The Harvard Statue.

It is pleasant to think that at last, after a seeming forgetfulness of over two hundred years, the man to whom this flourishing university owes its very existence is to be fitly remembered by a handsome memorial in the form of a statue. Born in England and educated at Cambridge University, John Harvard early crossed the Atlantic and settled in the Massachusetts Bay colony and here after a short residence he died. From the first he was interested in education and his entire library of 500 volumes and half of his little fortune of $4,000 was bequeathed to the struggling college or rather school just coming into existence. The state wisely gave his name to the new seat of learning ; but from then until 1828 he remained unnoticed without even a monument of any account over his lowly grave. In that year a marble shaft was raised by subscription, limited to one dollar each, donated by Harvard graduates then living. The event was made much of and the prominent feature of the unveiling was a speech by Edward Everett.

This fall the statue of Harvard which General Bridge offered to present to the college will be erected on the delta to the west of Memorial Hall. General Bridge presented the statue of his ancestor Josiah Bridge to Cambridge not long ago and within a short time these two statutes of early settlers in the colony will stand in close proximity. The sculptor who has been selected to execute the design is a young man of promise, Mr. D. C. French, who has already modeled some well known figures, among them the "Minute Man" at Concord, Mass., and a bust of Emerson. In his pretty little studio at Concord the work of modeling has been done and the casting has just been completed at the works of Bounard at New York. The face of the statute is necessarily an ideal one as no representation of Harvard is extant. All that is known of him, on which to work, are the facts that he was young, studious and a dissenting minister.

The statue will represent him as a rather slender and tall young man seated in an armchair with an open book, presumably a Bible, on one knee. He is buried in deep meditation, and his clear cut, noble features indicate great depth of character and refinement of intellect, combined with a strong will and well-defined purpose. Competent judges declare that the work is excellent, portraying the thinker, scholar, and preacher such as John Harvard was.

The statue will be placed upon a base of solid granite six feet in height. This base will be decorated with the seals of Harvard and Emmanuel colleges. These will be executed in bronze and will be quite effective, that of Emmanuel being very artistic in design, a true British lion. As the work of casting is completed and the base has been made it is expected that the whole statue will be put in position during the coming month. The day for dedication has not been selected, but the 28 of October has been suggested, that being the day on which the original act of the incorporation of the university was granted by the legislature.