Copyright by Vaasar College 
 
 PORTRAIT OF THE FOUNDER 
 Painted by J. H. Wright
 
 THE 
 
 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 
 
 AND LETTERS 
 
 OF 
 
 MATTHEW VASSAR 
 
 Edited by 
 
 I 6 
 ELIZABETH HAZELTON HAIGHT 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 
 
 AMERICAN BRANCH: 35 WEST 32ND STREET 
 
 LONDON. TORONTO. MELBOURNE. AND BOMBAY 
 
 HUMPHREY MILFORD 
 
 1916
 
 Copyright, igi6 
 
 BY OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 
 
 AMERICAN BRANCH
 
 Ed. - 
 
 LUirary 
 
 LD 
 
 V3A3 
 
 IN HONOR 
 
 OF 
 
 MATTHEW VASSAR 
 
 THIS VOLUME IS PUBLISHED 
 
 ON THE FIFTY-FIRST FOUNDER'S DAY 
 
 OF 
 
 VASSAR COLLEGE 
 May 5, 1916 
 
 1863589
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 MATTHEW VASSAR i 
 
 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND THE DIARIES . . 17 
 
 LETTERS OF 1860 AND 1 86 1 .... 50 
 
 LETTERS OF 1862 AND 1863 .... 70 
 
 LETTERS OF 1864 125 
 
 LETTERS OF 1865 TO 1868 165 
 
 A GROUP OF LETTERS TO A STUDENT . . . 188 
 
 APPENDIX 203 
 
 INDEX 209
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 The Founder: An Oil- Painting by J. H. 
 Wright Frontispiece 
 
 FACING 
 PAGE 
 
 The Vassar Brewery 35 
 
 Matthew Vassar 49 
 
 Mrs. Vassar 50 
 
 The Presentation of the Funds for the College, 
 February 26, 1861 52 
 
 Vassar Female College 70 
 
 From a Lithograph made in 1862 
 
 A Facsimile of a Letter Written by Matthew 
 Vassar 167 
 
 Matthew Vassar and His Dog (an Ambro- 
 
 type) 187
 
 MATTHEW VASSAR 
 
 Matthew Vassar, the Founder of Vassar College, 
 was a plain, self-made business man whose life ran 
 along for years in grooves familiar to many American 
 citizens. His story is indeed only a narrative of thrifty 
 money-making in a homely business until, when he had 
 almost reached the scriptural allotment of three score 
 years and ten, the romance of his life appeared in the 
 shape of a great idea and his dreams of fame were 
 shortly realized. The founding of Vassar College was 
 the opportunity, education, and reward of all Matthew 
 Vassar's latent power. 
 
 Viewed then, in the light of the significant ending, 
 the whole story of Matthew Vassar's life has interest. 
 Born in England in 1792, Matthew was brought at the 
 age of four to America by his parents, James and Anne 
 Vassar, who were dissenters and wished to escape the 
 taxation involved in the tithes of the church. In 1797, 
 the family purchased a farm on the shores of Wap- 
 penger's Creek, near Poughkeepsie, and here, by rais- 
 ing their own barley and making home-brewed beer, 
 they started in a small way the business in which after- 
 ward Matthew made his fortune. In 1801, the Vassar 
 brewery was started in Poughkeepsie and the family 
 moved to town. Matthew got little education here, in 
 fact did not stay with his parents long, as he ran away 
 from home in 1806 to avoid being apprenticed to a 
 tanner, and worked in the country near Newburgh for 
 four years, saving during that time $150.00, an in-
 
 2 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 dication of the thrift which later was to make his 
 fortune. 
 
 In 1810, Matthew returned home to help his father 
 in the brewery, but a year later calamity visited the 
 family, for the brewery was burned, the older son was 
 killed, and the father ruined. Matthew Vassar 
 now had to start again for himself, and he 
 began by brewing ale in a small way and by 
 opening an " oyster saloon " in the basement of the 
 court-house. Business went well enough so that in 
 1813 he married Catharine Valentine, but the struggle 
 to secure a fortune was long and arduous. Twenty 
 years of industry, however, were rewarded by success. 
 A large, new brewery was built on the river in 1836, 
 and the tide of prosperity kept rising. 
 
 His fortune made, Mr. Vassar in 1845 went with 
 his wife and his friend, Cyrus Swan, to Europe. It 
 was during these travels that he was so impressed by 
 the sight of the London Hospital, founded by his rela- 
 tive, Thomas Guy, that he began to dream dreams of 
 seeing himself famous as a benefactor of mankind. 
 After his return, Mr. Vassar enjoyed his wealth in 
 another way, by purchasing a farm of about fifty acres 
 three-quarters of a mile south of Poughkeepsie, and 
 laying it out as a beautiful country estate. " Spring- 
 side," as it was called, became his delight and pride. 
 
 But now the great problem of his life became the 
 particular form in which his vision of fame should 
 take shape. Mr. Vassar was wisely determined to be 
 his own executor and to carry out himself whatever 
 plans he should make. Many persons were eager to 
 direct his philanthropic zeal and various schemes, par- 
 ticularly one of a city hospital, were urged. But Mr.
 
 Matthew Vassar 
 
 Vassar had early been interested in the education of 
 girls by his niece, Lydia Booth, who had a school in 
 Poughkeepsie ; and now the novel idea of a college for 
 young women was implanted in his mind by Milo P. 
 Jewett, an educator, who had taken Miss Booth's 
 school, " College Hill Seminary ", after her death. It 
 was under the persistence and persuasiveness of Mr. 
 Jewett that Mr. Vassar was convinced of the dignity 
 and glory of the plan proposed, " to build and endow 
 a college for young women which shall be to them what 
 Yale and Harvard are to young men." Mr. Jewett re- 
 iterated to him that there was not an endowed college 
 for young women in the world although there were 
 " plenty of female colleges so-called " with " no libra- 
 ries, cabinets, museums, apparatus worth mentioning." 
 And Mr. Vassar was assured that if he would build 
 such a college, it would be " a monument more lasting 
 than the pyramids." In 1861 the great step was taken 
 and the charter of Vassar College was secured. On 
 February 26, 1861, the first meeting of the Board of 
 Trustees was held in the Gregory House (now the 
 Morgan House) of Poughkeepsie and here Mr. Vas- 
 sar at the end of a dignified and remarkable address, 
 presented to the trustees a tin box containing funds 
 for the founding of the college, more than four hun- 
 dred thousand dollars of his wealth. The photograph 
 of the Founder in the act of presentation is the pic- 
 ture of the new romance of the brewer's life. For 
 clearly Matthew Vassar's pioneer work for the educa- 
 tion of women had become his great romance. 
 
 And under it, life was transformed for him for seven 
 years. New interests, new business, new friends, new 
 ideas, and the applause of the world. Like Byron, he
 
 4 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 awoke one morning to find that the fame which he 
 coveted was his. And with what pride he refers to the 
 file of letters from distinguished gentlemen educators 
 in this country and abroad that poured in upon him! 
 Soon life-sized portraits of " the Founder of Vassar 
 Female College " must be painted and bronze statue 
 planned and his " likenesses " distributed. And it is 
 all done with such naive surprise over his own new im- 
 portance that the old man's childlike frankness disarms 
 any criticism of his vanity, even when he jots down in 
 his diary: " The founder of Vassar College and Presi- 
 dent Lincon Two Noble Emancipists one of 
 Woman The Negro." 
 
 The story of the development of his plan and the 
 achievement of his purpose is really told by the diary 
 pages and letters printed in this volume, and hardly 
 an outline is needed here. The first excitement and joy 
 of the enterprise were soon shadowed by differences 
 with Mr. Jewett who had been appointed the first 
 president of the college. He was evidently, for all his 
 ability and power, persona non grata to Mr. Vassar's 
 nephew, Matthew, who was closely associated with the 
 Founder in his work, and his influence was gradually 
 undermined by his enemies and finally overthrown by 
 the discovery of a rash letter which he had written 
 in sharp criticism of the Founder. It was a real 
 tragedy for Milo P. Jewett that he had to resign 
 the Presidency before Vassar College, an institu- 
 tion doubtless conceived by his own brain, had ever 
 opened. 
 
 The next President, John Howard Raymond, was 
 able to unite all factions and to work happily with Mr. 
 Vassar for the opening and establishing of the college.
 
 Matthew Vassar 
 
 With great confidence in his ability, and experience (as 
 President of the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute), Mr. 
 Vassar, as ill health and years weighed upon him, re- 
 signed all direct control of college matters and while 
 still living, entered into the reward of his labors, the 
 spontaneous devotion proffered to him by the early 
 students of the college. 
 
 He had never had children. His wife was now dead. 
 It was as fitting as it was dramatic that his life should 
 end at the scene of his great work. On June 23, 1868, 
 he expired at the college while making his address to 
 the trustees. In the last part of the speech, which had 
 not been delivered, he had written words typical of his 
 whole attitude towards the college : " If we only fol- 
 low on in the old beaten paths we will make no prog- 
 ress. We do no more than others have done before 
 us. We are only copyists and not progressionists. My 
 motto is progress." 
 
 The greatest fact in Matthew Vassar's life is the 
 founding of the college that bears his name, but out of 
 that work emerges an intensely interesting personality. 
 The object of publishing Matthew Vassar's own words 
 (in autobiography, diary, and letters) is to make the 
 man himself known, fairly and fully, in the belief that 
 he is well worth knowing. 
 
 It was once the fashion not to refer to Mr. Vassar's 
 lack of education, to ignore the stories of his small 
 economies bordering on stinginess, and to forget the 
 ale. Indeed, a popular Vassar song with the refrain : 
 
 And so you see, to old V. C. 
 Our love shall never fail. 
 Full well we know that all we owe 
 To Matthew Vassar's ale,
 
 6 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 was changed for propriety to 
 
 And so you see, to old V. C. 
 Our love shall never fade. 
 Full well we know that all we owe 
 To Matthew Vassar's aid. 
 
 A more fair-minded world today is willing to see a 
 great man as he really was, is more inclined to esti- 
 mate pettinesses in comparison with larger qualities, 
 and to demand even for a hero (or a Founder!) an 
 historical picture. This certainly was Matthew Vas- 
 sar's own way of telling his story. His autobiography 
 is marked by frankness and simplicity. A pioneer in 
 work for education, he states very openly that he him- 
 self got almost no education, " scarcely to read and 
 write ". He is equally truthful about his poverty, and 
 his lowly occupations. No false shame stayed his pen. 
 
 The material in existence for knowing Mr. Vassar at 
 first hand consists of his " Communications to the 
 Board of Trustees" (already published in pamphlet 
 form), a slight autobiography written in 1866, diaries 
 from 1862-1865 and letters ranging from 1860 to the 
 time of his death. There has been some discussion 
 about the form in which these should be presented to 
 the world, but on the advice of the publishers and a 
 number of scholars it has been decided to print every- 
 thing with the grammar and spelling of the manu- 
 scripts. Matthew Vassar presents the curious paradox 
 of an uneducated business man who is a pioneer in edu- 
 cation. His own letters show the keenness of his mind 
 and the originality with which he turned his practical 
 common sense upon educational problems. Irregulari- 
 ties in spelling can hardly belittle his memory.
 
 Paul Leicester Ford in his account of " The True 
 George Washington ", states that " through his whole 
 life Washington was a non-conformist as regarded the 
 King's English : struggle as he undoubtedly did, the in- 
 stinct of correct spelling was absent, and thus every 
 now and then a verbal slip appeared: extravagence, 
 lettely (for lately), glew, riffle (for rifle), latten (for 
 Latin), immagine, winder, rief (for rife), oppertunity, 
 spirma citi, yellow oaker, such are types of his lapses 
 late in life, while his earlier letters and journals are 
 far more inaccurate ". The publishing of the letters 
 of Washington and of facsimiles of them has not in- 
 jured the fame of the Father of his Country. 
 And the reader who looks at the facsimile of one 
 of Mr. Vassar's letters will get the impression which 
 the mass of letters gives; for the careful vigorous hand- 
 writing of the old man and the quaint humor of his 
 expressions make the fact that he writes " asside " and 
 " realy " and " pleasentry " of negligible importance. 
 
 Mr. Vassar had the pride and sense of power which 
 naturally belong to the self-made man and these feel- 
 ings too he frankly expressed. " It has for many years 
 been," he wrote on September 5, 1864, " my last cher- 
 ished wish and hope to leave a memory behind me 
 that could be an honor to my family name. This last 
 act of mine is the result of Industry, Perserverance 
 and Self-reliance and neither kindred nor friends have 
 reached me an assistant hand. The road I have passed 
 is open for all who will mould their character in hon- 
 orable pursuits by the same means." 
 
 He felt, however, considerable diffidence at first in 
 regard to expressing himself on the new business which 
 was now his life work, educational problems. To Ed-
 
 8 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 ward Youmans on March 22, 1861, he spoke his dread 
 of having any of his remarks printed. " I fear it 
 would be looked upon as a sort of burlesque by the 
 literati of our Country, a humble obscure citizen pre- 
 suming to intrude in the ranks of polite literature ". 
 But he adds : " Yet I am so extremely flattered with that 
 idea that I consent willingly if you can derive profit 
 from its publication ". 
 
 Again on Oct. 2, '62, he wrote to Charles A. Ray- 
 mond in regard to the College organization and man- 
 agement " in getting on to this ground I am perfectly 
 aware of my ignorance to lead, and perhaps my folly 
 even to suggest any thing new. . . . yet relying upon 
 a long life observation and experience in the Common 
 business affairs of the world I may have gathered up 
 some knowledge that may have escaped thro' their ap- 
 parent insignificiency, the minds of the more learned ". 
 And later on (Jan. 19, 1864), he humorously declares: 
 " I have been so long surrounded with the brillancy of 
 professional acumen, that I have almost lost all my 
 common sense." 
 
 How Mr. Vassar came to feel that his " common 
 sense " which had made him successful in the business 
 world could contribute something to the educational 
 world is best expressed in his address to the trustees 
 Feb. 23, 1864. 
 
 " As I have now withdrawn from every other occu- 
 pation my activities centre here to such an extent, that 
 scarcely an hour occurs which does not bring with it 
 reflections respecting the best mode of accomplishing 
 this one great object which has become the nearest to 
 my heart. Three years I have devoted to this cause 
 alone years full of information, discussion, and sug-
 
 Matthew Vassar 
 
 gestion, from almost every source and every variety 
 of experience and mind. 
 
 It is thus that my own education upon this special 
 subject, in all its phases and relations, developed by 
 such opportunities as offered, by reading and reflection, 
 has given me a better confidence in my own convictions 
 even upon matters not previously familiar to my 
 thoughts." 
 
 The letters themselves show the very processes of 
 Mr. Vassar's mind as he gathered in " suggestion from 
 almost every source and every variety of experience." 
 Milo P. Jewett infused him with the idea of founding 
 a college for women. Sarah Jane Hale convinced him 
 that the word " Female " should be removed from the 
 name of the college and supported him in his idea 
 that women should educate women. Edward Youmans, 
 by request, helped him clarify his thoughts on " ' The 
 Female ' ' her education ' her sphere and availability 
 for the greatest usefulness in life, and, the best proc- 
 ess to impart it." Charles H. Raymond, a most in- 
 fluential but second-rate adviser appealed to his busi- 
 ness thrift with a plan of a sliding scale of salaries for 
 professors, proportioned to their success. And we find 
 Mr. Vassar jotting down in his diary from a book 
 called " Woman's Apology " by Miss Nemo an idea 
 which he often repeated in varying forms : " It is in 
 vain to educate Womans power of thought and then 
 limit the opperation Education and Liberty walk 
 hand in hand ". 
 
 But as he investigated, discussed and assimilated the 
 ideas of others, Mr. Vassar began to make certain 
 large ideas his own and to reiterate them as funda- 
 mental for woman's education. He was never more
 
 io The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 spontaneous than when he talked of his " great object 
 * physical exercise ' " and remarkable for his time was 
 his belief that women should have " daily exposure to 
 the pure air in joyous unrestrained activity ". So he 
 chose " the spacious grounds at Mill Cove " for the 
 college, provided a gymnasium and bowling alley, sug- 
 gested a bathing pool, and favored dancing as " a 
 healthful and graceful exercise ". 
 
 Again he came to believe that women should be given 
 not only education, but opportunity to use education 
 and therefore in his college professorships must be 
 open to women and perhaps largely filled by them, 
 " a college for women " is his repeated phrase. 
 
 Such a college, too, must be Christian always, but 
 never sectarian, and in regard to nothing else does the 
 Founder express himself more strongly than against 
 having the name of Baptist or the name of any creed 
 stamped upon the college walls. " I hold all Chris- 
 tians alike ", he said in a letter. And in his address to 
 the trustees on Feb. 23, 1864, he urged: 
 
 " Let our pupils see and know that beyond every 
 difference there is, after all, but one God, one gospel; 
 and that the spires of whatsoever church forever point 
 toward one heaven. And upon this point again, with- 
 out disparagement to any other religious source, permit 
 me to add that the strongest incentives to goodness, and 
 the most valuable religious tendencies, will be found 
 to flow most of all, like an emanation, from the pres- 
 ence of gifted, cultivated Christian women." 
 
 The value of the study of Art was another idea 
 which so possessed Mr. Vassar's mind that by " a new 
 donation of $20,000 " he secured the collection of pic- 
 tures owned by Doctor E. L. Magoon. " I wish to
 
 Matthew Vassar 1 1 
 
 make our Art Rooms a decided attraction at once ", he 
 wrote June 9, '64, " with the hope of course that it 
 may continue to grow in beauty, value & in educa- 
 tional and refining power." 
 
 His standard for the whole equipment and work of 
 the college was the highest, and how his keen business 
 sense supported his ideal is seen in a remarkable letter 
 written near the end of his life (June 10, '68) to 
 President Raymond. 
 
 " My maxim or motto is now the same as at the be- 
 gining of our enterprise. Do all things, Intelecturall and 
 Material the best, and make your prices accordingly. 
 .... The idea that " during the infancy of the Col- 
 lege to court public patronage by catering to cheap or 
 low prices of instruction is to my mind rediculous. . . . 
 I go for the best means cost what they may & corre- 
 sponding prices for tuition in return. . . . Suppose 
 we raised the terms (altho' I would not as a whole) 
 only on the ornamental branches, do you suppose the 
 College would be relieved of Pupils. . . . Nay, not a 
 wit, I am therefore for giving the Daughters of the 
 public the very best Means of Education, and make 
 them pay for it! 
 
 I will stake my reputation on the result. . . . The 
 best article in Market always meets with the most read- 
 iest and quickest Sale, and as a general rule pays the 
 largest profit! 
 
 I dont believe in erecting a " Monument " to my 
 everlasting Shame by a failure in Judgement in its con- 
 ductment &." 
 
 How deeply Mr. Vassar became interested in the 
 educational problems of the college has been shown 
 by his own words. His oversight of the business side
 
 12 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 from the first was detailed and unflagging from the 
 times when he debated whether to delay the comple- 
 tion of the buildings because of the depreciation of se- 
 curities on account of the war, to the memorandum in 
 his diary on May 27, 1865 of college matters yet to be 
 attended to, an amazingly long, and varied list. It 
 was not strange that three weeks after this entry the 
 old man of seventy-three made the touching record: 
 " Sick and tired of College business, no one to help me, 
 Except " Scow ", Doct Raymond & Swan. Bucking- 
 ham does all he can ". The next day Mr. 
 Vassar told President Raymond of his resolu- 
 tion to resign from the Chairmanship of the 
 Executive Committee of the College. His unfalter- 
 ing business sense did not fail him when the time came 
 to relinquish the helm to other hands. 
 
 For three years more, Mr. Vassar watched hip- 
 great work expand. And during this time he realized 
 the reward of all his labors in the honor and affection 
 given him by the students of the college. How in- 
 terested he was in all their college life, out-doors and 
 in, is seen in his letters to a student who had voiced 
 the devotion of the college in a poem written for the 
 first Founder's Day. These letters are in his happiest 
 mood. 
 
 One delight about all the letters of Mr. Vassar is 
 their evidence of the range of persons with whom he 
 was connected in the making of the college: educators 
 like Henry Barnard, Samuel Gregory and Martin B. 
 Anderson; women with a passion for woman's cause 
 like Maria Mitchell and Sarah Jane Hale; two presi- 
 dents of the college; trustees who numbered in their 
 body historian, inventor, art connoisseur, and clergy-
 
 Matthew Vassar 13 
 
 men; and last the undergraduates. His reactions to 
 all these different kinds of people, his interest in them 
 are vivid. 
 
 The phraseology of the letters is another source of 
 pleasure in them and stamps them as Mr. Vassar's own. 
 The question has often been raised as to whether Mr. 
 Vassar actually wrote his addresses to the trustees. A 
 letter to Edward Youmans explicitly asked that gen- 
 tleman to outline an address for the ceremony of the 
 laying of the corner stone, but when he forwarded 
 a finished speech for that occasion, Mr. Vassar re- 
 jected it as " too elaborate " and lacking " pithiness 
 and points for such a ceremony." Mr. Jewett in a 
 manuscript narrative, (written about eighteen years 
 later), claimed that he wrote out in full the address 
 the Founder should make to the trustees at their first 
 meeting, and that Mr. Vassar had " adopted as his own 
 the sentiments which had almost daily been urged upon 
 him for the previous five years." Undoubtedly Milo 
 P. Jewett's ideas were engrafted on Matthew Vassar's 
 mind and went into the making of his early speeches. 
 Then the form of the " Communications to the Board 
 of Trustees " as they were printed in pamphlet shows 
 that spelling at least was corrected and probably gram- 
 mar and diction polished, for they give virtually no 
 suggestion of having been composed by a man of slight 
 education. But the letters show conclusively that the 
 ideas set forth in the formal addresses were the cur- 
 rent thought of Mr. Vassar's mind and the subjects of 
 his most informal communications. Moreover, notes in 
 the diaries of Feb. 12, 1864, June 16, 1864, 
 March 24, 1865, and June 25, 1865, show that Mr. 
 Vassar wrote his own speeches, read them to President
 
 14 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Raymond and .Mr. Swan before the meetings of the 
 trustees, and that in one case Doctor Raymond " cor- 
 rected " his address. This seems rather conclusive evi- 
 dence that in certain of the speeches at least the bulk 
 of the work is Mr. Vassar's. 
 
 The letters are read with the satisfaction of know- 
 ing that they are certainly the words of Matthew Vas- 
 sar himself, and the reader is glad of that, even when 
 newly made words like rambulating, insignificiency , 
 beconied, conductment, briefity occasionally appear. 
 The phraseology is often made up of popular sayings, 
 proverbs, and comparisons which give a flavor of every- 
 day conversation. 
 
 " What is generaly taught in schools tends about as 
 much toward discipline, self knowledge, self preserva- 
 tion, or complete living as the fact ' My Neighbors Cat 
 Kittened Yesterday ' a laughable but excellent illus- 
 tration." 
 
 " It is an old proverb that there is no use of crying 
 over ' Spilt Milk ' nor can that which is lacking be num- 
 bered." 
 
 " It is a quaint saying that you cannot loose what 
 you do not posses." 
 
 " This nail was a clincher." 
 
 " It will be the identical shoal our College bark will 
 strike and if not opening a seam wide enough to sink 
 her, will at least so much impair her seaworthiness as 
 to demand frequent repairs." 
 
 " I do not expect to make Wistliz out of pigs tails 
 or to give new constitutions to organic invalids." 
 
 " A Knowledge of a disease is said to be half its 
 Cure ". 
 
 " There must not be, and there will not be with my
 
 Matthew Vassar 15 
 
 consent a nursery opened in V. F. C. for mere sinecures. 
 .... Nothing is so destructive to my Bee-Apirary at 
 Springside as the confounded old Drone bees, they 
 neither gather honey themselves, nor let those that 
 would be busy, work." 
 
 " My maxim in all human policys is viz : whatever 
 you do, do well if it is to cut off a limb, do it quickly 
 and thoroughly taking no more time and no less of it 
 than is necessary for the health and good of the pa- 
 tient." 
 
 " It is just as important that we have our Scholars 
 under our own control as the Colonel of a Brigade 
 when going into battle. . . . there furloughs & passes 
 are never granted without absolut necessity." 
 
 Interspersed amidst such colloquial chatting are a 
 few letters of a more pompous sort in which the sim- 
 plicity and humor of the man are lost in the importance 
 of the Founder. To Samuel F. B. Morse, one of the 
 charter trustees, Mr. Vassar writes a request for a 
 portrait of himself, and after telling Mr. Morse that 
 a portrait of Edward Everett has been given and hung 
 on one side of the picture of the Founder, he adds: 
 
 " And if I now could be so happy to prevail on you 
 to donate to the College a Oil painting of yourself to 
 be placed on the other Side of my picture, you would 
 not only confer a personal favor on me, that I shall 
 highly appreciate, but in time to come it would illus- 
 trate the american representatives of Science and Art 
 that gave birth to my own inspirations of donating 
 the whole results of my long lifes perseverance to the 
 cultivation of Art and Science for Woman as well as 
 for man ". 
 
 This is the tone of the Founder, and the pompous
 
 16 Autobiography and Letters 
 
 style and the homely are interlaced in the correspond- 
 ence. Together they give a composite picture of Mat- 
 thew Vassar. 
 
 For through autobiography, diaries and letters the 
 picture of Matthew Vassar is painted as clearly as in 
 Elliott's or Wright's life-sized portrait. A man who 
 had been forced by poverty to count the pennies until 
 petty economy was his habit, through his own thrift 
 and keenness makes a large fortune. Without educa- 
 tion, he sets out in old age on the adventure of giving 
 education to others, and agog for fame, takes the 
 chivalrous road of pioneer work for a woman's col- 
 lege. To that novel scheme, he gives all his interest, 
 his time and his fortune until he himself is educated 
 unaware, and his thought extended beyond the limit- 
 ing walls of the brewery to the unbounded kingdom of 
 the mind. Simplicity itself in voicing his wish for fame, 
 he marvels at the attainment of his desire. Directly 
 as he expressed his pride in his work, Vassar Female 
 College, he never seems to have realized that he him- 
 self was as unique an appearance in the field of edu- 
 cation. Business ability and common sense were the 
 qualities he saw in himself. His letters show him 
 as a larger person, of quaint humor, vigorous ex- 
 pression, sound judgment and high standard for work 
 of any sort, a man who made ale and college alike the 
 best in the market. Few men at the end of a long ex- 
 acting business life have the vigor and interest to grasp 
 an absorbing new idea. Matthew Vassar at seventy 
 espoused the cause of woman, and in championing her 
 education made himself more than famous.
 
 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND THE DIARIES 
 
 The autobiography of Matthew Vassar is a brief 
 story recorded in the Founder's own stiff handwriting, 
 and covering a few pages in a cheap note-book of ruled 
 paper. 1 It is in the nature of a reminiscence written in 
 1866, so that the events of his life are reviewed by a 
 man who is still ingenuously surprised at his new im- 
 portance as a great benefactor in the educational world. 
 From this viewpoint, the old man is inclined to dwell 
 on the marvellous preservation of his life at various 
 times, as if feeling that he was saved for the final great 
 purpose. And this wonder about his work may be 
 back of his simple statement of his utter lack of educa- 
 tion. The interest in the story of Matthew Vassar 
 lies precisely in this contrast between his lack of for- 
 mal school training, and his adoption and origination 
 of great educational ideas. To emphasize the marvel 
 of this contrast, the autobiography and the extracts 
 from the diary are printed with the original spelling of 
 the Founder. The collection of letters is made up partly 
 from originals where the spelling is Mr. Vassar's own 
 and partly from the copy-book kept by his clerk in 
 which the spelling is much better. It has seemed wise 
 not to attempt to change these idiosyncrasies of orthog- 
 raphy, but the letters copied by the clerk are starred. 
 
 1 There exist two fragmentary attempts, made by Mr. Vassar to rewrite this auto- 
 biography, and a manuscript in another hand in which the whole is recast in a pom- 
 pous strain with many moral reflections. It has seemed best to print Mr. Vassar's 
 original sketch. 
 
 17
 
 1 8 Autobiography and Letters 
 
 A few letters dealing merely with business routine have 
 been omitted. 
 
 The diaries owned by the college are four small 
 leather volumes for the years 1862, 1863, 1864 and 
 1865, in which Mr. Vassar jotted down in pencil mem- 
 oranda of events day by day. There is a medley of 
 remarks on the weather, petty accounts, expenditures 
 for charity (underscored twice in the margin!), rec- 
 ords of daily trips out to college and of his companions, 
 details of the building of the college and the plan- 
 ning of the grounds, statements of accidents to work- 
 men and of various discouragements. Along with 
 these are more personal notes of real feeling, over 
 the loss of his dog Tip; on his waking at midnight on 
 his birthday; on the first anniversary of his wife's 
 death, and intermingled with all these jottings are 
 sudden startled comments on national events, the 
 surrender of Lee's army; the assassination of Lincoln. 
 
 Nothing brings the Founder nearer to us than these 
 penciled notes. A selection has been made of typical 
 pages and of the most interesting records. At the 
 back of the volumes aphorisms, remedies and anec- 
 dotes are introduced. Some of these too are copied.
 
 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY 
 
 PREFACE TO THE FOREGOING REMARKS 
 
 The birthday, or day of one 3 birth has always for 
 time immemoriable been regarded as an epoch peculiar 
 among civilised nations, and is at this day observed 
 among many familes, but that of the married relations 
 still more so as to induce its observance to be cele- 
 brated with much feasting glee &c at every return of 
 a quarterly century call d a Silver Wedding & half cen- 
 tury a Golden Wedding, but with our family 3 neither 
 of these old custom 3 has ever been observed especialy 
 with me as it has always been a mooted question on 
 what day / was born, the family record reporting it 
 at mid-night, Father insisting it was before 12 O'ck at 
 night, and Mother after 12 O'ck on the 28 th April 
 1792. This being settled, I commence my worldly 
 carier briefly as follows M. Vassar married on 
 the 7 th March 1813 to Catherine Valentine by Rev d 
 Lewis Leonard. 
 Monday 4th December, 1866. 
 
 A few reminiscences of my Life, many of which 
 being only connected with my buisness relations I have 
 omitted, and much besides of no interest to the public, 
 and would not have written these, but at the request 
 of several friends with reference to the Institution of 
 which I am the Founder. 
 
 1792 
 
 Born according to the Old Records in the Family Bible 
 April 29 th 1792 at Seaming East-Tuddingham, County 
 of Norfolk, Duffee-Green, England. 
 
 19
 
 2O The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 The earlest reccollection I have of myself would not 
 date back as far as the memory of my worthy friends, 
 Ephram Chandler Holbrook, or Henry Conklin, the 
 former remembering when he was weaned the latter 
 hearing the trinketts or keys rattle in his mother 9 
 POCKETT before he was born, but I DO remember 
 from the age of 3 to 4 years old of being placed by 
 my Elder Brother upon the back of one of my Fathers 
 farm horses, (John Guy Vassar) he riding one & 
 seating me on the other to go with them to water to 
 a pond near the family Farm house, which pond may be 
 seen in the rear of the brick homestead with tile roof 
 in an oil-painting in my possesion, I say on decend- 
 ing the bank (to the water) being steep, the horse 
 when in a little ways, curved his head to drink, when 
 I tottled over his neck into the pond making an awfull 
 plash & frighting both horses starting them in a run, 
 the other horse throwing off my Brother. Here in 
 under the water I lay completely submerged & almost 
 Lifeless before rescued by some one of the family, I 
 do not distinctly remember who. 
 
 Another adventure with a narrow escape of my Life 
 was being chased by a furious English Bull in crossing 
 a large common on the Estate of the Lord of the 
 Manor the Duke of Norfolk, on this wise, my elder 
 Sister Sophia 10 years my senior in company, to 
 shorten the distance of our walk to a Neighbours (a 
 Mr. Bond), passed over a "Style" of a "Haw- 
 thorne hedge ", and when about midway of the field 
 saw a herd of Cattle feeding, a scarlet shawl on my 
 sister attracted the animals attention, when a Bull 
 furiously made to-wards us bellowing & throwing up
 
 Matthew Vassar 21 
 
 the Earth with his hoofs, hurring my Sister & drag- 
 ging me along and just reaching the outer bounds of 
 the field enclosure on the opposite Side as the enraged 
 Animal at the moment came up. 
 
 1795 
 
 This year or the year following I do not remember 
 distinctly which, my Sister Maria (Maria Booth) took 
 me to another Neighbours house and who had a Boy 
 about my age or a few years elder, who as soon as he 
 saw me to show his love and friendship began to grasp 
 the hair of my head, pulling it out by inches, not a 
 little to my senseabillity & disquietatude, and add to 
 which, he began pelting me over my face & eyes in 
 such a voilent manner that I bellowed aloud I may 
 as well say, that the Boy was an Idiot deaf and dumb. 
 
 A Blank in my reccollections here follows, I have 
 no distinct remembrance of any special interviening 
 occurances between this time and the family confusion 
 in packing up to go to America. 
 
 Reccollect something about packing up, arrived in 
 the City of London, the being carried up by my Father 
 to the top of a long flight of winding Stairs in S l Paul 
 Church to the Wispering Gallery in the Dome of the 
 Tower, the looking out of the Grated Windows 500" 
 hight the smallness of objects in the Streets & River 
 below, Thames filled with shipping, Bee-hive Sciene, 
 the embarkation for America on Board Ship Criterion, 
 Capt n Evary, a week after encountering a terrible 
 Storm, Sea sickness, the waves breaking over the ves- 
 sel, sweeping me from the companion-way to the Lard- 
 board side of the Ship, loosing my new London bought 
 Hat, and just escaping a watery grave. Arriving at
 
 22 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 the Banks of N. Foundland, sailors catching codfish, 
 porpuses playing round the Ship, Sea Fowls, Arival 
 after 70 days passage how things looked on our ap- 
 proaching Land, our being met and greeted by the 
 English Residents in the City of New York being fruit 
 season, how abundantly we were supplied by them 
 how readly they provided us with Rooms especialy 
 with an English family by the name of " Withington " 
 a large Brewer in the upper part of the eastern bounds 
 of the City. Remaining in N'York through the winter 
 moving up to Po'keepsie in the Spring of 
 
 1796 
 
 Into a Brick house now in ruins (of which I have an 
 Oil-painting view off) opposite the late William Wor- 
 rel 8 residence on the Dutchess C Turnpike. 
 
 How during the past winter while the family re- 
 mained in the City N Y, Father and Uncle Thomas, 
 the latter a Batchellor coming with us from England 
 took up a line of march for the then called West, and 
 after several days travel zig-zagging right and left 
 through the Valley of the Hudson and Mohawk Coun- 
 try, up as far as Utica, but seeing nothing to fill their 
 idea 8 of farmland or culture returned to the City dis- 
 sattisfy d with the Country and was about to re-embark 
 to their native homes, but meeting with some English 
 family going up the River to Po'keepsie by the name 
 of " Young " and New House " they were persuaded 
 to wait, and finaly came with them, and ultimately pur- 
 chased a farm lying on " Wappingers Creek " now 
 Manchester particuliar following see a paper on file 
 " Vassar 8 Family Record " which embraces many
 
 Matthew Vassar 23 
 
 sketches of the Family, and self. Some relic 8 of In- 
 dian life could be still seen on or about Po-keep-sing 
 Indian relics dug up on Main & Vassar Streets. 
 
 1798 
 
 The fall of this year attacked with Typhus fever 
 and narrowly escaped death. The same Fall Uncle 
 Thomas returned to England to purchase cerels & 
 some small stock for the farm. Remmember tending 
 the Cows with Sister Maria on the Wappingers Creek, 
 being no fences to prevent them crossing over to our 
 Neighbours how we amused ourselves, Cutting Wil- 
 lows, making whistles of the rind & fishing with pin- 
 hooks in the limped flowing stream how we waided 
 need deep on its sloping banks how a huge water-snake 
 chased us, how in fishing we caught not a tartar but 
 an immense snapping Turtle, how we cut off his head 
 to get the hook out of his mouth, throwing the body 
 into the Stream, and ten days after saw the creature 
 crawling about headless at the bottom of the cristal 
 waters. 
 
 How I was again taken sick with another attack of 
 typhus fever, and after 7 days given up as hopeless, 
 when old Doct Deleverge attended me & soon there- 
 after rallied and walking out with rude made crutches 
 to a Hickory Tree near the house to gather nutts, under 
 which was strewed black broken & crooked limbs, & 
 one appearing to my dim vision more smooth & taper- 
 ing I reached to pick it up, when, lo, on touching it 
 flew from me, It was a montrous Black Snake Un- 
 like the Brazen Serpent It frightened, but did not 
 heal, I lingered many days-
 
 24 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Following this incident, I remember ascending the 
 summit of a Hill lying west of the Homestead with my 
 Sister Jemmima & child like climing up on the top 
 of a tree to look at the Po', Church Steeples (The in- 
 tervening space lies the now College grounds, this plot 
 of flat level land was well known as the Dutchess 
 County Club Horse-Race-Course, associated by a Char- 
 ter with the Long Island Club Horse Race Society for 
 the Promotion of the Breed of Horses. I remember 
 attending one of these former races with a Gentleman 
 acquaintence by the name of " Brush " who came with 
 his Lady to my house, but as the amusement bro* to- 
 gether many Gamblers and Black-Legs it was not re- 
 garded verry Respectible, so I hired a close Carrage 
 and went out with them to avoid being seen by as few 
 as possible.) 
 
 Resuming my story from other last page looking at 
 Po'keepsie Steeples I was going with Mother to Town 
 on a pleasent Satturday with waggon & horses to Mar- 
 ket Butter, Eggs, and a Barrel of home-brew d Beer, 
 when all of a sudden by the carelessness of the Driver 
 was upset landing Mother and waggon contents in the 
 ditch, no bones being Broken, gathered up the frag- 
 ments adjusted Matters and pushed on to Po' made 
 our quarters at a family of " Bosworth 8 " English 
 Bakers who furnished us with the first White Wheat 
 Bread I ever ate in America How I spread on the 
 butter and covered it swimmingly with Goose Gravy 
 drippings and how Father cuffed my ears for my ex- 
 travigence. How the family removed to Po', occupy- 
 ing the so call d " Duffee-House " corner of Washing- 
 ton and Lafayette St., now occupied by Hyram
 
 Matthew Vassar 25 
 
 Haight. In the Fall of this year mov d in what was 
 call d the " Ellison House " now and old delapa- 
 dated Building standing in the Rear of " Gage's 
 Markett " 
 
 The following Summer (1801) our family moved 
 into the New Brewery, apartments having been finished 
 off for Dwelling-house during the erection of my pres- 
 ent Residence. It was during our living in part of the 
 Brewery I came near loosing my life by the fumes of 
 charcoal thro' the careless of a Man, who roommate 
 with me who came home late at Night & Building & 
 fire on the hearth with Charcoal 
 
 Being insensible did not rise for Breakfast & when 
 call d made no answer alarm being given to the family 
 I was soon relieved being taken into fresh air but 
 this was attended by spasms & Vominting The Man, 
 my room Mate was Rob 1 Ray whom a few Months 
 after Broke his Neck by falling from the Hay loft, 
 being early in the Evening & not coming to Supper my 
 Mother sent me to the Barn for him I call d again & 
 again but he made no answer, when on entering the 
 Barn found him lying on the Barn floor with his face 
 upward & with the light of the Moon shining upon his 
 face peceived it bloody I toutch d him & found him cold 
 and dead. 
 
 It was during this period of my boyhood I had many 
 wandering thoughts Had a fancy for Shows, comical 
 exhibitions, fitted up in the Garret of the house a rude 
 Theatre, had quite a Corps Children actors. This 
 fancy took my mind by seeing a performance in the 
 Villge 
 
 I was also found of painting, bo 1 me a small Box of 
 water Colours painted rude Christmas pieces filled
 
 26 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 them with up with Doggery Rhimes and went in the 
 Country to sell them, Remember selling one to old 
 Richard Davis Lower Landing who gave me a Crown 
 Spanish Piece for it. 
 
 1804 
 
 I think it was this year I was attack 3 with another 
 Sickness of Typhus Fever lasting 8 days, on the night 
 of the 9 th it Broke, uncontious however for several 
 days remember my feelings at that moment, I had been 
 dreaming of lying at a Copious Spring of Water, were 
 many a time I had slacked my thirst while gathering 
 huckle-berries & gunning in the deep ravine as you 
 ascend the public Road from old Pells Landing & while 
 I say this in my dream was slaking my burning thirst 
 I awoke & try to rise but my watchers Harry Cook & 
 Russell, came to my bed-side, and ask d me what I 
 wanted, I reply d to get up (but could not stir) and go 
 home &c. 
 
 Reccollect going to Night School after my recvery 
 to old Gabriel Ellison, had a fracas with him, because 
 he struck me over the head with a round heavy Ruler, 
 flooring me, how I got up and and sent an Ink Stand 
 at his Yellow Breeches, besmeering his White Cotton 
 Stockings to a pepper and Salt colour. Left School un- 
 der L. B. Van Kleeks Great Coat when School was dis- 
 missed at Noon. Quite a Rumpus was made by this 
 event, complaints prefered to the family, how Father 
 insisted my returning to School, how Mother inter- 
 ceeded for me and finaly sent me to John Harbottle 8 
 Night School in Union St. To sum it all up between 
 my own temper, and Fathers severity & indifference to
 
 Matthew Vassar 27 
 
 giving me an Education I got none Scarcely to read 
 & write. 
 
 1806, 7, 8 
 
 In the Spring I think of one of these years I do not 
 distinctly reccollect which I left home to seek my For- 
 tune but not wither, I had just heard from Mother, 
 that Father was about Apprenticing me to the trade of 
 a Tanner & Courier John Garry Corner Washington 
 & Main S l . on the Morning the articles were to signed, 
 I told mother I would never be bound to such a trade, 
 it was disgusting to me & would run away from home 
 to avoid the contracts I did so, and Started privately 
 on my Journey and on Monday May 8 th set off to seek 
 my fortune with 6/ in my pockett, two corse East India 
 Muslin Shirts, a pair of woolen Socks, Scow Skin 
 Shoes, all tied up in a Cotton Bandana Handkerchief. 
 This exit I say was unknown to Father, but my Mother 
 being privy to it & seeing my determination fur d and 
 rather aided the plan, and on the Morning above 
 stated accompanied me on foot 9 Miles on my Journey 
 to Hamburgh Ferry here we parted and never shall 
 I forget that Memmoral day, both wept d tears abun- 
 dantly after crossing the River I wandered southardly, 
 and overtaken an Aged Man with one horse waggon, 
 asked him for a ride, he look d cross and surley me at 
 first and ask d me where I was going, my answer was 
 like poor Paddie's asking the like fav r from a Country 
 Man who enquired of Pat were he was going reply 
 Oh Sir, IT ITS QUITE IMMETERIAL. Suffice to say he 
 told me jump in his waggon, when a dialouge set in, 
 old Man at first insinuated that I was a run-away-
 
 28 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Apprence this stuck close to the rib. I tho* he had 
 heard of my Conduct, I began to feel and look guilty, 
 just at this time the Old Gentleman (for I must now 
 call him so) turned the head of his Nag to the left hand 
 directly & close by to a Large I may say immense Tree, 
 Commonly know as the Balm of Gilliard Tree from 
 whence the name of the Small Village, Balm-town. 
 
 Soon however turning from the Main Road to the 
 left we arrived at a plain Country house, halting at 
 the door, out came an Elderly Woman greeting his re- 
 turn in Safety (for it seems he had been absent some 
 days) which afterwards proved to be his Wife. Dis- 
 mounting and putting our Nag in the Stable and com- 
 ing back to the house found supper ready in waiting, 
 but thier was no lost time in consuming my part of it, 
 as I was verry hungry & tired this service over the 
 Old Gentleman revealed to me his name, business &c 
 He was an Englishman by the name of " Butterworth " 
 had a Son a Merchant in Balm-town wholesale & re- 
 tail, In the following Morning took me to see his son 
 at his Store only a few Roods from the House 
 
 How they went to the farther end of the Store & 
 talk d to-gether, and after some half hour call d me to 
 them, and ask d me wether I would like to live with them 
 (by the by they both New my Father) and by this time 
 both of them knew that I had left home unbeknown to 
 him. 
 
 How they pointed out my work if I did Stay, viz, 
 to Measure Wood Weight Iron, measure Salt, &c in 
 fact do all kinds of drudging even to taking care of the 
 Old Gentleman 8 horse. All of which I consented and 
 found a home for 3 Years, Begining with Labour for 
 a living and ending on a Sallary of $300 pr annum.
 
 Matthew Vassar 29 
 
 But having been offered better Pay by a M r Smith in 
 the Neighbourhood I left them and in the interval made 
 my first visit home in Company with a friend named 
 " Williams ".We left " Balmtown " on a Saturday 
 Evening about sunset a bright Moonlight night for 
 Po'keepsie & after walking some 14 Miles found our- 
 selves opposite LewisBurgh, but feeling exceedingly 
 tired & sleepy fell down on the road it was not then 
 day Light, but could walk no further the Roads being 
 awfully Bad, so we ask d for Lodgings at a Country 
 Tavern, but being nearly Mr 8 the Old Land Lord took 
 us to be Thieves or house-Breakers. It was during my 
 Stay with " Smith & Son " (for went there on my re- 
 turn from Po visit) that the Great " Eclipse " of the 
 Sun occured I think in the Year 1 806, in June of this 
 year, being on a Grand Military Parade occasion while 
 Gen 1 Morgan Lewis was Governor I remember that 
 a vast number of people men & women where in the 
 Store trading on that day & but few knew any thing 
 about the u Eclipse " consequently were terribly fright- 
 ened, being mostly off the Methodist persuasion and 
 knowing nothing of the cause they began to pray, think- 
 ing the world was coming to an end, especialy at the 
 height of the Eclipse when almost total darkness & the 
 fowls going to Roost, the Sight & its reflections were 
 bewildering to them but when it was past & over, they 
 began to thank God, and Sing phalams.-- 
 
 1808 
 
 My return to Po'keepsie after an absence of 5 to 6 
 years by the request of my Father who wanted me to
 
 30 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 take charge of his Books & attend to Collections of 
 Ale 8 and Beer 8 Moneys which at that time was quite 
 considerable having all or most part of the River- 
 towns-trade, from NewBurgh to Hudson, How we 
 Sold Chancellor Livington Red Hook Fall & Spring 
 large Quantity of Ale & deliv d it by Sloops, my enter- 
 tainment at " Livingston " by his English Steward, his 
 kindness &c My going to NewBurgh to collect Ale 
 Moneys Hayman 8 Hotel, a Southern wealthy Planter 
 as a guest of the house, Married to a Young Miss of 
 some 15 years, a Matrimonial affair got up by her 
 Mother, a Widdow, and her only Child, how the girl 
 fooled the old Man, would get him early to Bed in 
 order to have a good time (as she said) with the 
 Young Border, quite a flirt. How I used to go to 
 NYork in Packet Sloops, The Young Folks planning 
 together in Winter to join each other in their Spring 
 visit voyages, What sports we had in rambling over 
 the Shores when becalmed, going ashore at Van-Plank- 
 Point getting Peaches in the Fall, being as plenty as 
 apples & nothing to pay Piggs where then the best 
 Customers. 
 
 How I dreamed of seeing a Ghostly Apparition In 
 this wise, I dreampt that a party of young folks were 
 gayley enjoying by Feasting &c &c at my house on an 
 Evening or rather my Fathers House where I now live, 
 and in the height of our Sports a rapt was at the par- 
 lour door, opening from the Hall, when I called out 
 in custom " Walk In ". The door opened slowly when 
 an object appeared in the costume of a decriped old 
 beggar-woman walking with a crutch, head & faced 
 covered in part with a long Black vail. All was si- 
 lence I rose and approached towards her " and said to
 
 Matthew Vassar 31 
 
 her what do you want old Woman " She points out 
 her long and attenuated arm, and with sarcastic look, 
 and extended & quivering forefinger say 8 it is you that 
 I want". I made a motion to take her by the arm to 
 show her the outer-door, when she suddenly disap- 
 peared in vapour leaving a death Skeliton behind I 
 then awoke, not a little frightened by my courious 
 Dream, This is however but a faint discription It 
 followed me many Years. I must leave the Morale 
 of it It had its point. 
 
 I remember on a dismall dark Night of being in 
 company with several of my playmates in the old Brew- 
 ery Malt Kiln room warming ourselves by the Kiln 
 Fires and the elder Boys telling frightfull Ghosts- 
 Storeys, when some Boy said that nothing ever fright- 
 ened him, a Bet was made that none of the Company 
 dare go the then just opened Grave Yard by cutting 
 & opening " Vassar " S* and get a relic from the crum- 
 bling graves exposed, Brother " Guy " took the Bet 
 and off he went, Bringing back a Schull with partly 
 covered hair. 
 
 The Storey of a headless man Runs in this wise, 
 On a public General Fall Muster day held on the old 
 Commons known as the " French " Property, now 
 Academy &c Streets, I tarried late, nevertheless had 
 to get a family Cow from the Lot now occupy d by 
 " Mr. Haggerty " Flourist. The adjoining land 
 around was a sort of Swamp & underbrush A path 
 leads through from this cleard pasture lot to Wash- 
 ington S* a deep Ravine laid on the South Side of the 
 path, the side & bottom of the Ravine was a wilder- 
 ness of Bryers, Elder Bushes, infested with Snakes 
 toads & other vermin and on the opposite side near
 
 32 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Washington Street was an old delapidated Tan-Yard 
 Currying Shop &c. Returning with my Cow to Pas- 
 ture after being Milk d and passing the latter, the full 
 Moon just rising, the light shone on an object in the 
 Curring-Yard resimbling an object like a Man with 
 his head cutt off and Blood trinkling down over his 
 Shoulders. The Cow saw the object first and sud- 
 denly Boulted down the embankment on the left into 
 the slimy & entangling ravine, when I looked to the 
 right and saw the above object Hair Standing on end 
 at the Sudden fright I stood aghast, but after a Mo- 
 ment pause made rapidly down the path way to the 
 Cleared pasture field leaving my Cow to get out of 
 the Mire as well as she could. Not daring to return 
 to the house (now the old back Building rear " Sage " 
 Markett) I creped the back way fritened almost out 
 of my wits, fainting telling my Storey to my Elder 
 Brother Guy & Sisters the former went into the 
 Street, and mustering a Number of Boys acquainting 
 them of what I had seen, we all arm d ourselves with 
 weapons Clubs &c and marched down to the Ghostly 
 Spot, and going faintly & fearfully up to it to attack 
 it found it a huge Ox-hide hung on a post with horns 
 on and the inside outwards. This accorded with the 
 common report, that some years previous, a Man 
 throat was cut in this Shop. 
 
 In the Spring of this year returned home from 5 
 years absence at Newburgh, employ 3 myself principaly 
 about my Fathers buisness keeping his accounts mak- 
 ing his collections &c &c. The Spring following while 
 my Father was absent in New York May io th 1811 
 his Brewery took fire & hurt down and having no In- 
 surance thereon this Calamity ruined him, besides
 
 Matthew Vassar 33 
 
 which the loss was attended by the death of my Brother 
 the Elder John Guy Vassar, Father of my Nephew 
 J n . G. Vassar the great Traveller now in Europe, 
 whom the day after the fire lost his life by descending 
 into a vat charged with Carbonic Acid Gass. In the 
 following summer 1812 began the world, that is 
 the buisness world for myself by getting married and 
 begining house-keeping, Renting part of a tenement 
 at $40 p r year, and was severely rebuked by my Father 
 for my extravagence $25 p r year was as much as he 
 tho* I ought pay but I will not pursue my narative 
 down any further, as most part of my life from this 
 time till some 18 years ago was filled up with the ordi- 
 nary buisness relations with its varous phases, ups and 
 downs. It was not until about 1845 I visited Europe 
 & while in London visited the famous " Guy " Hospi- 
 tall, the founder of which a family relative " John 
 Guy " a Nephew to John Guy Vassar had the honor 
 of being named after. Seeing this Institution first sug- 
 gested the idea of devoting a portion of my Estate to 
 some Charitable purpose, and about this period took 
 quite an interest in a Niece of mine Lydia Booth who 
 was then engaged in a small way in the tuition of Chil- 
 dren resulting in after years in the opening of a female 
 Seminary in Po'keepsie, being the first of kind except- 
 ing one other M rs Conger in the Village. The force 
 of circumstances brought me occasionaly in buisness 
 entercourse with my Niece, which will account for the 
 early direction of my mind for the enlarged Education 
 of Women and the subsequent drift of enquiries in my 
 conversation & correspondence with gentlemen Edu- 
 cators in this Country and a few in Europe, which by 
 reference to letters on file will more fully appear. Hav-
 
 34 
 
 Autobiography and Letters 
 
 ing a few years previous taken a deep interest in the 
 secular or temporal affairs of the Baptist Church as 
 one of the B d Trustees & being an early advocate of 
 erecting a new house of Worship I took an active part 
 in raising by subscrition the necessary funds procuring 
 Architecural plans &c, but the enterprise resulted in 
 entailment of a debt (against the Society) by which I 
 afterwards cancelled of some $25000 to $30,000 and 
 subsequently gave to the Society by legal conveyance of 
 the whole property by Deed of the same, since follow 3 
 from that date to the present time with a donation of 
 3 to $400 p Year. 
 
 THE VASSAR BREWERY
 
 PAGES FROM THE DIARIES 
 
 Tuesday February 25, 1862 
 Meeting Trustees of 
 V. Female College at 
 Gregory House 
 
 After Meeting the Members came to my home and 
 examined Elliotts Picture I then made them a present 
 each of John G. Vassar 20 Years around the World. 
 See List on file in Letters 
 
 Paid Express Charges on 30 Vassar Travels around 
 the World $.75 
 
 Monday March 24, 1862. 
 
 Meeting of the Ex. Committee this morning J. Ren- 
 wick Jr Present 
 Debates on Roofing College this Season 
 
 " Building Office in Main Street 
 " Renwick " to make " Plan do 
 In Session 4 hours, much talk 
 
 Prof r Mann Associate Ed r . of Com. Advertiser N 
 York called and took Notes from my Biography and 
 Prof" H. Barnard is to publish a short synopsis about 
 College, and my history etc. 
 
 River opened to-day 
 
 Wednesday March 26, 1862 
 Likenesses 
 
 Gave Miss Storud. Miss Sarah Varick each one Like- 
 ness 
 
 35
 
 36 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Thursday April 3 d 1862 
 
 Mess r Prof Jewett & Brackett left for N. Y. to sail 
 on Satturday for Europe p r Steamer Edenburgh ac- 
 companied them to RR Depot and took leave of them 
 
 W m . Smith called at my office this Morning I once 
 lived with his Father Daniel Smith at Balm Town 
 some 50 Years ago It is now about 40 years since 
 we last saw each other. 
 
 Called to see Sister Maria this morning. 
 
 Monday April 14 1862 
 
 Ex. Committee met today. Renwick was up with 
 drafts of Lettering for Tablets went out to Grounds 
 with Harloe Amanda Mess r Jewett Rev d Ch. Ray- 
 mond and Miss Jewett Rode out College Grounds and 
 Springside with my Carriage this morning. 
 
 Wrote Prof Jewett and Brackett p r Mail this after- 
 noon. 
 
 Tuesday May 6, 1862 
 
 Charity Gave Wm. H. Vanderpool 
 i Overcoat almost new $10.00 
 i Woolen Vest i p r . Pants casimere 
 almost new $7.00 
 
 Friday June 13, 1862 
 
 Renwick up to-day. Rode to Ground 3 went on top 
 3 Teir Beams with him Dubois Harloe &c &c 
 
 New Potatoes and Chery Pies 
 from Springside Cucumbers 3d Time this Season 
 
 Maria Booth called at House this morning, first 
 time in 12 mos.
 
 Matthew Vassar 37 
 
 Wednesday July 3, 1862 
 
 Rode to College with Wife and Miss Mattstur this 
 Morning. 
 
 Satturday August 2 d 1862 
 
 M re Morgan (Late Valentine) call d this afternoon 
 to see Catherine. Miss Matthews was washing her, 
 and asked her to wait 10 or 20 Minutes, she said she 
 could not as her husband was waiting at the Door in 
 his Carrage, asked to call again but could not was 
 going home on Monday had a child in waggon with 
 them, M ra M. look ill-natured and would not wait for 
 Catherine to be dressed . 
 
 Grant her husband. 
 
 Satturday August 23, 1862 
 
 Sad Accident at College this A M. 2 Men fell with 
 scaffold one Killed the other sadly injured 
 
 Gave Harloe $5. to aid in expenses of Funeral this 
 P. M. $5.00 
 
 A Solemn Procession 
 
 Samuel McCollery Killed 
 
 John Porter fataly injured Cottery was from Staten 
 Island single Young Man 
 
 JOTTINGS AT THE END OF THE FIRST 
 VOLUME OF THE DIARY. 
 
 May the Evenings diversion bear the Mornings re- 
 flection. 
 
 May Poverty always be a days March behind us. 
 In ascending the Hill of Prosperity may we never 
 meet a friend
 
 38 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Sore Throat Fine salt, drop on the swollen parts 
 cures instantly 
 
 Depthera Gurgle warm water & salt will cure 
 after a few trials. 
 
 We must be like Zaccheus if we would see Christ we 
 must climb up If we would follow him, we must come 
 down. 
 
 If you wanted to be suited go to a Taylor. If you 
 want to be non-suited go to a Lawyer. 
 
 Tuesday Oct 13, 1863 
 
 Wrote E. E. Hunley this A. M. Rode to College 
 with D r . Babcock had much talk about his future em- 
 ployment did not complain or talk hard about Jewett 
 but was quite anxious to have some place in College 
 and tho* he could find a travelling Agentcy of some 
 other sort, and as a cover for a college Profesship. 
 " Vir " To solicit donation for Scholarship 8 Endow- 
 ments, and collect many very valuable books as gifts 
 from his numerous friends and acquantances In this 
 occupation he would begin his labours next Spring 
 All this however would be done in a way without ap- 
 pearing as the employ 3 or paid Agent of the College. 
 All of which I told him I would reflect upon and Re- 
 port. &c 
 
 Call d on Sister Maria this P. M. Matthew hired 
 carriage and took out to College Margaret Hewitt, 
 Mrs. Chancy Price and Mrs. Holden 
 
 Carolyn Harbottle and 2 Ladies call d this P M to 
 see Portraits &c. M iss Nemo call d and I bot her Book 
 " Womans Appology " 
 
 Paid $1.00 
 
 Charity $1.00
 
 Matthew Vassar 39 
 
 Tuesday November 3 d , 1863 
 Election this day Voted Republican tickitt 
 
 Satturday Nov 7, 1863 
 
 Rode to College with Jewett Amanda & Prof. 
 Wood from Brooklyn, a man of great experience in 
 Botany and suggested some excellent ideas about the 
 grounds to be appriated for a Botanical Garden East 
 of College and across in part of the Ravine and Creek. 
 
 Satturday Nov. 21 1863 
 
 Very Rainy Day 
 
 My New Garments came back from Taylors this 
 P M. Coat Pants & Vest. 
 
 Lossing call d today had long talk &c 
 
 Tuesday Nov 23 d . 1863 
 
 A very heavy Stormy-day 
 
 A meeting or Celebration of Eastman Schollars 800 
 was to come off today but the rain prevented 
 
 Large Gathering at Pine Hall to Night and refresh- 
 ments given to Eastman pupils & public 
 
 Tip taken quick sick last night with Applexy wrote 
 his Euolgy, expecting he will die before morning. 
 
 Amanda * gone to the Hall to hear lecturer of Bungy 
 N Y in behalf of Eastman College 
 
 Eastman College 800 serenaded my house to Night. 
 
 Monday. Nov 1 " Nov 30, 1863 
 
 Gave poor Dog Tip a dose of Morphine shall Know 
 the results in Morning &c 
 
 1 Amanda Jermond, Mr. Vassar's house-keeper.
 
 40 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Tuesday Dec 1 ", i, 1863 
 
 Poor Dog. Tip Died this morning He was drowned 
 in the Brewery Cistern of the old Malt house and 
 Buried by Joseph Jarocks asside of Dog Don in his 
 Master garden I could not see the sight and there- 
 fore went with Edward Vassar & Mr. Hunter to 
 clean up Plots of Baptist Burial Grounds. Called on 
 " Swan " this P. M. and gave him Obituary of Dog. 
 Tip to have publish 3 Fanny was in the office I walk d 
 home with her. 
 
 Tuesday Dec. 15, 1863 
 
 Doct. Babcock call d at my office this P. M. when he 
 again opened the subject of " Appointments " in the 
 College and observ d that he had been considering 
 over the matter of the Lybrairian " and Gen 1 Agent 
 for the collection & buying of Books and he tho* 
 he could fill that plan to satisfaction and would 
 accept the appointment as Lybrian for one half the 
 sallaries we paid our Professors To all of which being 
 a new Suggestion I said I would reflect upon and when 
 the proper time came would given him an answer. He 
 remarked that he tho* probibly the First B Church 
 would give him a call to the Pastorship. 
 
 Satturday January 30, 1864 
 
 My dear Wife Catharine Died this day one year 
 ago at 1/4 of 10 O. K. P. M. 
 
 Friday Feb. 12, 1864. 
 
 Finished writing My Address to Trustees for the 
 Meeting on the 23 d inst this morning.
 
 Matthew Vassar 41 
 
 Thursday March 3, 1864 
 
 Benson J. Lossing call d this morning opened my 
 heart to him on all my trouble with " Jewett ". Read 
 his Letters to me, mine to him, also mine to Doct. 
 Hague Boston, and Jewett 3 Letter found on Swan 8 
 Desk, which see on file made him my Confidential 
 friend. 
 
 He Lossing promised it should remain Sacred. 
 
 Thursday March 17, 1864 
 
 Prof Jewett call d this morning and deliv d me a let- 
 ter explaining and appoligising for his course of con- 
 duct which see on file 
 
 Privately in my office. 
 
 Monday April 4, 1864 
 
 Settled all Traveling Expenses with " Swan " in 
 Jewett 8 matter by Ex Com. this day say about $130 
 and charg d to College. 
 
 Tuesday April 19, 1864 
 
 " Swan " returned from N. Y. this 8 o'ck P. M 
 Stoped at moment to tell me that " Sheldon " told 
 him & also " Bishop " that " Jewett " had tendered 
 his Resignation 
 
 Friday April 29, 1864. 
 
 My Birth-Day 
 
 Meeting of the College Board of Trustees this 
 morning on the Subject of Jewett 3 Resignation &c 
 &c &c 
 
 Trustees Rode out to College afterward, see min- 
 utes.
 
 42 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Wednesday May 4, 1864 
 
 Whent to N. York this morning with Buckingham 
 and Matthew on College Buisiness to see Doc* Ray- 
 mond on accepting and terms of Presentdency to the 
 College. 
 
 Satturday May 7, 1864 
 
 Rode to College with Prof r Raymond Matthew, 
 Swan and Buckingham all except Swan dined with 
 us Buckingham, Swan, Raymond took Tea the latter 
 left for N Y at 7 P M. 
 
 Miss Nemo Remarks 
 
 " It is in vain to Educate Womans power of thought 
 and then limit the opperation " Education and Lib- 
 erty walk hand in hand " 
 
 JOTTINGS AT END OF VOLUME. 
 
 Luke 13, & 28 
 
 Try to enter in at the strait gate &c 
 
 The founder of Vassar College and President Lin- 
 con Two Noble Emancipists one of Woman the 
 Negro 
 
 If any louds too deep we have a Schow here to 
 lighten you. 
 
 A noted miser having relented so much as to give 
 a Beggar 6 pence suddenly died, soon after, the at- 
 tendent physician gave it as his opinion it was from 
 the enlargemnt of the heart.
 
 Matthew Vassar 43 
 
 Woman : To her virtue we give love, 
 
 To her Beauty our admiration 
 To her hoops the sidewalk. 
 
 Friday June 3 d June 1864 
 
 Rode to College with " Magoon " Swan & Matthew 
 & Babcock on Matters of Library Room & Art Gal- 
 lery Promised to give Magoon $20.000 for all his 
 complete collection of Art he is first to send me " Cata- 
 louge " of them if approved I am to pay him $10,000 
 cash and $10,000 yearly payments of $1000 to suit 
 my convenience with Interest after the said Collection 
 is deliv d & put up under Magoon superinattendnc. 
 This is the Gallery of V. F. C. only cost of putting up 
 to be at my Expense Magoon takes the responsibilty 
 of safe delivry to the College. Swan Dined with us. 
 
 Thursday June i6 th 1864 
 
 Rec d a Letter from Rev d . J. H. Raymond accepting 
 the Presidency of the V. F. College on terms of $2000 
 till the College is in opperation then to be $4000 pr. 
 Annum &c &c Swan and me read over my forth 
 Comming address today & he took dinner and Tea 
 with us. 
 
 Thursday June 3 th 1864 
 
 Ex. Board met this morning to take some action on 
 " Harloe " failure & abandonment of the College 
 Contract The excitement of discussion completely 
 overcame endurance & came home prostrated & went 
 to Bed.
 
 44 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Wednesday Aug. 10, 1864 
 
 We had 21 persons call at Springside today Miss 
 Hicks Miss Vincents &c 
 
 Wm. Fay, Mary Wells &c &c others. 
 
 Wednesday Sept 7, 1864. 
 
 Rode to College with Matthew this A. M. met 
 " Swan " who at once began to tell us that the Front 
 of the College south Prof House was falling down 
 went and looked at it. First thought it true, get out- 
 side from 2 d Story with " Seaman, Swan and Matthew, 
 all conclude the front Wall of the Windows were 
 sprung out an Inch, but on closer examination of my- 
 self could find no cracks in Wall or joints of Brick 
 open, therefore I saw at once that it was built so But 
 that fright was so painfull that it laid me up for the 
 remainder of the day I shall never forget the cir- 
 cumstance. 
 
 Saturday, Oct 8 1864 
 Sent Miss Burness 2 Copies of Tips Life &c. 
 
 Wednesday Nov. 9, 1864 
 
 Very Rainy Day Matthew gone to N. Y. on 
 " Williamsburg " Lot business and partly on College 
 sale of Bonds. " Swan " in office this morning Took 
 " Harloe " s Contract for Building Gate-Lodge expect 
 " Renwick today. . . . 
 
 Returns from Every Union State of the Election 
 which gives Lincoln an overwelming Majority. The 
 whole passed off, very Quietly.
 
 Matthew Vassar 45 
 
 Saturday January 28, 1865 
 
 Doct Raymond finished the Reading his Report on 
 Organisation this Evening. 
 
 Friday March 24, 1865 
 
 Doct. Raymond finished Reading and Correcting 
 my Draft of Address to Trustees at next Meeting of 
 Board. 
 
 Monday (April) 3 d . 
 
 Meeting of Ex Board this morning, see minutes. 
 Telegraph-News this morning 1 1 O'ck Richmond 
 and Peterburgh Fallen Great Rejocings Flags flying 
 and Drums Beating. Rode to Springside this A. M. 
 
 Friday April 7, 1865 
 
 Burn-Fires & Illuminations to Night 
 
 Gen 1 . Lee Surrenders his Army at Burks-Station 
 to Major Gen 1 Sheridan which substantialy wipes out 
 the Rebellion. 
 
 Wm. Nelson, Matthew Doc 1 Babcock and wife call d 
 this evening. D r Raymond call d this evening. 
 
 Wednesday, April 12 th 1865. 
 
 Trustee 8 of V. F. C. all met except Buckingham, 
 Pierce, Swift, J. G. Vassar, Lossing, Morse, and Swift, 
 see Sec 5 " Swan minutes for buisness Transaction. 
 
 Promised the Committee on " Ways and Means 
 Kelly, Anderson and Harper to Loan College $25000 
 on the Bonds of the corporation at lawfull 
 Interest in sums to suit my Convenience at different 
 Times and the College Neccessities
 
 46 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 All business matters finished up, the Board Ad- 
 journed for Dinner at 5 o'ck. Before which M r 
 Schow distributed my Photograph with College view 
 on back of Cards. I came home & went to Bed, com- 
 pletely exhausted, having experienced much of my old 
 complaints, " Swan " had to read my Address. 
 
 Saturday April 15, 1865 
 
 Awful intelligence this Morning 
 
 Lincoln & Seward Assasinated 
 
 Both dead, other members of Seward 3 family Injured 
 by the Assassins The whole Country in Sadness and 
 Mourning our City draped in Mourning Such is the 
 sensibility & feeling but few persons are seen in the 
 Streets. 
 
 Joseph gone with D r Babcock & 2 Ladies to Col- 
 lege. 
 
 Wednesday, April 19, 1865 
 
 A Memorial Day A day never to be forgotten, 
 people sad, stores all closed, the whole City draped in 
 Deep Mourning. Largest Procession of Citizens ever 
 seen in Po. at 2 Ock P M. Church services held in the 
 Morning. Immense Attendance D r . Raymond Dined 
 with us. 
 
 Friday, April 21, 1865. 
 
 Clouldy, & ocasional showers. Remained in house 
 to-day, being quite dizzy. 
 
 Wrote Ch s . A. Raymond Fort Monroe, this morn- 
 ing Read the Letter to John H. Raymond D r Ray- 
 mond & Matthew call d this Evening.
 
 Matthew Vassar 47 
 
 Tuesday April 24, 1865. 
 
 Cut Magnolia to Decorate Pres*. Lincoln-Coffin at 
 the R. R. Depo this Evening Amanda accompany* 
 Lady Com. down. 
 
 Immense multitude supposed 10,000 went to R R 
 depo. Doct Raymond & Amanda Invited into the De- 
 ceased Car all superbently draped in Black where 
 were the Coffins of Pres* Lincon and his son Willie 
 Matthew came up this Evening with the Express Train 
 See paper 3 for doings in N Y. Weather very beau- 
 tiful. 
 
 Satturday April 29, 1865. 
 
 I am going into my 74 years this morning 5 minutes 
 past 12 O'ck. mid-night, woke and got up by chance 
 at this hour. 
 
 Mem. of College matters yet to attended to May 
 27, 1865. 
 
 Gass Light-Burners Time-pieces Bells or Gongs, 
 Cabinetts of Insects Ice House. Span College Car- 
 rage Horses & Vehicle or Coach Floors Oiled Beds 
 & Bedding, Gass Light in " Observatory " Class 
 Books for College. Chemical department fitted up 
 Unfinished Masonry Halls &c. Steps front Entrance 
 Building for Gynestic or Riding School. 
 
 Kitchen Department Crockery & Cooking Uten- 
 tials &c. &c. &c. Gass House Roof strengthened &c. 
 
 Iron Railing Gallery of Chapel Cushions. 
 
 ditto In Art Gallery. Unfinished Roads 
 
 Painting. Coal. Lighting Rods. Stone steps to 
 Tours. Water Hoses Real 3 & Hoses. Equipments 
 for Riding School &c &c &c
 
 48 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Friday June 16, 1865 
 
 Sick and tired of College business, no one to help 
 me, Excep " Scow," Doct Raymond & Swan. Buck- 
 ingham does all he can. Long talk with Scow and D r 
 Raymond on College Matters. 
 
 Saturday June 17, 1865. 
 
 Weather very hot Had long talk with D r . Raymond 
 about " College " affairs, suggested to him my mind 
 about Resigning as Chairman of the Ex Com. he was 
 supprised but I ask d him to consider the matter this 
 was last Evening & this morning renewed the conver- 
 sation whereupon he made several important sugges- 
 tions which see hereafter Sent my old Carrage to H. 
 W. Morris to sell this morning Sold at $100 to Geo. 
 Innis Esq. 
 
 Sunday June 18, 1865 
 
 Hot very hot, Thermometer 97 Doc* Raymond 
 spent the morning & Dined with us. Gave him a Letter 
 to Nathan Bishop asking him to accept the Office of 
 Chairman of Ex Com. and that letter informed him 
 of my purpose to Resign 
 
 Monday June 19* 1865. 
 
 Did not attend Ex Meeting this P M being poorly 
 &c. Weather clouldy, looks like Rain. Amanda went 
 with Joseph to town this P M. Rode down S. Avenue 
 as far as " Constant " new place this afternoon. 
 " Wheeler " 1/4 day work fixing Cottage Windows 
 and Barn Sill, quit at 1/4 4 O'ck came at I O'ck. 
 
 Morn sold old Carrage to Geo Innis for $i 10, after-
 
 Copyright by Vaaaar College 
 
 MATTHEW VASSAR
 
 Matthew Fassar 
 
 49 
 
 wards " Innis " wanted Morris to make a deduction 
 for a split-hub which I refused to allow. 
 
 Thursday June 22 d 1865 
 
 Weather hot and Sultry Rode to Town this M ng 
 with Amanda feeling quite poorly &c. Writing off 
 my Addrefs for the 27 th June Meeting to-day. 
 
 Sunday June 25, 1865. 
 
 Doct. Raymond & Swan spent the day with us. 
 Dined & Took Tea. Weather very hot but clear. 
 Read over my coming Address to the Trustees. Gave 
 M r Swan Drft of College floors.
 
 LETTERS OF 1860 AND 1861 
 
 These letters from the year of organization of the 
 college are addressed to persons who were to play an 
 important part in its future. Milo P. Jewett, the 
 founder of the idea of the college in Matthew Vas- 
 sar's mind, became the first president. John Howard 
 Raymond, one of the charter trustees, then head of 
 the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, was the second 
 president of the college. Martin Brewer Anderson, a 
 charter trustee of the college, was President of the 
 University of Rochester. Rufus Babcock was also a 
 charter trustee, a Baptist clergyman who held charges 
 in Poughkeepsie at two different times. Edward L. 
 Youmans, student of science and medicine, was a 
 lyceum lecturer on science, planned the " International 
 Scientific Series ", and founded and edited the " Popu- 
 lar Science Monthly ", and Mrs. Sarah J. Hale, the 
 " editress " of " Godey's Lady's Book ", was one of 
 the leading feminists of the time and the person to 
 whom the Founder addressed some of his most con- 
 fidential and intimate letters about the college. 
 
 These letters of 1860-1861 range over such sub- 
 jects as the first meeting of the board of trustees, the 
 college investments, salaries, the visits of President 
 Jewett to Brown University, Dartmouth College and 
 Mt. Holyoke Seminary, and over more general 
 themes, the Founder's common sense theory of edu- 
 cation, the mental stimulus of the young, wise control 
 of the pupils, the desirability of a uniform costume for 
 
 50
 
 Copyright by Vassar College 
 
 MRS. MATTHEW VASSAR
 
 Autobiography and Letters 51 
 
 them. They show the excitement of launching a new 
 venture and the smooth progress of the first days of 
 the voyage. 
 
 Pokeepsie, May 8 th , 1860. 
 Mrs. Sarah J. Hale 
 Philadelphia 
 My dear Madame 
 
 Having been temporaly indisposed since the receipt 
 of your favor of the 30" Ulto. with Encloses must be 
 my apology for delaying my answer to the very kind 
 term in which you are pleased to adverts to my efforts 
 for the promotion of the Education of the young 
 women of our Country. I am honored in finding my 
 own views so much in harmony with the Sentiments 
 found in Editorials of the Ladys Book and will avail 
 myself of an early opportunity to secure the Biographi- 
 cal Dictionary &c. to which you have alluded, to aid 
 me in the more enlarged Sphere in that department of 
 Knowledge 
 
 In regard to details respecting the plans, organiza- 
 tion &c of " Vassar College ", I deem it premature to 
 present to the public anything further than what has 
 already been commented on in those articles furnished 
 you by our mutual friend Professor Jewett now in 
 your hands. I shall be very glad to see in the Ladys 
 Book to which you refer me such suggestions as your 
 mature reflection and practical knowledge of the sub- 
 ject may from time to time prompt you to make 
 Very respectfully
 
 2 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Pokeepsie, Jan. 24, 1861. 
 John H. Raymond, Esq., 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 You will perceive from a copy of the Charter ac- 
 companying, that you are appointed one of the Cor- 
 poration of " Vassar Female College ". 
 
 Permit me to express the earnest hope that you will 
 accept the trust, and that you will not only give to the 
 enterprise about to be inaugurated the sanction of 
 your name & reputation, but also your best counsel 
 and active support and co-operation. 
 
 The first meeting of the Trustees will be held at the 
 Gregory House in this city, on Tuesday, February 
 26 th at 10 o'clock, A. M. 
 
 Immediately on the organization of the Board, I 
 shall place in its hands the Funds and Securities which 
 I have appropriated to the College. 
 
 At this meeting, measures must be adopted for the 
 custody and management of the College funds, the 
 erection of the Buildings, and the improvement of the 
 Grounds. Needful preliminary and prospective ar- 
 rangements will also be considered in regard to the 
 Organization of the College. 
 
 Hence, it is of great importance that every Trustee 
 should be present. 
 
 It is thought that the business may be finished, 
 either in the Board itself, or by reference to appro- 
 priate Committees, so that the members may return 
 home, the same evening. 
 
 With sentiments of high consideration, I am, 
 . Very truly & respectfully, 
 
 Your obt. svt., 
 
 M. Vassar.
 
 Copyright by Passar College 
 
 THE PRESENTATION OP THE FUNDS
 
 Matthew Vassar 53 
 
 Po'keepsie, March 8, 1861. 
 Professor Edward Youman 
 My dear sir 
 
 Some weeks since when you were in our City and at 
 my house I personally made my thanks to you for 
 those books, and wished to know the price &c, you 
 earnestly replied that if I would read the first chapter 
 in " Education " headed " What knowledge is of most 
 worth ", you would be compensated. Taking you at 
 your word, I am entitled to withhold my thanks even, 
 for I have read the whole book, thereby more the can- 
 celling of that debt, and if my appreciation of the 
 value of the work could be reduced to money, the 
 author of it might too soon for the Educational public 
 good retire on a compentense. The views and senti- 
 ments therein inculcated are plain demonstrative prac- 
 tical ones, such that any common sense mind might 
 adopt, and just the ones most needed at the present 
 time to counteract the pernicious degenerating princi- 
 ples that are being instilled in the minds of the rising 
 generations of both sexes, dignified by the name of 
 Education. 
 
 What is generaly taught in schools tends about as 
 much toward discipline, self knowledge, self preserva- 
 tion, or complete living as the fact " My Neighbors 
 Cat Kittened yesterday " a laughable but excellent 
 illustration. 
 
 It was my intention and purpose to have acknowl- 
 edged your Kindness ere this, but my continued ill 
 health with pressing business claims in the matter of 
 my College enterprise have taken up every moment of 
 my spare time.
 
 54 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 I shall allways be verry happy to hear from you on 
 any subject especially upon that of Educational prog- 
 ress & developement. 
 
 Yours &c 
 
 March 22 d 1861 
 Professor E. L. Youmann 
 
 I>Sir 
 
 Yours of yesterday is just received and in reply I 
 think you have presumed on too much to ask permis- 
 sion of me to insert in a public way any extracts from 
 my private correspondence with you, not that I am 
 unwilling to confer the benefit of my pen to your serv- 
 ice but I fear it would be looked upon as a sort of bur- 
 lesque by the literati of our Country, a humble obscure 
 citizen presuming to intrude in the ranks of polite lit- 
 erature, yet I am so extremely flattered with that idea 
 that I consent willingly if you can derive profit from 
 its publication. 
 
 Yours very truly 
 
 May 7 th , 1861 
 M. B. Anderson L L D 
 I>Sir 
 
 I have enclosed to your address pr mail this P. M. 
 a Copy of the Proceedings of the Trustees of the V. 
 F. College at their first meeting 26 Febray last, also 
 a sample sheet of Letter Circulars, both of which we 
 think handsomely executed. 
 
 We are taking all the preliminary steps to commence 
 the College buildings, have enclosed by fencing in an
 
 Matthew Vassar 55 
 
 area of some 6 acres of ground for the Cite, made one 
 contract with the builder, and architect, the former in 
 the sum of $178,200 and $5300, this last includes all 
 plans & drawings and superintendence of the work un- 
 till completed. We propose to carry up the foundation 
 walls to the first tier of beams this season, the follow- 
 ing to enclose the building, the third season finish 
 ready for occupance in the fall of 64. Some delay 
 have occurred on account our national troubles, im- 
 paring seriously the market value of our assets. The 
 most depressed of these we propose to lay aside, and 
 use only such as will result in the least sacrifice. Were 
 it not that our expenses for salaried officers &c has 
 been incurred amounting to some $5,000 pr annum 
 and our Contracts for the Buildings made (alltho' the 
 time of commencing them is discretionally at the op- 
 tion of the Committee) we might reasonably halt. I 
 think according to the present market value of our 
 assetts we may place to profit & loss account up to the 
 present time $75000. 
 
 We can put up the first Story of the building at a 
 
 Cost of about $23000 including first tier of beams. To 
 
 meet this expenditure we shall have an income from 
 
 interest account this year of $24000 
 
 Less salaried Officers &c $5000 
 
 $19000 
 leaving a deficit on this years a/c $4000 
 
 A Crisis is now upon us, whether to halt until the 
 issue of our national troubles are settled, or to pro- 
 ceed, in one respect the turn of public affairs will be 
 to the advantage of the Contractor, enabling him to
 
 56 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 buy his materials at reduced prices, also labor will be 
 cheaper, and we may also avail ourselves of a cheap 
 rate of interest by hypothecating our securities (in- 
 stead of selling) to the amount sufficient to put up the 
 buildings, these and other considerations we have duly 
 weighed, and final resulted in our determination to 
 proceed the work. 
 
 How are you progressing with your University 
 Buildings? what proportion of the inside or interior 
 work is completed? Does these stirring times disturb 
 the patronage of the Institution? I predict that after 
 our national troubles are amicably adjusted, our noth- 
 ern educational establishments will be better sustained 
 by our Southern friends than ever. 
 
 Please let me hear from you 
 
 Yours respectfully 
 
 2i st May 1 86 1 
 John G. White Esq. Albany 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 I address you first as an old rriend, secondly as a 
 business man & thirdly as President of the Bank of 
 the " Capitol." Under the first division allow me to 
 say that our acquaintance has been such that if there 
 were any man on Earth whom I regarded worthy of 
 my esteem & confidence it was yourself. Secondly. 
 Your business qualifications through a long course of 
 years fully confirmed me of your capacity for the 
 faithful and honest discharge of all the duties con- 
 nected with the Bank, and thirdly your position as 
 Director & subsequently its first officer gave it a
 
 Matthew Vassar 57 
 
 character unsurpassed by any other Institution. It 
 was these considerations that induced me mainly to 
 take & hold its Stock, and if among the various assetts 
 which I transferred over to the " Vassar Female Col- 
 lege " I had been asked which I regarded best among 
 them all, I should have placed the Bank of the Capitol 
 the first on the list, but since its suspension a shock 
 has come over me obliterating all confidence in human 
 Institutions, and discourages me to proceed with our 
 enterprise at present for fear that others may also 
 soon share a similar fate; the corporation having lost 
 up to this time by Southern State Stocks and ist 
 Mortg. RailRoads Bonds &c nearly $100,000 of their 
 fund and that within the short space of 90 days. May 
 I take the liberty to ask you the question as to the 
 ultimate prospects of the Bank paying its Stockholders. 
 Please to let me hear from you soon, So that I may 
 lay the matter before our Board. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 June 14 th 1 86 1. 
 Prof 68 . M. P. Jewett 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 My engagements of this morning necessarily pre- 
 vented a further exchange of views with you & Mat- 
 thew upon the matter of our College Salaried officials 
 which were incidentally alluded to this morning, it 
 having previously been hinted but with no especial ap- 
 plication to any one, that some line should be drawn 
 constituting the proper charges coming within their 
 especial duties. At the first meeting of the Board of
 
 58 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Trustees on the 26 th february it did not occur to me 
 that the Salary of any Officer would then commence, 
 nor were I ever consulted or been apprised in any way 
 that such would have been the Case, it was therefore 
 asked of me at that time by some present if the Com- 
 mittee recommending your Salary had consulted with 
 me, to which I replyed in the Negative, but the act of 
 the Settlement of your Salary having passed the Vote 
 of the Bord, somewhat hurriedly, I said to my friends 
 I suppose it was all right, as your duties would be both 
 expensive & laborious, to which answer all seemed 
 to acquiese and the presendence of paying Salaries hav- 
 ing once began, ground had been broken & opened 
 the way for others to put in their Claims. At that time 
 however, we all expected the work of building & 
 other preparations incident thereto would go forward 
 without delay or as soon as the necessary prelimenaries 
 could be made to justify, therefore nothing further was 
 said or done. Since that time great changes in our 
 national affairs effecting our plans & financial means 
 have taken place, and which it were not in the power 
 of the Bord to foresee or reasonably anticipate. In 
 view of these considerations it becomes a question of 
 Enquiry & which will be doubtless instituted at the 
 next meeting of the Bord how far the Executive Com- 
 mittee can be justified in their doings &c I will also 
 here remark that up to the day of the Organisation of 
 the Board nothing had passed between you and me with 
 regard to the amount of your Salary and so I expressed 
 myself at the meeting and when the matter was hastily 
 hinted I remarked / supposed it all right under the im- 
 pression that the $2000 Pr annum included all inci- 
 dental expenses that might be incurred by you untill
 
 Matthew Vassar 59 
 
 the College was opened for pupils. Now you Know me 
 well enough to Know that it is far from my purpose to 
 recommend anything short of a generous & liberal 
 construction of those early proceedings at the same 
 time I much desire that nothing should occur to Cause 
 disatisfaction to you or any of our Official Bord. I 
 send you this brief exposition of my views in order 
 that a fair understanding may be had at next meeting 
 in regard to what constitute proper charges to the 
 College. 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 June (25th), 1861 
 
 C. Swan Esq Sect. " Vassar Female College " 
 Dear Sir 
 
 I am just in receipt of your note of this morning 
 transmitting an official resolution passed by the Bord 
 of Trustees of " Vassar Female College " at their 
 meeting yesterday requesting me as the founder of 
 that Institution to sit for a full lenght potrait by the 
 distinguished artist Charles L. Elliott Esq of New 
 York City, and which potrait is designed to be pre- 
 served in the College Edifice. 
 
 In reply I would most respectfully return my pro- 
 found and unfeigned thanks to your honorable Bord 
 for this distinguished Compliment, personaly I feel 
 it unmerited, and can only consent to the request in 
 consideration of the object and source from whence it 
 emminates. You will please to inform your gentlemen 
 Committee Mess r M. P. Jewett Prof, Doct Nathan 
 Bishop, and Rev d E. L. Magoon who have the same
 
 60 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 in charge that I will be prepared to sit at the artist 
 Studio at any time most convenient to himself. 
 I am dear Sir, 
 
 With great respects 
 
 Your obed*. Ser*. 
 
 M. Vassar. 
 
 3i st August 1 86 1 
 Professor Edward L. Youman Saratoga Springs 
 
 My dear Sir The time is near at hand when we 
 shall be ready for the imposing Ceremony of laying 
 the Corner Stone of the V. F. College i Ocf proximo, 
 and as our views of Female Education are so much in 
 harmony and my health and time are both unfavor- 
 able to devote myself in making suitable preparations 
 for that occasion, I have a desire to avail myself of 
 your thought on that subject, and to request the favor 
 of soliciting the outline of an address to be read by me 
 on that interesting and important crisis in the Colleges 
 history. I am happy, very happy to find public Senti- 
 ment so favorably impressed with our plan & Enter- 
 prise. When our plans were first made public they 
 were met with many discouraging objections, sugges- 
 tive as to its practicabality on so extensive a scale as 
 we proposed, but time & reflection have I am rejoiced 
 to find won for us numerous friends & that from the 
 circle of the most highly educated minds in this Coun- 
 try. We are daily in receipt of Communications from 
 the most destinguished gentlemen & Ladies of both 
 hemesphere's soliciting information of our System & 
 the period of the Colleges commencement
 
 Matthew Vassar 61 
 
 Notwithstanding the financial crisis we have so man- 
 aged our funds as be enabled to carry forward the 
 College building to the Commencement of the second 
 story and will with part of the second tier of beams 
 completed by the i5th Novbr. The first tier is now 
 being placed thereon. We leave a space open in the 
 Centre ingress or main front door of the building for 
 to place the Corner Stone which on closing up leaves 
 the Edifice Walls completed to the 2 d Story. I shall 
 be happy to have you honor us with your presence on 
 the occasion of that Ceremony of which you will have 
 proper notice hereafter. My purpose of addressing 
 you this morning was as above stated to afford you time 
 to throw together a few thoughts upon the subject re- 
 ferred and I will add such of mine as time and Cir- 
 cumstances will suggest and permit. 
 
 My general health is tolerable good but am still suf- 
 fering a little from an attack of paralysis two years 
 ago. Please to let me hear from you very soon. 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 PS. I do not expect to tresspass upon your time 
 without some consideration, therefore please to allow 
 me the privelege to bear that in mind. 
 
 Sept. 5 th 1861 
 Professor E. L. Youmann Saratoga Springs 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 Your kind note of yesterday is before me, and 
 hasten to reply in the midst of very pressing College 
 engagements. The Committee on the Ceremonies of 
 laying the Corner Stone of the V. F. College have been
 
 62 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 confering with Professor Raymond of Brooklyn, D r 
 Adams and D r Chapin of N. Y. City to take part in 
 the addresses on that occasion, they had written them 
 without my knowledge. The Honbl. Edward Everett 
 was invited & expected to deliver the address, but other 
 pressing engagements after a delay of some weeks of 
 consideration now prevents him accepting the invita- 
 tions. 
 
 With reference to the preparotary remarks intimated 
 in my last which I wanted you to supply, they must be 
 confined chiefly to the main Subject, " The Female " 
 " her Education " her sphere and availability for the 
 greatest usefulness in life, and the best process to im- 
 part it &c. I suppose the whole of the entire Cere- 
 monies ought not to occupy over 3 hours, addresses 
 therefore must be short, but comprehensive &c &c. 
 With these hasty remarks, I part with you untill you 
 proposed visit to Pokeepsie. 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 Sept. n th 1 86 1. 
 
 Professor John A. Porter New Haven. 
 
 Dear Sir. 
 
 Circumstances have prevented an earlier reply to 
 your kind favor of the 28 th Ulto. 
 
 I fully appreciate the considerations presented 
 touching a visit to Europe by Doctor Fisher our pro- 
 spective Professor of Chemistry 
 
 The advantages to the College would be real, sub- 
 stantial and of great value aside from the Eclat there- 
 with attending. 
 
 Under this view I laid your communication before
 
 Matthew Vassar 63 
 
 our Executive Committee which has charge of all 
 questions connected with our finances. After a full 
 discussion, they concluded that they are not at liberty 
 at this point in our Enterprise to Employ any portion 
 of the College funds for the purposes suggested, at 
 the same time it seemed to be the opinion of the mem- 
 bers, that after the Professor has been actually ap- 
 pointed, Say next June, or at the latest, in the follow- 
 ing February then the desired aid may be properly 
 rendered. 
 
 Permit me to ask would it not be better for Profes- 
 sor Jewett to defer his visit abroad untill the I st of 
 July next. If the College does not open before Sept r . 
 1864, as is now contemplated he would then have two 
 full years in Europe, could avail himself of the latest 
 discoveries up to the time of entering on the duties of 
 his Chair; and could attend to the purchase or manu- 
 factoring of such apparatus as must be procured from 
 the old world. 
 
 Thanking you for your Kind interest in our institu- 
 tion and trusting that Doctor Fishers wishes will be 
 gratified in due time 
 
 I am respectfully 
 
 Ocf II th 1861. 
 Professor E. L. Youmann Saratoga Springs 
 
 Dear Sir I am just in receipt of your favor of the 
 4 th current, but ill health has not permitted an earlier 
 reply, I now would beg to remark that the paper you 
 left with me last month for perusal have been reviewed 
 since you read it over to me, at which time my mind 
 was quite occupied with recent family afflictions and
 
 64 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 other exciting interests which rather disqualified me 
 to judge of its merits at that time. 
 
 Upon a further examination I do not think it a suit- 
 able document for the " Laying of the Corner Stone 
 of the College " it is too elaborate and lacks pithiness 
 & points for such a ceremony, it would be more Suit- 
 able for the Opening of the Institution. By refering 
 to my letter of the 3 I st August you will notice that I 
 merely asked you to throw together a few thoughts 
 as an Outline on Female Education, which would per- 
 haps be suggestive of interest, in my opening address 
 on that occasion adding by P. S. " that I would award 
 you some consideration therefore " 
 
 However without further preamble I desire to do 
 what is right in the premises, and now ask whether you 
 could reduce this charge within the Compass of the 
 Circumstances which called for the same. 
 
 Yours truly. 
 
 23 d Oct r 1 86 1 
 Rev d Rufus Babcock D D Patterson, N. J. 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 I have been considering over the suggestions you 
 were so obliging as to make in relation to the internal 
 organization of the educational departments of Vassar 
 Female College, the hints so happily expressed as a 
 preparatory Measure ere the institution is fully com- 
 pleted, meets my entire approbation. The idea is a 
 good one viz : as soon as possible prepare a few teach- 
 ers ready for the dutys of instruction at as early a day 
 after the building is enclosed as possible. In the mat- 
 ter of day pupils I am more and more convinced by re-
 
 Matthew Vassar 65 
 
 flection, that it will never answer. It is just as im- 
 portant that we have our Scholars under our own con- 
 trol as the Colonel of a Brigade when going into battle 
 there furloughs & passes are never granted with- 
 out absolut necessity. What I regard as an essential 
 element of our Institution is the perfect Control of the 
 pupils during the period of their instruction in the 
 College, any thing short of this is a yielding up of our 
 immediate guardianship, while the responsibility re- 
 mains, happen what may to these young thoughtless 
 creatures in a moral point of view the College must 
 incur the Odium. As to the Economy of the two plans 
 there can not be a doubt, and it is this very feature 
 in our hording System that will largely augment the 
 profits, when our large public Hotels secure a certain 
 number of regular borders to furnish the table, further 
 addition is clear gain. 
 
 I would even go further and insist upon a Uniform 
 Costume for all the young ladies to be furnished by 
 the College and here again we make a saving to the 
 patrons. I will leave it to your own reflection how 
 easily this can be accomplished by employing suitable 
 persons to contract for the work. I received this morn- 
 ing a letter from D r Hague apoligizing for his inat- 
 tention to my letters, absence & other engagements 
 prevented, he expresses great interest in our enterprise. 
 
 Professor Jewett is still absent, he gives a glowing 
 account of our College enterprise throughout the Coun- 
 try he has visited it is too long and too flattering for 
 me to relate suffice to say it meets with highest en- 
 conium among the Literati 
 
 With much regards I remain Yours truly.
 
 66 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Oct r 3i st 1861. 
 Rev d Rufus Babcock D D Patterson N. J. 
 
 My dear friend. I was duly favored with your 
 kind note of Saturday 26 Current, and were happy to 
 discover that our views in the matter of college disci- 
 pline were so much in unionson. While the wisest of 
 us are but relatively perfect in the most simple things 
 of human life, it is not strange that new and untried 
 experiments should tax our energies to the utmost and 
 after all prove failures. In the management of our 
 Scheme it might be well to diverge a little from the 
 Common track even if nothing is gained but novelty. 
 Speaking of tracks reminds me of a Capital arrange- 
 ment adopted some years since on your N. J. R. Road 
 where we can learn the extraordinary fact that since its 
 organization 36 millions of persons have ridden in their 
 cars without the loss of life or limb while occupying 
 their seats, such fidelity to duty on the part of the Em- 
 ployees has been owing to a liberal bonus paid every 
 three months to such of them whose rout no accident 
 has happened but with a fine or dismission if any thing 
 goes wrong for want of diligence. Let us make a note 
 of this and emulate the carefulness of the very oldest 
 R. R Co in the nation, and the only one who pays " a 
 bonus " to fidelity, not that I would over stimulate 
 young brains for I do not believe with the majoritf 
 of Parents that the more hours their children study 
 at school the faster they learn no more than the larger 
 quantity of food they eat the fatter they grow, or 
 that every hour taken from sleep is one gained Such 
 are not my views, nor would I contend because the 
 dirtest children in the Street, are the most hearty and
 
 Matthew Vassar 67 
 
 healthy, therefore cleanliness is a superfluity, but I 
 do go for mental stimulus of some sort and for daily 
 exposure to the pure air in joyous unrestrained activity 
 in spite of rags & filth. And it is with reference to 
 these exercises that I choose the spacious grounds at 
 Mill Cove, but waving further suggestions on modes 
 of discipline I would briefly in my closing remarks 
 say, that my visit to Mill Cove yesterday enables me 
 to inform you that our Workmen will all be discharged 
 from College buildings on the 5 th proximo, when 
 the 2 d Story or Basement portion will be completed. 
 The Artists Messr 3 Elliott and Wright have finished 
 their pictures and we are now engaged placing them 
 temporaly up in the C. B. Church. Prof. Jewett is 
 still absent in his professional tour at the East, his 
 last letter under date the 26 Current was written from 
 Boston, having visited all the Institutions of learning 
 in that City, his next visit is Providence to Browns 
 University, Mt. Holyoke Female Seminary and other 
 Institutions. 
 
 Yours very truly. 
 
 November 13** 1861. 
 Miss Sarah J. Hale, 
 
 Editor of the Godeys Book, Philadelphia. 
 Dear Madame 
 
 I am just in receipt of your esteemed favor of yes- 
 terdays date and it gives me great pleasure to notice 
 the deep and continued interest you take in our En- 
 terprise the V. F College, and more especially as its 
 incipient beginning has fallen amidst our great national 
 troubles which absorbs all other minor interest, under
 
 68 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 these considerations your kind Co-operation to aid 
 my Scheme comes with peculiar satisfaction all this 
 time. On the 5 th Current the Contractor completed 
 the two first sections of the Edifice (Cellar & Base- 
 ment) including the second tier of Beams, which is 
 one section or story more than we anticipated to do 
 this season, we hope to finish the building by the Spring 
 of 1864 or sooner 
 
 Our President M. P. Jewett returned home last Sat- 
 urday from a Professional tour of a months absence 
 among Eastern Colleges & Schools with reference to 
 the Modern improvements of Instruction &c &c dur- 
 ing which time he visited Dartmouth, Havard, Yale & 
 Amherst Colleges, Browns University, the most promi- 
 nent Female Seminaries in New England including 
 Mount Holyoke, the Boston Schools for Girls, the City 
 Library & Athenaeum of Boston, the Athenaeum of 
 Providence and the Astor Mercantile & N York 
 Historical Society & Libraries of New York. The 
 Libraries of Colleges and Literary Societies with spe- 
 cial reference to the Library of V. F. College. The 
 Trustees are also availing themselves of the advan- 
 tages of these War Times to purchase their Library, 
 Works of Art, Mineral Cabinets &c. 
 
 I send you per this days mail the " Pokeepsie Tele- 
 graph " in which you will find in its columns under the 
 signature of G. T. R. criticism upon the respective 
 artistic merits of two Life-Size likeness on Canvass 
 of your humble Servant, the first executed by Charles 
 L. Elliott, the second by J. H. Wright both artist of 
 celebrity of the City of New York, the former was 
 ordered by our Bord of Trustees for the use of the 
 College & Cost $1200, the latter by myself some
 
 Matthew Vassar 69 
 
 year or two ago and only finished a week or two since. 
 This last I purpose for the Bord of Trustees of the 
 Rochester University of which I am a member. 
 
 I am obliged to Mr. Godey for his Kindness in send- 
 ing me the " Ladys Book " had I received it should 
 have acknowledged the favor, I heard from a friend 
 that you had published an article on V. F. C. I could 
 not procure the Number here at our Book Stores, but 
 sent to N. York for One. Please to say to Mr. Godey 
 to send me his " Book " as a regular subscriber, com- 
 mencing with the October Number, and for which I 
 herewith enclose $3 in Advance the Article enclosed 
 to me in your letter I have Caused to be placed in my 
 scrap book with sundry other articles pertaining to the 
 V. F. C. 
 
 I remain &c &c
 
 LETTERS OF 1862 AND 1863 
 
 As the plan of Vassar develops, Mr. Vassar's cor- 
 respondence increases in interest and the range of per- 
 sons to whom the letters are addressed is wider. 
 James Renwick, Jr., to whom the first letter of this 
 section is written, was the architect of the Smithsonian 
 Institute of Washington and of the Main building at 
 Vassar. Samuel Gregory was the founder of the New 
 England Female Medical College, said to have been 
 the first medical college for women in the world. Sam- 
 uel Austin Allibone was an author, bibliographer and 
 librarian. James Boorman, successful merchant and 
 president of the Hudson river railroad, was a noted 
 philanthropist of the time. Ira Harris, a judge in the 
 supreme court, United States Senator from New York, 
 and professor in the Albany Law School, was also one 
 of the founders of Rochester University. Howard 
 Malcolm, a Baptist clergyman until his voice failed, 
 then became president of various educational institu- 
 tions, and professor of metaphysics and moral philoso- 
 phy. Charles A. Raymond was a clergyman, president 
 of Chesapeake Female College until the war, later 
 principal of the Hamilton Female Institute, next a 
 clerk in the office of the Paymaster-General and a 
 chaplain in the army. Becoming acquainted with Mr. 
 Vassar one summer when he preached in Poughkeepsie, 
 he did all he could to impose his own ideas of educa- 
 tion upon the Founder, to undermine Mr. Jewett's posi- 
 tion and to secure for himself the office of Vice-Presi- 
 
 70
 
 Autobiography and Letters 71 
 
 dent. 1 Maria Mitchell was the distinguished astrono- 
 mer who was made a professor at Vassar. Gilbert 
 Dean was a lawyer, a congressman and justice of the 
 supreme court of New York. Emma Church was an 
 artist of the time and Elias Lyman Magoon a Baptist 
 clergyman known as an art connoisseur and collector. 
 
 In the letters of '62 and '63 there are incidental 
 allusions of vivid interest: to the niece of the Founder 
 who first turned his mind, he says in retrospect, to 
 the subject of female education; to the tablet to be 
 placed over the front of the main building; to the 
 growing interest in the project that was bringing scores 
 of visitors to the college. These years were times of 
 increasing difficulties for Mr. Vassar as he perceived 
 more clearly the magnitude and complexities of his 
 project. Problems of finance arising from the war 
 times pressed upon him; anxieties about building plans; 
 rival claims of candidates for appointments in the new 
 college; proposed resignations of trustees; and con- 
 flicting theories of education. Not the least interesting 
 of the letters are those that have to do with Mr. Vas- 
 sar's perplexities in the field of educational theory: 
 his opposition to William Chambers' reactionary views 
 about women ; his consideration of Charles Raymond's 
 schemes for the " University " or " Group " System of 
 study; for a sliding scale of professors' salaries ad- 
 justed to their success; for the formation of an art 
 gallery by engaging an artist to copy great masters. 
 
 But through various discussions and differences, cer- 
 tain large ideas were becoming fixed forever in the 
 Founder's mind: that the good health of the pupils 
 
 1 See " Before Vassar Opened " by James Monroe Taylor, pp. 142- 
 160.
 
 72 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 was a fundamental consideration; that a college must 
 be absolutely non-sectarian; and that with the exten- 
 sion of educational opportunities for woman, her op- 
 portunities for service must also be widened. 
 
 * 
 
 Jan y . II th , 1862. 
 Ja a Renwick, Jr. 
 Dear Sir 
 
 I think the success of our College depends much 
 upon the reputation it can maintain for the health of 
 its Pupils if thro' bad ventilation sickness should 
 occur it would be ascribed by the public at Once to the 
 unhealthy locality of the College and not to the im- 
 perfect ventilation. Is it not therefore important that 
 we should at once determine upon the best and im- 
 proved system before we advance further with the 
 building what I could desire is to secure a most per- 
 fect circulation of pure air throughout the whole build- 
 ing and that its purification should not impair its vital 
 and invigorating properties Can this be done? and 
 how? thats the question, and I want you to give the 
 subject all the additional consideration that your time 
 will permit, ere we finally and fully decide on our plans 
 of heating & ventilating &c. I have now before me 
 several plans for warming & ventilating public build- 
 ings, all of which and many more you have doubtless 
 seen as they come especially within the scope of your 
 profession. With the Compliments of this festival 
 season and thanks for your Kindness of the Card to 
 visit the Honb 1 W. H. Aspenwalls Gallery 
 I remain
 
 Matthew Vassar 73 
 
 30th Jarf 7 1862. 
 John G. White Esq r Albany 
 
 Dear Sir It is an old proverb that there is no 
 
 use of crying over " Spilt Milk " nor can that which is 
 lacking be numbered ". I understand from my nephew 
 M. Vassar Jr who has just returned from your City 
 this morning that you were absent, but he had an in- 
 terview with some of the Directors of the late " Bank 
 of the Capitol " and from all he could learn there 
 would be but little left of the Assetts after paying the 
 Bill holders and depositors, consequently our College 
 fund of $8,000 in that Bank is all entirely lost, were 
 this my own or were it a corporate property for pri- 
 vate emoluments, nothing further could be said or done 
 but quietly submit to the loss, but that a charitable in- 
 stitution for the poor and friendless and destitute Or- 
 phan children should be thus so summeraly deprived 
 of so large a Sum is deeply to be deplored, and I would 
 appeal to you and those of your associates in the late 
 Bank wether there is not any means whereby that 
 claim can be saved for the College. God knows the 
 Institution has lost enough by the cursed Rebellion to 
 discourage our Trustees, and had the buildings not 
 been commenced would ceased to have been built for 
 the present. I do hope you will lay this subject before 
 the gentlemen having charge of settling up the affairs 
 of the Bank. I know Mr. Reed, Schuyler and few 
 others will do all they can to save this debt to our Col- 
 lege, and I am now confident you will unite your influ- 
 ence in that direction as not One dime of the institu- 
 tion inures to individual benefit, but is entirely benevo- 
 lent in its ends and purposes.
 
 74 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 May I not hope that my old friend Mr. White will 
 write me soon, and give me some encouragement in 
 the matter of this enquiry. 
 
 I remain 
 
 February 5 th 1862. 
 Honb 1 Geo. T. Pierce Albany 
 
 Dear Sir ! I intended had my health permitted 
 
 to have availed myself of an opportunity of coming 
 up to your City to have confered with you personally 
 with reference to an amendment of the " Vassar Fe- 
 male College " Charter, so as to secure it from taxa- 
 tion altho' some of its friends are of opinion that it 
 is already exempt under the Revised Statuts with ref- 
 erence to Such Cases. I am perfectly aware that this 
 is quite an unpropritious time to ask the Legislature 
 for abatement of taxes, when the Country is exercising 
 all its energies to adjust a Schedule of Reverses to meet 
 expenses consequent upon this wicked rebellion, yet it 
 would seem hardly just or proper to tax public chari- 
 table institutions as is the case of the College as not 
 a dollar of its income or its profits inure to private 
 emolument but is strictly and exclusively a charitable 
 in all its operations, as every dollar of its income after 
 paying expenses of its conductment goes to the gratu- 
 tious Education of beneficiaries moreover the Col- 
 lege fund ($408000) has suffered quite a reduction by 
 the depreciation of its assets consequent upon the war 
 of full 33$ of its Capital, add to which fact that the 
 Trustees had made the Contract for the building be- 
 fore the Rebellion broke out and consequently have 
 been obliged to proceed with their work, and dispose
 
 Matthew Vassar 75 
 
 of the funds at great reduction from par Value so that 
 in every view of the case it would seem just & proper 
 that the College should be exempt from all taxation of 
 every kind & nature. Mr Swan has doubtless stated 
 all this matter fully to you and therefore will not en- 
 large further on the subject. 
 
 respectfully 
 
 February 14 th 1862 
 Sam 1 Gregory M D. Sec: N. E. Female Med. College 
 
 Boston 
 
 Dear Sir Refering to my brief note of the 9 th 
 
 I have now to acknowledge Copies of yours 8 th and 
 12 th annual Reports of the New England Female 
 Med. College also Letter to ladies in favor of Female 
 Physician &c all of which I have perused with satisfac- 
 tion and it gives me pleasure to find that my views on 
 the subject of which they treat are so much in har- 
 mony with your published Sentiments. It is a little 
 remarkable that in this enlightened erea how the hu- 
 man mind is trammled with old prejudices, and all 
 efforts in a wide Step at progress denounced as fanati- 
 cal. Job was about right when he told his poor com- 
 forters " that no doubt wisdom would die with them. 
 Is there any good reason why female should not re- 
 ceive as high a standard of mental Culture in certain 
 departments of Knowledge as males enjoy, nothing but 
 prejudice and Custom as you justly observe hinder this 
 Woman is capable of higher elevation in these 
 spheres than the notions of Society has hitherto tol- 
 erated, and these deprivations are resulting in her deg- 
 redation especially in our large cities which have drawn
 
 76 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 within their vortex so many thousands of young intelli- 
 gant females seeking honorable employments. 
 
 Is it not cruel therefore to impose a large share of 
 intelligence upon any class, and then deny them the 
 posibility of its practical benefits does it not aggra- 
 vate their condition " If ignorance is bliss it were folly 
 to be wise ", Knowledge must have its appropriate 
 aliment to subsist upon. Woman in the sphere of 
 medical practise especialy among her own sex is a 
 happy idea and ought not to be denied to her, and I 
 fondly hope to live to see the day when she will occupy 
 also a place in the refined arts and professions suited 
 to her capacities and moral delicasy as some of her 
 sex are enjoying in the literary world. 
 
 It is not the purpose of the Trustees of the V. F. 
 College to establish a medical Professorship but some 
 arrangements will be provided for Pupils who wishes 
 to become practitionery in that department of Study. 
 I congratulate you as one of the early pioneers in this 
 line of human progress and hope your valuable life 
 will be spared to see your object secured and its bene- 
 ficance universally acknowledged. 
 
 With much respect, 
 
 February 15* 1862. 
 Professor Jewett 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 Since our last interview I have been consid- 
 ering the matter of your visit to Europe and how 
 far the College interest could be promoted thereby, 
 and how far our Bord of Trustees would be willing to 
 bear a part of your Expenses. Without any further
 
 Matthew Vassar 77 
 
 capacity to judge of the advantages to be derived by 
 such a visit than I now possess, and especially in view 
 of the Bord of Trustees willingness to extend its aid 
 to Professor Fisher for a similar object, is there not 
 some fear that both might be defeated. All such in- 
 cidental benefits as above referred, would be of little 
 advantage unless the Corporation have funds sufficient 
 to erect their College buildings & complete its in- 
 ternal arrangements, failing in these would result in 
 much greater damage to the Institution than the failure 
 of any one intuitional department, and had I not al- 
 ready suffered so much in my own pecuniairy affairs, 
 and my health was sufficiently good to give to it the 
 most perfect supervision, I would not only advise the 
 trip but be willing to defray all extra expenses. My 
 maxim in all human policys is viz: whatever you do, 
 do well if it is to cut off a limb, do it quickly & 
 thoroughly taking not more time & no less of it than 
 is necessary for the health and good of the patient, so 
 with our College, if once completed and handsomely 
 furnished, Our grounds tastely & nicely laid out, we 
 can then move forward, slowly perhaps, but neverthe- 
 less more safely, as is the laws of the natural world, ra- 
 pidity of growth always presension rapidity of decay 
 however laying aside these methaphysically illustrations 
 I am perfectly willing to afford you the opportunity 
 to make the visit and for keeping up your Salary during 
 your absence and I cannot but think that it would re- 
 dound greatly to your advantage if you would thus 
 signify to the Bord your willingness to avail yourself 
 of so noble expression of your generosity by bearing 
 your own expenses if they would continue your Sal- 
 ary. Yours truly
 
 78 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 March 5 th 1862. 
 Honb 1 John Thompson Pokeepsie 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 Through a kind intimation from you at the late meet- 
 ing of our Trustees, I understood that some of your 
 generous and public spirited friends have the Control 
 of a valuable Collection of Minerals, which they may 
 think proper to dedicate to the service of the Com- 
 munity. Permit me to suggest, there is no way in 
 which the present proprietors can confer such distin- 
 guished honor on the memory of the deceased Collector 
 and owner of the Collection; no way by which they can 
 give such substantial benefits to the public at large, not 
 only for the present time, but for all future genera- 
 tions, as to present the Collection to the " Vassar Fe- 
 male College " an institution which it is reasonable to 
 expect, will attract Students and patrons and visitors 
 from all parts of our whole united and extended Coun- 
 try and even foreign lands. The surviving friends 
 can build no prouder monument to science and intelli- 
 gence of their departed relatives, Can give no higher 
 proof of their own enlightened and liberal views. If 
 the donation shall be made to Vassar College, I pledge 
 myself as follows: 
 
 I st It shall have a conspicous place by itself in 
 the mineralogical Department 
 
 2. The name of the Collector and late Proprietors 
 with that of the benevolent Donor of the College, 
 shall be displayed in letters of gold over the Col- 
 lection. 
 
 Feeling assured that you will appreciate the im-
 
 Matthew Vassar 79 
 
 portance of the Suggestions, and that you will be most 
 
 happy to use your influence in carrying them into effect 
 
 I am truly Yours &c 
 
 * 
 
 March 7 th 1862. 
 Ja 8 Renwick Jr. New York 
 
 My dear Sir, Your favor of the 4" Inst. is at 
 
 hand and notice your several remarks, comments &c 
 &c especially with regard to the policy of roofing the 
 College Building the ensuing season and I have only 
 to repeat what I have before expressed that it is my 
 advise so to shape all our arrangements to accomplish 
 that end if possible well knowing it will inure not only 
 to the best good of the Edifice but to the pecuniairy 
 interest of the College funds, when a vessel is half 
 across the ocean with a fair wind, altho' in a leaky con- 
 dition, it is better to stear for her the first port than 
 to stand still or return back for repairs. I am there- 
 fore for going onwards with all that energy as pru- 
 dence will admit, so as to open the institution at an 
 early day as possible & thus change Outlays for in- 
 come. You will have doubtless seen Prof Jewett this 
 week ere you left today for Washington. You had 
 better come up next monday, when we can talk over 
 matters with our joint Committees. 
 
 Yours &c 
 
 March 15* 1862. 
 Rev d . Hiram Meade South Hadley Mass. 
 
 Rev d and dear Sir 
 
 Being informed by President Jewett of the deep 
 interest in our educational enterprise manifested by
 
 80 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 yourself and the Teachers of the Mount Holyoke Fe- 
 male Seminary, and of the kindness and courtesy with 
 which he was treated on the occasion of his late visit 
 to your institution, I take the liberty to express my 
 grateful appreciation of your Christian Catholic Spirit 
 by forwarding the accompanying volumns as a dona- 
 tion to the Library of your Seminary. With high ad- 
 miration of the noble aims and distinguished success 
 of your institution I am dear sir 
 
 Very respectfully 
 
 i Copy of Milman's Latin Christianity half 
 
 Calf antique dark $16 
 
 i Copy of Macaulay's Essays half Morocco 
 
 gilt $12.00 
 
 marked Hiram Mead 
 
 South Hadley, Mass. Secretary of 
 the Trustees of the M* Holyoke Female 
 
 Seminary 
 
 March 15 th 1862. 
 
 To the Messr. Vassar Families that now may be living 
 in East Tuddingham or other parts of the 
 County of Norfolk England. 
 Dear Relatives 
 
 The bearer Professor Milo. P. Jewett, President of 
 the Vassar Female College, now in process of construc- 
 tion visits Europe on a professional tour in behalf of 
 the Corporators of the above named Institution and 
 especially England and Scotland and is desirous to see 
 the native town and borough where the founder (the
 
 Matthew Vassar 81 
 
 undersigned) was born, and if the Old Homestead is 
 still standing, to make or cause to be made some pencil 
 Sketches of the premises for the purposes of Photo- 
 graphing it, to be placed among the archives of the 
 College. 
 
 Any services or facilities you can conveniently ren- 
 der to President Jewett will be regarded as a particu- 
 lar favor by your relative and 
 
 Most obed. humble serv. 
 
 March 25* 1862. 
 
 A. J. Drexel Esq r Banker Philadelphia 
 Dear sir 
 
 At the suggestion of George W. Childs Esq., I take 
 the liberty to forward you a pamphlet containing the 
 proceedings of the First Meeting of the Trustees of 
 Vassar Female College. 
 
 I trust you will find these proceedings not devoid of 
 interest to an intelligent and generous mind, fully ap- 
 preciating the importance of educating the mothers of 
 coming generations. 
 
 You will perceive, I have not followed the example 
 of your townsman, Stephen Girard; I prefer to be my 
 own executor and see my money faithfully and judi- 
 ciously expended under own eye. If God please to 
 spare my life, I hope to witness great & blessed re- 
 sults, flowing from these investments. Permit me to 
 express the desire, that others in your great Metrop- 
 olis possessing liberal means may have hearts of large 
 benevolence. 
 
 With much respect
 
 82 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 March 26" 1862 
 
 Honb 1 James Boorman Washington Square New York 
 My very dear friend 
 
 I am this morning in receipt of your Kind favor of 
 the 22 d Current and do not know which to admire 
 most, the steady unfaltering hand which wielded the 
 pen or the vigorous mind that directed it. At all events 
 there is evidence of one fact that age nor infirmities 
 have made but slight impressions upon either. Wav- 
 ing further preliminarys of introduction, allow me to 
 say, that I price your suggestions in the matter of 
 Stock Investments very highly and shall not be in 
 haste to part with mine or the College H. R. R. Bonds 
 seeing you still hold no less on your account than 45000 
 dollars in the latter, true as you justly remark " Our 
 Confidence is greatly shaken in all human Securities by 
 the destitution of moral principles in those we have 
 confided, but then the absence of any virtue proves 
 that it does exist Somewhere, let us hope therefore 
 for the best. 
 
 It was a singular coincidence that your old friend 
 Peter Cooper Esq r should happen just the time to be 
 talking over the reminiscences of past years and that 
 on the very evening previous, and more especially 
 should have occasion to allude to the trifling incident 
 of selling me a " Woolen Shearing Machine " as my 
 thoughts had just then been rambulating over that 
 period of my life. The fact was, that it was my brother 
 in Law Geo Booth an english manufacturer residing 
 in Pokeepsie whom negotiated for the Machine, but as 
 I was interested in the Establishment I paid Mr 
 Cooper for it. Booth was the first man that up a
 
 Matthew Vassar 83 
 
 Woolen Carding Machine in the State of New York. 
 " Slater " of Providence R I. was the first to put up 
 one in America. I think this was about the year (I 
 may be mistaken in the precise date) of the great 
 Eclipse of the Sun 1806). So far at least you were 
 right that I was devoted to clothing " Outward Man " 
 but my chief business for most part of my life was 
 with " John Barley "-Corn by Joe John " and now 
 in my latter days am striving to enlarge the facilities 
 of the Moral and intellectual man " and only regret 
 I did not begin my work sooner. I trust however that 
 the Cistern will not break nor the fountain be dry " 
 untill I have accomplished my plans & purposes on 
 earth. It is as you justly remark " a melancholy re- 
 flection to look over our distressed Country, what a 
 sad commentory upon human wisdom, what immeas- 
 urable depths of misery have a few months of this Re- 
 bellion entailed upon this once happy land my heart 
 feels sad in its contemplation and where it not for the 
 truth that the " Lord God omnipotent reigneth " 
 should soon be discouraged. You have been pleased 
 to allude Cojointly to Mr. Cooper and yourself and as- 
 sociated my name with you in trying to do something 
 for the good of posterity. Mr. Girard left a fund of 
 $2,000,000 of which portion (perhaps say 2 to 300,- 
 ooo he would have deemed sufficient) was to be used 
 for the erection of a plain substantial building void of 
 ornament " the interest of the ballance was to support 
 the Institution. All but 8,000 dollars of the principal 
 ( :i e:$i, 992,000) was spent in the erection of a splen- 
 did palace and out buildings (and this item of Expense 
 has since been increased) fortunately for his design he 
 bequeathed all of his Estate that might be needed for
 
 84 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 its Execution. In the Peabody Institution at Baltimore 
 vast Sums have been expended in buildings which could 
 (I think) been better used. What a Contrast this with 
 Coopers benevolence (see Sec ty Henrys Report of the 
 Smithsonian institution just published. The Smith- 
 sonian Institution at the City of Washington which 
 was established for the benefit of mankind, is not a na- 
 tional Institution as many suppose, but the Government 
 is merely a Trustee to carry out the design of the Testa- 
 tor. The amount of that Bequest was (I think) some 
 half a Million of dollars. It holds perhaps from 1/3 
 to 1/2 of its funds in Southern State Stocks, how much 
 of it will be realised time can only determine. John 
 Lowell Jr of Boston profiting by the Errors of others, 
 directed that not a dollar should be invested in ' Bricks 
 and Mortar ' of his bequest, consequently the Capital 
 remains to afford a large income, and rooms are hired 
 for Lectures, but I will not tax your patience any 
 longer. Should you be visiting Po ! I should be happy 
 to have you call and see me, as much so as a sovereign 
 Known as a Sovereign. 
 
 Your most obed Se 
 
 * 
 
 March 26" 1862. 
 iy S. Austin Allibone, care of Geo W. Childs 628 
 
 and 630 Chestnut St. Philadelphia. 
 My very dear Sir 
 
 I were just duly in receipt of your Kind letter of the 
 21 st inst. with enclosures, and if there is any one thing 
 more than others to encourage my hands and heart in 
 the enterprise that I have so long cherished and have 
 now begun to execute the Vassar Female College it is
 
 Matthew Fassar 85 
 
 just such generous heartfelt responses of approval 
 from gentlemen holding such position in life as your- 
 self. I cannot express to you how happy it makes me 
 to receive such high testimonials of my poor efforts 
 in behalf of humanity, and I beg your fellowship at 
 the throne of Grace that all things will work together 
 for its full and final completion. 
 
 It is a sad commentary upon the Wisdom of man to 
 witness such wasteful prodigalities of Estates like 
 Gerards & others so ruinously misapplied & lost, 
 and if there is any one fact that will impress our 
 wealthy citizens to become their own Executors it will 
 be such examples as you have cited. Refering to your 
 enclosed article " Robert Chambers in America " I 
 have carefully perused the paper. William Chambers 
 I have had the honor of a short acquaintance as well as 
 of some correspondence (1858) before I commenced 
 my College, but it so happened he afforded me but 
 little encouragement, and he took the pains after his 
 return to Scotland to have his reasons put in type, like 
 your " Cut me off and pass me round " and among 
 other prospectus enclosed of Scottish institutions for 
 the Education of young ladies, one in " Moray Place " 
 Edingburgh he says was a sample pupils numbering 
 about 1 20 but it did not succeed well, and then asks 
 would it not be well for me to consider whether any 
 gigantic Collegiate Establishment would not be liable 
 to fall into the common Error! but I will quote the 
 whole of the second paragraph of this letter. 
 
 " The plan of boarding and educating young per- 
 " sons of either Sex in large benificiary establish- 
 " ments has latterly attracted much serious con- 
 " sideration in Edingburgh, which possesses a
 
 86 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 " number of institutions of this nature. The more 
 " closely the working of these institutions has 
 " been examined, the less reason is there to be 
 " satisfied with the principle of seclusion inherent 
 " in their arrangements and it is now a pretty 
 " general belief that it would be a blessing to the 
 " Country if they were all abolished, and their 
 " funds appropriated to general purposes of edu- 
 " cation. Such being the case, the proposal to 
 " establish, somewhere in the United States, an 
 " Establishment for the board and education of as 
 " many as 5 or 600 girls, fills one with astonish- 
 " ment and consternation. Let me endeavour to 
 " point out briefly the defects to which all such 
 " establishments must necessarily be subject " He 
 then proceeds to give his reasons, but being too lengthly 
 to transcribe in this letter, I must omit them. 
 
 You have been pleased to allude to your making a 
 Visit to Poughkeepsie which I sincerely hope you will, 
 I should be happy to have you call upon me my 
 health is somewhat feeble but hope to improve as the 
 warm season advance. 
 
 I remain, &c 
 
 PS. I return you the Slip cut from the " American 
 and Gazette" of 22 d Sept r 1860 as per request. I 
 should however liked to retain it as it is a better ac- 
 count of the Chambers, than I have seen published. 
 
 * 
 
 March 3i st 1862. 
 Js. Renwick Jr. New York 
 
 Dear Sir At a Meeting of the Executive Bord 
 
 of the V. F. College this morning it was suggested
 
 Matthew Vassar 87 
 
 that you inform me at an early day, what materials 
 and size you would propose for the Tablet over the 
 Front Centre Entrance, whether in Marble or granite, 
 whether the Letters be raised or sunk, thus : 
 
 ERECTED A D 1864 
 MATTHEW VASSAR FOUNDER 
 
 The inside Tablet on Front Hall main Centre En- 
 trance to be of pure white marble on one side the 
 names of the Trustees, on the other Side Architect and 
 Builder with the round Cost of $200,000 
 
 Over the Centre Front Entrance would be placed a 
 Tablet of Granite Stone, with Sunken letters & 
 Guilded. 
 
 VASSAR FEMALE COLLEGE. 
 
 if you have any other Suggestions to make, please to 
 state in your reply. Yours truly 
 
 P. S The Sketch of the College Office is received, 
 but no action taken upon it today. 
 
 April II th 1862. 
 Js. Renwick Jr. 
 
 Dear Sir I am this morning in receipt of your 
 favor of yesterday, and notice your suggestions con- 
 cerning the kind of materials to be used for the Tablets 
 in Zinck, this is a new idea, and it strikes me favor- 
 ably. By refering to my note of last Evening you will 
 find the different Estimates for Granite, Italian Marble 
 &c but I am not sure but Zinc would be preferable 
 to any other materials. It is always safe to follow the
 
 88 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 footprints of experience. You say Zinc is entirely 
 used in France & Belgium for exterior metallic dec- 
 orations! why not then should we not adopt it? how- 
 ever let us ascertain the difference of Cost between 
 the different materials & then we can decide with 
 better power of judgment &c Harloe has uncovered 
 the College walls, and commenced laying bricks. My 
 time in the Office have been more than usually em- 
 ployed since our Professor Jewett sailed for Europe. 
 I do hope that the cold windy season is now past and 
 that we will have an early spring as Mr. Harloe will 
 require a long favorable building Season to roof the 
 College ere the Snow & frost of next fall sets in. I 
 send to your address per Mail this P. M. a Copy 
 of the Am. Journal of Education, in the pages 52, 53, 
 54, 55 and 56 you will find a brief synopsis of my 
 early life &c, on Frontpiece an engraved likeness of 
 your humble Servant by W. Wright Smith Boston. I 
 regret to see so poor a print of our College Edifice. 
 The printer and not the Wood Cut was in fault. Please 
 to let the Professor, your honored father, see this 
 number. Other matters have crawled out of mind 
 (for the present at least) the Office project; will take 
 it up soon again. As we began our College building 
 at the beginning of the american Rebellion, it would be 
 quite significant incident if it should be finished at its 
 close " Historical Emblems of Peace and War A D 
 1862. 
 
 Yours very truly 
 P S. You had better come up on Monday
 
 Matthew Vassar 
 
 April 24" 1862 
 Honb 1 Ira Harris. 
 
 Dear Sir My delay to acknowledge your Kind- 
 ness in sending me the public documents is not the less 
 appreciated by that circumstance. 
 
 The Smithsonian Report of 1860 and the Colorado 
 Exploring Expedition &c came to hand by due course 
 of mail, and yesterday I received a Second Smith- 
 sonian Number of 1860 which was also under your 
 signature upon the rapper. These publications will be 
 very useful additions to our V. F. C. Library. We are 
 availing ourselves of these peculiair times to buy scarce 
 and valuable works, and for that object have set apart 
 a fund and placed it in the hands of Special Book 
 Agents in New York and Boston. 
 
 Our President M. P. Jewett was also provided with 
 some Moneys to purchase rare works in Europe if of- 
 fered at very low prices. 
 
 We are progressing finely with the College build- 
 ing, shall have it roofed in the present building sea- 
 son say by the ist Decbr and notwithstanding the de- 
 plorable Rebellion so depressing to all stock Security 3 
 we hope to escape without any very serious loss and 
 to finish the Edifice within the time contracted for 
 viz: i June 1864. 
 
 We are daily receiving letters from distinguished 
 individuals commendating our enterprise, and within 
 a few days, the following among others Professor Wm. 
 H. Allen LLD President of Gerard College 
 
 Professor Coppie University of Pennsylvania 
 
 Honb 1 Alex: Henry, Mayor of Philadelphia
 
 9O The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Jas. J. Barclay Esqr Athenaeum 
 
 A. J. Drexel Banker 
 
 S. J. Dreer ditto 
 
 Professor Ingersoll LLD 
 
 Geo. W. Childs Publisher &c &c &c 
 
 I allude to these facts to show in what Estimation our 
 Female College is regarded by the public. 
 
 I shall be pleased to hear from you whenever you 
 can spare a moment from your pressing public engage- 
 ments. 
 
 Yours very truly. 
 
 May 16" 1862. 
 Rev d Howard Malcolm D D Leverington Pa. 
 
 My very dear friend 
 
 This is truly an age of Wonders and you have con- 
 tributed to the Stock. I had almost given up ever 
 hearing from you direct, indirectly I have several times 
 since we met some year or thereabout ago, when you 
 officiated so conspicuously with me in the Breaking of 
 Ground for our College, were you present with me 
 now, you would scarcely realise the amount of mate- 
 rials piled up upon that spot. We are about ready 
 for the 3 d tier of beams, but I decline saying more on 
 this point for I want you to come & see for yourself; 
 if you would, the Society for gathering musty old 
 books, &c would be put into the Shades. By the bye, 
 I have quite a lot of Old books, Magazines, pamphlets 
 which I will contribute to your Wonderful Historical 
 Society which I can better spare than money, for this 
 terrible Rebellion have swept away a large amount of
 
 Matthew Vassar 91 
 
 my income, however I will place my name among your 
 collections in some way soon 
 
 I send you by this day mail the March Number of 
 the American Journal of Education, where you will 
 find a steel plate engraving Likeness of your humble 
 Servant, with a brief Outline of his early history with 
 a short Statement made by me on the occasion of the 
 endowment by the V. F. College in February 1861. 
 
 Our friends Mess r Jewett & Brackett have safely 
 landed the other Side of the Water and are receiving 
 letters from them frequently. 
 
 Yours in haste 
 
 June n" 1862. 
 James Renwick Jr. Esq r 
 
 Dear Sir I was out to the College yesterday but 
 did not see either Harloe or DuBois but / did see 
 somethings which I thought not exactly up to the spirit 
 if not the letter of our contract viz : I do not think that 
 " Donnelly " is sufficiently particular with his brick- 
 layers, they do not fill up the intertices of the brick- 
 work with mortar to insure a strong wall. Secondly, 
 I find that the window frames are being put in without 
 being painted. Thirdly They continue occasionally 
 3/4 quarter front coarse brick notwithstanding your 
 caution to Donnely. Now I know you are not dis- 
 posed to have any work or materials in the building 
 falling short of the Contract, nor do I believe it is M r 
 Harloe 3 wish, but it is rather the results of careless- 
 ness on the part of the workmen, and I mention these 
 facts not in the spirit of Captioness or fault finding but 
 with a desire to avoid any formal cause of complaint
 
 92 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 which such defects might ultimately result in viz: still 
 larger innovations of our agreement, but the main 
 object of this note is to request that you would bring 
 up the Plan of the Gate House when you next time 
 visit Po I think we ought to build the Lodge this 
 Summer especially if Harloe can do it. 
 
 It is a little remarkable how the Litterary worlds 
 attention is drawn to our Enterprise these tumultous 
 war times, but such is the fact, I am almost daily in 
 receipt of Communications from all parts of the 
 Northern States making enquiries about our Institution 
 when it will be opened for the reception of Pupils &c &c 
 &c. Thus you see we are quite a " Star " in these 
 calamitous times. A gentleman of some notoriety 
 called upon me yesterday from Washington DC. mak- 
 ing enquiries & is going out to day to see the grounds 
 & buildings. Yours truly 
 
 Poughkeepsie, N. Y., July 8 th 1862. 
 M rs . Angelina G. Weld, 
 
 Dear Madame ! 
 
 Your extremely interesting and intelligent letter of 
 the 15 th inst. came duly to hand, and it is truly grati- 
 fying and refreshing to ones feelings amidst the de- 
 plorable sad times upon which our beloved country has 
 fallen to discover such noble instances in your sex ap- 
 preciating and encouraging our hands and hearts in 
 the establishment of an Institution for their own special 
 elevation &c. I am no monomaniac nor enthusiast who 
 by dwelling long on a single idea have arrived at cer- 
 tain results, for most part of a long life (now passed 
 three score and ten years) I have spent in business
 
 Matthew Vassar 93 
 
 pursuits and while thus engaged, especially in the lat- 
 ter part, I were providentialy lead to the reflection & 
 consideration of Female Education, in the first in- 
 stance through a niece of mine whom God in his Provi- 
 dence had left Fatherless and destitute of means for 
 support; and thus obliged in early life to seek employ- 
 ment for a livelihood among strangers far away from 
 her native home in the southern part of the State of 
 Virginia, for several years she devoted herself in 
 teaching in a private Gentlemens family, subsequently 
 returned to Po'keepsie and opened a Female Seminary 
 in this city This I had almost said was the first In- 
 stitution of the kind North of the Highlands on the 
 Hudson River, and now at the present moment num- 
 bering some half dozen or more well supported Female 
 Institutions; this dear Niece several years since de- 
 parted this life in the full hope of a blessed immor- 
 tality. I am lead to trouble you with these thoughts 
 from the consideration that the introductery portion 
 of your note before me speak of your early life much 
 in unison of my Niece's history she also was " tempted 
 to live a fashionable & frivolaus life ", she found edu- 
 cation too at a low grade in Virginia and rejoiced to 
 return once again to her friends at the North, and 
 sought a position where she could be a blessing to her 
 Sex and to the world. 
 
 How wonderfull are the ways of Providence, what 
 little incidents turn the whole spheres of human desti- 
 nies. As it regarded myself I know nothing nor 
 thought nothing about education, having been born in 
 a Country or a portion of it where the parents as a 
 general thing considered it only a Waste of time, and 
 money to impart it, but to save further detail in this
 
 94 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 letter I send you per this days mail the March num- 
 ber of the " American Journal of Education " where 
 you will find a very brief sketch of my early history. 
 You have been pleased to refer so kindly to the great 
 work I have undertaken infusing your own inspirations 
 and prayers for its successfull issue. In regard to your 
 friend Miss Lucia E. Sheppard, I shall cause her name 
 to be registered (on the Books of applicants) in the 
 Institution to be referred to again on the return of our 
 President from Europe and shall do all in my power 
 to serve you and her in your united wishes. 
 
 Allow me Mrs. W in parting to add, that, I thank 
 you most cordialy and kindly in all the deepest sin- 
 cerety of my heart for the high testimony of appre- 
 ciations in which you hold and speak of the V. F. C. 
 enterprize etc. and do desire your earnest and devout 
 participations with me at the Throne of Grace that 
 this beneficent work for the elevation of woman may 
 be crowned with the blessings of God for its successfull 
 issue etc. 
 
 I remain very Respectfully 
 
 Yours etc. 
 
 M. Vassar. 
 
 July 30 th 1862. 
 Rev d Charles Raymond 
 
 My dear friend. I thank you very Kindly for 
 your valued favor of the 15 th current. Your sugges- 
 tions concerning the plan of organization of officials 
 in the V. F. College are deserving much attention and 
 the more I have reflected and studied them the more
 
 Matthew Vassar 95 
 
 they have commended themselves to my judgment and 
 approbation &c 
 
 I now specially allude to the Office of Vice President, 
 but hope that the discussion of this question or any 
 other between you and me on the subject of the or- 
 ganization of the College or its discipline, may be ex- 
 amined and freely discussed independent of any sinister 
 motives, and candor impels me to say and acknowledge 
 that thus far you have evinced the utmost impartiality 
 and unselfishness. It is now however a proper time for 
 me to express my private thoughts, therefore I assume 
 the authority to express them that I know of no man 
 whom in my judgment could fill the place of the V. P. 
 better than yourself nor one in whom I could most 
 cheerfully concur in that appointment and after writ- 
 ing out my views somewhat in detail on this subject to 
 our President Prof. Jewett in my last letter, I thus 
 signified my opinion and my wishes. However this 
 matter must now remain open for further reflection 
 and action untill Prof. Jewett return when we shall 
 take it up again, and within the present year may be 
 able to make you a proposition that will meet your en- 
 tire approbation my reasons I shall assign for advo- 
 cating your appointment to that department in the Col- 
 lege that the " Suggestion " of such an office first came 
 from you, Secondly, that your large experience in Fe- 
 male Education entitles your opinion and judgment to 
 more than ordinary consideration. There is a philoso- 
 phy common to us business men, never to loose a good 
 paying customer, we often Classify on our Ledger our 
 patrons, to the poor paying ones we are always short of 
 the article, to the good paying ones never. Now ap- 
 ply this rule to our College working plans of Teachers
 
 96 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 there are those who are not only qualified to teach but 
 can exert an influence in the Institution more than 
 equivalent to the compensation they may receive, for 
 I hold it to be a demonstrative fact that if our College 
 rise to meet the public largest claims and expectations 
 it will be through its moral and religious aspect rather 
 than its intellectual, for as you justly remark, we have 
 had experience enough in the latter " Good general 
 theories of education are good as far as they go, but 
 we want more practical life invigorating Knowledge 
 specimens of which may here and there be seen altho' 
 not a graft or scion from a College or a University 
 Stock. I need not however extend my remarks on this 
 subject your experience of 18 years to the Profession 
 of teaching " Young ideas how to shoot " will amply 
 qualify you to judge collectively about such matters, 
 and I am happy to think that my friend Mr Raymond 
 have not only a supply of the comodity (of good Tui- 
 tion) but know how to impart it. Now, I am ready 
 for a " Barter of your Wares " they will allways be 
 needed and you have an abundant supply, and the Col- 
 lege has the means for exchange of Comodities with 
 you, besides they have Scites on which to erect com- 
 fortable residences for their Professors this last sug- 
 gestion I am also indebted to you for, by the adoption 
 of which much room would be saved in the College 
 buildings for subordinate Instructors, Pupils &c be- 
 sides surrounding the College and Grounds with a 
 cordon of defences both of ingress and egress against 
 intruders on the premises, but I have already extended 
 these remarks beyond my original object, which was 
 simply to acknowledge your favor, leaving all com- 
 ments for a private interview. We shall be happy to
 
 Matthew Vassar 97 
 
 see you when convenient with your friends. With my 
 best regards to Mrs R. and the new Stranger. 
 I remain dear Sir Yours truly 
 
 August 30 th 1862 (sent i" Sept 1862) 
 Rev d Rufus Babcock DD 
 My very dear Friend 
 
 I received your Kind note dated at " Rustic Point " 
 R. I. yesterday P. M. and notice your pleasant rusti- 
 cations with your family for the past two weeks upon 
 the sea-bord, many of our Citizens of Po' have been 
 enjoying these summer repasts, it is reported that all 
 the " Watering Places " &c have been full to ower- 
 flowing. A few days since Mr Swan Amanda & Self 
 took a run up to the " Columbia Springs," on our ar- 
 rival found all " full to overflowing " we then started 
 for the Cattskill Mountains house by private convey- 
 ance and to our great surprise found some 150 guests 
 waiting for their turn of accommodations, some had 
 been patiently or rather impatiently waiting some 2 
 or 3 days for apartments, we had our own private con- 
 veyance and therefore could return at our pleasure, 
 others were dependant on public conveyances, and must 
 wait their turn availing ourselves of our own wise 
 provisions made our way back to Hudson, and thence 
 home by Railway, only absent some 4 days. The above 
 will be the Key to the versions of " a good friends " 
 report of our visit to the Saratoga Springs " 
 
 I have noticed your purpose visiting " Maria 
 Mitchell " the great Astronomer with reference to her 
 engagement in the professional capacity in the V. F.
 
 98 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 College, and will report results after your return to 
 " Patterson ". Also notice your intentions of visiting 
 the University at " Cambridge " remarks on the Miss 
 Plummers professorship &c all of which information 
 may be a negative if not a positive benefit to us, for 
 there is as much benifit derived in seeing defects as 
 perfection in any system! It is our purpose to start 
 from the latter point, then advancement is improve- 
 ment. There are copyist and there and there are origi- 
 nals in Literature and in Mechanics. 
 
 As our College buildings looms upwards to the Sky, 
 its architectural beauties attracts attention. The pe- 
 culiarity of the materials and style of arrangements 
 gives solidity and chastity. Every pleasant day brings 
 its scores of visitors, and I may also add every mail 
 brings letters of inquiries for post or places in the in- 
 stitution. About a month since a gentleman friend of 
 mine met me and in brief conversation about College 
 matters says, that it was the Current report that the 
 Bord of Officials in V. F. C. were all appointed, and 
 that from Baptist ranks, this I at once contributed 
 there was but two appointments made, the President 
 and a professor in Chemistry. It is remarkable how dis- 
 posed the public are to make the College Sectarian. I 
 do hope therefore that whatever may be the peculiar re- 
 sults of the organization of the College boards of pro- 
 fessorships &c it may not be prematurely announced 
 as all the disappointed will be but lukewarm friends, 
 if not a step further in advance, open enimys. I started 
 to have V. F. College Catholic in the widest sense of 
 the term, we are closely watched by denominational 
 School interests in Po' some catch at every movement 
 of the Board that they can twist into line to subserve
 
 Matthew Vassar 99 
 
 their own ends. The Methodist with all the sectarian 
 elements are hardest to coalesce. Letters from Prof. 
 Jewett last advices are dated Wiesbaden Germany Au- 
 gust 3 d . Brackett still accompanies him, the latter has 
 never written me since he left home. Mr J. leaves 
 nothing unseen thats worth seeing that will be of 
 benefit or interest to the College. Prof. Fisher is with 
 them, has wrote for funds $500 to purchase chemical 
 Instruments, our Board has agreed to furnish it. Ch r 
 A Raymond made a visit to Hamilton last week, has 
 conditionally taken the large Academy Edifice (fe- 
 males) of that place, engagements if consumated will 
 be just the place for him. 
 
 I must now close my remarks as our Executive Board 
 will be Soon in Session. At your convenience please to 
 favor me with a line. My best regards to your family 
 (whom I presume are near you) I remain 
 
 * 
 
 Sept r 22" 1862. 
 Rev d Rufus Babcock DD. 
 
 My dear Friend 
 
 Your highly esteemed favor of the 8 th and io th 
 current Came duly to hand and would have received 
 earlier acknowledgment had not the intermediate time 
 been occupied almost exclusively by hourly calls of 
 Visitors from abroad to see the founder and the Edifice 
 of the V. F. College, which must be my apology for 
 deferring an answer to your Kind and intelligent notes 
 above referred to, and which I have just taken up again 
 and reviewed this morning & with primitive fresh- 
 ness of interest. Your visit to Nantucket, Havard 
 University, the Plummers Institute, Cambridge, with
 
 IOO The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 the high testimonials accompanying your letters in be- 
 half of Miss Mitchell as a teacher of Astronomy &c a 
 in our Institution with the appreciated prospects of se- 
 curing his services in that department with other val- 
 uable information obtained through your visits for the 
 benefit of the College will be laid before our Execu- 
 tive Committee at their next regular meeting. En- 
 closed please find $10 bill of the Farmers & Manu- 
 fact re Bank of this city no. which I sent you to cover 
 expenses incurred on acct. of your visits as above stated 
 in behalf of the College. I would extend my remarks, 
 by quotations from Prof. Jewett's late letters also from 
 our Nephew J. G. Vassar, our friend Rev d Ch s A. 
 Raymond now at Hamilton with some account of visits 
 from Miss D r Emily Blackwell N. Y., Editors of 
 N. Y. Evening Post, " Home Journal ", Miss Docf 
 Harriett R. Hunt of Boston &c &c, the latter had 
 addressed me a very respectable, dignifyed and sensible 
 letter upon the Education of her sex &c. I have at 
 last received a letter from Mr Brackett but have not 
 leasure to comment this morning. Your good wife 
 call d upon twice last week, have not as yet seen your 
 Daughter Harriett 
 
 Our family healths Continue much as usual. I re- 
 main dear friend 
 
 P S Amanda wishes to be Kindly recommended to 
 you 
 
 M. V. 
 
 Octr. 2 d 1862. 
 Rev d Chr. A. Raymond 
 
 My dear friend Your very highly esteemed favor 
 of the 22 d to the 25 th Ultimo incl : with enclosures came
 
 Matthew Vassar 101 
 
 duly to hand and have given the same a careful perusal 
 which it justly demanded. Passing over the introduc- 
 tory portion which chiefly relates to my personally self 
 I proceed at once to notice your wise practical sug- 
 gestions concerning the peculiar feature of our College 
 organization and its management and in getting on to 
 this ground I am perfectly aware of my ignorance to 
 lead, and perhaps my folly even to suggest any thing 
 new yet relying upon a long life observation and ex- 
 perience in the Common business affairs of the world 
 I may have gathered up some Knowledge that may 
 have escaped thro' their apparent insignificiency, the 
 minds of the more learned. Not wishing or expecting 
 to anticipate your views intimated in your letter before 
 me I will merely remark that the more I have re- 
 flected upon the employment of an organized salaried 
 Corpse of Teachers the more decided and conclusive 
 have my mind been convinced that it will be the identi- 
 cal shoal our College bark will strike and if not opening 
 a seam wide enough to sink her, will at least so much 
 impair her seaworthiness as to demand frequent re- 
 pairs with this nautical illustration (which please to 
 excuse) I proceed to say that in my judgment every 
 Employee from the highest to the lowest grade should 
 in some way or other be dependent for stipend more or 
 less upon their own exertions, and the only complexity 
 of the Case is the mode of its arrangements. Without 
 something of this Kind is done the V. F. C. begins and 
 ends just where all its educational predesessors have 
 and that very frequently disastrously. The first in- 
 stinct of our race is Self make the promotory of that 
 the chief object and there is no difficulty of finding
 
 IO2 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Energy & Talent. Now then, who have we amongst 
 us to draw up a programme on an just equitable Sliding 
 Scale, so that every labourer get the equitable reward 
 of his toil, thats the Problem to be solved, can Mr 
 Raymond effect this ? if so, I should like to secure his 
 services. 
 
 I have had no little experience in the philosophy of 
 adjusting remuneration for labour. On one occasion 
 I employed a man by the month to sell Ale in N. Y. 
 for the Company, but as the pay was sure there was 
 no stimular or incentive for exertions. I then tried the 
 System of Commission pr barrel, then they made 
 money and I lost, as they gained bad debts, I then 
 made a new bargain viz : gave him a certain percentage 
 on all the Ales sold and money collected and paid over, 
 this nail was a clincher, and from thence forward all 
 went well, he was careful to sell only where he could 
 collect, and collect just when he wanted it. If I give 
 a man my farm to work on Shares, I am very sure he 
 will do the best he can for both of us it is his interest, 
 and thats the conclusion of the whole matter and which 
 is just the substance of your views, the reciprocate Sys- 
 tem. Set apart from the Endowment fund, a specefic 
 Sum to keep the buildings in good repair and for the 
 gradual improvement of the College grounds & fur- 
 niture, Library & philosophical apparatus, the inter- 
 est of which annually to be expended, a professorship 
 & Teacher Fund graduated by the Success of their own 
 efforts in appropriate proportion. Set apart a fund 
 to be known & distinguished as the Beneficiary fund 
 for respectable poor but promising talented young girls 
 whom will do honor to your Institution.
 
 Matthew Vassar 103 
 
 Specific Appropriation Funds. 
 For improvements of Grounds. 
 
 " Building & repairs 
 Furniture fund. 
 
 Library & Philosphical Apparatus fund 
 Professor & Teachers Fund 
 Beneficiary Fund 
 
 but after writing all as above I find on reading over 
 your letter I have suggested nothing new, it is much 
 the same as your own plan. Let me have it from your 
 pen elaborated. 
 
 I now come to that part of your letter under date 
 the 25 th , Thursday. It is needless for me to say that 
 I am heartly glad to learn that your good wife and 
 children (or Babys as you call them) have all met with 
 you in safety. I say all, I presume you have not omitted 
 to count & chalk d as they arrived. You speak of 
 the agreable shock the Pok Check afforded you, if your 
 Case needs another of the Kind, frankly write me and 
 it shall be forthcoming, if I have the funds on hand. 
 
 Amanda has read over your letter to me at least 
 three times, and wants another chance, she takes a deep 
 interest in your welfare, and wants me to promise you 
 a visit the next festival Season. 
 
 Now for the last three days I have been laid up with 
 a severe cold I have made out to scribble off the fore- 
 going, but was so unintelligible that I got our Mr. 
 Schow to copy it. 
 
 I shall leave a little space for Amandas remarks, so 
 I take my leave of you this afternoon. God be with 
 you my friend and prosper and Keep you & yours 
 during his good pleasure is the prayer of your friend 
 
 M. V.
 
 IO4 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 P. S. We have some friends and relatives from Auburn 
 visiting us this morning which will prevent Amanda 
 from adding anything to this note, but she wishes me 
 to say that she is looking for that long promised letter 
 as she is anxious to know if there is any " Bathing 
 Facilities " like those at V. F. College Institution. 
 Amanda sends her love to your good wife and Laura, 
 and was disappointed in not seeing them before their 
 departure, but hopes to make you a short visit next 
 summer when I come out to meet with our Bord Trus- 
 tees of Rochester University Anniversary. 
 
 Yrs. M. V. 
 
 Ocf 25" 1862 
 Rev d Chr. A. Raymond. 
 
 My dear friend. Your valued favour of the 4" 
 
 current would have received earlier attention but tem- 
 porary illness and many claims upon my time in con- 
 sequence of the late fire of our Malt House Buildings 
 &c. I have taken the earliest opportunity to look over 
 and examine your letter setting forth your plan of the 
 working process of our College Institution and while 
 in the main I highly approve of it, yet it admits of 
 some modification on the Sliding Scale upon which the 
 respective compensations are based. As it now stands 
 it possibly might carry the Salaries of President and 
 Prof 3 entirely too high, take for instance the 
 first officeir y* President at 200 pupils his share would 
 be $4,166.66 suppose there is 400 pupils then his por- 
 tion would be $8333.33: now while I grant that the 
 operation of the plan is an incentive to industry yet the 
 self interest principle should not all inure to the Em-
 
 Matthew Vassar 105 
 
 ployees benefit but rather be reciprocal or divided be- 
 tween them and the College. But I have not time this 
 morning to suggest a better plan if I could, shall there- 
 fore leave the subject for further reflection. Allow 
 me to thank you for the present very kindly for your 
 valuable suggestions, long before our College goes 
 into operation I hope to have the pleasure of seeing 
 you when we can talk over more fully all matters con- 
 nected with the working of the Institution. At pres- 
 ent I am much engaged in Scheming and planing for 
 the warming & ventilating the building it has taxed 
 our Architects & all our Building Committee in- 
 genuity to the utmost. Some goes hot water, others 
 Steam, others hot air, all has more or less their in- 
 trinsic merits, none quite as perfect as we wish. I con- 
 sider that upon the degree of this success (heating & 
 ventilation) depends the ultimate popularity of the 
 Institution, Once the reputation established of being 
 unhealthy (not matter from what cause) we greatly 
 suffer physical well Being must stand foremost no 
 matter how good otherwise y r Institution. I do not 
 expect to make Wistliz out of pigs tails or to give new 
 constitutions to organic Invalids but one of the chief 
 objects of our College is to impart healthe while we 
 impart Knowledge only adding that I think your sys- 
 tem is somewhat if not entirely original, at any rate 
 it meets my views and I think it will our Presidents 
 although striking at the root of Endowments for Pro- 
 fessorships. As Amanda have received (yesterday) 
 your kind letter she will answer it shortly, in the mean 
 while please to accept our united thanks. 
 
 Truly yours.
 
 106 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Oct. 29 1862. 
 
 Miss Maria Mitchell Lynn Mass. 
 Dear Madame. 
 
 I have on several occasions had the pleasure to hear 
 your name mentioned at the Annual Meetings of the 
 Bord of Trustees of V. F. College as the most suitable 
 person to fill the important Office of Professorship of 
 Astronomy and an increased interest has been mani- 
 fested since your interview with D r Rufus Babcock, 
 whom has been quite desirous that our Institution 
 should avail itself of your valuable services in that 
 department. You will please to excuse me when I say 
 as the Founder of the College that I feel the deepest 
 anxiety for the successful occupancy of that Professor- 
 ship, and believe there is no one in our Country can 
 better insure it than yourself. No official appoint- 
 ments in the Institution has been made other than the 
 Presidency & Professorship of Chemistry nor will 
 there be untill Professor Jewitt return from his pro- 
 fessional European tour next Spring. We are progress- 
 ing finely with our College building it is receiving its 
 roof and the whole Edifice will be completed within 
 the time contracted viz: i June 1864 
 
 In a few days will send you a copy of the New Eng- 
 lander containing an article on our College Enterprize. 
 I have not seen it as yet, but I have heard it well spoken 
 of by others 
 
 I am dear Madam 
 
 Yours very respectfully
 
 Matthew Vassar 107 
 
 Novbr 2i st 1862. 
 Miss Emma C. Church 
 
 Care of Freeborn & Co Bankers Rome 
 
 Dear Madame, I have been requested by Prof. 
 M. P. Jewett L. L. D. President V. F. College to ad- 
 dress you upon the subject of certain pictures painted 
 and to be painted by you for the above institution, four 
 copies from originals which he informs me he has en- 
 gaged of you & others he is desireous to have executed 
 for the College account, the first order have been ap- 
 proved by our Executive Committee, and you will find 
 to your credit at John Monroe & Co Bankers Paris, 
 Bills of Exchange for the payment of each picture as 
 may be delivered to that house agreeable to Prof. 
 Jewetts Order, and who will forward each to us as re- 
 ceived by them. 
 
 After the first specimens are received, they will be 
 submitted for inspection of the Board of Trustees of 
 the College at their annual Febry. meeting, whom will 
 then decide upon their merits, and I will write you the 
 results. It affords me much pleasure to inform you 
 that Prof. Jewett speaks in the highest terms of your 
 genius, personal, spotless and purity of character, and 
 of the many warm friends you have in Rome which 
 gives weight & additional value to your pictures. 
 Should your first specimens be approved by the Bord 
 you may reasonable hope for an order for the Art 
 Gallery of the College of some few thousands Dollars 
 to be executed from Originals representive pictures 
 to show the Characteristic exellency of your greatest 
 master by an American Lady Artist. The subject of 
 such copies, form & color will be left to your discre-
 
 io8 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 tion, and especially the canvass, which is of the utmost 
 importance. Great complaints are made in America 
 by the use of cheap & useless canvass which after a 
 year or two crack and the picture becomes worthless. 
 We trust you will have particular regard to this part 
 of your work as that also of the kind & quality of the 
 other materials. With my best regards I am dear 
 
 Miss Church 
 
 Yours respectfully 
 
 Post Script to Emma C. Church's letter of 12 th De- 
 cember. 
 
 On the Eve of mailing the within letter received ad- 
 vices from Prof Jewett informing us of his purpose 
 to close up his european tour at Rome or Naples on 
 a/c of the enormous rate of Exchanges, this letter has 
 therefore been retained that he might see the contents 
 before sending it to you which circumstance will ex- 
 plain the decrepency between the date and its receipt 
 by you. Prof. Jewett will write you by an early mail. 
 
 November 25, 1862. 
 Miss Maria Mitchell, Lynn Mass. 
 
 Dear Madame ! I am just in receipt of your let- 
 ter of the 22 d Inst: and owe you an apology for my 
 remissness. I now send you the Copy of the " New 
 Englander" with a few Pamphlets of the Proceed- 
 ings of the Board of Trustees at their first meeting, 
 which I trust will reach you in due course of mail. 
 
 I am very happy to learn that you are taking so 
 much interest in V. F. College Enterprize by watching
 
 Matthew Vassar 109 
 
 its progress &c. This day completes the roofing, our 
 Edifice is now enclosed from Storms & Winds. Dur- 
 ing the winter we do all work that can safely be done 
 at those seasons. There is every prospect of com- 
 pleting the whole Edifice by the Summer of 1864. 
 
 I have the pleasure to inform you that President 
 Professor Jewett will be home by the I 8t proximo. The 
 State of the Country & Exchanges have induced him & 
 several other americans to shorten their journeyings. 
 I shall at all times be happy to hear from you. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 April 23 d 1863. 
 
 Honb 1 Gilbert Dean Assembly Albany 
 Dear Sir 
 
 Through the Press of this City I learn of the Amend- 
 ment you have moved to the Bill respecting the appro- 
 priation of Moneys &c. Accept my thanks for your 
 attentions to the interest of Vassar Female College; 
 and believe me in promoting those interests you are 
 advancing the true and the higher interest of the 
 people. 
 
 We trust our College will be a powerful Engine in 
 forming the coming generations of the Empire State; 
 but that it may exert the highest amount of benificient 
 influence, it will need to receive something from the 
 bounty of the State which has always been so liberally 
 bestowed on other Colleges. Surely the daughters of 
 the State are not less worthy of its benificence than its 
 Sons. If the men of future generations are to be 
 worthy citizens, you must train the mothers who shall 
 train those men.
 
 no The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 As you have this matter in hand I trust you will urge 
 it forward with your usual ability, energy & Success. 
 I am dear Sir 
 
 Yours very respectfully 
 
 May 9 th 1863. 
 Rufus Babcock D D 
 My dear friend 
 
 This morning, after my return from the " Po' Rural 
 Cementary " where by appointment I went to meet the 
 Sexton or Keeper of the Grounds to remove the re- 
 mains of my poor wife to her last resting place in the 
 family Plot, I received your very polite note of the 
 7 th with inclosure. The latter I handed at once over 
 to our President to reply as it is not my purpose nor 
 wish to have any thing to do in matters of the College 
 appointments for I am persuaded that I am neither 
 competent nor am I inclined to assume responsibility 
 were nothing can be gained for myself or the Institu- 
 tion. Already have there been conflicts in its work- 
 ings thus far, and I am sure therefore there will be in 
 the future. My business is to build, endow and outfit 
 the College, and I shall have nothing to do with its 
 internal organization. Your number One and two 
 Statements by M rs Babcock is entirely misappre- 
 hended. I merely remark 3 this to her under the first 
 head " That at the last June Meeting you suggested 
 the propriety and did bring forward a "Resolution" 
 to make a few Official appointments, but when it was 
 remarked that such appointments in the absence of our 
 President might not seem Courteous to him you at 
 once concurred, withdrew the Suggestions and the mat-
 
 Matthew Vassar in 
 
 ter was drop d . I refer you to the Secretary Minutes 
 for these facts. I have now in my possession the Copy 
 of the letter I wrote after the June Meeting to Prof. 
 Jewett and you may have an opportunity of seeing it 
 at any time when you come to Po'. Your visit to Nan- 
 tucket to see Miss Mitchell was at your own sugges- 
 tion and approved by our Ex. Committee who author- 
 ized me to pay or the Treasurer to pay your Expenses 
 so that no blame whatever rested on you or on me in 
 that matter. The truth is as I believe that neither any 
 thing you have done or left undone in connection with 
 our College Matters have altered Prof. Jewetts feel- 
 ings towards you as I Know of, but that Somebody has 
 prejudiced his mind against you I believe. 
 
 You will excuse me if I rest my pen here as my head 
 is beginning to get dizzi. At another day I hope to 
 write or explain personally more fully. 
 
 Yours truly &c 
 
 May 12 th 1863. 
 Rev d Rufus Babcock DD 
 
 My dear Friend 
 
 Since my last of the 9 th Current scarcely an hour has 
 passed without my mind reverting to our College mat- 
 ters and bringing you in the Connection. In my last I 
 briefly adverted to some incidents which may have 
 changed Prof. Jewetts mind in relation to you, altho' 
 they were far from being satisfactory even to myself 
 yet whatever they may be, have had their influence, I 
 am sorry, very sorry indeed that such should be the 
 circumstances as to leade to such results, but I Know 
 not what to do, and would only advise patience &
 
 112 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 forbearance on your part perhaps something may 
 " turn up " to remove them before the June Meeting, 
 should this not be the case then I have in my mind 
 another Scheme for your co-operation in promoting our 
 Enterprize which I think will be honorable & grati- 
 fying to you and all concerned. At a proper time I 
 will make it Known to you and I am persuaded it will 
 meet your hearty response, and cannot in any way ef- 
 fect our President otherwise than for good. Do not 
 let the developement of the past few days dishearten 
 or discourage you, time works wonderful changes in 
 mens minds perhaps the Causes which led to change 
 Jewetts, may be removed whatsoever they may be. 
 truly your friend &c a . 
 
 May 30" 1863 
 Rev d Rufus Babcock DD 
 
 My dear friend 
 
 I am this morning in receipt of yours of yesterday 
 and allow me to repeat that I deeply deplore and most 
 sincerely regret the position of the private affairs be- 
 tween you and Prof. Jewett and would to God I could 
 enterpose some paliatives, but I know not how or 
 where to begin, if I did I certainly would for a Knowl- 
 edge of a disease is said to be half its Cure. From my 
 inmost heart I believe Prof. Jewetts prejudices against 
 you are candid and honest and will never be changed 
 unless the circumstances which induced them and led his 
 mind to the present stand point are removed, whatever 
 these may be he says he is willing and ready to disclose 
 at the proper time. I would prefer to observe entire 
 silence on what I suggested in my last letter until our
 
 Matthew Vassar 113 
 
 next private interview or a little while before the June 
 Meeting or perhaps it may be most adviseable to wait 
 untill after the Meeting at any rate it must be made 
 at a private interview. 
 
 Having some pressing engagements on hand this 
 morning I offer as an apology for this brief note in 
 answer to yours before me. 
 
 I remain my very dear friend. 
 
 * 
 
 June 2 d 1863. 
 Rev d Rufus Babcock 
 
 My dear friend. Yours of yesterday the I st is be- 
 fore me, and which I have read with much interest as 
 I do any thing from your pen. In answer to your first 
 enquiry whether " I had seen his two letters to you 
 and your answer to his first" I reply substantially I 
 have altho' not perhaps the identical or original ones 
 send you, they were both mailed I believe before he 
 read the Copies (if Copies) to me. When Prof 
 Jewett spoke to me of these letters (I believe it was the 
 first) that I reluctantly wish to be a party to the con- 
 troversy but if I was drawn into it should keep back 
 nothing from you or him, would be frankly just be- 
 tween you both. He then remark d that he took the 
 responsibility entirely on himself and would by no 
 means draw me into the contraversy. As matters now 
 stand it is impossible for you to fill any chair in the 
 College of which Prof Jewett is President. I speak 
 this from a knowledge of facts, because I do believe 
 that if I was to make it a point and insist on your chap- 
 lainship or any other office in the College, Prof Jewett 
 would at once resign. I cannot go into an argument
 
 114 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 or take part in one between you and him because I 
 know it would be useless so far as to reconcile his feel- 
 ings and it was for this reason that I stated in my last 
 that I thought it best in you to remain entirely silent till 
 a private interview with you either before or after the 
 June Meeting, I do not Know which his purposes are 
 in regard to calling the Committee on Faculty & 
 Studies together earlier than the June Meeting, but 
 will enquire when I next see him. He has been absent 
 a day or two and is now very busy in his own Study at 
 home. I was glad to hear of Prof. Robinsons was re- 
 viving altho yet quite low. 
 
 Your affectionate friend 
 
 June 5 th 1863. 
 Rev d Charles A. Raymond 
 
 Sir I have held your last letter under consid- 
 
 eration for several days, my feeble health forbiding 
 me to enter into particulars respecting the contents, I 
 must only say that having visited D r Willard Parker 
 of N. Y. last week, he was imperious in his advice " I 
 must have rest," he also said the brain was taxed too 
 much I must think and talk less, I must give it up, 
 therefore I shall follow his advice. The erecting of 
 the College and endowing it is business enough for me. 
 I have chosen a President in whom I have unshaken 
 confidence, a board of Trustees equally as trustfully; 
 with them the College will stand or fall. On the Presi- 
 dent I throw the great responsibility cheerfully. I am 
 much obliged to you for the interest that you have ex- 
 pressed for the Institution and the preferred advice, 
 but my health and the Doctors Commands will prevent
 
 Matthew Vassar 
 
 me from participating any more in the plan of organi- 
 zation on these grounds I must be excused as my 
 health is greatly suffering by reason of over taxation 
 of the brain. 
 
 I cannot however let this opportunity pass without 
 acknowledging your Kindness and the valuable sugges- 
 tions & services thus far rendered in College matters 
 and for which I beg you to accept my warmest thanks 
 with the enclosed note of yours payable to my order. 
 say $262 with Interest. 
 
 I have requested our Clerk M r Schow to copy this 
 note conforming to my Physicians instructions avoid- 
 ing Brain labor. 
 
 Yours truly 
 J. N. Schow 
 
 for M r Maath. Vassar. 
 
 Poughkeepsie, July 16, 1863. 
 Miss Emma C. Church 
 My dear Madame. 
 
 I were duly put in receipt of your kind favor of the 
 2O th Ultimo with enclosures &c a and would have ac- 
 knowledged this sooner to release your anxiety, but 
 were waiting the arrival of the pictures. They are 
 now safely at hand and are temporarily placed in my 
 domicil for security but not for exhibition as I am un- 
 willing for the public to see them until our Art Gal- 
 lery at the College is finished. 
 
 You are aware of the great disadvantages & in- 
 justice done to an Artist in not having their works 
 properly exhibited, I therefore will not allow but few
 
 n6 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 persons to see them and those only of our Executive 
 Board. 
 
 It is some times a virtue to acknowledge ones igno- 
 rance, this I now have an opportunity to do, I profess 
 to be no critic in judgment of your art, but there are 
 those in our Board who are, and I am happy to inform 
 you that your pictures fully sustain their highest ex- 
 pectations. With regard the Bust to be executed by 
 Miss Hosmer, I cannot at this moment speak, and some 
 of our Committee being from town would not feel au- 
 thorized to do more about it at present than to ascer- 
 tain from Miss H the probable cost, which I will lay 
 before them at early meeting after the receipt of her 
 answer. 
 
 You having suggested whether if the other two pic- 
 tures does not reach us before the fall 64 would be 
 soon enough. I answer, yes, to reach us say by Sept r 
 i, 64. Hereafter, you will send the other two without 
 frames, as it is an expense to pack and transport so 
 large packages, by giving us the size and style of the 
 frame we can have them executed in N. Y. ready by 
 the time they arrive. 
 
 I will not speak of our political troubles, you will 
 find abundance to read and crimson your cheek as an 
 american in the Journals from the 12 th to 15* inst. 
 
 I would add further but President Jewett will write 
 you in a day or two, on his return from New Haven. 
 
 I remain : D r Miss Church 
 
 Yours very truly &C
 
 Matthew Vassar 117 
 
 Sept 2 d 1863. 
 Rev d Ch r A. Raymond. 
 Dear Sir 
 
 Your letter of the 13 th Ulto. I found on my desk on 
 my return from Newport after an absence of some four 
 weeks to the SeaBord for the benefit of my health, 
 which must be my apology for not replying sooner. I 
 have perused the same with as much attention as my 
 feeble state of health will admit, and regret extremely 
 that your feelings should be in the least degree cool 
 towards me as you say in the first paragraph " that you 
 was not surprised at the tone " of my letter after 
 Jewetts treatment &c towards you. Allow me to say 
 very honestly and promptly that I have not had nor 
 would I take any part in the private questions or con- 
 traversy between you and Prof. Jewett, I was and have 
 as far as I know been entirely neutral, that the latter 
 has done the fair thing with you I am not prepared to 
 say " Yes or No " as I have not seen all your corre- 
 spondence that you have strove to render the College 
 enterprize a Success by adopting your plan of organiza- 
 tion, I have always acknowledged and intended the 
 return of your note &c a as a compensation for that 
 trouble, and for no other purpose and I thank d you 
 then and again at this time for it. 
 
 Miss Germond accompanied us to Newport, 
 she unites in her best regards. The article in 
 " Harper's Monthly I have not seen " I will get it, 
 as she will be pleased to read any thing from your 
 pen. 
 
 Very respectfully 
 P S. You will excuse this coming in our Clerks M r
 
 n8 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Schows handwriting as I was unable to do more than 
 give a rough draft for him to copy 
 
 Sam 1 Gregory MD Secretary N. E. Female Med. 
 
 College Boston 
 
 * 
 
 Novbr 6 1863. 
 
 My dear Sir. Permit me to thank you for your 
 fifteenth Annual Catalogue & report to the New 
 England Female Medical College and while penning 
 this last sentence I am reminded of the Critiscism now 
 going on among several of our Litterati regarding the 
 Etomology of the Vassar Female College, several of 
 them advising a change to " Vassar Girls College " or 
 College for young Ladies as the term " female " more 
 directly apply to the brute creation &c a . I cannot how- 
 ever at this moment enter into the merits of the 
 controversy, suffice to say as we have adopted the custo- 
 mary name to designitate the character of our Institu- 
 tion. I hardly think it of sufficient importance to 
 change its title at this late day, notwithstanding the 
 critsicm of M ra Hale Editrice of the Godey Book & 
 others. You will see in the forthcoming numbers from 
 i January ensuing the subject fully discussed &c. 
 
 I have read your last annual catalogue with much 
 interest. I most sincerely hope you may be able to make 
 a beginning for your buildings for the College, pur- 
 chase of lots &c; do let me Know how you Succeed, 
 I have so much interest in your Success of your noble 
 enterprize, that altho' not very flush with means will 
 do something for it 
 
 Respectfully
 
 Matthew Vassar 119 
 
 December 15 th 1863. 
 My dear Miss Church care of Freeborn & Co. Bankers. 
 
 Rome. 
 
 Delays are not always disappointments, they often 
 inure to our benefits, whether the delay of my answer 
 to your kind favor of the 27 Octbr will prove true in 
 this case, time will determine. Soon after the receipt 
 of your last I took the earliest opportunity to lay it 
 before our Ex. Committee, but without their taking 
 any action thereon the fact is, this matter of buying 
 pictures has given me some trouble. I will briefly state 
 them. When Prof. Jewett was in England & Rome 
 in the Summer of 62 he wrote to me not as Chairman 
 of the Ex. Com of V. F. C., but personally avoiding 
 all acts that more properly belong d to the Committee 
 on " Fine Arts " which is composed of Prof. S. F. B. 
 Morse, Benson J. Lossing (Historian) E. L. Magoon 
 DD. Honb 1 Jno Thompson and Jno Guy Vassar, and 
 in as much as the Chairman of that Committee had 
 not been advised or consulted, a little feeling of jeal- 
 ousy was created, so much so as one or two of them 
 have since declined to co-operate and they have not 
 seen your first pencillings & a fine engraving now in 
 my possession bought by M r Jewett. Seeing this mat- 
 ter hangs fire and unwilling to widen the breach I in- 
 formed the Board of Trustees yesterday that to 
 remove all trouble, I would take the picture now in proc- 
 ess of execution (Foligno) off your hands and present 
 it to the College gratis sooner than to have any further 
 trouble or feeling upon it. The whole matter now 
 stands between us, you and me, and therefore I wish 
 (especially as you have an opportunity to dispose of it
 
 I2O The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 to other parties) to inform me at once the lowest price 
 for it, framed in a neat plain manner, box d , packed 
 and delivered on board of any Packet bound to N. Y 
 City at your convenience after its completion and ren- 
 der me bills of lading that I may insure &c. This 
 course I have adopted, first to save all further mur- 
 merings and secondly to give an opportunity to indorse 
 my prudence in selecting an artist who I believe will do 
 the highest Credit to the profession of our Country 8 
 women abroad. Therefore should you be successfull 
 in the celebrated work of the worlds great master 
 " Raphael " Foligno it will releave me from no little 
 unpleasant feelings but immortalize your name in the 
 estimates of every lover of the art who may visit V. F. 
 College for years to come. You will now understand 
 that the immortal " Foligno " is executed on my ac- 
 count consulting your own convenience as to time for 
 its execution, applying the College funds now in your 
 hands on its account and the balance will be promptly 
 paid on its delivery aforesaid &c at Leghorn or any 
 other port of embarkation you may select 
 
 Yours respectfully 
 
 P S. The fourth picture you propose to paint for the 
 College must of course depend upon circumstances, 
 that is, how acceptable the 3 d proves. 
 
 22 Decbr 1863 
 Rev d E. L. Magoon DD. 
 
 My dear friend Our Secretary M r Swan has this 
 moment show d me your letter of yesterday to the Trus- 
 tees of V. F. College purporting to resign your posi-
 
 Matthew Vassar 121 
 
 tion in their Board, with accompanied reasons there- 
 fore, all of which have weighed deeply on my mind, 
 and I could not rest untill you had been seen on the 
 subject & that before laying it before our Ex. Com- 
 mittee in the hopes that you will reconsider this matter 
 and consent to retain your place in the Board. I would 
 come up myself but my health do not permit & 
 therefore M r Swan goes up to tomorrow morning to 
 see you. If there is any thing outside of the doings of 
 the Ex. Committee that has induced to this proceeding 
 on our part, do my dear friend inform me, if not, and 
 only as you remark to enable you to lay aside all 
 wordly engrossment, that you may devote your life 
 more to the cause of truth & righteousness, then I 
 would beg to remark, what medium is there on earth 
 more directly effectual than the early training of chil- 
 dren thro' the moral and religious influences that will 
 be inculcated in the College as I stated in my address 
 at the meeting of the Trustees 1861, besides, your 
 resignation will be taken advantage of by numerous 
 femal Educational Rivals and turn d to our special dis- 
 advantage both here and in other places. I pray there- 
 fore my dear friend do re-consider this matter and 
 remain in our Board, I cannot consent to part with you. 
 Do write me, but don't resign 
 
 Yours very truly 
 
 December 24, 1863. 
 My dear Miss Church 
 
 Since I last wrote our John G. Vassar one of the 
 Committee on " Fine Arts " will sail on Saturday or
 
 122 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Monday for Europe and I have requested him to take 
 Rome on his Route and call upon you, not that I have 
 any special message to send by him but to make your 
 nearer and special acquaintance, and thus be as the 
 modern " spiritualist " say in direct " Communication " 
 with our invisible friend. You can not imagine how 
 anxious I am that the picture (the Foligno) now in 
 process of execution should prove a great success. 
 There is so many speculations and wide spread interest 
 in our Country respecting the great productions of the 
 several schools and artists, that I feel an intense desire 
 that your pencilings should prove a model. There has 
 been a little disorder in our Committee on " Fine 
 Arts " originating from trifling circumstances, but 
 widening into a breach, followed by the resignation of 
 the Chairman of that Committee Doctor Magoon, but 
 I hope he will yet retain his seat. 
 
 The attention of this Committee has been recently 
 called to examine a Collection of choice Engravings 
 with some interesting drawings in Water Colors &c, 
 the property of the late E. P. Clark of Boston, valued 
 at some $9,000, perhaps the largest in America, but 
 before our Committee on Fine Arts could get together, 
 (some being absent from home) the whole catalogue 
 was sold at about that sum to a gentleman of great 
 wealth in Boston. 
 
 A Gentleman here has called our attention to a Col- 
 lections of original drawings & Engravings belonging 
 to the Estate of the Duke of Carsano at Naples valued 
 at some 12,000 ducats containing 1268 drawings origi- 
 nal by the old masters and 26000 Engravings of all 
 times, illustrating the history & progress of that art, 
 being the best engravings by the first masters of that
 
 Matthew Vassar 123 
 
 art, all of which can be had for perhaps 8 to 10,000 
 ducats, but this collection is much greater than the 
 College need & unless it could be purchased & divided 
 with some other parties, we shall give no attention to 
 it. I regret that some of our Committee on Fine Art 
 are absent from the City for I wanted to say some- 
 thing in this letter about your two pictures received. 
 We are now about in the midst of Holloday seasons, 
 which reminds me to join in the usual compliments 
 with a long & useful life. 
 
 I remain dear Miss Church. Yours very truly 
 
 December 30" 1863. 
 Rev d E. L. Magoon DD Albany 
 
 My very dear friend. If you only Knew how 
 
 anxious I am to learn your final decission in the matter 
 of retaining your position in the board of Trustees in 
 the V. F. C. I know you would not consider this letter 
 an intrusion on your valuable time. The more I have 
 reflected upon your proposed resignation, the more I 
 am convinced it will operate to the serious disadvantage 
 of our enterprize. We have among us many good sort 
 of people that are often shrugging up their Shoulders 
 accompanied with significent gestures as to the final 
 success of the College enterprize and whom in the 
 event of a failure would not sob aloud with regrets or 
 griefs. 
 
 Oh for humanity poor humanity, but it is just here 
 as elsewhere, we are not worse (tho' I say it with some 
 reluctance) than those on whom the Tower of Sileam 
 fell. Do my dear friend think twice before you act
 
 124 Autobiography and Letters 
 
 once and if be possibly consistent with your other re- 
 lations of duty retain your position in the Board &c. 
 
 Wishing you & yours the best compliments of the 
 season 
 
 I remain dear Sir 
 
 Yours truly
 
 LETTERS OF 1864 
 THE YEAR OF CRISIS 
 
 Among the persons addressed in the letters of this 
 year are two of special interest: Henry Barnard, the 
 editor of the " American Journal of Education " from 
 1855 to 1 88 1, a great educational reformer, and Henry 
 Ward Beecher, the pastor of Plymouth Church in 
 Brooklyn, and anti-slavery leader. 
 
 The letters show important plans for the college 
 developing: the purchase of an art gallery; the estab- 
 lishment of a music department; the possible appoint- 
 ment of a permanent chaplain. The undercurrent of 
 the letters is the increasing difference of opinion be- 
 tween the Founder and President Jewett: on the date 
 of the opening of the college; on the omission of the 
 word " female " in the name " Vassar Female Col- 
 lege " ; on the extent to which women should be en- 
 gaged as professors in the faculty; on the adoption 
 of the " University Plan " of organization. 
 
 These differences culminated in the crisis caused by 
 the intercepted letter in which President Jewett criti- 
 cized the Founder, -(a letter no copy of which has 
 yet been found) . The final result of the friction was 
 the resignation of President Jewett and the appoint- 
 ment of John Howard Raymond as his successor. 
 
 125
 
 126 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Tuesday Morning January 5 th 1864. 
 Rev d E. L. Magoon DD 
 My very Kind friend 
 
 In answer to your valued letter of 12 pages written 
 on New Years morning, I am sincerely & heartly 
 glad to notice that the day dawned upon you so cheer- 
 fully and auspiciously " that all the world was left be- 
 hind " and passing an interval at the Throne of Grace, 
 you so kindly turned your thought to me by acknowl- 
 edging my letter &c a however much I felt my need 
 of your friendly advise, I could hardly amist all your 
 Pastoral and social duties at this festival season expect 
 a reply. You have however favored me, and of such 
 a length and character that commends both your pa- 
 tience, generosity and goodness. Its fullness and depth 
 of illucidations in the matter of our gallery of fine 
 Arts, abounds with important suggestions and instruc- 
 tions in the making up of that department, and it was 
 for this very reason that I felt and expressed that there 
 was wanting in our Board the right man for that 
 place, and for that reason urged you to retain your 
 position, your artistic taste and capacity for illustrat- 
 ing, and developing those sciences by appropriate em- 
 bellishments in the Gallery of Arts in V. F. College, 
 and it was specialy the wish of the Founder that its 
 walls and portfolios should be adorned with the most 
 significant expressive & instructive educating forces 
 of those materials, as I have allways believed that if 
 man delight in the natural material works of his maker 
 they will greatly aid his moral and spiritual culture, 
 and thus " Look " up from nature to nature's God, 
 and for that reason (as you justly observe) " We want
 
 Matthew Vassar 127 
 
 a Gallery of diversified actualities in artistic Elegance 
 &c to illustrate the loftiest principle and refine the 
 heart." 
 
 Now my dear friend tell me how to do this thing 
 best? I am no connoisseur myself, nor do I Know of 
 any one in our honb 1 board besides yourself that can, 
 but how can I expect you to leave your sacred and gra- 
 cious calling " to serve tables " but some one must, 
 our President cherfully would, but like myself has 
 not the Capacity or he would not have ordered from 
 an undistinguished american artist four pencillings of 
 so large a size at so great cost to adorn the walls of 
 V. F. C. had their cost been laid out in several original 
 copies (as you suggest) by different celebrated artists 
 on different subjects it would perhaps not been amiss 
 however let this now pass I have assumed the two 
 other pictures now in process of execution so the Trus- 
 tees shall not complain. 
 
 We think of holding the February meeting, alltho' 
 there is no special business save the examination of the 
 revised plan or document of Organization & which 
 could be without material disadvantage deferred to our 
 June Meeting. I wish my health would allow me to 
 come up to Albany to see you which I want to very 
 much but I am troubled with such constant vertigo or 
 dizziness I cannot, I am now writing these lines aside 
 of my couch in my own domicil as I cannot go to the 
 Office, nor have I been for several days, you will please 
 therefore to excuse this hasten written sheet, also ink 
 it having been frozen 
 
 Will you not allow your letter thrown into a differ- 
 ent form as you may prefer to be read as your report 
 at our next meeting of Trustees. If you will, it will
 
 128 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 gratify me, and may if you wish be regarded as at 
 my suggestion. If it is possible for me to come up 
 the last of this or the early part of next week I will, 
 therefore please to inform me what days you are 
 mostly at leasure. With my warmest regards to you 
 & yours, 
 
 I remain Truly yours &c 
 
 Jan 17 15 th 1864. 
 E. L. Magoon DD 
 
 My dear friend. Since our short and pleasant in- 
 terview at your domicil on Wednesday I have been 
 exercising my thoughts on the suggestions you then 
 made as to the manner of making up our Gallery of 
 Art, convinced as I am, if properly and artistictly ar- 
 range will do more or at least as much as any other 
 appropriation to the College in securing a favorable 
 public estimation of the Institution and therefore as 
 you justly remarked its special purpose should be to 
 elevate and imbue the minds of the pupils with the 
 most refined and perfect specimens illustrating that 
 science, I do not now speak of its advantages in its 
 moral bearings ; which by so doing would extend these 
 remarks beyond my present purpose suffice to say I 
 want our College to possess your Collections, but as 
 that is a matter that more especially belong to the 
 Committee in that department I shall wave further 
 considerations upon it till their next meeting. I was 
 out to the College Buildings yesterday. The principal 
 room is the Library apartment, is there any method 
 of hanging pictures around its walls than the manner 
 you have adopted, viz. to avoid the least mutulation
 
 Matthew Vassar 129 
 
 of the walls. After our separation yesterday, I could 
 not help thinking what a narrow escape you had from 
 fire within the short space of another hour all would 
 have been ended in a mass of ruins how great issues 
 hangs in a thread of time, Such are the chances of life, 
 we only exist by moments, the next perhaps we are in 
 eternity. Why cannot man fully apprehend the 
 thought, " to be or not to be thats the Question." Our 
 President left home yesterday noon for N. York to 
 meet by appointment some gentlemen whom are ap- 
 plicants in the professional department of music 
 Jewett regards this department as very important 
 branch of instruction, both for the reputation and 
 pecuniairy advantages of the College. We have some 
 30 defened Pianoforte rooms for Practise, converging 
 halls or passage ways to the platform of the great 
 audience room which will seat some 1000 or more 
 persons. 
 
 There was one topic which I had not time to con- 
 sult you upon viz. The policy of a permanent stated 
 Chaplainship or the duties of that office to be self im- 
 posed by the different religious instructors in the In- 
 stitution. There has been much discussion on this 
 point and there is a diversity of opinions while on the 
 one hand we wish to avoid the imputation of sectarians, 
 on the other we must take care not to incline too far 
 from true Catholic evangelical sentiments and prac- 
 tise. It is therefore by this middle course we hope to 
 demonstrate to the public that V. F. C. is the peoples 
 College, and whatever difference there may be in creeds 
 there is not any in the great fundamental truth of the 
 precious bible, without note or comment. 
 
 What think you of this view am / right if I have
 
 130 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 my own special religious views of doctrines should 
 I insist upon their adoption by others who may differ 
 with me but I leave the further discussion of this till 
 we next meet, I reported our visit to your house to 
 Prof. Jewett and my Nephew M. V. J r who will call 
 and see you and your collections soon. 
 I remain Yours truly 
 
 Copy of a letter to a intimate friend * 
 
 written in July 1862. 
 
 My dear friend Your esteemed favors of the 
 29 th and 3i st Ult, the latter confidential were duly 
 received, and it gives me much pleasure not only to 
 read them but to answer them, I must however do so 
 as briefly as possible as I wish you to be possessed of 
 my views in the important suggestions made to me in 
 the latter as soon as possible in order to relieve your 
 mind. Allow me then to remark that it is the first 
 intimation that I have had of the intention of the 
 Board of Trustees making any appointments of Offi- 
 cers in the V. F. C. at their meeting and if any such 
 purposes are contemplated I shall oppose it on the 
 ground of premature policy, and more especially in 
 the absence of our President, I think you may dismiss 
 your fears at once in that matter, besides when the 
 proper time come to fill the respective official depart- 
 ments there will likely be a Councel appointed to 
 confer with the President whose duty it will be to rec- 
 ommend or nominate to the Board suitable persons 
 for the respective departments, I have long since 
 formed my opinion as to the Kind and qualifications 
 
 1 This letter is out of chronological order in the copy-book as it it here.
 
 Matthew Vassar 131 
 
 of persons adapted to fill these stations I profess to 
 know something of men and things, their fitness for 
 posts and places, and while the hoary head is often the 
 seat of wisdom, it is not allways the vehicle for great 
 mental action, it cannot give that inspiration to the 
 youthfull mind as those in nearer affinity of years. It 
 takes " Young America " to advance to be the pioner 
 of progression, the fathers to hold on to the old home- 
 stead, and this rule applies to every principle of human 
 pursuits & actions. There must not be, and there 
 will not be with my consent a nursery opened in V. F. 
 C. for mere sinecures; influences are constantly working 
 to this end in the Church, State and public institutions 
 of our Country. Nothing is so destructive to my Bee- 
 Apiary at Springside as the confounded old Drones 
 bees, they neither gather honey themselves, nor let 
 those that would be busy, work. I make no special 
 application of this idea to any person but only as a 
 general principle. I set out with no favoritism as such 
 in the beginning of our enterprize and intend if God 
 spare my life to carry it out. I wish our Institution 
 to be free from such biases as we purpose to have it 
 free from sectarian or familiy biases, whatever is for 
 the best good of our Institution be the Motto for all 
 time. 
 
 I have now covered one side of my sheet and must 
 look it over to see what I have written for my thoughts 
 go as swift as a mill race, and leaves about as much 
 impression on the memory as the flowing waters on 
 the sides of the conduct. The first thing that now ar- 
 rest my attention in your note to be noted is the com- 
 pliments passed respecting my mental vigor &c a ; did 
 I not believe you to me my true friend I would take it
 
 132 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 to be simple bombast. I shall try to heed your admo- 
 nition " not to weary myself too much about the Col- 
 lege " altho' you have set me a severe task, it is so 
 sterotyped upon my brain, I can think of nothing else. 
 Day before yesterday I took my daily round (with our 
 old friend and townsman late from now 19 
 years absent) &c.&c. 
 
 January 19" 1864. 
 Professor M B. Anderson LLD 
 
 My dear friend 
 
 It is told of one just from the Emeralds Isl d that 
 some dock sharper sold him an Owl for a parrot; in 
 passing to his Boarding house a gentleman enquired 
 of Pat what he had there, a Parrot your honor, well 
 can he talk much, not yet your honor, but he will shortly 
 be after it, for he keeps up a good deal of thinking. 
 Now I am much in the same predicament as the Irish- 
 mans parrot with large glossy eyes waiting for twi- 
 light to set in so that I can see for I have been so long 
 surrounded with the brillancy of professional acumen, 
 that I have almost lost all my common sense. Now 
 that our College Edifice is drawing near to completion, 
 and Out Buildings & Ornamental grounds finished up 
 or at least will be by the ensuing fall, the subject of 
 furnishing & opening the College begins to engross 
 our attention. We possibly could by strong pressure 
 of our mental & physical muscles get prepared to fix 
 the day on the I st September next, but this must be ac- 
 complished by stirring & active efforts and at the 
 Sacrifice of 30 to 40 perCent advance for war prices 
 on all its interior equipments, beds & bedding, furni-
 
 Matthew Vassar 133 
 
 ture, Kitchen & culinairy appendages. The question 
 therefore to determine is shall we go on regardless of 
 difference in values between peace & war times or 
 wait quietly a year or two for the suppression of the 
 rebellion & return of Specie Currency. True our as- 
 sets (some of them are inflated by this paper Currency, 
 & will go down on the return of peace but not equal 
 to the amount of other Kind values. Our College as- 
 sets will now average an interest of 7prC. Pr Annum. 
 Would it be wise therefore to take the last eggs out 
 of their nest & put them into brick, Stone & Mor- 
 tar. Prof Jewett is rather a " Young America " he is 
 for going ahead, our Executive Committee are for 
 going slow, sure & strong, not for one day only, but 
 for generations after us, that is, lay our foundation 
 so deep that it will endure for ages, not kill the Goose 
 for sake of her golden egg. I suppose you have been 
 informed by Prof Jewett of our contemplated meet- 
 ing next month with its business objects, the chief of 
 which will be the adoption of his plan of " Organiza- 
 tion " and perhaps there may be some attempts at 
 official appointments. Well, are you prepared to meet 
 this question. I shall oppose all appointments that in- 
 volve Out-goes too early, and I am not so sure but 
 some other system can be adopted whereby fixed emol- 
 uments to Professors & others may be substituted 
 for working sliding scale, it is much more easy to fol- 
 low in the wake of old customs, than to strike out new 
 ones. The present age has unfolded if not new things, 
 a new way of doing Old ones. Once the old Stage 
 coach had its rule of Fares regulated according to the 
 distance travelled, now the modern " Omnibusses " re- 
 gards not space but fix the fares long or short at one
 
 134 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 price. The modern Hotels charges for what you or- 
 der not for what you eat and House is furnished by 
 the owner with all its equipments to the Landlord, 
 and he sails the Ship, how would such plan work for 
 our College, The Trustees furnish & rent the Build- 
 ings & appurtenances to one, two or more Pro- 
 fessors or Educators at a certain perCentage on each 
 pupil, over a minimum number. I have not fixed the 
 rule but it should necessarily be on a sliding scale, On 
 this principle also the Educational department may 
 be based, similar to the present, University plan, im- 
 part to the pupils what learning they are able to pay 
 for & give them diplomas for what they have learnt. 
 The truth is the age is rapidly throwing aside old forms 
 & customs and adopting systems more in harmony 
 with the genius of the american people, but I have 
 wrote enough to tire you I fear, allow me just to say 
 that I have read your articles in the Examiner on the 
 condition of english Society &c a with much interest 
 and shall preserve them to read over again at another 
 day. 
 
 Hoping to see you at or before the February meet- 
 ing I remain Yours &c 
 P. S. I have thrown out the above hints on the College 
 Organization, Professors &c a at random because I 
 Know you to be well posted on these subjects and may 
 have learnt something during your late tour in Europe. 
 
 When you come to the february meeting, please to 
 make my domicil your quarters for the time being. 
 
 If you take the H. River Carrs on Monday I will 
 meet you at the depot at any hour you name to arrive. 
 
 I expect or at least shall invite D r . Magoon to be 
 our guest on that occasion. Yours &c a
 
 Matthew Vassar 135 
 
 Poughkeepsie January 25" 1864. 
 My dear M Hale 
 
 I am in receipt of your Kind & valued note p" 
 President Jewett of the 19" Current and have read 
 over and given your suggestions the most profound 
 consideration. At the incipient stage of the contem- 
 plated scheme (Vassar F. College) before lisping the 
 idea to any mortal, I first conferred with my friend 
 Prof. Jewett whom had been extensively engaged at 
 the South in the Education of Ladies, and from whom 
 I not only received a full indorsement of my views, but 
 he largely contributed to aid me in its further develope- 
 ment & thus resulted in my poor endeavours to do 
 what I intimated at my brief opening address at the 
 February meeting 61. 
 
 I only add that our Executive Committee has au- 
 thorized the publication of the article in the January 
 Number of your Ladys Book that is, our secular paper 
 has solicited the permission thus signifying the interest 
 they take in the view of the article, by republishing it 
 at their own Cost. The subject of Women Professors 
 & Teachers is now fairly before our Trustees, who 
 at their Meeting 23 d proximo will report their views, 
 and decide if it can be safely adopted in our College 
 at the opening. The only question that can possibly 
 arise, is whether we can obtain prominent destinguished 
 Ladies instructors to fill the several chairs. Miss 
 Maria Mitchell of Nantucket had been named by a 
 gentleman of our Board of Trustees as Professor of 
 Astronomy, but the planing & erection of the Ob- 
 servatory having been under the Superintendance of 
 Professor Farrar late of Elmira Female College
 
 136 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 N. Y., it is thought that the chair may be ofered 
 to him. 
 
 Yours very truly & respectfully 
 
 January 28 th 1864. 
 Prof. M. B Anderson LLD. 
 
 My dear friend. I am in receipt of your very Kind 
 and valued letter of the 25 th inst. and I scarcely Know 
 which most to approve, your sensible views upon the 
 propriety of opening the College when the buildings is 
 finished, or wait untill our terrible rebellion is sub- 
 stantially put down. What we would gain on the one 
 hand as you justly observe, we might loose on the 
 other, but I shall use my endeavours to push forwards 
 the structure of the College Building & appendages as 
 fast as possible avoiding extraordinary outlays. It is 
 one thing to do these things well looking to the future 
 durability and another thing doing them imperfectly. 
 It is a massive structure of masonry, all inside parti- 
 tions walls solid brick work, and will take at least one 
 Summer to thoroughly season the whole. Thus far 
 have allowed no fires inside the building, the walls are 
 drying gradually, but still their is a cold dampness 
 which it will take all of a Summer to remove. If in 
 case we should open the College before it was thor- 
 oughly dry and extraordinairy cases of Sickness happen 
 to the inmates, it would be at once ascribed to the loca- 
 tion, especially by those who generally wish to look 
 on the wrong side of competitors doings. It is true 
 we could hasten the drying of the interior walls by our 
 Steam heating apparatus which we have decided upon 
 with the gass works to be placed in a seperate build-
 
 Matthew Vassar 137 
 
 ing 200 feet from the main and 75 below the founda- 
 tion of the walls. These buildings will be located on 
 the rear in line with the Astronomical Observatory 
 now under construction 
 
 I am glad to hear that your judgment indorses the 
 wisdom of my course in the matter of completing the 
 Structure &c at once, when that is done, we shall not 
 be troubled with workmen & others on the premises 
 & thus avoid I think both expense and annoyances. 
 Our Executive Committe are now making out a Sched- 
 ule of Furnitures that is wanted with other equipments 
 &c including the Professors houses which by the bye the 
 latter admits consideration whether the College had 
 better furnish those apartments or the Professors, some 
 of them (if we have men) may have furnitures & 
 family 8 , and if Widows Ladies Teachers some may be 
 thus situated also they may not all be single Women. 
 This is a question (-furniture) of some importance. 
 I st The owner would allways take better care of their 
 own property than other peoples 
 2 d There might be some objection to the lugging of 
 Furniture to and from into the building in case of re- 
 moval to say nothing of its fitness, cleanlines &c*&c 
 3 d It (-if furnished by the College) would somewhat 
 reduce the annual pay of the respective chairs. You 
 know our first plan was to build seperate houses for the 
 Professors on the College grounds, leaving the only 
 officer President & family in the building but I will 
 not enlarge as I hope to have the pleasure of meeting 
 you so very soon and at my own domicil. I only add 
 that in a conversation with Prof. Jewett the other day 
 I believe he is half persuaded to have all female Pro- 
 fessorships & teacher if they are to be had of a high
 
 138 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 order. Let us all deliberate well upon this point, I 
 regard it as a very important consideration I send 
 you Pr. Mail a Sheet containing an article from the 
 Ladies Book January number, read it & let me Know 
 what you think of it 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 P S. Call on your way on Monday 22 d February upon 
 D r Magoon and take a look at his Collections of fine 
 Arts, then you & him take the Cars at 3 P M. and 
 on your arrival at 6 o'clock take a Hack at Depot and 
 come up directly to my house. 
 
 February 2 d 1864. 
 Honb 1 Henry Barnarde 
 Dear Sir 
 
 It is a long time since I had the pleasure of ex- 
 change of letters with you but I have not the less often 
 had you in my thoughts, and now as our College Edi- 
 fice is drawing near to completion we are busying our- 
 selves upon the plan of its organization, official ap- 
 pointees &c a &c a . It is not allways the best results are 
 obtained from past theory's and practise, yet if one 
 takes a step forward they are usually denounced as 
 visionary, humbugs &c a . 
 
 Some 30 years ago (I will not now state the causes) 
 I was led to idea that as woman had received from her 
 Creator the same intellectual constitution as man she 
 had the same right to all its advantages. Now with 
 a single purpose more fully to illustrate that idea we 
 want to begin our College with Female Professors & 
 teachers if they can be had in America fitly qualified, 
 except in a few departments, and it would give me
 
 Matthew Vassar 139 
 
 great pleasure to Know your opinion on this subject 
 before the meeting of the Board of Trustees on the 
 23 d inst. If it is not taxing your valuable time too 
 much I should be very glad to hear from you. 
 
 I remain Dear Sir 
 
 M. V. 
 
 P S. There is a diversity of opinion in our Board of 
 Trustees on this question and is causing no little dis- 
 cussion. With your permission would lay your reply 
 to this letter before them. M V. 
 
 February 6 th 1864. 
 Rev d Ch r A. Raymond 
 
 My dear Sir I am very busy just now in writing 
 out what I want to say to our Board of Trustees of 
 the annual meeting of the 23 d proximo and in so doing 
 I shall try to embody such thoughts and ideas as will 
 best convey my original idea on the education of 
 woman, and for which I especially gave the endow- 
 ment of $408,000 for the building of the College, 
 ignoring as much of the old Systems of instruction as 
 I deemed wrong and intriducing such new ones as I 
 believed to be right and that plan is substantially akin 
 to the one which we often talk d over and which you 
 wrote me so copiously about while Professor Jewett 
 was in Europe in 1862, and which I stated more or 
 less in my correspondence with him in his absence 
 abroad. Some time after Prof. Jewett returned home 
 he requested the use of these (his letter to me) letters 
 a little while to refresh his memory & I loaned them 
 to him which together with mine to him he says he 
 burnt up, therefore I have not a scrap of any corre-
 
 140 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 spondence with Prof. J. during his professional tour 
 to Europe in 1862. I have since much regretted this 
 circumstance as I want them occasionally for refer- 
 ences. 
 
 With regard to Teachers, Instructors &c a and the 
 System of Education I am of the same mind as I were 
 some 20 years ago viz Woman to educate her sex. 
 First the Mother, then a Female Teacher, and then 
 the System allways to be the most Simple, comprehen- 
 sive and least expensive. I then Knew nothing or next 
 to nothing about Colleges or University 8 , as I had 
 never studied them, nor had I ever went to either for 
 instruction all I wanted was the best that is the most 
 direct and effectual way to elevate woman in the high- 
 est sphere of such Knowledge as God and nature has 
 designed her } and after receiving your Several letters 
 in 62 on this subject they enlightened my mind still 
 further and it was by these combinations of ideas that 
 finally resulted in the adoption of them. Prof Jewett 
 however differed from me and has to this day altho' 
 I really think his mind has underwent a change. The 
 subject of Organization is now fairly up & will be 
 laid before the Trustees 23 d Inst. and will write you 
 the result Yours truly 
 
 * 
 
 Poughkeepsie February 6th 1864. 
 Professor M. B. Anderson LLD 
 
 Dear Sir. Allow me to occupy a moment of your 
 time, merely to say that I am preparing my address to 
 be read at the next meeting of the Board of Trustees, 
 which address will fully define my views in regard to 
 the Education of Woman, embracing in its policy
 
 Matthew Vassar 141 
 
 Woman as Educator of Woman, I may have some 
 difficulty at first in finding competent Educators " Then 
 as to the System to be adopted in the Organization " 
 whether we shall strictly adhere to the University plan 
 or modify it in some way to suit our speciality. Jewett 
 goes the old College System with some slight modifi- 
 cations but I believe will yield something further for 
 the sake of harmony. If you come to my house the 
 evening before the Meeting I will read over to you 
 my address embracing my views etc. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 February 26 th 1864 
 Miss Sarah J. Hale 
 Dear Madame 
 
 Your favor of the 19 th Current came duly to hand, 
 but at a moment when I was intensily engaged in pre- 
 paring for a special adjourned meeting of the Board 
 of Trustees to review the plan of Organization &c a of 
 the College previously submitted to them, one of which 
 I believe I sent you. This meeting was fully attended, 
 much discussion on various topics transpired, and espe- 
 cially as regards the System of instruction & the pro- 
 fessional appointees of the College thus far my views 
 in long unison with yours in favor of Ladies teachers 
 has gained ground, and I am encouraged to believe, 
 that if competent females can be obtained, every one 
 of them will be filled by that sex, and if not at the open- 
 ing will soon thereafter. As soon as they can be printed 
 will send you my address to the Board and that of 
 Doctor Magoon, Chairman on the Committee of Art 
 on the influence of fine Arts upon Society. Our Board
 
 142 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 is composed of men of various talents most happily 
 divided to promote the material & litterary advance- 
 ment of the Institution. Such a combination of talent 
 is rarely to be found in any Board. 
 
 Your wishes in the matter of change in the College 
 name was fully discussed. B. I. Lossing and several 
 others strenously advocating its adoption, and others 
 opposing the most efficient of these latter were D r 
 Bishop of N. Y. D r Anderson of Rochester & D* 
 Raymond of Brooklyn. The final question of its adop- 
 tion however was deferred until the regular annual 
 meeting in June. It was resolved that the utmost ex- 
 ertion be made to open the College in Sept r next, 
 therefore if you should in the intermediate time hear 
 of any distinguished Ladies highly qualified to fill 
 either of the Chairs, please to inform me. 
 
 The Success of all true progress is earnestness, ability 
 & perserverance with moderation. Men long wedded 
 to old customs will reluctantly consent to change their 
 opinions, altho' fully convinced of their wrong, I 
 therefore have advised to begin our College with only 
 a portion of the chairs occupied by Ladies teachers, 
 ultimately we can make them for ourselves. I do not 
 think our President heartily in favor of your idea of 
 either altering the name of the College or adopting the 
 policy of Ladies Professorship in general. I believe 
 I informed you of having caused to be printed a num- 
 ber of Copies of your sons article on that subject. The 
 idea is now fully before the public. We hope to de- 
 velope it more largely. 
 
 With much respect 
 
 Yours &c
 
 Matthew Vassar 143 
 
 March n th 1864. 
 Mrs. Sarah J. Hale. 
 Dear Madame 
 
 I send you by this day's mail an abstract of my ad- 
 dress delivered at an adjourned meeting of the Board 
 of Trustees of V. F. College on the 23 d Ultimo. As 
 you have heretofore expressed your Kind sentiment 
 to me & my Enterprize and also thro' the public Jour- 
 nal favoring the advancement of womans social natural 
 rights in the departments of Knowledge, and of her 
 fitness and adaptation to promote the culture of her 
 own sex, I take the liberty of sending you the above 
 and if you think it worthy to give it a place in your 
 valuable Journal (Ladys Book) so that it may be more 
 extensively read by the Ladies of our Country, than if 
 published in other secular Journals. 
 
 Hoping this will find you in health &c I remain 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 March 23 d 1864 
 M re Sarah J. Hale. 
 
 My dear M re Hale. 
 
 Yours of the 19 th Current have just reached me, 
 and as heretofore I do always value every article from 
 your pen, not perhaps because they abound with vig- 
 orous Sentiments or finished Sentences but because of 
 their truthfulness, besides I feel happy to have one by 
 my side whose idea is, that Womans mental powers in 
 this world are unappreciated or, if appreciated, Custom 
 has prevented her from employing them. It is this idea
 
 144 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 that has given rise to much discussion between Presi- 
 dent Jewett and myself, he was willing to grant to me 
 all my claim in this particular if I left him a majority 
 of male Professors in the College, while I desired and 
 have since demanded that every chair possible shall be 
 filled by Women, and now I might as well say in this 
 connection that by pressing this idea upon him that 
 " Vassar College " shall be a College for Women, and 
 not men in all its departments with some other mat- 
 ters (which I will not trouble you with) may possibly 
 lead to the Selection of some other person to fill that 
 chair, however as you regard me the true friend of 
 Women and I am desirous to avoid any Convulsion in 
 our Board, further action will be delay d untill the 
 meeting of the 28 th June. My desire is now and al- 
 ways has been to make our College, not only a Col- 
 lege to educate Women, but a College of instruction 
 by women. Will you my dear M ra Hale continue to 
 support me in these views. I have already written 
 Miss Maria Mitchell (thro' a friend) and hope we may 
 agree upon her as Professor of Astronomy. A letter 
 from her this day encourages me to hope Success. I 
 shall take an early opportunity to see M ra . L. A. Cud- 
 delby or write to her and inform her of your friend- 
 ship and of my desire to avail myself of any Suggestion 
 she may make. D r Jewett to whom you wrote on the 
 Subject has not mentioned her name to me. With re- 
 gard to the Chaplancy & Chair of moral philosophy 
 &c a D r J. wanted these filled with Baptist, but while 
 I was a Baptist by birth, my father & mother Bap- 
 tists by profession, have attended Baptist Church for 
 over 60 years, was a Baptist in principle, built a Bap- 
 tist Edifice in 1 840 in this city at my own cost of $25000
 
 Matthew Vassar 145 
 
 and gave to the Society and from that time down to 
 this very hour contributed annually 3 to 550$ pr year 
 for the Support of a Baptist ministry &c a , yet I hold 
 all Christians alike and thus wish to carry out the 
 principle that all who truly love our Lord Jesus Christ 
 and do his Will are brethern, outward forms of Re- 
 ligon are but aids, vitality or eternal life begins & end 
 within the heart and not the head we must be born 
 again. So much for my Sectarianism. 
 I remain dear M re Hale 
 
 Yours &c a 
 
 April 20 1864 
 My dear M re Hale 
 
 Yours of the 31" Ulto. is received and my apology 
 for omitting to remark in my former letters on the 
 Subject of the Faculty being all Ladies, was for the 
 very reason that I was apprehensive that the Trustees 
 would not all of them yield to the suggestion, nor 
 were I sure that it would be fully sustained if they did 
 by public opinion, but throwing out my idea in advance 
 and working up to it prospectively would cause less 
 friction or opposition. So also with regard to the 
 change of name or title of the College, which would 
 require Legislature authority or permission which I 
 approve, so that when the time comes for me to do- 
 nate a further sum to the Institution I shall make this 
 point (with some other matters) a condition of the 
 Gift, which will exert an influence in the change, and 
 thus meet out your views & mine. Whatever remarks 
 therefore you may think proper to make in this mat-
 
 146 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 ter in your next number of the Ladys book I hope you 
 will do so in accordance with these views but upon 
 your own authority, as I do not wish in this stage of 
 the Enterprize to be fully committed for policys Sake. 
 I wrote Mrs. Cuddehy & received an answer and at 
 her solicitation of being further informed on the plan 
 of Organization &c a wrote her again today. 
 
 I will Send your Son H. Hale Esq my address this 
 afternoon. Yours truly 
 
 April 27 th 1864. 
 Rev d Henry Ward Beecher 
 
 Altho' I have not the pleasure of your personal ac- 
 quaintance, I venture to address you without further 
 apology. A vacancy has recently occurred in our Board 
 of Trustees in the Vassar Female College by the resig- 
 nation of President Jewett; for particulars I beg leave 
 to refer to our mutual friend Prof Jno H. Raymond 
 LLD, and it being desirable to fill the vacancy speedily 
 to avoid conflicting opinions by delay, I am prompted 
 after consultation with several members of the Board 
 to solicite you to accept the nomination as Trustee, 
 and if I receive your favorable answer by the 29 th 
 Inst. by M r Raymond (at which time a meeting will 
 be held to fill the Chair of Presidency) I will propose 
 your name. I need not assure you that your acceptance 
 would be highly gratifying to the entire Board & the 
 whole community. 
 
 Yours very truly & respectfully,
 
 Matthew Vassar 147 
 
 April 27 th 1864. 
 Prof. Jno. H. Raymond LLD. 
 Dear Sir 
 
 At my request M r Swan saw you recently in refer- 
 ence to M r Beecher being placed on the Board of 
 Trustees. It seems that in the meeting in New York 
 yesterday he was Compelled in regard to truth & 
 fairness to state what my wishes were & that some 
 of the gentlemen there present had doubts as to the 
 propriety or desirableness of that appointment. After 
 hearing what took place at that interview I am still 
 bound to say that it is my strong impression the 
 appointment just now would have a good effect and it 
 is my desire as well as my deliberate judgment that it 
 should be made if M r Beecher can be induced to ac- 
 cept it, as I sincerely trust he may. I have therefore 
 written to him an open letter to this effect which I en- 
 close that you may read & forward it to M r Beecher. 
 
 I am happy in being able to look forward to the cer- 
 tainty of your appointment as President and with such 
 a flattering unanimity. I wish you moreover to Know 
 that I shall look upon your acceptance as a personal 
 favor to me & that I shall feel every assurance that 
 under your guidance this Institution to which everything 
 I hold dear stands already pledged, will become assured 
 of a most honored success. 
 
 Yours truly & respectfully.
 
 148 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 April 28 th 1864. 
 Mrs. Sarah J. Hale. 
 
 Dear Madame! Your letter of the 25 th Current 
 with enclosures of your son & family photographs 
 introduces me agreably to your very heart and grati- 
 fies me. I receive them as evidences of your good will 
 to me personally & of your approval of my intentions 
 at least, I shall be glad to Know a gentleman who has 
 already ranked himself among the savants of our land. 
 The Extracts from the Ladys Book for June which 
 you Send place myself not less than our College under 
 obligations to you for your earnest efforts in our be- 
 half. I value greatly these evidences of your intelli- 
 gent interest for all that concerns the elevation of 
 woman. 
 
 In my last I had intended to say to you that if 
 the plates I sent you are worthy of that distinction & 
 you will be at the trouble of causing them to be neatly 
 framed & will send the bills to me I will see that they 
 are met. 
 
 The Extracts from your Sons letter help sustain me 
 in the views I have already advanced & in the action 
 about to be taken in reference to D r Jewett. I greatly 
 regret he should have taken any action in reference 
 to your friend M ra Cuddehy that does not commend 
 itself to yourself or to her. I was not aware what 
 steps if any had been taken by him upon that Subject. 
 Your letter to me have left no doubt on my mind that 
 this lady is quite equal to any position she might be 
 willing to assume. But upon this general subject I 
 have expressed deliberatedly to the College Trustees 
 my personal wishes and the responsibility is thrown
 
 Matthew Vassar 149 
 
 upon them to carry them forward now or at such other 
 time as they may judge best, I am not aware except in a 
 general way to what extent my desires are to be met at 
 the opening of the College. The Committee on that 
 Subject (Faculty) I understand do intend to make a 
 fair division of appointments between the Sexes. I 
 mean of course of the higher grades, as the lesser posi- 
 tions, I take it for granted, will all be for ladies. In re- 
 gard to particular appointments my general health & 
 my other duties prevent my giving them the requisite at- 
 tention to ensure the Success of any applicants upon my 
 own recommendation alone. The most I have hoped 
 to do has been to lay down my own general views & 
 wishes, leaving the question as to whether they are 
 to be immediately carried out and the manner in which 
 they are to be carried out to my coadjutors and to the 
 gentlemen of that Committee. 
 
 The possible change of Presidency may to some ex- 
 tent affect the question of Professors but to what de- 
 gree I of course am quite unable to Know in advance, 
 outside influences will of necessity have more or less 
 effect and among these none are more likely to be lis- 
 tened to than the valuable publications with which you 
 are associated. I hail discussion as sure to accom- 
 plish or aid in accomplishing the best result, be it what 
 it may. 
 
 Truly yours &c
 
 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 May 2 d 1864. 
 Henry Ward Beecher 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 I feel gratified & complimented by your acceding to 
 my desire to place your name on our list and to enlist 
 your judgment & Services in behalf of our College as 
 Trustee. I only regret the delay as M r Raymonds 
 despatch did not reach me until after the adjournment 
 of the Board or the subject would have received our 
 attention at once. Our next meeting is in June next, 
 when it will afford me a high degree of pleasure to 
 name you in connection with the present vacancy. 
 
 Yours respectfully 
 
 * 
 
 May 19" 1864. 
 My dear M re Hale 
 
 Your kind letter of the 14 th Current is before me, 
 with enclosures, I thank you for them I was glad 
 President Jewett advised you of his resignation, as it 
 saved me from that painful duty, I might have been 
 led by the way of justification to myself and the Col- 
 lege too deeply into the subject, I prefer to leave the 
 past only to forgive altho' I cannot forget " an inter- 
 cepted " letter under his signature disclosed his future 
 views & purposes towards me and my immediate 
 Associates, however all has resulted in unanimous har- 
 mony in the change of Presidency & things & mat- 
 ters are now going on smoothly I could not reach the 
 point I desired with Jewett at the head. Doct. Ray- 
 mond has been appointed his successor & we hope he 
 will accept. H W. Beecher his friend & adviser 
 has also Kindly offered to serve as Trustee. I notice
 
 Matthew Vassar 151 
 
 your remarks about the Engraving of the College & 
 think with you that considering, we shall have a new 
 Print of the College & grounds with Observatory, 
 Gate, Lodge &c a it would scarcely be worth while to 
 go to expense of framing it, especialy as the title may 
 be changed. With your kind permission I should pre- 
 fer to retain the Photograph of your Son and his Lady. 
 You will excuse haste. 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 June 2 a 1864 
 Prof. John H Raymond L.L.D. 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 In reply to your propositions in regard to your ac- 
 ceptance of the Presidency of Vassar Female College, 
 I beg leave to say that we can accept your terms in 
 all particulars save only that condition requiring me 
 individually to guarantee further pecuniairy provision 
 for the College. I cannot persuade myself that it is 
 necessary or proper for me to incur such extraordinary 
 personal obligations, but we beg that you will recon- 
 sider the subject & conclude to give your invaluable 
 services to our enterprize without insisting upon that 
 condition. You may be assured that my pledges to 
 appropriate nearly all of the residue of my Estate to 
 the College at my death will be faithfully carried out, 
 & that my efforts & means shall never be lacking 
 during my life time to sustain & promote its best in- 
 terests in such manner as will be satisfactory to the 
 Trustees. 
 
 I remain, respectfully yours. 
 
 P S. I will here further remark also that the Ballance
 
 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 of my Estate after deducting other Legacys & Be- 
 quests will not be less than some $200,000 muring to 
 the College after my decease. 
 
 Rev d . E. L. Magoon Kearsage House North Conway 
 N. H. 8" June 
 
 My dear Sir Your letter of the 4" Inst. states 
 with substantial correctness the verbal agreement be- 
 tween us in regard to the purchase of your gallery of 
 art. I am to have from you your entire collection as 
 it is complete Art itself & all matters relating to 
 art descriptive historic & otherwise just as it is in 
 your house as I regard all such matter printed & 
 otherwise as making the completeness of your collec- 
 tion for my purposes which are illustrative & edu- 
 cational. We need no express contract I rely upon 
 you as a Christian man. 
 
 In regard to payment I wish it delivered first. The 
 Building will not be in such a state as to warrant the 
 placing of these articles any longer before the I st of 
 August than to enable you to hang them by that date. 
 The payment of $10,000 should therefore be made 
 on that date. The balance we shall not disagree about 
 as you leave the times for future payments much to 
 my convenience. Meanwhile I think you will find 
 much labor in packing & preparing for removal & 
 in arranging them in place here. Besides as to the 
 Catalogue it has occurred to me that for our purposes 
 if you could add to your descriptive catalogue certain 
 general outlines as to the artist himself it would be 
 valuable. You will bear in mind that the most of our 
 pupils will see & hear of Art & Artists for the first
 
 Matthew Vassar 153 
 
 time from this Collection & that therefore it is not 
 to be assumed that they are already acquainted with 
 facts quite patent to the world. 
 
 These Suggestions I have no doubt will meet with 
 your entire concurrence and I trust I may hear from 
 you that they do. 
 
 I hope you may gain all you desire during your trip 
 and that you will be sure to be with us at our next 
 meeting of Trustees. 
 
 Truly yours, 
 
 P. S. The Contractor will not give up the building be- 
 fore the i" August. 
 
 * 
 
 June 8 th 1864. 
 M ra Sarah J. Hale 
 
 My dear Madame 
 
 Your letter of June 6 th is under my notice. In re- 
 gard to Mrs. Cuddehy I can do no more than call the 
 attention of the President & Faculty Committee to 
 her name & credentials in such a manner as will 
 doubtless ensure her the most careful consideration at 
 their hands. I place great reliance upon what you say 
 in her behalf & I need not assure you she will not be 
 overlooked. 
 
 In regard to D r Jewett whatever statements may 
 have appeared have not originated with me. Your 
 Estimate of him is not far from the fact but it would 
 be a very long and tedious & unwelcome task for me 
 to go over the ground anew. It has been a most un- 
 happy affair and I shall be glad to forget it for I wish 
 him no harm. A recital of facts could only be to his 
 disadvantage as well as a renewal of my own pain.
 
 154 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 He certainly was not the personal friend to me that 
 his conduct in my presence had led me to believe. He 
 had labored deligintly to undermine my influence & 
 that of my confidential Committee in the opinions of 
 the Trustees. The Effect proved disastrous only to 
 himself. 
 
 D r Raymond has not yet signified any formal ac- 
 ceptance of the Presidency although I have great hope 
 it will not be long delayed. He has for ten years been 
 at the head of the Polytechnican & Collegiate In- 
 stitute in Brooklyn, an Institution which he organized 
 & has conducted with the most eminent Success. He 
 was our unaminous choice. He is a clergyman, and a 
 most enlightened & liberal Christian gentleman. He 
 was the Companion of Henry Ward Beecher in his 
 European travels & is his close friend although they 
 belong to different denominations, M r Raymond being 
 a Baptist though I am informed not exactly concern- 
 ing in some of their exclusive practices. 
 
 My own health is not such as to warrent me in much 
 application to writing although the demand upon my 
 time in that respect seem to increase. 
 
 Yours respectfully 
 
 June 9 th 1864. 
 Miss Emma C. Church. 
 
 Dear Madame! 
 
 Your letter of May 2i st has reached me. I had 
 written you May i6 th which you will doubtless have 
 received by this time. You now propose that I send 
 you the One half the Cost of the picture which is $600 
 & also $100 for frame and $100 for getting it boxed
 
 Matthew Vassar 155 
 
 & on board ship at Leghorn. The last charge seems 
 very high. Now as the picture is at Rome one would 
 naturally expect it to be shipped at less Cost at Civita 
 Vecchia. But I cannot at this distance direct & must 
 leave the place of shipment, the mode & the vessel 
 with you. I send you with this $800 nett which covers 
 your entire proposition leaving the balances to be ar- 
 ranged & our accounts to be stated in your next let- 
 ter. You have an amount in your hands to be applied 
 in our final settlement. I will remit you the final bal- 
 ance upon receiving the picture here in good order & 
 on receiving your statement of amounts & compar- 
 ing it with the figures which our books will show. You 
 will please notify me by what vessel you send the 
 picture & enclose the bill of lading at the earliest 
 moment. 
 
 Our building will hardly be ready to receive the pic- 
 ture with safety before the I st of October as we have 
 had a variety of hindrances & the expenses are now 
 enormous. But we are using every exertion to forward 
 the enterprise. I have not been able up to this moment 
 to make any enquiries in regard to placing your work 
 on exhibition in N. Y. There will be time for that 
 before its arrival. 
 
 Within the week past I have purchased the Gallery 
 of Rev d E. L. Magoon of Albany to place in the 
 building this is a new donation of $20,000. I wish 
 to make our Art Rooms a decided attraction at once 
 with the hope of course that it may continue to grow in 
 beauty, value & in educational and refining power. 
 
 In regard to the delivery of the picture on board 
 vessel & the expenses I wish to refer you to my letter 
 of Decbr 15 th last in which I assumed the purchase
 
 156 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 of this picture & which is the basis of the agreement 
 between us. 
 
 I am glad to get the favorable opinions of the per- 
 sons you mention as to this picture & shall be much 
 gratified to meet Miss Hosmer whenever she shall re- 
 visit her native country. 
 
 I remain Yours truly 
 
 M. V. 
 
 June 17 th , 1864. 
 My dear M r Raymond, 
 
 I can hardly express to you my satisfaction at the 
 receipt of yours of the 10 instant, which removes the 
 last doubt & anxiety from my mind as to the assured 
 success of our College. I am gratified that our recent 
 interview has resulted in removing every doubt & ob- 
 stacle from your path. You are most welcome to the 
 position which is to reflect honor upon us both. So 
 far as in me lies, it will be my highest satisfaction to 
 sustain you & the enterprize which you are to guide. 
 It is as you justly remark the favorite child of my age 
 and to see it in the full career of success & usefulness 
 will be the crowning pleasure of my life. 
 
 It will be quite important that before the meeting 
 of the Trustees we have some consultation as to the 
 business to be transacted & that you see the members 
 of the Ex. Committee that all views may be understood 
 & harmonised. 
 
 Awaiting such a meeting I am 
 
 Most truly yours, 
 
 M. Vassar.
 
 Matthew Vassar 157 
 
 July 15 1864. 
 Rev d D* E. L. Magoon. 
 
 My dear Sir. M r Swan has just returned from 
 your City & inform me that as you understand the 
 Contract for your Gallery of Art with me to be thus, 
 that you are to deliver it at your house and I am to 
 pay for it as follows $10000 Cash i" August & notes 
 for the balance with interest from the first of August 
 to suit my convenience, after hearing M r Swans state- 
 ment of your understanding of the transactions I re- 
 ferred to my pocket memorandum Book for the first 
 time since its entry & finds these words viz : 
 
 Friday June 30 1864 
 
 11 Rode to College with Magoon, Swan, Matthew & 
 " Babcock on matters of Library Room & Art Gal- 
 " lery Promised to give Magoon $20,000 for all his 
 " complete collections of Art, he is first to send me a 
 " Catalogue " of them, then if approved I am to pay 
 "him $10000 Cash & $10000 yearly payments 
 "of $1000 to suit my convenience with Interest after 
 " the said Collection is delivered & put up under 
 " Magoons Superintendance. This is the Gallery of 
 ' V. F. C. only cost of putting up to be at my ex- 
 " pense Magoon takes the responsibility of save de- 
 " livery to the College. Swan dined with us today. 
 
 Truly yours.
 
 158 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 August 5 1864. 
 Rev d E. L. Magoon DD. 
 
 Yours of the 3 d Inst. is before me and notice your 
 progress in packing the cabinet pictures &c. We hope 
 to have our Art Gallery room ready for their recep- 
 tion by the 2O th Current if possible. Alltho' delays 
 has occurred by reason of not being able to find com- 
 petent persons to color the walls in fresco as suggested. 
 Since the relinquishment of our late Contractor of his 
 Contract, much time has been waisted in closing up de- 
 tails with him, and getting on a fresh Set of hands 
 We are now just beginning to move forwards again 
 with the General Work. We shall be all ready cer- 
 tainly within the present month to arrange the Cabinet 
 in place, and I shall have the first payment on hand 
 on delivery in the College custody in your city as per 
 agreement. 
 
 We are now being blessed with life living 
 " Weather " " Springside " looks like herself again 
 since the last rains. We have experienced the Severest 
 drought I have Known in 40 years. All my ponds & 
 pools of Water are dried up &c 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 Sept. 5 th 1864. 
 W m S. Bird Esq r i St. Swithins Villas, 
 
 Magdalen Road Norwich. England. 
 'Dear Sir. 
 
 I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 
 August, and perused its contents with interest. You 
 must be fully aware that I left England with my par-
 
 Matthew Vassar 159 
 
 ents when I was but a child, and that I have no Knowl- 
 edge whatsoever of the large family connection that 
 were left behind, neither have I through my long life 
 had any intimation of this far stretched family link, 
 and thus it can not be expected that I at this late period 
 of my life should entertain any claim of relationships 
 of so distant a character 
 
 I have in the mean time not the least doubt that the 
 Statement you give is fully correct, but your applica- 
 tion at this time and under such circumstances as I have 
 placed myself, my fortune and my name shows an 
 ignorance of facts that necessitates but few remarks to 
 enlighten 
 
 Your allusion to my endowment to a female College 
 indicates in the mean time that you are aware of that 
 I am engaged in a benevolent Enterprize, for the com- 
 pletion of which I have pledged my means and my 
 honor, and having provided for all my nearest Kindred 
 that have followed me through life, it has for many 
 years been my last cherished wish & hope to leave 
 a memory behind me that could be an honor to my 
 family name. 
 
 This last act of mine is the result of Industry, Per- 
 serverance and Self-reliance and neither Kindred nor 
 friends have reached me an assistant hand. The road 
 I have passed is open for all who will mould their 
 character in honorable pursuits by the same means, and 
 I speak this with special reference to the 2 boys you 
 allude to, for neither relations nor influence can realize 
 their future welfare but their own exertions and indus- 
 try. With regard to the little girl I feel deeply in- 
 terested and sympathetic with all her friends, but the 
 statement I here have given I hope will be conclusive
 
 160 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 that all applications even from family connections, is, 
 at this advanced period of my life, entirely useless, as 
 I am not in a position to render any service. 
 
 Had this application been made at an earlier stage 
 of my life, it was not impossible that it would have 
 received all the attention that I hitherto cheerfully 
 rendered under similar circumstances, but for the pres- 
 ent it has become my duty to deprive myself of the 
 gratification it would afford me to comply with your 
 request. 
 
 respectfully yours 
 
 M V. 
 
 P S. Since writing the above I have taken another 
 day for consideration of your suggestions in relation 
 to the younger female child Jessie and as there is a 
 fund appropriated for beneficairies under certain spe- 
 cialities it may be that she can be entered into the Col- 
 lege under those provisions. You will therefore send 
 me her Photograph likeness and a written history of 
 her family in order that the Committee on application 
 for pupilship can determine upon this special case. 
 
 Yours &c 
 
 Novbr 7. 1864 
 Miss Mary M e Kay 
 
 Corresponding Secretary Callisophia Society 
 
 Elmira Female College. 
 
 Your Communication informing me of the compli- 
 ment paid me by this Society in the unanimous expres- 
 sion of their regard for the efforts I am making in be- 
 half of women is before me and does not fail to afford 
 me a very high degree of satisfaction. It cheers me
 
 Matthew Vassar 161 
 
 to be assured from such intelligent sources that you 
 are ready to appreciate every endeavour made in the 
 direction of the highest developement of your sex. My 
 work more than my words evince the positive assur- 
 ances of my own mind that the future of the individual 
 woman and of the race are identical. I have desired 
 to do all in my power or within my means for the ele- 
 vation of humanity. It is to be done through woman. 
 When she is elevated, educated, developed in all her 
 capacities man cannot fall below her level. The day 
 of unequal intellectual privileges for the Sexes has gone 
 by. My own efforts will be followed from time to 
 time until within the lifetime of some of you it will be 
 forgotten that there ever was a debate as to the extent 
 of the powers of the female world in any direction or 
 as to the expediency of her developing that power to 
 the fullest extent. It will be honor enough that I have 
 contributed to the resolution of these questions in your 
 favor and that my efforts were appreciated while I live 
 Please make my acknowledgements to the Society 
 you represent and accept the regards of 
 
 Yours very truly. 
 
 Novbr. 21" 1864. 
 Rev d E. L. Magoon DD. 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 I was at the College last Saturday with EX. 
 Raymond and M r Swan, and on going into the 
 Art Gallery discovered that two of the Oil paintings 
 (architectural interiors by Genison No 21 & 81 were 
 covered with what we at first supposed to be a Species 
 of dry mould, occasioned by dampness. Further ex-
 
 1 62 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 amination convinced us otherwise as no other pictures 
 (either Oil or water Colors) were semilarly effected 
 nor could the least Dampness be discovered on the 
 books or even on loose paper lying about the floors. 
 
 The Varnish on these pictures seems to be destroyed, 
 and crumbles under the touch to a white powder. 
 That and two others (N 22 & 80) is cracked over 
 the entire surface. 
 
 Can you account for these changes ? We are await- 
 ing to do anything to them untill we hear from you 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 Novbr 23 d 1864. 
 Rev d . E. L. Magoon DD 
 
 My dear Sir I am sorry to trouble further about 
 the pictures, and would not have done so had you not 
 alluded to a supposed dampness by leakage in the roof 
 which trifling leak you refered to was stop d the day 
 after your M. Foord left the College and immediatedly 
 thereafter had a slow fire made & kept up in the Steam 
 & Gass house which removed every vestige of damp- 
 ness in the Art Gallery room. 
 
 There was another little matter I would not speak 
 of at the time, but as a Second occurrence of the like 
 has happened will now mention it so that you call M r 
 Foords attention to it viz : 2 or 3 of the water colors 
 pictures has fallen down, of course breaking the Glass, 
 and otherwise injuring them These accidents seem to 
 be owing to the frames not being sufficiently nailed at 
 the corners, the weight of others hanging upon them 
 caused them to come apart & so tottled to the floor.
 
 Matthew Vassar 163 
 
 Please to mention this to M r Foord and ask what can 
 be done as others will follow Suit. 
 
 Yours in haste 
 
 M. V. 
 
 * 
 
 Decbr 25 th 1864. 
 M re Sarah J. Hale 
 
 My dear Madame 
 
 Your two letters of the 22 d Inst. with the enclosure 
 of a pleasant poem constituted an agreable feature of 
 this passing Christmas. They have both commanded 
 my attention & as your letters must, have not failed 
 to interest me. The unabated ardor & ability with 
 which you pursue these questions in which the women 
 of our day are almost unconsciously interested cannot 
 fail of a high reward. In that respect we labor & 
 exhaust ourselves for the same end. I pray that you 
 at least may live to see some worthy result. 
 
 It is gratifying to be assured of your confidence in 
 the gentleman upon whom devolves the serious task of 
 organizing the interior life of this College. I am very 
 sure he is bringing to the task large abilities & ex- 
 perience & a frank desire to do only that which shall 
 best promote its interest, in which of course to a large 
 degree are involved the interests of young women at 
 large. 
 
 The domestic life of the young is not by any means 
 to be neglected with us. It is the base from which 
 every woman must reach to whatever may lie beyond 
 that at any rate as much more as possible. 
 
 I am looking forward to the article you promise in 
 your January N. I never fail to get instruction or con-
 
 164 Autobiography and Letters 
 
 firmation or both from that source & these are very 
 valuable to me. 
 
 Mrs. Cuddehy was indeed here recently & with 
 D r Raymond visited the College. Her stay was so 
 short I had but a glance at her & no opportunity to 
 form an acquaintance. Your opinion alone justifies me 
 in believing her services to be of great value wherever 
 she may be. 
 
 My health is at present but moderate & too much 
 pen work goes very far to prostrate me. With my 
 best wishes therefore for your health & prosperity I 
 must be allowed to close, very truly yours
 
 LETTERS OF 1865 TO 1868. 
 
 In the year of the opening of the college, there are, 
 disappointingly enough, no letters from Mr. Vassar 
 about the great event or about the work of the first 
 months. The interest of the Founder in all the prob- 
 lems of the college continues keen and he writes about 
 practical subjects like the heating apparatus and the 
 times for vacations, proposes a uniform costume for 
 the young ladies, advocates contests in public speaking 
 and shows interest in the suffrage movement. 
 
 Little by little, however, he relinquishes all direct 
 control of the college: writes that the President and 
 the committee on Faculty are considering plan of or- 
 ganization and appointments; even resigns the chair- 
 manship of the executive committee. Relieved of the 
 onerous and detailed care of the institution, the Foun- 
 der now begins to enjoy the reward of his labors 
 in the devotion shown him by the early students of the 
 college. 
 
 Two of the letters are addressed to students, several 
 to trustees (Nathan Bishop, S. M. Buckingham and 
 Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor of the telegraph), 
 others to persons whose names are already familiar, 
 President Raymond, Mrs. Hale. 
 
 165
 
 1 66 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Private Janry 7 1865. 
 
 My dear Mrs. Hale 
 
 Your esteemed favor of the 3 d Inst. lays before me 
 your Kind expressions of sympathy for my late tem- 
 porary illness is only another proof of your Kindness, 
 I find language inadequate to express my feelings- 
 next Summer I do hope you will honor me with a visit 
 to see our " Noble Work " as you are pleased to term 
 it, which will afford me an opportunity to renew my 
 gratitude &c a . It was entirely my fault that I omitted 
 to comply with the terms for the " Ladys Book " and 
 I do not blame any one for its stoppage I now enclose 
 $3 for its renewal. I have read the Article on " Do- 
 mestic Science " in this January No" and think the re- 
 marks just & true and fully accords with my views. 
 
 With regard to the Lithographing of V. F. C. sent 
 you last fall you could have " Jewetf and Ray- 
 monds " names pasted over with a Slip of paper sub- 
 stituting on them " Raymond over Jewett " and 
 Henry Ward Beecher " over Raymonds. We have 
 covered a number in this way its easily & readily 
 done. If you wait till next early summer we intend 
 having ready a new Lithograph, embracing a more 
 extensive views of the grounds, astronomical Observa- 
 tory, Gass & Steam works, Gate Lodge &c a . I also 
 purpose to have my Photograph taken by some N. Y. 
 City artist as I cannot get a good Likeness here, I will 
 send you one of the first therefore do not incur any 
 expense these hard times. 
 
 I am pleased to hear you are taking so much interest 
 in the charitable objects of the day I hope and pray 
 you may be rewarded for it.
 
 m^< 
 
 // 
 
 >/ fyaj /it/? > * / /t fs 
 
 '/M, ///<// /?/ - 
 
 Copyright bij Vasxar College 
 
 A FACSIMILE OF A LETTER WRITTEN TO DR E. L. MAGOON
 
 Matthew Vassar 167 
 
 I again thank you for the deep solicitude you mani- 
 fest for my health & welfare, and permit me to re- 
 turn you my grateful thanks with the Compliments of 
 the Season. 
 
 " A Happy New Year " 
 
 Yours very truly &c a 
 
 M V. 
 
 P S. 3 o'clock P M. The " Mission Link " just come 
 to hand. The above named $3 has been remitted a fey? 
 days ago by my clerk. 
 
 * 
 
 Janry 7 1865 
 My dear M re Hale 
 
 For some months last past my thoughts have at in- 
 tervals been occupied with the idea of adopting a uni- 
 formity of Costume for the pupils attending V. F. 
 College The object of which is first, to prevent jeal- 
 ousy which usually arise in the minds of young persons 
 in the articles of Dress Secondly to secure more com- 
 fort and convenience to them, while in School or at 
 their playfull recreations. Your fertile mind will 
 readily suggest what there should be their make and 
 material something that will be desirable, least need- 
 full of repeating washings repair &c a , and to consist 
 of something like the " Bloomer Dress " which would 
 give freedom to their persons whether in School or out 
 of School for exercise. Will you please to take this 
 matter into considerations and at your early conven- 
 ience inform me Of course these garments are only 
 for School house and need not be expensive so that they 
 will be available to all the pupils with those sugges-
 
 1 68 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 tions, I am persuaded you can readily fill up 
 the rest. 
 
 I remain Dear Madame 
 
 Yours very respectfully 
 
 Poughkeepsie January 14 th 1865 
 Dear Mr. Raymond. 
 
 I finished reading your valued letter of the 9 th cur- 
 rent after my return from College a 2 o'ck this P. M. 
 I made Amanda delay dinner till I had read it from 
 its date and reception I think it has been detained 
 somewhere. The first paragraphs informed me that 
 you had written me about Christmas, if so, it never 
 came to hand and our wonder and conjectures are now 
 revealed lingering delays heighten our surmises & 
 fears, a thousand conjectures intrude in such intervals, 
 teeming with ominus forebodings your letter before 
 me relieves from all these. I heartily sympathise with 
 you in the amount of time and valuable hours con- 
 sumed in the little details of life which seem to amount 
 to almost nothing yet allied to the little rivilets of na- 
 ture they go to swell up the great ocean of existence, 
 and were we without them our life w ld be a non-entirety. 
 I am much pleased with your remarks on the prelimi- 
 nary opening of the College if you ever receive my 
 holiday letter you will find some thoughts running 
 parallell with them. The interior official organisation 
 I deem so important that I shall not be quietly at rest 
 till the great agony is over, altho' it is greatly dimin- 
 ished by the action of you are pursuing in the premises 
 in securing the services of such distinguished females 
 as you have thus far visited or favorably appreciated.
 
 Matthew Vassar 169 
 
 I hope by all means you will satisfy yourself either by 
 correspondence or personal interview with Miss Lyman 
 of Montreal. I am quite shure that a Lady profesship 
 in the cullinary department of the College would add 
 much to its popularity, and I have lately met with a 
 Germain Lady quite competent to fill the part. 
 
 Refering to NT. Swan 3 brief allusion to our late trial 
 of the heating apparatus of the College which came 
 off with so great success, I will send you a paragraph 
 from the " Po' Press " by a gentleman who attended 
 the trial if obtained in time for this day letter. Our 
 Committee on the purchase of furniture & Bedding 
 &c are preparing to leave home next week, they will 
 visit N. York and Boston. &c 
 
 I thank you for the sympathy expressed in my be- 
 half for the onerious dutys unavoidably imposed upon 
 me in carrying forward our great enterprise, true they 
 are at certain times very ardious, but I am thank God 
 enjoying fair physical health, and hope it will continue 
 till I have finish up the long cherrished object of my 
 life & see it in successfull opperation. I am also well 
 pleased with your suggestions concerning publication 
 &c not to elaborate beforehand too lavishly, let our 
 works gradually do this, we have an illustration of the 
 mischief of this policy in some degree beginning to 
 work in " Eastman " School," Many of the pupils are 
 disappointed, he has not come up to his flourishing cir- 
 culars, and some have gone home after a week or two 
 trials. These things only invite criticisms and often 
 jealousys, I am with you for doing things in a quiet 
 way. 
 
 My special buizness to the College this morning was 
 with reference to alterations in the Chapel Gallery,
 
 170 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 lowring the balustrade in front The Foreman will 
 make an estimate of the cost & we will determine to- 
 morrow. I must now close this letter as I have many 
 calls on business from tennants who enquiring about 
 houses &c. &c. Amanda & Mr. Schow joins in their 
 best regards to you & your good Lady & family. 
 Yours, very truly &c 
 
 M. Fassar 
 
 Janry 24" 1865. 
 Prof. Sam 1 F. B. Morse LLD 
 My dear Sir 
 
 I received your letter of yesterday with an enclosed 
 letter from Rev d Lewis P. Clover repeating his ap- 
 plication for a Professorhip in the College, and in re- 
 gard thereto I may briefly remark, that said applica- 
 tion together with a multitude of others, was in due 
 time handed to the Chairman of the Committee on 
 Faculty & Studies President Raymond, to be referred 
 to again at the proper season before laying the same 
 before the Board of Trustees for final decision. 
 
 The President in connection with said Committee 
 is now engaged to investigate and complete a plan of 
 Organization intended to be laid before the Trustees 
 at their first meeting, and in conformity with said plan 
 the proper Professor & Teachers will then be taken 
 under consideration. 
 
 The address of D r Magoon is " Rev d E. L. Ma- 
 goon DD Albany " and in connection with the position 
 to which D r Magoon stands to the Committee of Art, 
 of which you are a member, I take this opportunity to 
 reveal unto you a Suggestion that has met with an
 
 Matthew Vassar 171 
 
 unanimous approval of my friends and the friends of 
 the College. The Art Gallery of the College lately 
 purchased by me of D r Magoon is now entirely put 
 in the College Building and properly hung, and among 
 this valuable collection we have a beautiful Oil Paint- 
 ing of the late Edward Everett which we have recently 
 taken down from its first position on the Wall and 
 transferred to the north End of the Gallery on the 
 Side of the Oil picture of myself, and if I now could 
 be so happy to prevail on you to donate to the College 
 a Oil painting of yourself to be placed on the other 
 Side of my picture, you would not only confer a per- 
 sonal favor on me, that I shall highly appreciate, but 
 in time to come it would illustrate the american repre- 
 sentatives of Science & Art that gave birth to my 
 own inspirations of donating the whole results of my 
 long lifes perseverance to the cultivation of Art & 
 Science for Woman as well as for man. 
 
 Hoping to be favored with your reply I remain 
 Dear Sir 
 
 Truly yours 
 
 P S. President Raymond has just returned from a 
 Tour West and intends to answer Rev d Clovers let- 
 ter to you. 
 
 February 6 1865. 
 Joel B. Germond 
 
 Care of W. White 186 Bowery near Spring N Y 
 
 Dear Sir The Vassar Female College will need 
 by and by a good Time-Piece with double Dial plates 
 which we propose on the Arch-way at the entrance (of 
 the Gate Lodge) which Lodge is about 500 feet West
 
 172 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 of the College. The Dials should be of sufficient size 
 to be perfectly seen from the College, and so arranged 
 as to be illuminated at night, something like your City 
 Hall. The Gate Lodge being furnished with Gas will 
 supply the light. At your convenience please to in- 
 form me if you can procure for us such a clock and at 
 about what Cost. I scarcely need say that it must be 
 a perfectly reliable timekeeper as all the movements 
 of the College departments as to the hour of day & 
 night will depend upon its accuracy. 
 Amanda joins in her best regards &c a . 
 
 Yours 
 
 Poughkeepsie March 6 1865 
 M re Sarah J. Hale 
 Dear Madam 
 
 Your very kind favor of the 27 th Ult. with enclosure 
 of duplicate of a letter I addressed you on the 2 d April 
 64 upon the subject of changing the title of V. F. 
 College, came duly to hand, but as President Raymond 
 now is absent from the City, I must ask your indulgence 
 for a definite answer to your questions untill his re- 
 turn, even then we should need the consent of our 
 Board of Trustees, who do not meet till the Second 
 Tuesday in April, which would make it too late for 
 legislative action at this session, as they adjourn on 
 the I st April. 
 
 Allow me my dear Madam to return to you my 
 hearty thanks for the deep interest you continue to 
 take in this my last Enterprize (V. F. C.) for the 
 benefit of woman and the generous encomiums you 
 have so liberaly bestowed upon me as the Founder of
 
 Matthew Vassar 173 
 
 an Institution for her moral and mental advancement, 
 and now as you are the pioneer advocate for a change 
 in the title of the College it would be exceedingly 
 gratifying to me to have your opinion on another ques- 
 tion equaly novel, viz : The devision of School or Col- 
 lege terms. It is proposed by some of our Trustees 
 to divide the periods of tuition thus : 
 
 months 
 
 To say First Term from I st April to I st August 4 
 Second " from I st Sept " 20" Decbr 4 
 Summer Vacation i mo 
 
 Winter " Jan^, Febr y , March 3 " 4 
 
 The advantages of this devision of time will allow 
 the young ladies whose parents or guardians reside in 
 the Country or rural districts to avail themselves of 
 the long winter evenings assisting the pursuits in their 
 household duties at home, studying their textbooks &c a 
 and making up new and repairing their own wardrobe, 
 while the pupils of parents residing in Cities or large 
 Towns and perhaps in better pecuniairy circumstances 
 will have the opportunity of doing the same and attend 
 intellectual and polite entertainments usually held in 
 large towns & places in the winter months The Col- 
 lege, as you are aware, is already provided in its ar- 
 rangements for Winter conveniences by an extensive 
 heating apparatus, so that it is not out of economical 
 considerations that this change of School terms is sug- 
 gested, but rather on account of health and comfort to 
 its inmates, for it is the late fall & Winter Season in 
 our clime that causes most of the maladys common to 
 the northern latitudes and should we have a large share 
 of them, the public would ascribe it to an unhealthy
 
 174 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 location of the College, besides which extensive ar- 
 rangements are made on the grounds for Gymnastical 
 or athletical exercises in Summer and for the Study 
 of Floral, Botany, Trees &c a by living existences, these 
 would be comparatively lost to pupils in the Winter 
 Season. It is not, however our purpose to insist in the 
 entire dismissal of all the pupils; such as have no par- 
 ents or homes can remain, but the season of general 
 Instruction ends at these severals terms and those 
 that remain will only be required to pay simply board 
 &c a . I will not however extend these remarks, as your 
 fertile mind will readily supply or detect, pro's or 
 con's of these suggestions. 
 
 I will send you in a few days an article written by 
 me some time since on the " Female Mind " but not 
 thinking worth publication laid it aside, you can review 
 it and make such disposal of it as you think proper. 
 
 I remain Dear M re Hale 
 
 Yours very truly 
 
 June 27 th 1865. 
 Nathan Bishop LLD 
 My dear Sir 
 
 The first stage in the developement of that great en- 
 terprize to which I have devoted a large portion of my 
 fortune and the latest labors of my life, is now drawing 
 to a close. The erection of the College edifice and its 
 equipments with the material apparatus of instruction 
 will soon be completed and with the coming autumn, 
 its interior life, as a great educational establishment 
 will begin 
 
 Thus far the great work of the Executive Com-
 
 Matthew Vassar 175 
 
 mittee has been in a great measure, that of a Building 
 Committee and I have cheerfully shared its perplexi- 
 ties & toils form a conviction that my long experience 
 in the management of material affairs would enable me 
 to give them important aid. Although a Kind Provi- 
 dence has blessed me with more than ordinary health 
 and vigor for my years, yet I begin to feel sensibly 
 the wear & tear of these numerous and ever-multi- 
 plying details, and since the business of the Executive 
 Committee must hereafter pertain more than hereto- 
 fore to the internal regulation of the College, I have 
 felt a strong desire to be relieved by some gentlemen, 
 who, to the general qualities of business capacity, high 
 proficiency and practical Knowledge in the manage- 
 ment of an Institution of learning. 
 
 With this view I have not only looked carefully over 
 the list of our list of Trustees, but extended my view 
 through the entire range of my acquaintance; and, 
 among all within my reach or beyond my reach, I find 
 no one who possesses those qualifications so immen- 
 ently and so entirely as yourself, It is my desire, there- 
 fore, at the approaching meeting of the Board of Trus- 
 tees, to resign my present place as chairman of the 
 Executive Committee, and my earnest hope is that 
 you will consent, to accept and discharge this honor- 
 able trust. 
 
 I have requested Pres. Raymond & our mutual 
 friend Mr. Stephen Buckingham to be the bearers of 
 this communication and to give any further explana- 
 tion of my views (of which they are fully informed) 
 that you may desire. 
 
 Meanwhile believe me dear Sir M. V
 
 176 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 July 6 th 1865. 
 My dear M re Hale 
 
 I have just received yours of the 2 d Inst. with a 
 short notice of Doctor Raymonds " Prospectus " as 
 published in the August N of the Lady 3 Book. It is 
 quite to the purpose and needed no apology for its 
 briefness. I am much pleased to have your approval 
 of the Prospectus; the subject of change of Title to 
 the College came up for discussion at the June meet- 
 ing and was warmly debated and closely voted. Yeas 
 6 & Noes 7 and 7 out of the 20 members pres- 
 ent declined to vote not having their minds made 
 up. We shall carry our points at the next meeting 
 of the Board. The non voters out of regard to the 
 feelings of the Founder would have voted in the 
 affirmative if he specially desired them, but not 
 otherwise, until further persuaded of the propriety 
 of the change of course I would consent to no such 
 compromise and thus the affair passeth off at the meet- 
 ing. 
 
 I send you by this days mail 2 Copies of D r Ray- 
 monds " Prospectus." We have already distributed 
 some 2500 out of 3000 printed, a new Edition will be 
 required in a few days. Applications for Scholarships 
 are pouring in far and wide, hundreds are calling at 
 our Office for " permits " to visit the College, but the 
 Ex Com. has suspended all indulgences of the Kind 
 for the present, as the workmen are busy painting, 
 cleaning, oiling the floors & getting in Furniture. 
 
 In another month or two all will be completed and 
 then I hope you will do us the honor of a visit and write 
 me a few days before, not that I shall or may be from
 
 Matthew Fassar 177 
 
 home, but that other engagements may not interfere. 
 With my usual salutations of esteem. I remain. 
 
 Poughkeepsie 
 Saturday Morning 
 
 March 10, 1866 
 My dear Miss Dickinson 
 
 I am just in receipt of your kind note of yesterday 
 morning handed me by your Treasurer M. V. Jun' to 
 attend a social gathering at the College Chapel last 
 evening to listen to a Shakesperian Reading by your 
 President. It is a quaint saying that you cannot loose 
 what you do not posses, but I do not believe from 
 what I learn this Morning but I have lost that which 
 I cannot regain very soon again by my absence. 
 
 Dont send your messages by old " Widdowers " 
 there 8 no dependence on them while being surround 
 by so many College attraction. Miss Germond joins 
 in these sentiments & sincere regards &c 
 
 Yours truly &c 
 
 M. Vassar 
 
 VASSAR FEMALE COLLEGE. 
 
 Sunday Evening 1866 
 To Miss Mary L. Gilbert. Cor. Sec. of the Students of 
 
 V. F. C. 
 
 My dear Madam 
 
 Words are impotent to express my feelings at the 
 doings at your College to honor my Birth-day yester- 
 day to say that I was highly pleased would be a mea-
 
 178 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 gre reply In truth I now learn that the heart finds 
 things which the power of language cannot express, 
 and those things occured yesterday Please to accept 
 my thanks for your kindness The scene of which will 
 never, no never, be obliterated from my Memory. 
 I remain Dear Miss G. 
 
 Yours truly &c. &c. 
 
 Matthew Vassar. 
 
 Thanksgiving Morning 
 
 November 29 th 1866. 
 My dear Doct. Raymond L.L.D. 
 
 I regret exceedingly that I find my health such this 
 morning from a bad cold and feever that I shall not 
 be able to join the friends at the College to-day, which 
 were it otherwise I would be most happy to do, espe- 
 cially as it being a day appointed and set apart by our 
 National & State Magistrate 3 as a Day of " Thanks- 
 giving " for the many Mercies Confered upon this peo- 
 ple, and We should heartly join our thanks as a new 
 Institution of Learning for our social, official and spirit- 
 ual prosperity &c Please to give my best regards 
 
 to our dear young Ladies and Teachers, and say to 
 them, that, I deeply regret that my health will not 
 permit my joining them to-day, that I wanted to say to 
 them, that, the " Vassar College " is now thiers, thiers 
 to elevate, thiers to beautify, thiers to honor, and thiers 
 to adorn, by its fruits, and I trust God in his Providence 
 will bless, prosper and sustain it to the glory of his 
 name, and to the praise and admiration of the world, 
 and I hope therefore that all voices and hearts will
 
 Matthew Vassar 179 
 
 arise and join in one glorious anthem and Sing the 
 DOXOLOGY, today. 
 
 Praise God from whom all blessings flow, 
 Praise him all creatures here below; 
 Praise him above, ye heavenly host; 
 Praise Father, son, and Holy Ghost. 
 
 With my prayers for all your health 3 and happiness 
 I remain Dear Sir 
 
 Yours very truly &c 
 
 M. Vassar. 
 
 N.B. You are at liberty to read this note to the Young 
 Ladies &c if you choose. 
 
 M. V. 
 
 Poughkeepsie 
 
 February 5 th '67 
 My dear Doct. Raymond 
 
 My health is such I can not come out to the College 
 to see you, was it otherwise I could have communicated 
 in half the time it has taken me to write this note. 
 
 I am engaged in making some additional Codicils to 
 my Last Will and Testiment, one of which is to set 
 apart a specific sum the interest of which I purpose to 
 applied to the encouragement of " Gifts or Talents " 
 of the young Ladys pupils in public speaking some- 
 thing in this way During the Collegiate year 
 
 there shall be four subjects announced for debate by the 
 President, one every quarter of the School Session, to a 
 class, say 10 pupils, whose names are previously en- 
 tered & drawn by Lot from the whole number of pupils 
 entering the Class, to be designated the " Vassar Col- 
 ledge " Offhand Speaking Society."
 
 180 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 The President shall state the subject to be spoken 
 an hour before the opening of the Meeting and not be- 
 fore and shall previously appoint judges, say 3 to de- 
 termine the respective merrits of each address accord- 
 ing to the rules of Logic, giving to each pupil the re- 
 ward of Merrit in regular order beginning at N. I 
 to 10. 
 
 I have not mental stamina sufficient to enlarge this 
 morning PWhat think you of the plan. 
 
 Bye the Bye have you seen the " Bill " changing the 
 name of our College. I have wrote Mrs. Hale and sent 
 her a duplicate of the Act. 
 
 Yours very Respectfully &c. &c. 
 
 M. Vassar. 
 
 P. S. M Germand is better so says D r Hervey who 
 has left in this moment. 
 
 M. V. 
 
 August 2 d 1867 
 Doct. Nathan Bishop L.L.D 
 
 My dear Sir 
 
 Some time ago I called your attention as Chairman 
 of the Ex. Board of Trustees of " Vassar College " 
 to a suggestion made by me of the propriety of the 
 latter furnishing at their own expense thier respective 
 half lenght potraits for to be hung up in the Art-Gal- 
 lery, and more especialy do I desire this in as much 
 as my Likeness in Oil & soon will be added the Marble 
 Bust, and then perhaps a Bronse Statute, a lavish ex- 
 penditure I think of Vanity, & that without a Single 
 member of eithur Board to indorse or sustain me in it! 
 Will you please to lay this matter before your Ex.
 
 Matthew Vassar 181 
 
 Committee at your next Meeting. I intended to have 
 Spoken to you yesterday on this subject, but other mat- 
 ters engrossed my thoughts I forgot it &c besides I 
 was rather out of tune in point of health &c 
 
 Yours truly, &c 
 
 M. Fassar 
 
 Setember 9 th 1867 
 My dear Mrs Hale 
 
 I am duly in receipt of your favor of the 2 d cur- 
 rent and were right glad once more to hear from my 
 good and tried friend, and especialy under the circum- 
 stances of improved health from her late tour for its 
 restoration &c. Refering to the Advertisement notice 
 respecting the College requested by our Register M r 
 Schow, declining to make any charges for its publica- 
 tion in the Lady'-Book, only imposes upon me a fresh 
 debt of gratitude, but which I hope to have an oppor- 
 tunity at no distant day to remunerate at least in part. 
 
 I read your article in the Sep 1 No " Catalouge of 
 "Vassar College" for 1866-7, and shall be anxiously 
 waiting y* October November issue. I send you 
 by Am Express Co another Copy of Vassar College & 
 its Founder to present to your friends in England a 
 singular coincidence just occured on the very morning 
 of the day of receipt of your last letter the central 
 marble slab on the front of the Edifice containing the 
 word " Female " was removed relieving the Institu- 
 tion from the odium which has so long disgraced it &c 
 It now reads 
 
 Vassar College 
 Founded A. D. 1861.
 
 182 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 and let me assure you that to you my dear friend and 
 to you only am I indebted for this change after so long 
 a contest by a phalanx of opposers. 
 
 Poughkeepsie December. 12 th 1867. 
 My dear Doct. E. L. M. 
 
 Yours of last Saturday 3 date came duly to hand, giv- 
 ing me an account of your surjournings to the place of 
 your birth, you were more fortunate than a certain 
 Lady was when asked by a gentleman the place of her 
 nativity, who reply ! O she had none as she was the wife 
 of a Methodist Minister! 
 
 But laying puns asside, we very much regretted you 
 and you good wife' absence from our sociable on the 
 evening of the 6 th current, for we had realy a happy 
 joyfull time of it, numbering some hundred & odd 
 guests, composed of the Faculty, Prof 3 , and Teachers 
 of the College, with our City (College) Trustees, and 
 other notables, made up a party of pleasentry & social 
 chat, seldom equaled for literary distinction espedaly 
 at the tables of refreshments, It was realy a mental & 
 physical feast, the latter was got up by our best caterers 
 for the inner-man in our City, so you see your " hopes 
 of our having a good time " of it has been reilised. 
 Yours in the Traces &c &c, 
 
 M. Vassar
 
 Matthew Vassar 183 
 
 Poughkeepsie 
 December i8 th 1867. 
 
 To the honorble Committe appointed to Inspect the 
 minature Statute of the Founder of Vassar Col- 
 lege &c. 
 Gentlemen. 
 
 As the incipient steps are now taken for the erection 
 of the monumental statute of your Founder &c, by 
 Mrs. Laura S. Hofmann Artist, either in Marble or 
 Bronse, I would suggest that in case your committee 
 should decide to cause a devise in either that, if possi- 
 ble, that the work be executed by an American Expert, 
 and that the same be proceeded with immediately, 
 and that it be ereted in the center of the College Ave- 
 nue between the Gate-Lodge and College Edifice as in 
 your judgement may deem best, and in case the work 
 should be begun this ensuing spring, I would loan the 
 College on the first of May on thier B & Mortgage 
 @ 7 pc payable half yearly to pay for the monument 
 or a part thereof the sum of Twenty five Thousand 
 dollars. Yours very Respectfully 
 
 M. Vassar. 
 
 December 19 th 1867. 
 Samuel M. Buckingham Esq r 
 
 My dear Sir 
 
 As you are one of the committee appointed by the 
 Ex. Bord of Vassar College to inspect a Statuette of 
 the Founder of the Institution moulded by Mrs Laura 
 S. Hofmann as a study for a larger work to be made 
 of Marble or Bronse, I would beg to submit to you a 
 few thoughts with referance to that important work, 
 but before proceeding allow me to express, that, it was
 
 184 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 never my wish or desire to have the latter work exe- 
 cuted during my life time, whatever the Hon. Board 
 of Trustees might deem proper to do thereafter, but 
 as the artist has undertaken on her own responsibility to 
 execute a minature Modell in clay and now proposes 
 to transfir the same in Plaster for a full sise statute, 
 it becomes extremely important that it should be artis- 
 tically done, so as to bear the vigilent scrutiny of the 
 best connoisseurs in the Art &c, I therefore feel ex- 
 tremely anxious, that, every measure be taken by the 
 Committee to secure that end, as sepulchral, (or for 
 the living) monuments, are either erected as expres- 
 sions of love or veneration by those who delight to 
 linger over departed worth, or as testimonials of grati- 
 tude to the living as values of thier usefullness in fur- 
 nishing excitement to virtue and well doing, in either 
 view the statue proposed to be erected in honor of the 
 Founder of Vassar College will fully express the utillity 
 designed by your Committe, I have no doubt, and 
 should the Com- proceed this autum or ensuing Spring 
 with the work, and require the neccesary Means so to 
 do, I will agree to loan the College on B & Mortgage, 
 a sum sufficent to erect the same, on the I st May next, 
 Interest payable Semi-Annually. 
 
 Yours very Respectfully 
 
 M. Vassar. 
 
 Tuesday Morning 
 
 April 28 th 1868 
 My dear Miss Powell 
 
 I received last evening by the hands of a col d Boy 
 your note of yesterday 9 date, and were glad to hear that 
 you and all the other Young ladies of the College were
 
 Matthew Vassar 185 
 
 pleased with Miss Dickinson Lecture last evening * and 
 before I had passed the Gate-Lodge after leaving the 
 Observatory I was sorry we had not remained to hear 
 the Lecture, notwithstanding my deafness, as her ad- 
 dres &f manners I could have discerned and after all 
 that goes far with our sex. 
 
 The subject of " Womans Suffrage " or " Idiot 8 and 
 Women ", was correctly quoted from the Law 8 grant- 
 ing the right of them to the ballot Box, and when I 
 first read the Law some years ago I was equaly sup- 
 prised to find our Fair sex placed in so shamefull cate- 
 gory as " criminals, paupers, Idiots &c," which if the 
 Law was right by this Classification I think it is full 
 time that my 300 Daughters at " Vassar " knew it, and 
 applied the remidy. 
 
 The truth is it is all nonsense and irreconcilible with 
 Divine truth in regard to the Mental Capacity of 
 Woman, nothing but long prejudice with the dominer- 
 ing spirit of Man has kept Woman from occupying a 
 higher elevation in literature & art, but mans tyrany & 
 jelousy, and wilfull usurpation of her normal rights &c. 
 
 Excuse these hasly writtin remarks with many in- 
 terruptions while waiting for my Carriage to go to the 
 College Yours very truly &c 
 
 M. Vassar. 
 
 Poughkeepsie June 10 th 1868. 
 John H. Raymond L.L.D. 
 
 My dear Doctor 
 
 Yours of yesterday Enclosing a letter from our old 
 friend & Trustee Col. Morgan L. Smith is received, 
 and read, and as you remark " contains some sentences 
 
 1 Saturday evening.
 
 1 86 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 doubtless intended for my Ear 5 , but which I do not 
 fully comprehend, but as far as I do are not view d by 
 me in that light, my maxim or motto is now the same 
 as at the begining of our enterprise Do all things, 
 Interlecturall and Material the best, and make your 
 prices accordingly. The idea that " during the infancy 
 of the College to court public patronage by catering to 
 cheap or low prices of instruction is to my mind redicu- 
 lous. I go for the best means cost what they may & 
 corresponding prices for tuition in return. Suppose we 
 raised the terms (altho' I would not as a whole) only 
 on the ornamental branches, do you suppose the Col- 
 lege would be relieved of Pupils. Nay, not a wit, I am 
 therefore for giving the Daughters of the public the 
 very best Means of Education, and make them pay 
 for it! 
 
 I will stake my reputation on the result, The best 
 article in Market always meets with the most readiest 
 and quickest Sale, and as a general rule pays the largest 
 profit ! 
 
 I dont believe in erecting a " Monument " to my 
 everlasting Shame by a failure in Judgement in its con- 
 ductment &c 
 
 I think well of " Advertising " and I have advocated 
 already & put fresh means in progress through the 
 journals of the day calculated to secure that object, viz, 
 the notoriety of our Institution, but nevertheless there 
 is room in the secular papers in the Country as the Co 1 
 says, for more extensive circulation, as my Carrage 
 is at the Door waiting to take me to " Springside " 
 must close these remarks &c 
 
 Yours very truly &c 
 
 M., Fassar
 
 Copyright by T 7 assar College 
 
 MATTHEW VASSAR AND HIS DOG 
 From an old Ambrotype
 
 Matthew Vassar 187 
 
 Poughkeepsie June II th 1868 
 Professor Ch 8 . S. Farrar 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 Enclosed please to find accompaning this note 42 
 Continental currency Bills of different valuations 
 amounting to some 206.500 with $3iirNew York & 
 Spanish curency, which I were presented with last Eve- 
 ning by Mrs. Sarah Robinson & Miss Martha Forbes 
 for the use of the Vassar College. Time is gradualy 
 wearing away these land Marks of by-gone days & 
 therefore the importance of preserving the scanty few 
 in some of our public Archives, You will please to 
 give them a place in Vassar. 
 
 Your 8 Respectfully &c 
 
 M. Vassar.
 
 LETTERS TO SARAH L. STILLSON 
 MAY 8', 66 
 
 TO 
 MAY 4, '67. 
 
 A Group of Letters written to Miss Sarah L. Still- 
 son, between May 8, '66 and May 4, '67. 
 
 The happiness which the Founder received from the 
 honor and devotion shown him by the students of Vas- 
 sar College is vividly expressed in the letters written 
 to Sarah L. Stillson while she was a student in college 
 and afterwards. As the occasion of the beginning of 
 this correspondence was the " Hill-Top Idyl " written 
 by Miss Stillson for the first Founder's Day, the little 
 pamphlet containing the poem is reproduced before the 
 letters. 
 
 HILL-TOP IDYL 
 FOUNDER'S DAY 
 
 To honor the Founder of " Vassar College " 
 " the Faculty voted that the anniversary of his birth- 
 day be entered on the calendar as a holiday to be 
 celebrated with appropriate commemorative exer- 
 cises." 
 
 The design was that this should be made the 
 Students' Day, and that the young ladies should of- 
 fer such a tribute to Mr. Vassar as should express 
 their sense of the value of his gift and their own 
 respect and affection for him as the Founder of the 
 College. 
 
 188
 
 Autobiography and Letters 
 
 Accordingly the arrangements and preparations 
 for the day were made by the young ladies, and the 
 " Founder's Day ", was most happily inaugurated. 
 A procession of some three to four hundred students 
 met Mr. Vassar, accompanied by the President, (Dr. 
 Raymond,) at the entrance of the Gate Lodge a 
 song of welcome greeted him at the College ap- 
 propriate literary exercises were held in the Chapel, 
 and a collation in the Dining-Hall; and a reception in 
 the College Parlors, in the presence of the pupils and 
 numerous invited guests to participate in the festiv- 
 ities, completed the exercises of the occasion. 
 
 The literary proceedings consisted of a salutatory 
 by Miss Bush, of Turin, N. Y., an essay by Miss 
 Palmer, of Detroit, Michigan subject, ' The 
 World's Advance," five dramatic recitations, repre- 
 senting woman in different ages of the world; a poem 
 by Miss Stillson, of Nunda, N. Y., subject, " Hill- 
 Top Idyl," and a Floral Drama by Miss Braddock, 
 one of the teachers. Thus ended the exercises on this 
 interesting evening inaugurated by the young ladies 
 in commemoration of the Founder's Birth; and so 
 quiet and still were the preparations made that the 
 Founder had no knowledge whatever of it until the day 
 arrived Monday, 3Oth April, 1866. 
 
 The following is the poem of the evening: 
 
 HILL-TOP IDYL 
 
 Nature loves holiday: Tired winds delay with dally- 
 ing streams, 
 
 And sometimes January's heart is haunted by Spring 
 dreams.
 
 190 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Youth's feet cannot plod heavy on in spondees all its 
 
 days: 
 'Tis health to step to dactyl rhythm while Joy her 
 
 schottisch plays, 
 Merrily tripping, while music is rippling, foot-beat 
 
 and heart-beat in rhyme, 
 Soul-thrilling chorus so sweet pealing o'er us, that 
 
 voices ring, hearts sing in chime. 
 He who'd advise all serious life as well might seek to 
 
 train 
 Cupid to teach us logarithms, to bloom with flowers 
 
 the main. 
 
 So hail we all this festal day, day in commemoration 
 Of him who reared these walls to bless the future of 
 
 our nation. 
 
 Dawn kissed the Catskills, whose calm face smiled 
 
 blushing back on Dawn, 
 So, beauty-bathed, the jealous stars had one by one 
 
 withdrawn : 
 A band of girls on " Sunset Hill " watched for the 
 
 coming day, 
 They tho't they heard a far strange sound, and then 
 
 a still voice say: 
 
 "I'm Guardian Genius of the place. Look! where 
 
 yon College stands, 
 Five years ago no structure vast showed work of 
 
 builders' hands; 
 The herdsman's whistle might be heard, or cattle's 
 
 distant low: 
 A great mind's Thought begets a Deed, what greets 
 
 the vision now?
 
 Matthew Vassar 191 
 
 One philanthropic soul was stirred to elevate your 
 race, 
 
 To open Wisdom's gates to give Columbia's daughters 
 place. 
 
 Men praised the work : its Founder said, ' Give me 
 not now the praise 
 
 'Tis but a soulless form as yet 'twill speak in future 
 days.' 
 
 They gathered in from distant homes, from cities scat- 
 tered wide, 
 
 Where rice fields wave, where north winds sweep, 
 where west streams roll their tide, 
 
 Until the structure woke to life. Lights from the win- 
 dows gleamed; 
 
 With voices rang the corridors that with earnest young 
 life teemed; 
 
 And still, * Not yet,' the Founder said, * when 
 women you shall see 
 
 Go forth to bless when I am gone, then shall my tri- 
 umph be.' 
 
 But tell me what you think of all, and who your lead- 
 ers are." 
 
 So we described and spoke of each, singling out star 
 by star, 
 
 Whose blended lights will guide us oft when hence we 
 wander far x 
 
 Of him 2 whose brain and heart so blend, as twilight 
 blends with day, 
 
 We see not where the one begins, the other ceases 
 sway, 
 
 1 The Faculty and Teachers. 
 
 2 Dr. Raymond. .
 
 192 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Of him who teaches numbers 3 and their subtle secrets 
 keeps, 
 
 Of him, Nature's true votary, 4 who reads Earth's 
 mystic deeps, 
 
 Of her whose wisdom guiding well 5 doth wield an in- 
 fluence far, 
 
 Of her who knows the distant heavens, 6 follows the 
 trackless star, 
 
 Of him who speaks in many tongues 7 with nations o'er 
 the sea, 
 
 And brings the classic ages back from their deep 
 mystery, 
 
 Of him who treats of eloquence, 8 and all its sweet con- 
 trol, 
 
 Her who explains the human form, 9 strange casket of 
 the soul, 
 
 Of those who train by art and song 10 to love the Beau- 
 tiful, 
 
 Of teachers rare, whose deep true worth we ne'er can 
 prize too well, 
 
 Our College Home ! It is a spot where Truth and 
 Wisdom dwell! 
 
 In honor of the Founder, we shall have a gala day, 
 
 When trees almost in leaf and flow'r, and when 'tis 
 almost May, 
 
 Our thoughts, alas ! being scarce half bloom'd, inspire 
 us what to say. 
 
 The Voice replied, " 'Tis meet, glad maids, in honor 
 of his name, 
 
 1 Prof. Farrar. T Prof. Knapp. 
 
 4 Prof. Tenney. 8 Prof. Buckham. 
 
 6 Miss Lyman. * Miss Avery. 
 
 6 Miss Mitchell. 10 Profs. Wiebe and Van Ingen.
 
 Matthew Vassar 193 
 
 That you should have a festal day for debt you owe 
 to him, 
 
 For you are by life's fount, and hear its cataracts far 
 away 
 
 That blending with that ripple's fall are a lulling mel- 
 ody; 
 
 But he has passed life's rapids, lo ! their foam is on his 
 hair, 
 
 And the blinding spray has dimmed his eye from the 
 sea that draweth near. 
 
 What you should write, I scarce can tell: your daily 
 influence preaches 
 
 Far louder sermons day by day than all your silvery 
 speeches. 
 
 Talk not on ' Woman's Rights : ' Be right, and leave 
 the praise to men. 
 
 But hark! the corridor breakfast bells are ringing out 
 again. 
 
 On those disheveled locks all eyes' reproving glance 
 will fall, 
 
 If tardy, or with lingering steps you thread that din- 
 ing-hall : 
 
 'Twere poetry on Sunset Hill to watch day's rosy flash, 
 
 But poetry and prose in life do sometimes sadly clash. 
 
 So hence, as you must practice o'er today the ' Found- 
 er's Greeting: ' 
 
 " Or, more important," added one, " attend committee 
 meeting. 
 
 Nay Guardian Spirit, 'tis but dawn, 'twas only rising 
 bell, 
 
 Phoebus has not joined his steeds above the gold- 
 crowned hill, 
 
 So of this College prophesy the future destiny."
 
 194 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 " Students, the answer yours," it said; " 'tis left for 
 
 you to say: 
 
 'Tis a grand interrogation-point before the world to- 
 day; 
 
 And so, * to be or not to be, that is the question,' then, 
 Whether you'll rise in mental height to regions most 
 
 divine, 
 Or, leaving Minerva's temple gates, offer on Fashion's 
 
 shrine. 
 If the last, your verdict then will be your verdict 
 
 and the world's, 
 That Curtiss' * goddesses,' alas ! are only common 
 
 girls. 
 You'll wander forth from the Founder's halls, but 
 
 each one of your band, 
 Tho' little, keeps (O sacred trust I) his honor in her 
 
 hand. 
 Live not for self; live for your age, the future, and to 
 
 God; 
 Thus each a gem in his shining crown, when he sleeps 
 
 beneath the sod. 
 
 Despise no humble mission, overlooking lowly worth, 
 The bow that crowns the heaven begins and ends its 
 
 arch on earth. 
 
 Toil on! up Wisdom's starry heights, faint not in as- 
 piration; 
 Your best achievement will be but his life dream's 
 
 incarnation, 
 And Vassar College stand thro' time an honor to the 
 
 Nation."
 
 Matthew Vassar 195 
 
 Poughkeepsie 
 Tuesday May 8 th 1866 
 My dear Miss Stilson 
 
 I was favor' d with a Copy of your pretty little poem 
 deliver d on the occasion of the " Founder 8 day " or 
 Festival in Commemoration of his Birth-day April 
 3O th 1866, and have perused it over and over, and can- 
 not express my feelings at the present moment for this 
 
 little gem of your poetic genious 
 
 Please to accept my best thanks till oppertunity of- 
 fer 8 to do better. 
 
 I am Dear Miss S. 
 
 Yours truly &c 
 
 M. Vassar 
 
 " Springside " 
 
 June 1 8 th 1866. 
 My dear Miss Stillson 
 
 The printer (M. Osborn) of your beautiful little 
 gem composition " Hilltop Idyl " was dilivered me 
 (200) copies on Saturday evening, but too late to send 
 them to you I forward the same this morning 
 by the " College post Boy " 
 
 I think you will be pleased with the typographical 
 & mechanical executions. I only regret their tedious 
 delay, I trust you will meet with ready patronage in 
 this first effort for literaly fame. 
 
 I remain dear Miss S 
 
 Your friend &c 
 
 Matthew Vassar 
 
 P. S. I have retained 25 copies for distribution 
 among my friends
 
 196 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Thursday Evening 
 My dear Miss Stilson 
 
 I received your 8 of the u th inst, appologising for 
 your and other pupils at " Vassar " in not seeming 
 civil at the parting on Saturday Eves PicNic at 
 " Springside ". I assure you my dear Miss S. that was 
 no fault of yours or your companions, I noticed your 
 intentions while passing the door of my Cottage, but 
 your good Lady Principal Miss L. fancied / was tired 
 and beconied your advance while / would have been 
 glad to have taken each of you by the hand, had an 
 oppertunity offered. 
 
 I am pleased to think you all enjoyed the repast &c, 
 Truly a Kind Providence greatly favor d us in the 
 weather, the day was charming, so were all the sor- 
 roundings &c. I feel sad to think how we shall sep- 
 erate, perhaps some us forever. Good bye my dear 
 friend for to-day, I hope to meet you on Commence- 
 ment Week. 
 
 Yours very truly &c &c 
 
 Matthew Vassar 
 June 13, 1867 (date penciled on envelope). 
 
 VASSAR COLLEGE 
 
 Poughkeepsie, N. Y. September 5 th 1867 
 My dear Miss Stilson. 
 
 I am just in receipt of your kind note of the 3 I st 
 ultimo, redeeming your long looked for promise to 
 write me, which of course I had been axiously waiting, 
 but the long delay inferentialy left the impression, 
 that you were sick, or time and other occupations had 
 obliterated me from your memory however your in-
 
 Matthew Vassar 197 
 
 teresting Letter lying before me has relieved all these 
 forbodings, and I am happy to hear that you are well 
 and succeeding so prosperously with your School at 
 Martinsburgh. I pray that our Heavenly Father may 
 Continue to bless your enterprise and that you will re- 
 turn to " Vassar " again next Spring. 
 
 Extensive improvements have been made in the in- 
 terior of the College, in the Lodging departments, for 
 the accomodation of 50 more pupils. Also in the 
 intriduction of more light and Air in the first Story 
 Rooms in rear of the Corridors. The finishing off 25 
 Rooms for Instruction on Piano 8 , and using the old 
 rooms in the College Building for Lodging apartments 
 We can now accommodate 400 pupils with good 
 comfortable sleeping apartments The number of 
 Pupils already registered for Sept. term is some 360, 
 and in another week or two we shall have the full com- 
 plement. 
 
 Some few changes has taken place in the officers of 
 our Institution, or rather in the Professorships 
 among those are Professor Knapp and Prof r Weibe, 
 the former & Lady has gone to Europe, the latter to 
 Holy Yoke Seminary. We have their places ably 
 supplied. We have expended some $15,000 in alter- 
 ations & other improvements in the College buildings 
 for the convenience & comfort of its Pupils, &c. 
 
 I send you by " Am " Express Co." a work en- 
 titled " Vassar College & its Founder " by Benson J. 
 Lossing which is the first Copy I have given away to 
 any Pupil of " Vassar ", also the last Catalouge " 
 please to accept the same from your sincere friend, also 
 Miss Lymans New Term address to the Parants & 
 Pupils My Coachman is waiting on the door and I
 
 198 The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 must close this note, with my best wishes for your 
 health & happiness &c Yours truly 
 
 M. Vassar 
 
 Springside, Po 
 
 September 26 th , 1867 
 My dear Miss Stilson, 
 
 I was put duly in receipt of your kind letter of the 
 23 d current, and was supprised to learn at first thought 
 that you had not received " V College & its Founder " 
 but on the second thought, there was a very good and 
 satisfactory reason, viz, I had omitted to mail it &c, 
 dispact d it yesterday which will be at hand ere this 
 note. 
 
 I herewith send you on other side as per request 
 the Certificate sought, and hope it will prove sattis- 
 factory and accomplish your purpose. Our College is 
 filling up fast -we have now entered on the Books 
 some 370, pupils, all goes on well, I am happy to hear 
 that your School prospects are so flattering. We have 
 this summer added more gymnastics & other physical 
 Exercises, the latter large Riding School Building, 
 two 9 Pin-Alleys, Not feeling very bright this Morn- 
 ing I must make this note brief. 
 
 Yours very Respectfully &c 
 
 Matthew Vassar 
 
 City of Poughkeepsie N. Y. 
 
 September 26 th 1867 
 To whom it may concern &c. 
 
 The bearer of this note Miss Sarah L. Stilson has 
 been a pupil of " Vassar College " for the last two
 
 Matthew Vassar 199 
 
 years past, and as far as I understand from the prin- 
 cipals of the educational departments has acquited her- 
 self with creditable testimonies and good character. 
 
 Matthew Vassar 
 Founder of Vassar College 
 
 Oct. 1 8. 1867 
 My dear Miss Stilson 
 
 Right glad I were to receive a note from you under 
 date of the 12 th current, acknowledging the safe re- 
 ceipt of " V. C. & its Founder". I began to have 
 fears that like several others sent by the " American 
 Express Company " had failed to reach its destination, 
 I am also happy to hear you were pleased with the 
 work. 
 
 If the particulars I gave you of the late opening 
 of the College were " interesting " to you I am happy 
 & amply paid for writing it, as nothing gives me more 
 pleasure than to please my College Children, and like 
 yourself when I fall to thinking about our absent ones 
 I wish them all back again, but as you remark " this is 
 a " Working world " and have all of us " wings & 
 must expect some will " fly away ", like the Dove in 
 olden times with the emblem of invitation to return 
 with safety to its green pastures &c. 
 
 I rode out to the College yesterday a lovely day, 
 Saw many of your old Schoolmates, they were glad 
 to hear from you through me, some were walking, 
 Riding, Rowing, and some rolling 10 Pins in the New 
 Ball Alley opened yesterday in the Gymnasium Build- 
 ing on the south side in Basement one Alley on 
 either side 100 feet long. Room Lighted nights with
 
 2OO The Autobiography and Letters of 
 
 Gass, heated with Steam, many practice evenings & 
 150 pupils have enrolled their names. It is much 
 liked as a physical exercise, and that you know is my 
 great object " Physical Exercise ". 
 
 I hope my dear Miss S. you will find it to your 
 Convenience to return to the College soon. 
 
 I remain truly Yours 
 
 M. Vassar. 
 
 Poughkeepsie 
 
 December io th 1867 
 My dear Miss Stilson. 
 
 Your 8 , of the 6 th current with " Hill Top " Institute 
 enclosed is received, and were happy to hear from you 
 once again, and have perused over your letter with much 
 pleasure, altho' you mentiond it was written under 
 pressure of many heavy demands on your time, yet I did 
 not discover it by its autography or Composition but 
 contrawise, both had improved. 
 
 Your reminiscences of the pleasure 8 you enjoyed at 
 the little festival entertainment afforded at Springside 
 last summer were fully ballanced & reciprocated by 
 me on that occasion, by meeting so many of the Young 
 Ladies of the College I have again and again, of 
 late participated & enjoyed those pleasent season 8 
 First on the last Thanksgiving day, I dined at the Col- 
 lege, & in the Evening had a social gathering in the 
 Parlors on the 3 d . Dec the Annual Festival of the 
 Philalethian Society came off, then on the 6 th (Friday 
 Evening) we held a sociable Entertainment at my 
 Domicil (city Residence) of the Faculty, Professors, 
 & Lady Teachers, of " Vassar ", with several of the
 
 Matthew Vassar 201 
 
 Trustees & Executive Committee, numbering over a 
 hundred Guests, with a choice N. Y. City Band of 
 Music. At ii. Ock. we all partook of a fine supper 
 got up by the Celebrated Caterers " Smith Brothers " 
 of this City. This was the first Invitation ever extended 
 to the College Faculty & Lady Teachers, since its or- 
 ganization & I think was highly appreciated and will 
 be long remembered Miss Lyman was absent having 
 recently lost her Sister, in Philadelphia 
 
 We have lately had several distinguish 3 Lecturers 
 at our College among them Rev d . Newman Hall of 
 England, Wendell Phillips, Vincent & others. 
 
 The weather is now very cold and we have fine skat- 
 ing at College Lake, a little snow but no sleighing. 
 
 I remain Dear Miss Stilson 
 
 truly Yours &c 
 
 M. . Vassar. 
 
 VASSAR FEMALE COLLEGE 
 
 Poughkeepsie, N. Y., May 4 th 1867 
 My dear Miss Stilson 
 
 I feel disappointed & grived to think I have not 
 seen you within speakable distance so long a time but 
 circumstances of a personal nature has prevented, Of 
 course I saw you, saw your sweet lips move, heard the 
 sound of your melodous voice on the Anniversary Eve- 
 ning, but that 8 all, did not hear one word distinctedly, 
 I think I saw you once in the Corrodors or refreshment 
 room, however be that as it may, I have just finished 
 reading your " Colloquy " so kindly sent me yesterday 
 on the " Triumph of Progress " a Composition
 
 2O2 Autobiography and Letters 
 
 worthy of the claims of more matured and older inter- 
 lects, but where are they in " Vassar College " &c to 
 be found. 
 
 Excuse briefity the doorBell Rings, &c. 
 
 Y re truly, M. Fassar
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 Books from Matthew Vassar's Library. 1 
 
 "Analectic Magazine." Philadelphia, 1817. v. 9-10. 
 
 " Monthly Repository and Library of Entertaining Knowledge." New 
 
 York, 1831. v. i. 
 Nicholson, William. 
 
 British Encyclopedia. American edition. Philadelphia, 1819-21. 
 
 12 v. 
 
 "Penny Magazine of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowl- 
 edge." London, 1832-36, 1840. v. 1-5, 9. 
 Buck, Charles. 
 
 "Theological Dictionary." Philadelphia, 1823. 
 Chambers, Robert. 
 
 " Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation." New York, 1846. 
 " The Holy Bible." New York, 1820. 
 Todd, John. 
 
 "The Bible Companion." Philadelphia, 1842. 
 " Scripture Text-Book." New York, 1846. 
 "The Book of Psalms." New York, 1857. 
 Jones, Henry. 
 
 " Principles of Interpreting the Prophecies." New York, 1837. 
 Keith, Alexander. 
 
 " The Evidence of Prophecy." New York. n. d. 
 Strong, James. 
 
 " New Harmony and Exposition of the Gospels." New York, 1852. 
 Fleetwood, John. 
 
 " Life of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." New 
 
 York, 1822. 
 Goodhue, J. A. 
 
 "The Crucible; or, Tests of a Regenerate State." Boston, 1860. 
 Welby, Horace. 
 
 "Mysteries of Life, Death, and Futurity." New York, 1863. 
 Bush, George. 
 
 "Anastasis." New York and London, 1845. 
 Belsham, Thomas. 
 
 " A Summary View of the Evidence and Practical Importance of 
 
 the Christian Revelation." Boston, 1808. 
 Hartley, David. 
 
 " Of the Truth of the Christian Religion." Boston, 1808. 
 Jenyns, Soame, and Others. 
 
 " Infidelity." New York. n. d. 
 M'llvaine, Charles P. 
 
 " Evidences of Christianity." Philadelphia, 1859. 
 
 1 These books were originally incorporated in the Vassar College 
 Library, but have since been taken out, as they have been found and 
 put in a separate collection. There may be others yet to be added. 
 
 203
 
 2O4 Appendix 
 
 Smith, John P. 
 
 " Relations Between the Holy Scriptures and Some Parts of 
 
 Geological science." London, 1848. 
 Mathews, J. M. 
 
 "The Bible and Men of Learning." New York, 1855. 
 Hervey, James. 
 
 " Meditations and Contemplations." New York, 1822. 
 Doddridge, Philip. 
 
 " Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul." Northampton, 1804. 
 Williams, Mrs. 
 
 " Religion at Home." Providence, 1837. 
 Ramsey, William. 
 
 " The Drunkard's Doom." Philadelphia, 1845. 
 " Manual of Christian Psalmody." Boston, 1832. 
 "The Psalmist: a New Collection of Hymns for the Use of Baptist 
 
 Churches." Philadelphia, 1848. 
 Jay, William. 
 
 "Morning Exercises for the Closet." Baltimore, 1834. 
 Law, William. 
 
 "Call to Christians." Philadelphia, 1851. 
 Williams, William R. 
 
 " Religious Progress." Boston, 1850. 
 Chalmers, Thomas. 
 
 " Application of Christianity to the Commercial and Ordinary 
 
 Affairs of Life." New York, 1821. 
 Dwight, Timothy. 
 
 "Sermons." New Haven, 1828. 2 v. 
 Wayland, Francis. 
 
 " University Sermons." Sermons delivered in the chapel of Brown 
 
 University. Boston, 1849. 
 Howitt, William. 
 
 "History of Priestcraft." New York, 1857. 
 Knowles, James D. 
 
 "Memoir of Mrs. Ann H. Judson." Boston, 1829. 
 Wayland, Francis. 
 
 " Memoir of the Life and Labors of Rev. Adoniram Judson." 
 
 Boston, 1853. 2 v. 
 Jones, William. 
 
 " History of the Christian Church." New York, 1824. 2 v. 
 Mosheim, Johann L. von. 
 
 "Ecclesiastical History, Ancient and Modern." New York, 1821. 
 
 4 v. 
 Merle d'Aubigne, Jean H. 
 
 " History of the Great Reformation of the Sixteenth Century." 
 
 New York, 1846. 4 v. 
 Morris, J. W. 
 
 " Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Rev. Andrew Fuller." 
 
 Boston, 1830. 
 Cochrane, James, ed. 
 
 "Protestant's Manual." Edinburgh, 1839. 
 Sparks, Jared. 
 
 "Letters on the Ministry, Ritual, and Doctrines of the Protestant 
 Episcopal Church." Baltimore, 1820.
 
 Appendix 205 
 
 Beisham, Thomas. 
 
 " Vindication of Certain Passages in a Discourse on Occasion of 
 
 the Death of Dr. Priestley." Boston, 1809. 
 Davis, Andrew J. 
 
 " Great Harmonia." Boston, 1851. 2 v. 
 "The World in a Pocket Book." Philadelphia, 1845. 
 Sidney, Algernon. 
 
 " Discourses on Government." New York, 1805. 3 v. 
 New York (state) Legislature. 
 
 " Manual." '61 and '63. Albany, 1861, 1863. 2 v. 
 Raymond, Daniel. 
 
 " Thoughts on Political Economy." Baltimore, 1820. 
 Smith, Adam. 
 
 " Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations." 
 
 Philadelphia, 1796. 3 v. 
 Hamilton, Alexander. 
 
 "The Federalist." Philadelphia, 1818. 
 New York (state) Constitution Convention, 1821. 
 
 Reports of the Proceedings and Debates. Albany, 1821. 
 Beadle, Delos W. 
 
 " The American Lawyer and Business Man's Form Book." New 
 
 York, 1855. 
 
 "The Damathat; or, The Laws of Menoo," translated from the Bur- 
 mese. Maulmain, 1847. 
 Coppee, Henry. 
 
 "Academic Fallacies." Philadelphia, 1859. (Presentation copy 
 
 from the author.) 
 Columbia College. 
 
 Catalogue of the Governors, Trustees, and Officers, and of the 
 
 Alumni and Other Graduates, 1754-1864. New York, 1865. 
 United States Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce (Depart- 
 ment of Commerce). 
 
 . . . The Foreign Commerce and Navigation of the United States, 
 
 1858. Washington, 1859. 
 " Hunt's Merchants' Magazine and Commercial Review." New York, 
 
 1839-48. v. 1-40, 43. 
 
 "Annual of Scientific Discovery." Boston, 1850. 
 Miller, Hugh. 
 
 " Footprints of the Creator." Boston, 1850. 
 Van Amringe, William F. 
 
 " Investigation of the Theories of the Natural History of Man." 
 
 New York, 1848. 
 
 " Mechanics' Magazine and Register of Inventions and Improve- 
 ments." New York, 1833-36. v. 1-8. 
 
 Moore, George. 
 
 "Health, Disease, and Remedy." New York, 1850. 
 Youmans, Edward L. 
 
 " Hand-book of Household Science." New York, 1857. 
 Ewbank, Thomas. 
 
 " Descriptive and Historical Account of Hydraulic and other 
 
 Machines for Raising Water." New York, 1851. 
 New York State Agricultural Society. 
 
 Transactions, 1843, 1861. Albany, 1844, 1862.
 
 206 Appendix 
 
 Cole, S. W. 
 
 " The American Fruit Book." Boston, 1849. 
 Fessenden, Thomas G. 
 
 " New American Gardener." Boston, 1828. 
 Bridgeman, Thomas. 
 
 " Young Gardener's Assistant." New York, 1844. 3 v. in z. 
 Youatt, William and Martin, W. C. L. 
 
 "Cattle." New York, iSfz. 
 Miner, T. B. 
 
 "American Bee-keeper's Manual." New York, 1849. 
 Downing, Andrew J. 
 
 " Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening." 
 
 New York, 1844. 
 Johnson, Louisa. 
 
 " Every Lady Her Own Flower Gardener." Charleston, 1842. 
 Leuchars, Robert B. 
 
 " Practical Treatise on the Construction, Heating, and Ventilation 
 
 of Hot-houses." Boston, 1851. 
 Cleaveland, Henry W. and others. 
 
 " Villages and Farm Cottages." New York, 1856. 
 Downing, Andrew J. 
 
 " Cottage Residences." New York, 1860. 
 Walker, John. 
 
 " Critical Pronouncing Dictionary and Expositor of the English 
 
 Language." Pocket edition. Hartford, 1831. 
 Locke, John. 
 
 " Conduct of the Understanding," by John Locke [and] " Essays, 
 Moral, Economical, Political," by Lord Bacon. New York, 1823. 
 Butler, Samuel. 
 
 " Hudibras." Baltimore, 1812. 
 Milton, John. 
 
 "Poetical Works." Philadelphia, 1821. 2 v. 
 Shakespeare, William. 
 
 "Dramatic Works." New York, 1823. zo v. 
 Addison, Joseph. 
 
 "Works." New York, 1811. 6 v. 
 Addison, Joseph. 
 
 "Spectator." New York, z8o3- 8 v. 
 Burns, Robert. 
 
 "Works." Philadelphia, 1801. 4 v. 
 Cowper, William. 
 
 "Poems." New York, 1814-16. 3 v. 
 Goldsmith, Oliver. 
 
 "Miscellaneous Works." New York, 1809. 6 v. 
 Goldsmith, Oliver. 
 
 " Poems." New York, 1820. 
 " Letters of Junius." New York, z82i. 2 v. 
 Sterne, Laurence. 
 
 "Works." New York, z8i3. 6 v. 
 Wolcott, John. 
 
 " Works of Peter Pindar." Boston, i8zz. 4 v. 
 Bloornfield, Robert. 
 
 "Poems." New York, 1821.
 
 Appendix 207 
 
 Coleridge, Samuel T. 
 
 " Literary Remains." New York, 1853. 
 Pollok, Robert. 
 
 " Course of Time." Boston, 1829. 
 Cervantes. 
 
 " History and Adventures of Don Quixote." New York, 1814. 
 
 4 v. 
 Sedgwick, Catherine M. 
 
 "Letters from Abroad to Kindred at Home." New York, 1842. 
 
 2 V. 
 
 Durbin, John P. 
 
 " Observations in Europe, Principally in France and Great 
 
 Britain." New York, 1844. v. i. 
 Tripp, Alonzo. 
 
 " Crests from the Ocean-World ; or, Experiences in a Voyage to 
 
 Europe." Boston, 1862. 
 Plutarch. 
 
 " Plutarch's Lives." Philadelphia, 1822. 4 v. 
 Hume, David. 
 
 " History of England." Philadelphia, 1821-22. 9 v. 
 Robinson, John. 
 
 " Hume and Smollet's Celebrated History of England," abridged. 
 
 Hartford, 1831. 
 Macaulay, Thomas B. 
 
 " History of England." New York, 1849. 2 v - 
 Post Office London Directory, 1847. London, 1846. 
 Lacey, Henry. 
 
 " Pictorial Liverpool "... a new and complete handbook. Edin- 
 burgh, n. d. 
 
 " Views of Edinburgh, &c." Edinburgh, n. d. 
 O'Meara, Barry E. 
 
 " Napoleon in Exile." Boston, 1823. 2 v. 
 Robertson, Hume. 
 
 " Impartial History of the Life of Napoleon Bonaparte." Phila- 
 delphia, 1808. 
 Ventouillac, L. T. 
 
 " Paris and Its Environs as Displayed in a Series of Picturesque 
 
 Views." London, 1829. 
 Coglan, Francis. 
 
 " Handbook for Italy." London, 1845. 
 Gillespie, William M. 
 
 "Rome as Seen by a New Yorker in 1843-44." New York, 1845. 
 Gurowski, Adam. 
 
 "Russia as It Is." New York, 1854. 
 Sinding, Paul C. 
 
 " History of Scandinavia." New York, 1858. 
 Malcom, Howard. 
 
 " Travels in Southeastern Asia." Boston, 1839. v. 2. 
 Cheetham, James. 
 
 " Life of Thomas Paine." New York, 1809. 
 Paine, Thomas. 
 
 " Political Writings," New York, 1830. 2 v. 
 Thomas, Ebenezer S. 
 
 " Reminiscences of the Last Sixty-five Years." Hartford, 1840. v. 2,
 
 208 Appendix 
 
 Kemble, Mrs. Francis A. 
 
 "Journal." Philadelphia, 1835. 2 v - 
 Davison, G. M. 
 
 " Traveller's Guide Through the Middle and Northern States and 
 
 the Provinces of Canada." Saratoga Springs, 1837. 
 Mitchell, Samuel A. 
 
 "Accompaniment to Mitchell's Reference and Distance Map of 
 
 the United States." Philadelphia, 1834. 
 Tanner, Henry S. 
 
 " American Traveller." New York, 1844. 
 Blake, John L., ed. 
 
 "A History of the American Revolution." New York, 1844. 
 Pitkin, Timothy. 
 
 " Political and Civil History of the United States." New Haven 
 
 1828. 2 v. 
 Carey, Matthew. 
 
 "Olive Branch." Philadelphia, 1818. 
 
 "History of the American War of 1812." Philadelphia, 1817. 
 Gordon, Thomas F. 
 
 " Gazetteer of the State of New York." Philadelphia, 1836. 
 Hammond, Jabez D. 
 
 " History of Political Parties in New York." Albany, 1842. 2 v. 
 Murphy, William. 
 
 " Biographical Sketches of the State Officers and Members of the 
 Legislature of the State of New York in 1862 and 1863." 
 Albany, 1863. 
 
 " New York Annual Register. 1833, I 834-" New York, 1833-34. 2 v. 
 "The Great Metropolis: or, New York in 1845." New York, 1845. 
 Wilson, Henry. 
 
 "Business Directory of New York City, 1852-53." New York, 
 
 1852. 
 Cleaveland, N. 
 
 "Greenwood; a Directory for Visitors." New York, 1850. 
 Hunt, Freeman. 
 
 " Letters About the Hudson River and Its Vicinity Written in 
 
 1835-36." New York, 1836. 
 Spencer, Spence, ed. 
 
 " Scenery of Ithaca and the Headwaters of the Cayuga Lake." 
 
 Ithaca, 1866. 
 Fuller, Richard, and Wayland, Francis. 
 
 " Domestic Slavery." New York, 1845. 
 Lapham, Increase A. 
 
 " Geographical and Topographical Description of Wisconsin." 
 
 Milwaukee, 1844. 
 Hall, Baynard R. 
 
 "New Purchase; or, Seven and a Half Years in the Far West." 
 
 New York, 1843. 
 A " Scrap-book," kept by Matthew Vassar from January 12, 1860, to 
 
 May, 1867, containing newspaper clippings on Vassar College 
 
 and on the education of women, also a few on politics and. 
 
 other subjects.
 
 INDEX 
 
 Allibone, S. A. A., 70, 84 Farrar, Charles S., 135, 187, 192 
 
 Amherst College, 68 Fisher, Prof., 62-3, 77, 99 
 
 Anderson, Martin B., 12, 45, 50, Ford, Paul Leicester, 7 
 54, 132, 136, 140, 142 Founder's Day, 188, 195 
 
 Autobiography, 17-34 
 Avery, Alida C, 192. G 
 
 Girard, Stephen, 81, 83, 85 
 Godey's Lady's Book, 50, 51, 69, 
 
 143, 148, 166, 181 
 Gregory, Samuel, 12, 70, 75, 118 
 Guy, Thomas, 2, 33 
 
 B 
 
 Babcock, Rufus, 38, 40, 46, 50, 
 64, 66, 97, 99, no, in, 112, 113 
 
 Barnard, Henry, 12, 35, 125, 138 
 
 Beecher, Henry Ward, 125, 146, 
 147, 150, 154, i 66 
 
 Bird, William S., 158 
 
 Bishop, Nathan, 48, 59, 142, 165, 
 174, i 80 
 
 Boorman, James, 70, 82 
 
 Booth, George, 82 
 
 Booth, Lydia, 3, 33, 93 
 
 Booth, Maria, 21, 23, 36, 38 
 
 Brewery, 25, 32 
 
 Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, 50, 
 
 154 
 
 Brown University, 50, 67, 68 
 Buckham, Henry B., 192 
 Buckingham, S. M., 12, 42, 45, 
 
 48, 165, 175, 183 
 
 Chambers, William, 71, 85-6 
 Church, Emma, 71, 107-8, 115, 
 
 119, 121, 154 
 Cooper, Peter, 82-3 
 
 D 
 
 Dartmouth College, 50, 68 
 Dean, Gilbert, 71, 109 
 Diaries, 18, 35-49 
 Drexel, A. J., 81 
 
 E 
 
 Eastman College, 39, 169 
 
 Elliott, C. L., 16, 35, 59, 67, 68 
 
 Elmira College, 135, 160 
 
 H 
 
 Hague, William, 65 
 
 Hale, Sarah Jane, 9, 12, 50, 51, 
 
 67, 118, 135, 141, 143-4, i4. 
 
 148, 150, 153, 163, 165, 166, 
 
 167, 172, 174, 176, 181 
 Harper, James, 45 
 Harris, Ira, 70, 89 
 Harvard University, 3, 68, 99 
 Hill-Top Idyl, 187, 189-194, 195 
 Hofmann, Laura S., 183 
 
 Jewett, Milo P., 3, 4, 9, 36, 39, 
 4i, 5, 51, 57, 59, 63, 65, 67, 
 76, 80, 88, 89, 91, 95, 99, 107, 
 108, 109, in, 112, 113, 116, 117, 
 "9, 125, 129, 130, 133, 135, 137, 
 
 139, HO, 141, 144, 14^1 HS, 
 150, 153, 166 
 
 K 
 
 Kelly, William, 45 
 
 Knapp, William I., 192, 197 
 
 Lee, Robert E., 18, 45 
 
 Leonard, Lewis, 19 
 
 Lincoln, Abraham, 4, 18, 42, 44, 
 
 46, 47 
 Lossing, B. J., 41, 45, 119, 142, 197 
 
 209
 
 2IO 
 
 Index 
 
 Lowell, John, Jr., 84 
 Lyman, Hannah, 169, 192, 196, 
 197, 201 
 
 M 
 
 Magoon, Elias L., 10, 43, 59, 71, 
 119, 120, 122, 123, 126, 134, 
 138, 141, 152, 157, 158, 161, 
 162, 170, 171, 182 
 
 Malcolm, Howard, 70, 90 
 
 Meade, Hiram, 79 
 
 Mitchell, Maria, 12, 71, 97, 100, 
 106, 108, in, 135, 144, 192 
 
 Morse, S. F. B., 45, 119, 165, 170 
 
 Mount Holyoke Seminary, 50, 67, 
 80, 197 
 
 Pierce, George T., 45, 74 
 Porter, John A., 62 
 Powell, Elizabeth M., 184 
 
 R 
 
 Raymond, Charles A., 8, 9, 46, 
 7, 7i, 94, 96, 99, ioo, 104, 114, 
 "7, 139 
 
 Raymond, John Howard, 4, n, 
 , 42, 43, 45, 46, 48, 49, 5, 
 52, 142, 146, 147, 150, 151, 154, 
 156, 161, 163, 165, 166, 168, 170, 
 I7i, 175, 176, 178, 179, 185, 
 189, 191 
 
 Renwick, J. Jr., 35, 36, 70, 72, 
 79, 86, 87, 91 
 
 Schow, J. N., 12, 46, 48, 103, 
 
 115, 118, 181 
 Smith, Daniel, 29, 36 
 Smith, William, 36, 201 
 Stillson, Sarah L., 188, 189, 195, 
 
 196, 198, 199, 200, 201 
 Swan, Cyrus, 2, 12, 41, 44, 45, 
 
 48, 49, 59, 75, 97, "o, 121, 161, 
 
 169 
 Swift, Charles W., 45 
 
 U 
 
 University of Rochester, 50, 69, 
 104 
 
 V 
 
 Valentine, Catharine, (Mrs. Mat- 
 thew Vassar), 2, 5, 18, 19, 37, 
 40, no 
 
 Van Ingen, Henry, 192 
 
 Vassar, Anne, i, 24, 26, 27 
 
 Vassar College, foundation, 3, 52; 
 trustees, 3, 52, 182, 201 ; build- 
 ing, 44, 47, 54-56, 61, 68, 72, 
 79, 87-8, 89, 91-2, 132, 136; 
 finance, 56-7, 73, 74-5, 82; 
 students, 65, 67, 167, 177-8, 
 179-180, 188-189, 196, 197, 198; 
 sectarianism, 72, 98-9, 129; 
 salaries, 101, 104-5, *33"4; 
 funds, 102-3; heating, 105; art 
 collection, 126-7, I 52-3, 155, 
 157, 171; faculty, 130-1, 135, 
 137, 140, 141, 142, 148-9, 182, 
 191-2, 200-1; furniture, 137; 
 vacations, 173-4; changes, 197 
 
 Vassar, James, i, 24, 26, 27, 29- 
 30, 32-3 
 
 Vassar, Jemima, 24 
 
 Vassar, John Guy (brother of 
 Matthew), 20, 33 
 
 Matthew, John Guy (nephew of 
 Matthew), 33, 35, 45, ico, 119 
 
 Vassar, Matthew, life, 1-5, 17-34; 
 education, 6, 7, 8-9 ; ideas on 
 education, 9-11; character, 16; 
 sectarianism, 10, 144-5; library 
 of, 203-8 ; standard for college, 
 186 
 
 Vassar, Matthew, Jr., 38, 42, 44, 
 45, 46, 47, 130 
 
 Vassar, Thomas, 22 
 
 W 
 
 Washington, George, 7 
 Weld, Angelina G., 92 
 White, John G., 56, 73 
 Wiebe, Edward, 192, 197 
 Wright, J. H., 1 6, 67, 68 
 
 Tenney, Sanborn, 192 
 Thompson, John, 28, 119 
 
 Yale University, 3, 68 
 Youmans, Edward, 8, 9, 50, 53, 
 54, 60, 61, 63
 
 UNTO 
 
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 JAN 6 '84-: 
 ED/PSYCH 
 
 FormL9-20w-7,'72(Q 
 
 from which it was borrowed. 
 
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