Inmyreferencetotheoldhouseinaformerpaper，publishedyearsago，Isaid，\"ByandbythestonyfootofthegreatUniversitywillplantitselfonthiswholeterritory，andtheprivaterecollectionswhichclungsotenaciouslytotheplaceanditshabitationswillhavediedwiththosewhocherishedthem。”
WhatstridesthegreatUniversityhastakensincethosewordswerewritten!DuringallmyearlyyearsouroldHarvardAlmaMatersatstillandlifelessasthecolossiintheEgyptiandesert。Thenallatonce，likethestatueinDonGiovanni，shemovedfromherpedestal。Thefallofthat\"stonyfoot\"haseffectedamiracleliketheharpthatOrpheusplayed，liketheteethwhichCadmussowed。TheplainwherethemooseandthebearwerewanderingwhileShakespearewaswritingHamlet，whereafewplaindormitoriesandotherneededbuildingswerescatteredaboutinmyschool-boydays，groansundertheweightofthemassiveedificeswhichhavesprungupallaroundthem，crownedbythetowerofthatnoblestructurewhichstandsinfullviewbeforemeasIliftmyeyesfromtheportfolioonthebackofwhichIamnowwriting。
ForImustbepermittedtoremindyouthatIhavenotyetopenedit。
IhavetoldyouthatIhavejustfinishedalongmemoir，andthatithascostmenolittlelabortoovercomesomeofitsdifficulties，——ifIhaveovercomethem，whichothersmustdecide。AndIfeelexactlyashonestDobbinfeelswhenhisharnessisslippedoffafteralongjourneywithagooddealofup-hillwork。Hewantstorestalittle，thentofeedalittle；then，ifyouwillturnhimlooseinthepasture，hewantstoroll。Ihaveleftmystarryandetherealcompanionship，——notforalongtime，Ihope，forithasliftedmeabovemycommonself，butforawhile。AndnowIwant，sotospeak，torollinthegrassandamongthedandelionswiththeotherpachyderms。SoIhavekepttotheoutsideoftheportfolioasyet，andamdisportingmyselfinreminiscences，andfancies，andvagaries，andparentheses。
HowwellIunderstandthefeelingwhichledthePisanstoloadtheirvesselswithearthfromtheHolyLand，andfilltheareaoftheCampoSantowiththatsacredsoil!Theoldhousestooduponaboutasperversealittlepatchoftheplanetaseverharboredahalf-starvedearth-worm。ItwasassandyasSaharaandasthirstyasTantalus。