The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1868-09-23

g.
. ~ OF MISSOURI.
--= -
Washington College and the Virginia Mill
tary Institute.
Installation of Commodore, Maury into the
chair Of Physics Of the Institute, and a !
Physical map Of the State render
ed certain.
"Credant arma .jogoe, concedat Laurea
leasguic." Baptised with the names Of "the
Father eff his country" and Of our great
moshsr-"Virginia," these institutions loom
MP among the universities and colleges Of the
land, like the twin peaks of the House.
among 'sthe mountains Of West Augusta"
They have the same base upon the .Mars'
Hill" Of our modern Athens, and, according
to the place from which we regard them, one
appears higher or lower than the other
fhe one recognizes as its Father-W Washing
ton. The other, as its nursery-mother-Vir-
GINA. The one as its President-Lee. The
other-Smith. What . we'll, we
would say more did W not remember the
words Of Christopher Worth, Professor Will
sony when class cheered him and we're re-
buked in a voice like that Of great God
"Gentlemen, I do not stand in need Of your
applause" Lee and Smith stand in no need
Of our eulogy, and we are silent. The read
er will not fail, however, to call to mind the
words Cocan addressed to his son Marcus
"now it is our duty to esteem and honor in
the same manner as if they were dignifed
with titles or vested with command, these
men whose lives have been distinguished by
great and glorious actions, by their patriot
ism, and by the services they have done, or
continue to do, to their country"
In looking over the list of Professors Of
che two institutions, we find no altar dedica-
ted to great unknown" -not man un-
qualified to fill the chair to which he has been
elected-and armed with genuine knowledge
moving "hand in hand together feel
that these taoiin sisters will "pour instruction
upon the heads of our children"-that we
lowe them that baptism" -"the Divinity
that stirs within us"-"the longing OF the
soul after Immortality whisper-this is the
gift, the Athens of Lee and Smith will bestow
upon man. We feel assured that this is the
gift she will bestow, fer the Gazette Dc Ban
aey Of the 10th, brings us an account OF the
installation Of Commodore Maury into the
chair Of Physics. The twin peaks die into
Mont Blanc, and from our Jura we note the
success, contemplate the unity and majesty,
and feel "the overwhelming grandeur OF that
which now becomes monarch Of all-the
hoairy head reaching to the heaven Of heav-
ems. Washington College and the Virginia
Military Institute per Sc make Lexington the
Athens Of the mew soorla, and. all "the tri-
unphs of truth and genius over prejudice
and power" in the future, viii, we opine, be
the triumps of the Athens Of. the 10Th CEN
fury. But the gift to the noble old mother
of us all, is first in our mind and in our
hearts, physical map Of our State.
''Surely there is vein for the silver, and
q place for the gold"
"Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass
is molten out of the stone.
EAST for the earth, out Of it cometh bread,
and'hnder it is turned up as itwere fire.
~The stones Of it are the places Of sap
phires: and it hath dust of gold"
"No mention shall be made Of coral, or of
pearls for the price of wisdom is above. rel
lies: Is, INK
This wisdom we shall now have ands.look-
ing upon a physical map of the State behold
at once, ''the shapeless ones Of its heretofore
unexplained Mines" for-"He that COM
comprised the waters with bounds"-that
said. "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no
further, and here shalt thy proud waves be
stayed," give him the wisdom to enter "into
the springs Of the sea" and to awalk in
search Of the depth" and now, the ships Of
= world sail along the currents he has marked
out. The Gazette favors US with list Of
orders conferred and medals given the com
modore by the Kingsand Potentates of Europe
among them one, by the special request Of
Humbol. Aud what Of them? The. are
aless than dustto the balance" in COMPARE
son with the position in which the Virginia
Military institute has placed her; for he
shall now become the Baron Humbol OF the
Old Dominion; Kings can create mobiles
confer orders, and present medals. Yankees
make presidents commodores and admir- ais,
by the hundred but God alone can create a
man like Maury-He did create him, and we
ought to be thankful that in the kindness
and goodness of his Providence He was pleas
cd to give him to Virginia and rejoice that
Virginia had the wisdom and foresight to
place him in the chair of physic, Of the vir-
ginia Military Institute.
Citizens of the Valley, we cant all be
Maury's but we can all be Vlrginiau s. Thank
God we are, fathers example and mothers
milk, make us such. AS therefore, all the
birds of the air bring somthing, some Gina
man and spices, and things Of. ornament 9th