their heirs to disgrace themselves by trying to divert the wealth they covet to channels never intended by the owner. Some legacies reached the college fund,— that of $ 10,000 left by Mr. Samuel Appleton of Boston, and another of $5,000 from the estate of Josiah White of Philadelphia. But one from the late Mr. Stanton of Illinois, "to be expended in promoting the cause of education in Liberia," met the fate of Captain Ross's good gift, and never came into the possession of Liberia or her friends. A very large bequest of Mr. Anson J. Phelps of New York was set aside as being "void through uncertainty," although the intention and wish of the testator were clear as the sun at noonday. Thus, if the college had been fated to depend on legacies, we might have been obliged to defer for a long time the announcement of its completion.

The Liberian government passed an act establishing Liberia College, incorporated a Board of Trustees, and granted to the institution one hundred acres of land on the right or northwest bank of the river St. Paul, about twelve miles from its mouth and fifteen miles in a direct line from Monrovia. This position was chosen on account of its various advantages, particularly that of salubrity, the place being one to which invalids suffering from the climate resort for the recovery of their health. But black men proved in this case only too much like white men. Selfishness stepped in; this man and that insisted that the college should be built where it would be of some private advantage to himself, and controversy delayed the great work for several years. The principal materials required for the building were sent from this country in 1857, the ship which carried them being ballasted with brick of better quality than can as yet be produced on the spot. Litigation and dispute caused all to be laid aside for a time, and it was feared that much loss would ensue. But through extra care this evil was averted, and the wood-work, being kept under shelter, was little, if at all, injured. A few faithful men watched over the interests they had so much at heart, and through all the storm of opposition never lost sight of the main object, the permanent and worthy foundation of an institution which should outlast all these choice materials, and prove a blessing to the world for ages. "The founding of Harvard College," said

one of them, "forms an epoch in the history of the United States; why should not the founding of Liberia College be an epoch in the history of Africa?"

At length all impediments were overcome; the building proceeded, was finished, to the satisfaction of all, — substantial, elegant, capable of expansion, and offering at once the space at present required for students and their exercises, and room for the families of two resident professors. It stands seventy feet in length by forty-five in width, three stories high, and surrounded by an iron-framed verandah eight feet wide, all on a foundation of granite. A dining-room sufficiently large to serve for all the inmates; a room for the library and the philosophical apparatus; a hall to be used as chapel, lecture-room, or for any other purpose for which students and faculty are to be convened; rooms for study and recitation; dormitories, offices, and store-rooms, are included in the building, the kitchen being detached, yet in easy communication with the dining-room. The library has already a recognizable existence, for Professor Crummell has obtained from friends in the United States four thousand volumes, many of them rare and valuable, and to these the Corporation of Harvard University adds six hundred. These, with other private gifts of smaller value, certainly form a very respectable nucleus, around which we may hope thousands more will gather as the years roll on, and the great value of the institution makes its due impression on our ever liberal community. The fact that a mineralogical cabinet has been quietly contributed, shows plainly that there are people among us who "devise liberal things" even for poor Africans, so long shut out from all the lights of science.

On the 23d of January, 1862, Liberia College was solemnly inaugurated, with appropriate ceremonies and addresses. A procession, music, cheers, and congratulations; thanks for the past, high auguries for the future, these were the outward demonstrations of the occasion, such as the multitude could share. But they only faintly expressed the feelings of the thoughtful, patriotic, pious souls who knew what success had cost, and who secretly breathed a Nunc dimittis as the joyful shouts went up to heaven.

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Who could behold such an event with indifference? this side of the ocean it looks sublime, "marvellous in our eyes!" To those immediately concerned, it must have seemed at once the reward of labor and the answer to prayer, the splendid proof of generous sympathy in friends beyond the sea, and a pledge of the Divine favor and protection to a race long down-trodden almost beyond the power of hope or faith. All honor to these dark-skinned citizens, and to their noble friends here among us! Founding a university, in a new country which is ripe and ready for such a boon, is rearing a temple in honor of all that is precious and dignified in intellectual progress, and all that is purifying and exalting in our hopes for the future, or a great Pharos, to which men who love their country may raise hopeful eyes as they "go sounding on their dim and perilous way." Who, in any land, can be grateful enough to those who build these strongholds of learning and religion?

The simple ceremonies of inauguration were modelled, as is almost everything else in Liberia, upon those used in the United States. The Chief Justice officially delivered the keys of the edifice into the hands of the President of the College, Mr. J. J. Roberts, who was long the President of the Republic, accompanying the transfer with some remarks, in the course of which he said:

"While conflicting views were raging, and while many despaired of ultimate success or the realization of this happy boon, we are too happy that, with entire unanimity, we can thus congratulate ourselves, in view of the success thus gloriously achieved, and with united hearts and fraternal consent bring our offerings of differences, and thus deposit them upon the common altar of national union, to be consumed by the all-powerful principle of love, which has its abode in celestial regions. The sacrifice being acceptable to our Heavenly Benefactor, it will rise as sweet incense to the skies, to be returned only in such abundant blessing as shall eventually crown our united efforts to further this enterprise with more than ordinary success. What people on earth have better reasons to love each other and be united, than the people of Liberia? What people have suffered more than ourselves, taking into consideration all the past and present circumstances, to inaugurate a government upon the simple, heaven-born principle of man's right to claim, assert, and maintain his liberty?

"The negro born on American soil has, after years of toil and suf

fering, returned to his fatherland, without purse or scrip, without the precious gift which this college is intended to bestow, to battle against the prejudices of a wild country; but, under these unfavorable circumstances, he has taught the world that a man is a man, when he is allowed to try to show himself such...... The growth and prosperity of a people is certainly in proportion to its intellectual improvement; and the mind being thus cultivated, it is, as we are aware, more susceptible of the great saving truths of the Bible. It is, then, for the perfection of these high and lofty principles that this institution has its existence amongst us. Education has done a great deal, as you know, in all enlightened countries; for, in consequence of its power being brought into contact with minds susceptible of its golden touch, mountains have poured forth rivers of wealth, the arid wastes have been made fertile, and from it has sprung the golden sheaf to make glad the hearts of faithful and scientific husbandmen. Much, much more has been done in all countries by this powerful agency than by any other. Who will venture to compare now the great success achieved by the founder of the art of printing with that attained by the conqueror of the world?"

President Roberts, after a warm outpouring of gratitude to friends in the "Old Bay State," whose hearts had been moved to recognize those claims of brotherhood that take no account of color or nation, mentioned the names of many who had been most prominent in advocating and aiding the establishment of a college in Liberia, and dwelt anxiously on the truly national character of the institution, its being intended for the use and benefit of all, to be administered apart and aloof from all sectarian or sectional preferences, all party or political favoritism. The plan of study was then sketched. It embraces Intellectual and Moral Philosophy; the Greek and Latin Languages and Literatures; Mathematics; Natural Philosophy; Jurisprudence and International Law; besides the Modern Languages and general literature. Mr. Roberts had something to say of the usefulness of each of the principal branches of study, but argued especially against the prejudice entertained by many as to the study of the ancient languages.

"In some directions, I am aware, it has been urged that the time spent by students in acquiring a knowledge of languages is time lost; as such acquirements, say these objectors, only tend, in a large majority of cases, to fill the minds of the young with an empty conceit of their VOL. XCVII.-NO. 200.

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literary attainments, while such knowledge does not infuse that humble and cautious spirit which is fostered by sound learning, and is the characteristic of true philosophy. This view, however, obtains only in contracted minds. But all active, liberal, and highly cultivated minds agree, that instruction in various languages, both ancient and modern, and especially a critical acquaintance with Greek and Latin, is indispensable to a polite and comprehensive education. And such is the view entertained by the patrons of this institution. For, indeed, a knowledge of languages, so I am impressed, is not only necessary, as the principal method by which one man shares in all the intellectual attainments of the rest of his species, but also constitutes a most extensive and curious science, which is intimately connected with the history both of nations and of man, regarded as a creature capable of progressive improvement, and which may be employed with the greatest advantage to exemplify the conclusions of moral philosophy. Than the reading of Greek and Latin,' says an eminent author, no employments have been yet devised which are better fitted to exercise any intellectual power, whether memory, judgment, or imagination.' Hence it must be desirable to every lover of literature and science, that that system of education should be pursued which unfolds the various faculties of the mind so as to prepare it for all those efforts and investigations by which all difficulties are surmounted."

The next speaker was the Rev. Edward W. Blyden, Professor of the Greek and Latin Languages and Literature. His discourse was principally devoted to the advocacy of those pursuits which form his especial province.

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"This is an auspicious day for Liberia and for West Africa. The first college edifice erected on this benighted shore has been completed; and we, descendants of Africa, are assembled to inaugurate it. Perhaps this very day, one century ago, some of our forefathers were being dragged to the hold of some miserable slaver, to enter upon those horrible sufferings of the middle passage,' preliminary to their introduction into scenes and associations of deeper woe. To-day, their descendants, having escaped the fiery ordeal of oppression and slavery, and having returned to their ancestral home, are laying the foundation of intellectual empire, upon the very soil whence their fathers were torn, in their ignorance and degradation. Strange and mysterious providence!

"It is among the most fortunate circumstances connected with the founding of Liberia, that schools of a high order, and now a college, should be established in this early period of her history. It is impos