Ibid., p. 60.

  Stands a tree in front of Hollis,
    Dear to Harvard over all;
  But than ——­ desert us,
    Rather let Rebellion fall.
    MS. Poem.

Other scenes are sometimes enacted under its branches, as the following verses show:—­

  When the old year was drawing towards its close,
  And in its place the gladsome new one rose,
  Then members of each class, with spirits free,
  Went forth to greet her round Rebellion Tree. 
  Round that old tree, sacred to students’ rights,
  And witness, too, of many wondrous sights,
  In solemn circle all the students passed;
  They danced with spirit, until, tired, at last
  A pause they make, and some a song propose. 
  Then “Auld Lang Syne” from many voices rose. 
  Now, as the lamp of the old year dies out,
  They greet the new one with exulting shout;
  They groan for ——­, and each class they cheer,
  And thus they usher in the fair new year.
    Poem before H.L. of I.O. of O.F., p. 19, 1849.

RECENTES.  Latin for the English FRESHMEN.  Consult Clap’s History of Yale College, 1766, p. 124.

RECITATION.  In American colleges and schools, the rehearsal of a lesson by pupils before their instructor.—­Webster.

RECITATION-ROOM.  The room where lessons are rehearsed by pupils before their instructor.

In the older American colleges, the rooms of the Tutors were formerly the recitation-rooms of the classes.  At Harvard College, the benches on which the students sat when reciting were, when not in use, kept in piles, outside of the Tutors’ rooms.  When the hour of recitation arrived, they would carry them into the room, and again return them to their places when the exercise was finished.  One of the favorite amusements of the students was to burn these benches; the spot selected for the bonfire being usually the green in front of the old meeting-house, or the common.

RECITE.  Transitively, to rehearse, as a lesson to an instructor.