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THE MAURY GARDENS IN FREDERICKSBURG AAS ATTHEW FONTAINE MAURY! The name scintillates in the realm of science in both hemispheres. During several periods of his life this great man was a citizen of Fredericksburg. lwo of the houses closely associated with him are still here. Perhaps the old frame dwelling on Charlotte Street, so sadly in need of fresh paint—with the blacksmith shop and the woodyard in juxtaposition—would never attract the attention of the casual passer-by. But if he were keenly alive and discerning, and appreciative of the historic lore of the old town, a certain imperceptible and compelling influence would detain his lingering footsteps. He would pause to read the inscription on a bronze tablet which surmounts the granite block on the pavement in front of this house: Noe 2 a | Home of Matthew Fontaine Maury 1836-1842 Pathfinder of the Seas Projector of the Atlantic Cable Founder of the National Observatory Father of Meteorological Science Commander C. S. N. He would note that the grounds on the east still bear traces of former loveliness. Here is still the broad brick paving, and the riotous tangle of the honeysuckle, with undisputed right of way, usurps the choicest place, in what were once the formal flower borders. Oblongs, ovals, and circles have lost their symmetry, and | 209 |
