The Republican journal., 1903-05-07

speaking. The most interesting things
about this place pertain to the distant
past. One remembers that this college
was founded sixty-nine years before
the Puritan Fathers sought our North
ern shores. The first step toward it
was made by the authorities of Lima,
as early as 1850, who sent Fray Tomas
de San Martin, (who afterwards became
the bishop of Chuquisaca,) in company
with Pedro de la Gasca, one of the first
governors of Peru, over to Spain to ap-
ply for the erection of clerical temple
of learning in the new country. The
Emperor Charles V. and his wise moth
er, 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
Pills V. confirmed its erection by an eS-
pecial bull and the learned DIR. Don
! Gaspas de Meuesis became its first rec
| tor. Still the University, SO nobly be-
gun, was without a suitable building.
or even site for its foundation, until
| the year 1874, when a piece of ground
was purchased for it, near the parish
church of San Marceo; and hence the
college derived its name, San Marcus.
This site, however, was found to be in
conveniently remote from the center
| of the city; so it was sold, another pur-
chased near the palace of the Inquisl-
ton, and the present building completed
! about three hundred and fourteen years
ago. II consists of a great courtyard
surrounded by cloisterS, on the walls of
which queer frescoes are painted, sup
posed 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 the portraits OF the most
The first full-fedged cd D., who was
graduated here was Don Domingo de
J San Tomas, Il 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 cultiva-
ton of literature during the time
of the viceroyS, though confined by
jealous priesthood within the narrow
est possible limit, made considerable
progress and was advanced by several
men of learning i'll the villages, sprung
from the noblest families of Spain
| Perhaps the most scholarly of all the
vice kings was Senior Don Antonio de
Mendoza, grandson of the Marquis de
! Santilana, the renowned poet and war
rior of the court of John H., who
| family. But Don Antonio died IN 153l,
after very brief enjoyment OF his
power, and before he had much time to
do more than lend his mighty influence
| toward the establishment of this uni
versty Since Perus Independence
from Spain and the general emancipa-
ton of the minds of her people, poetry,
painting and music, have received 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 dis
sipated and artificial to afford very
promising soil for the growth of genius
i'll any direction.
AS all the world knows, the ladies' of
| Lima are proverbial for their beauty.
, Such large, liquid, 'soulful' eyes; such
rosebud lips and pearly teeth; such