38 



THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



and spires spoke of religion to the heart. 

 It was at once proposed, in all parts 

 of the country, by Horticultural and 

 other Societies, that some suitable monu- 

 ment should -be erected to the memory 

 of Mr. Downing, and in 1852, the 

 American Pomological Society ap- 

 pointed a committee to superintend this 

 work. The design adopted by the com- 

 mittee was furnished by Calvert Vaux, 

 of Newburgh, N. Y., the late partner 

 of Mr. Downing, and the work executed 

 by Robert Launitz, an eminent sculptor 

 of New York. The monument was 

 erected in the grounds of the Smithson- 

 ian Institution, at Washington, and it is 

 worthy of remark, that Mr. Downing 

 was engaged in laying out and beautify- 

 ing these grounds at the time of his death. 

 The committee made their final report 

 at the Pomological meeting in Sep- 

 tember, 1856. The funds were supplied 

 by friends of Mr. Downing, in Philadel- 

 phia, Newburgh, Boston, Washington, 

 Louisville, Buffalo, and Rochester. 



The principal design of the monument " 

 consists in a large vase resting on a ped- 

 estal, the whole executed of the finest 

 Italian marble. The pattern of the vase 

 is taken from an antique of the chastest 



school. The vase is four feet in height, DOWNING MONUMENT. 



and measures three feet in diameter on its upper rim. The body is ornamented 

 with rich arabesque; acanthus leaves surround the lower part. The handles 

 rest on heads of satyrs, (the tutelar gods of groves and woods.) The pedestal, 

 resting on a carved base, and being surmounted with a carved cornice, has on each 

 side deep panels, relieved by carved mouldings. Each of the panels contains 

 an inscription ; that upon the Northern Front reads as follows : 



THIS VASE 

 Was erected by his Friends 



IN MEMORY OP 



ANDREW JACKSON DOWNING, 

 Who died July 28, 1852, aged 37 years. 



He was born, and lived, 

 And died upon the Hudson River. 



