410 AS UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT-VII 



carver put his heart into some of the details of the newly 

 erected library. 



Meanwhile, the grounds themselves became more and 

 more beautiful. There was indeed one sad mistake; and 

 I feel bound, in self-defense, to state that it was made 

 during an absence of mine in Europe : this was the erec- 

 tion of the chemical laboratory upon the promontory 

 northwest of the upper quadrangle. That site afforded 

 one of the most beautiful views in our own or any other 

 country. A very eminent American man of letters, who 

 had traveled much in other countries, said to me, as we 

 stood upon it, "I have traveled hundreds of miles in Eu- 

 rope to obtain views not half so beautiful as this." It 

 was the place to which Mr. Cornell took the trustees at 

 their first meeting in Ithaca, when their view from it led 

 them to choose the upper site for the university buildings 

 rather than the lower. On this spot I remember once 

 seeing Phillips Brooks evidently overawed by the amazing 

 beauty of the scene spread out at his feet the great am- 

 phitheater to the south and southwest, the hills beyond, 

 and Cayuga Lake stretching to the north and northwest. 

 But though this part of the grounds has been covered by 

 a laboratory which might better have been placed else- 

 where, much is still left, and this has been treated so as to 

 add to the natural charm of the surroundings. With the 

 exception of the grounds of the State University of Wis- 

 consin and of the State University and Stanford Univer- 

 sity in California, I know of none approaching in beauty 

 those of Cornell. I feel bound to say, however, that there 

 is a danger. Thus far, though mistakes have been made 

 here and there, little harm has been done which is irreme- 

 diable. But this may not always be the case. In my view, 

 one of the most important things to be done by the trustees 

 is to have a general plan most carefully decided upon 

 which shall be strictly conformed to in the erection of all 

 future buildings, no matter what their size or character 

 may be. This has been urged from time to time, but 



