1868.] CQQ [Lesley. 



Aiiothor instance of his active interest in things affecting the 

 general good, is afforded by the history of the erection of the 

 Academy of Music, or Opera House, at the corner of Broad and 

 Locust streets. " I am not of the numhcr of those (he wrote to 

 a friend, under date of April ;>d, 1852,) who thnilv that the short- 

 ness of life is a reason for despising or avoiding its enjoyments, 

 but it is a reason for maintaining a proportion and subordination 

 of our activities, and for selecting the objects of these according 

 to a standard of choice which accords with the highest laws of 

 conduct known to our race." There remain among his private 

 papers ''more than 120 memoranda, di'afts of speeches, letters, 

 notes, &c., in his handwriting, having reference to the project. 

 He was one of three who set the enterprise on foot, and he 

 promptly took practical measures Avith regard to it. The 

 earliest decisive movement towards it was in 1852, when 

 [March 4th, 18.52] an Act to incorporate the 'American 

 Academy of Music ' was passed. A supplement to this act of 

 incorporation was drafted in the following April, by Mr. Foulke, 

 and was taken by Mr. A. H. Smith, to Harrisburg. Owing to 

 the financial condition of our country the project la}' dormant 

 for a year. In April, 1853, Mr. Foulke set about stirring up in 

 its favour the interest of influential persons. He advocated the 

 undertaking for a variety of reasons. He held that 'to la}' the 

 foundation of such a system would enable us hereafter to com- 

 mand the best musical talent of the world, and would enable us 

 to provide for the cultivation of such talent among ourselves.' 

 Contem^ilating the use of the Opera House for representation 

 also of the drama, he desired to see brought about the purification 

 of the taste and manners of the masses, by elevating the stand- 

 ard of poi)ular amusements of this sort." 



His views respecting the proper method of attaining this de- 

 sirable end were peculiar to the generous scope of his own 

 mind, and illustrate his character well. He contended for a 

 music house for the people at large ; not to be one of the 

 exclusive luxuries of the fashionable and wealthy ; a house to 

 contain four or five thousand persons, admitted at low rates; 

 an institution to excite general popularity ; able to cultivate a 

 universal taste for the best music, and obtaining thus every 3'ear 

 a surer guaranty' for its usefulness ; " providing " as he said, 

 '• by liberality of design for the fnture enlargement of our musi- 

 VOL. X. — 3q 



