Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-11-30
ANOTHER BENEFACTION.

The priceless gems of art can be pos
sessed by wealth alone. When wealth,
therefore, after collecting examples O
great art work, so places them that all the
people at stated times can visit and study
them, and so bequeathes them that they
will be an educating influence in the mat
ter Of eleyating and purifying the public
tastes, it makes wealth conserve one of its
Hottest purposes, and gives art the fullest
capacity for the exercise of its refining in
huenee upon men. This was the aim of
Mrs. f. B. Croker when she TUNED over
her splendid collection to this city, stipu-
lating that it should be cared for, and
added to by an association of broadly
art and scientific character. On the basis
of that gift an art school is soon to be
opened ia this city, and the beginnings of
a museum of natural history, though
small, have already been made Since that
gift, and since the throwing open of the
doors OF the gallery, more people have
viewed the works of art displayed than the
most ardent friend of the scheme antici-
pated. The number runs up into the
several thousands, and this in a compare
lively small community, and during only
few weeks. That such opportunity has
been greatly good in its influence no one
can doubt. Now comes lady of this
State who has resolved to place a notable
and costly fine art collection, and large
number of rare museum exhibits, at the
disposal of the people of San Francisco in
a repository where the multitude may en-
JOY the opportunity of viewing them,
and where the benefits of the collection
can be broadly applied in culturing
the tastes OF the people of that city
Mrs. Leland Stanford's benefaction. to
which we refer, will be one of inestimabIe
value to the people of the metropolis 1t
Is to be located, we believe, in the midst of
the beautiful Park that city possesses,
where the people can avail of it in COM
parative rural quiet, and where all the
surroundings will be in keeping with the
character Of the noble gift. The details
OF this monument to the goodness and far
sightedness of the lady have not been
made public, but sufficient has been stated
to warrant the papers of that city in freely
commenting upon the act, and in according
to Mrs. Stanford the generous praise that
Is her due. Yet we esteem her purpose to
be so broad, so purely unselfsh, and so far
reaching, that she has not for an instant
contemplated the praises that would follow
in acknowledgment OF her wise use of the
great wealth the collection referred to rep
resents. At the same time, she is wom-
;m OF TOO good sense, too jnst an estimate
OF human character, and too wide ex-
perience among the people of this and other
lands, not to receive the public commenda-
tons Of her beneiieence in the same gener-
Gus and sincere spirit in which they are
now being made What we see in the act
Of Mrs. Stanford is the foundation of
work that will never cease. 1t is to be the
beginning of an institution of the broadest
possible public character, that will begin
to grow from the very hour its doors
open. Around it will cluster collections
of the natural history of this whole
coast. Upon this foundation will grow
up schools of art on this basis
historical and scientific research will pro-
coed to new endeavors. From this stand
point art tastes will broaden, and, CORE
spoudingly, the thoughts and aspirations of
the mass of the people bedirected by better
standards, and toward higher and purer
ideals The scheme she sets in motion
viii result in few years in museum and
art collection that viii take fair rank
among the best in the world, and rise SUI
perior to many in our own country. For
this people accomplishes such work far
more rapidly than those of Europe. The
growth of great museum is matter of
many wears, but in this country those
years are far less than in the Old World.