Address

The Scotch have a saying, and they have many wise sayings, that fools and bairns should never see a thing half done. I don´t wish to associate myself either with fools or bairns, but I think I may add that donors should never see a thing half done. I went to Pittsburg the other day knowing nothing of what I should find; I had sedulously kept away from the fairy palace that they were erecting; I knew nothing nothing of it, but when I got there I found a palace that Aladdin might have brought forth and so beautiful that I felt that I was in a dream. I come here to-day under somewhat similar circumstances, and am brought into this beautiful hall exquisite in every part, and face to face with this splendid audience. Well, it gives point to what Mrs. Carnegie said when I was expressing to her that I was totally unable to realize what part I had taken in creating a palace; I said to her I felt like Aladdin rubbing the, lamp, and she said, “Yes, and we didn´t even have to rub the lamp.” But as the proceedings went on at Pittsburg and I had the great pleasure of addressing those there present and showing the audience who had created the palace, this thought occurred to me: it is the spirit with which men are enthused that does the work; the sense of coöperation and the realization that really the performance of great and benevolent work raises the men that participate in it far beyond any personal work for themselves.