xviii PREFACE. 



smallness of our stocks and our distance from all large markets offered 

 facilities for forestalling, and gave to mercantile business a speculative 

 character, the influence of which was felt in all classes of society. The 

 abundance of money, the rapid growth of the city, the wonderful pro- 

 ductiveness of the Washoe silver mines, and the success of forestalling 

 speculations, made many fine fortunes and stimulated everybody to 

 aspire after wealth. The Latin poet longed for a life of ease, with 

 dignity; the Californian longs for a life of speculation, with succeas. 

 Whatever else may be said of the Pioneers, they will not be accused of 

 rusting out. 



Nor will it be said of them that the passion which drove them to 

 incur the dangers, the privations, and the toils of adventure in an un- 

 settled and almost unknown country, was sordid. They risked their 

 lives and exerted all their energies for gold, but with no miserly feeling. 

 They spent their money as fast as they made it, too many even faster. 

 Not parsimony, but extravagance, distinguishes the State. Yet it is riot 

 a base extravagance. Our community is highly intelligent ; our pleas- 

 ures are intellectual and refined. Our numerous charities, our munifi- 

 cent contributions to the Sanitary Fund, our free schools, our public 

 libraries, our frequent concerts, the liberal patronage of the theaters, 

 this elegant temple of the drama [the California Theater] in which we 

 have to-day assembled, suggest the dominant feelings and tastes of San 

 Francisco. Great men have made their preferred home among us, and 

 found here their most appreciative friends. It was among us that Baker 

 and Starr King reached their highest nights of oratory. They were 

 with us in life, they remain with us in death. Grant, Sherman, and 

 Sheridan spent many of their best years in our State, and were here 

 prepared for the responsible service to be performed after leaving us. 

 Halleck and Yale have contributed works of permanent value to our 

 legal literature ; Dwinelle, Randolph, and Tuthill have shown eminent 

 ability in their historical labors. Our poetry, our humorous writings, 

 our pictures, have done credit to us at home and abroad, though but 

 beginnings. 



The companions of Cortez in his conquest of the Aztec Empire even 

 the poorest and most ignorant of them were distinguished and pointed 



