The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-07-11
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.
Grady's Address - Progress and
Prosperity in the Old Fields
Around Charlottesville.
University OF VIRGINIA, June 2S, 'Ss.

al 0A0 AAAOs
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, June 2S, 'S9.
To the Editor of the Statesman.
This is very damp day. The rain has
fallen in torrents since we left the fair city
of Lexington, Ky, yesterday afternoon.
But 1t would take more than the floods to
keep any American with one particle of
patriotism within his heart from appre-
ciating and honoring the surroundings
made sacred by the life work of Thomas
Jefferson, and especially embodied in that
noblest monument to his memory, the
University of Virginia. The day was
doubly interesting from the fact that these
hallowed precincts of old America were to
be invaded by the embodiment of the new.
In that browning political product of this
industrial age, the luxurious private car
of the railroad magnate, Mr.. Henry w.
Grady, arrived, then travelled the very
highway which hundred years ago was
made magnificent by no more luxurious
equipage than the horse and saddle bags,
or old time tslly-ho. The rain fell in
bli nding sheets, but the hall was nearly
full of representative people, n any from
distance. Mr.. Grady is handsome and
fluent speaker, and his audience seemed
captivated by the spell of his orator.
cal powers. He painted in tones of the
melodrama the dangers of the social prob
lens of to-day and pictured in beautiful
colors the scenes of the past glories which
surrounded the homes of our southern an
cestors. His appeal to the people TO build
up love for the hearthstone was indeed
noble. 1 could not avoid the feeling,
however, that he exaggerated too much
the evils of the present, which are not as
great as the problems civilization has
solved in the past. Like the beautiful
symbols of religion displayed in the cathe-
dral, the spirit, the memories of the lost
cause should be cherished, but we young
men of the south have only to-day and
the future to journey, and every time we
stop to mourn the worlds progress keeps
moving on. The young men of the south
have in them every quality for success,
and they can best show their reverence for
the past by pushing forward affairs of to-
day. After hearing the sound, practical
discourses of Bishop Thompson, Senator
Maxey and DR.. Dabpey at the University
commencement at Austin, feel that if we
did not receive as much Aowery oratory We
were favored with far more practical,
pertinent and valuable discourses. This
is an age of industrial and financial pros
perity, and Mr.. Grady's practices Offset
his oratory, for he shows by his dress, his
jovlal appearance and his private car that
he too is a participant in its blessings as
we'll as its virtues. He is brilliant young
man, and as an orator he has the remarka-
bic ta ent, appearance and methods that
grace another silver-tongued American Or
ator, of whom he is constant reminder in
style and gesture-Ool. Robert G. Inger-
sell.
The University of Virginia, notwith-
standing its age, has, in some respects, a
modern appearance. Perhaps this is due
to the beautiful natural history building
that rises above the older structures and
stands in strong contrast with its sur
roundings. 1t is happy announcement
to the world that in this institution, while
GAN the good the past hath had
Remains to make our own times glad.
To-day is not to be forgotten, and that no
young man can be considered educated in
this day and time who has not an element
airy knowledge of natural science. An in
stitution of to-day that omits or gives q
secondary place to biology and it's
branches, physiology, zoology, botany,
etc., is not up with the spirit of the age.
AUsTINITEs IN VIRGINIA.
1t is pleasing to be greeted everywhere
one goes by fellow Texans. At Charlotts-
vile we met DR.. Dorset and son, of Aus
tin, and Prof. and Mrs. Humphrey, for
merly of the University of Texas. Prof.
T. N. Tsyl of Austin, wife and son are
summering twenty miles from here. Mr..
and Mrs. Robert Crosby (nee Iglehart)
we left yesterday at Old Sweet springs.
1t would not do to leave Charlottesville
without mentioning the new life which the
agricultural conditions of the country
have assumed. The old red hills, that
were lately considered almost exhausted,
have found renewed prosperity through
the Introduction of the grape, and here in
the shadow of the Blue Ridge we have
vineyards more fourishing than those of
old France, and wine cellars that begin to
rival those of the Rhine. The vintage is
pronounced of superior quality by those
who are judges of such matters, and the
farmers are grateful for this new source
of revenue.
We must leave historic Charlottesville
without mentioning one-half its objects
OF interest. Nor eau we dwell on the ss-
cred battIefields over which our vestibuled
palace train fies. There is too much to
--s If ~ d ~ 100 much If the present 10
master to evsn turn back to the past.