The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-05-02

participated in by members from their respective chairs, who seldom take the trouble to rise while speaking. The most interesting things about this place pertain to the distant past. One remembers that this college was founded sixtynine years before the Puritan Fathers sought our northern shores. The first step toward it was made by the authorities of Lima, as early as 1850, when they sent Fray Tomas de San Martin, (wo afterwards became the bishop of Chuquisaca), in company with Pedro de la Gasca. one of the first governors of Peru, over to Spain to apply for the erection of clerical temple of learning in the new country. The emperor, Charles V, and his wise mother, Juana, not only granted the desired decree, but conceded to the university which they ordered to be established at Lima all the prerogatives enjoyed by that of Salamanca in Spain. Pope Plus V. confirmed its erection by an especial bull, and the learned Dr. Don Gaspas Meuesis became its first rector. Still the university, so nobly begun, was without a suitable building, or even site for it's foundation, until the year 1874, when piece of ground was purchased for 1t, near the parish church. of San Mareelo, and hence the college derived it's name, San Marcus. This. site, however, was found to be; inconveniently remote from the center of the city; so. it was sold, another purchased near the palace of the Inquisition and the present building completed about three hundred and fourteen years ago. It consists of a great court yard surrounded by cloisters, on the walls of which queer frescoes are painted, supposed to represent the arts and sciences. Doors lead from the cloisters into the various lecture rooms and into the great hall of the university, where still hang portraits of the most learned men of Perus earlier days. The first full fledged ID. DD' who was graduated here was Dominica de San Tomas,~ Spanish Dominican, who afterwards attained great local celebrity, and whose ugly countenance may still be seen in the great hall. The first graduate born in Peru was Don Juan de Balboa, professor of the Quichua language and canon of the Lima cathedral. The cultivation of literature during the time of the viceroys, though confined by a jealous priesthood ithin the nardowest possible limit, made con- siderable progress and was advanced by several men of learning in the vil- lages. sprung from the noblest families of Spain. Perhtaps the most scholarly of all the vice-kings was Senor Don Antonio de Mendoza, grandson of the Marquis de Santilana, the renowned poet and warrior of the court of John II, who claimed the Cid as the founder of his family. But Don Antonio died in 1851, after very brief enjoyment of his power, and before he had much time to do more than lend his mighty in- fiuence toward the establishment of this university. Since Peru's independence from Spain and the general emancipa- ton of the minds of her people, poetry, painting and music have deceived ex- traordinary attention from the imagi- native but somewhat frivolous youth of the country. But the truth is that the modern society of Lima is too dissipa- ted and artificial to afford very promis- ing soil for the growth of genius in any direction.
 As all the world knows, the ladies of Lima are proverbial for their beauty. Such large, liquid, soulful" eyes; such rosebud lops and pearly teeth; such dainty hands and feet, and rounded arms and graceful figures, it would be hard to find so commonly anywhere else on earth. A comparative few of the more ultra fashionable wear modern hats and bonnets for state occasion, but the vast majority still cover their glos- sy tresses, black as a. ravens wing, with their lace mantilla, or black man. ta of silk, or woolen. The last named is the only correct thing for church-wear