th
Poughkeepsie March*24 = 60
ProfFM B Anderson
Dear Sir
It is an old adage that we cannot tell what a man
is worth untill after he is dead, and we may add further, that, we cannot
tell how many friends he will have untill he is near diying. they then
cluster around him as close as the vine to its supporting trunk. I make
these prefacotory remarks because you have doubtless seen in the late
Journals of the day a "Bill11 reported under our legislature proceedings
to
posting up my generosity, which was quite as startling to me as my
friends with whom I had made confidents in certain matters pertaining
to the future disposition of a portion of my Estate after my discease and
which publicity was so at variance with all my previous expressed views
and intentions, that they (some at least) have thought me either beside
myself or had strangely changed my plans & purposes. Not so, however,
neither the one or the other have occurred, and I trust that God in his
good Providence will permit me to live, and see the f,Vassar Female Col-
lege" loom up with its Towers and Domes within a short few years. It was
verry natural to find numerous influences at work to change my purposes,
and suggestions were (audiably encaught) ? distinct to understand the
motives which prompted them, but discovering that my purposes were the
result of able & distinguished advises, and of my own cool deliberation of
27
.It-
March 24, 1860 -2
years of close thought and study, with a fund of sound reasoning to
substantiate & means to carry them out, an ebb current of opinion
began to set in, and now those which seem to be most alarmed at my
"gigantic follyn are gradualy becoming willing converts to my plans.
It is our purpose as soon as the fine weather sets in to have
our Committe locate the grounds then to invite artists to make drafts
& plans of the Collige Buildings, and at as early day as possible there-
after to break ground. In regard to this latter movement, I suppose
it;/ is usual to have some opening ceremony,* and I know of no one
more competent and with whom I should be more pleased to perform
that service than yourself, as it will probably not take place before
July, you will have ample time to prepare your notes &c
We shall adopt your suggestions with regard to the progress of
policy &
the work,vis, expending no more annualy than the most judicious enconomy
of the case will justify. We purpose to make what fofafajL I have always
desired "Vassar Female College11 not only the first but the best Institution
for Female instruction in the Country not only for the present age, but
for many years to come. I sent you a Paper (Por Telegraph) the
other day containing an Explanatory article of my plans & purposes, which
I hope you have rec^. Excuse haste as I have to write quick or not at all
on account of my late sickness effecting my brain &c by long application-----
Yours verry truly &c
M Vassar
*in Laying the corner Stone
.28 ; jjjir