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arts that embellish the character by improving the
perception of the beautiful and the true and which
by habituating the mind to the contemplation of
the best works of genius render it more friendly
and generous towards the success of deserving ar-
tists in their early endeavors after fame.
For the fulfilling and preserving of the trust I
have confided to you, my wish is that you, gen-
tlemen, or as many of you as may except this ap-
pointment, will meet together at as early a day
as may be convenient for you, and take such mea-
sures for your own organization and government
as you may find necessary, making a record of
your acceptance and of all proceedings you may
adopt. That if your full number of twenty-five
should be rendered incomplete by the refusal of
any of you to accept the appointment, you will
as soon as practicable, fill the same by the selection
of the necessary number from a list of two hun-
dred names selected from the ranks of your most
worthy fellow citizens, which I herewith furnish
you, and which list I desire you to enter upon
your record for future use.
I also desire and request that if, at any time
hereafter during the life of the present genera-
tion, vacancies should occur in your number of
twenty-five, by death, resignation, incapacity to
serve or removal from the State, you and your
successors shall fill such vacancies, by judicious
selection from the list above mentioned of such
person or persons therein named as may then be
living and may be qualified, by capacity and
good standing in the community, to perform the
duties required; and when in after time, this
generation shall have passed away, I desire that
your succession may he preserved by the appoint-
ment to vacant places in your board, of such of
your sons, or the sons of those on the list I have
given you, as may then be accessible to the choice
of your successors, and may be worthy, from their
personal qualifications and good repute in Balti-
more, to assume the charge of the Institute.
And finally, when these sources shall fail, I de-
sire that the succession in the Board of Trustees
shall be ever maintained by the careful selection
from time to time, of such eminent and capable
citizens of Baltimore, as may be willing to ad-
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Mr. Peabo-
dy's first letter.
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