Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1878-03-09
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
UNIVERSITY OF VA, Feb, 25. 1S7

f the University of Virginia, and other
points of interest connected with this
Institution might not prove unaccepta-
BILE to the readers Of your valuable paper.
your correspondent sends the following:
In the year 1874 or rs a gentleman of
the city of Rochester, N. Y, whose name
was unknown. denoted to the University
the sum of $4,000, for the purpose Of es-
taLlishing Il Museum of Natural History.
When the building was completed, how
ever, it was found that the above sum
would>not suffice for its fitting up, so he
gave $50. 900 more An instance OF clari-
ty so disintereste,l has never been equal
ed in the history of this country. Here was
a man, Il northerner by birth, who had
never been in vi ginia who actuatcd
simply by his admiration for Jefferson,
and the great democratic principles of
which he was the exponent, gave to the
stitution-Jetfcrson's toster-child-th
handsome gift mentioned above, for the
promotion of science, which had af-
fnrtled him so much pleasure in the eve
ming of his life. Death only revealed
his name-Lewis Brooks. He died a few
short months ago, leaving to the people
of the south, and especially to Virginia,
Il name to be cherished forever; to pos
terity a shining example, we'll worthy of
imitation. AS the resolutions of the fac
ulty upon hearing Of his death so elo-
que, tly express it, "He has taught
holesonle lessons to our enti g country
to the south that virtue and benificcnce
bloom in bleaker c!imcs with unsurpass-
ed ,vigor and luxuriance-to the north
that the best reconstruction is wrought
by the silent ministry of christian chari-
ty and love-" The museum is an impos-
ing edifice built Of granite, ON the By
zantine style of architecture. On enter
ing, the visitor is at once struck by the
sight oran enormous elephant. There he
stands, "grand gloomy and peculiar" the
prototype ofhis great Siberian ancestor.
This monster lived before the food, and
his remains We're discovered in rather Il
curious man er. One day an inhabitant
of Siberia was travelling across the coun
try in his sleigh drawn by dogs. his
course was suddenly checked, by what
;
upon exmamlnation, it was found to con-
tain the perfect form of an immense ami
-Lal. BY great trouble and expenditure,
it was taken from the srow, divcsted of
it's skin, and the same duly stuffed was
safely deposited in the British museum
by the English government, from which
il cast was made for this place.
l,a HIrr with t1n nlon1,opt
is u valuable collection OF rocks, and
specimens of lava from Mt Vesuvius-
There is also to be see, limitations Of the
more celebrated neutrality-suspicious.
those of the crowned head of Europe.
Also facsimile limitations of the largest
gold nuggets, and curions meteoric stones
together with the date of their fall, and
the pl zee where they fell.
On the second floor you find Il collect
tion of stuffed animals, birds, reptiles and
fishes, hardly surpassed even by the
Smithsonian Institute. From the little
monkeys that sport through the woods
of Brazil, to the fierce lions of :Senega,n-
bia from the domestic cats and friendly
dog, to the sly fox and treacherous pam
t1Cl 1lpIll ilc DCiilS Fludt lHlcSt
the Rocky mountains, to the tigers that
roam through the junglcs of India from
the little fish that throng our mountain
streams, to the great lcviathans of the
mighty deep. Ifspace and time permit
ted, we might so on indefinitely telling
You about our museum, Of which we are
so justly prond rnt we will leave it
1,nr {<> T.,
something else which interests us very
much. Mr.. Mccormick. a native of Vir-
ginia, bnt who has been living for some
time in Chicago, offered to make his
State present of a large telescope, pro.
vidcd $40, COO could he raised to build an
observatory to receive the same. For
sometime he was undecided as to where
he should place It. He wanted to give it
to Washington and Lee University in the
county of Rockbridge, the place of his
birth but the friends Cf that institution
| We're unable to raise the money requisite
tor the establishment of the observ atory,
and as the financial condition OF the
State, at that time, rendered it imp ssi.
BILE to look for aid in thar quarter, he re.
Gently offered it to the University of
Virginia. AS the finances of the State
are now in an improved condition, it is
hoped, that the Legislature will appro-
pirate the sum asked for or, at least,
part of it. I he students had a mass
meeting last week, and adopted series
of resolutions, thanking Mr.. Cornick for
his splendid gift, and promising to lend
their aid. A committee CT students were
appointed to write to the Alumni of the
University throughout tho country to