CHAPTER XLVIII.

LARGE FORTUNES AND THEIR DISPOSITION.

How the Fortunes of the Astors were Made.—George 529

Peabody and His Philanthropic Schemes.—Johns Hopkins

and his Peculiarities.—A. T. Stewart and his Abortive

Plans.—A Sculptor’s Opinion of his

Head.—Eccentricities of Stephen Girard, and How he

Treated his Poor Sister.—His Penurious Habits and

Great Donations.—James Lenox and the Library which he

Left.—How Peter Cooper Made his Fortune, and his

Liberal Gifts to the Cause of Education.—Samuel J.

Tilden’s Munificent Bequests.—The Vanderbilt

Clinic.—Lick, Corcoran, Stevens and Catharine Wolf