space of fourteen months" to transform a cabinet of curiosi- 

 ties, "things rare, curious, or beautiful," into a scientific 

 Museum of the highest rank, an achievement which was 

 fully recognized by the most acute judgment of the leading 

 scientist of his age, as we learn from the following article 

 from The Courier of January 26, 1852 : 



"Museum of the College of Charleston. —On Saturday last, at 12 M., 

 the opening of this excellent and valuable Museum of Natural History 

 and Geology was celebrated at the College Building, by an interesting 

 ceremonial. By the invitation of the Board of Trustees, the Mayor and 

 Aldermen of the city, the Faculty and Alumni of the College, and a large 

 number of literary and distinguished guests were present. Professor F. 

 S. Holmes, the able, scientific and devoted Curator of the Museum, 

 showing how, in the short space of fourteen months (the period since he 

 commenced operation) it had reached its present high and palmy state, 

 and that, wholly from the voluntary contribution of specimens — the con- 

 tributors having been about sixty-seven in number, and chiefly fi'om the 

 districts of Charleston Beaufort and Georgetown, and there being a cer- 

 tain prospect of early and valuable additions to the collection. The Hon. 

 Mitchell King, President of the Board of Trustees, and the liberal patron 

 of the College, then addressed the Mayor and Aldermen on the advant- 

 ages of the Museum, giving a highly interesting sketch of its origin 

 and progress, justly eulogizing the indefatigable labors and enthusiastic 

 zeal of the Curator, and suitably acknowledging the past favors and in- 

 voking the continuance of the liberal aid extended by the City authori- 

 ties to the infant enterprise. In the course of his remarks, he alluded 

 in just terms to the presentation to the Museum of the valuable collec- 

 tion of the old Literary and Philosophical Society and to the large and val- 

 uable contributions of Professors Buchanan, [Bachman, ] Agassiz, Gibbs, 

 [Gibbes,] andShepperd, [Shepard] and Henry W. Ravenel, Esqr., in the 

 Botanical, and of Professor Holmes himself, in the Geological department, 

 and of many other liberal friends of science. The Hon. John Schnierle 

 made an eloquent response to the address of the President, congratulat- 

 ing the Trustees and the community on the increasing prosperity and 

 usefulness of the College, and * * * recognizing in the Museum an 

 institution eminently worthy of the fostering care which had been exten- 

 ded to it by the present Council and their predecessors in office. Professor 

 Agassiz closed with a few remarks, in which he expressed unbounded 

 admiration of the skilful and successful labors and arrangements of the 

 Curator, stated the peculiar advantages enjoyed by Charleston for the 



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