Virginia Military Institute

“ Passionately devoted to the study of natural phenomena, seeing in all the guiding hand of the Creator, profoundly conscious of a Ruling Providence, he strove to convey to others knowledge of those things which filled him with admiration and joy—singing ever a song of praise; and by the power of this master mind was there awakened in the sea world a spirit of observation and research, a love of Nature, and a respect for God in His works and Majesty, which those unfamiliar with the sea and its affairs, may hardly be expected to understand. ”

“ Once more at home, on the soil of Virginia, surrounded by his family and warm friends, he bent his energies with the same vigor and enthusiasm which characterized those honor-reflecting labors of former days, to the renewal and increase of his country's prosperity. ”

“ Give me a new heart, and a right mind; enable me and all mine to do Thy will, and in all things to keep Thy law." (Here he paused from exhaustion.) "Teach me that I may ask the things necessary for eternal life!" Then he seemed to forget that he was dictating, and his utterances became short, ejaculatory petitions; and these were followed by fragments of the prayer he was endeavoring to leave with his children—repeating at times the same petition, and then adding, "Lord, pardon my sins, for Thine be the Power, and the Kingdom, and the Glory, forever and forever." ”

“ The benefits conferred upon mankind by Maury cannot be measured by any estimate of their pecuniary value, great as that value may be. If we include the general gain to civilization, by increased facilities of communication between widely separated parts of the earth, we shall not then have the measure of his work. ”

“ I am happy to contribute my mite towards furnishing you with material to work out still further towards perfection your great and glorious task, not only in pointing out the most speedy routes for ships to pursue over the ocean, but also of teaching us sailors to look about us, and see by what wonderful manifestations of the Great God we are continually surrounded. ”

“ The principal Powers of Europe recognized the value of his services to mankind. France, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden, Sardinia, Holland, Bremen, and the Papal States, bestowed Orders of Knighthood and other honors. The Academies of Science of Paris, Berlin, Brussels, St. Petersburg and Mexico conferred the honor of membership.
When Virginia, seceding from the Union, called upon her sons, he promptly resigned his position in the Federal Navy, to take part in the defence of his native State. ”

“ The catholic breadth of his mind tolerated no partial dealing with the potent elements of progress which he was wont to wield, in forming those comprehensive plans worthy of the age and of the demand which calls for the generalization of the innumerable, but as yet uncombined, elements of general prosperity.The Physical Survey of Virginia, in connection with the establishment of through routes by rail, and of a great and free water line uniting the East and West, and this again in connection with foreign commerce by his familiar pathways on the sea ”

“ Matthew Fontaine Maury, the son of Richard Maury, of Huguenot descent, was born on the 14th of January, 1806, in Spottsylvania County, Virginia. In his fourth year his father emigrated to Tennessee, establishing himself near Franklin, a village in the vicinity of Nashville. In his sixteenth year, young Maury entered Harpeth Academy, then under the charge of the Rev. James H. Otey, afterwards Bishop of Tennessee.
In 1825 he was appointed Midshipman in the Navy of the United States, making his first cruize in the frigate Brandywine, on the coast of Europe, and in the Mediterranean. ”

“ Perceiving himself, at last, how futile were the exertions to restore or renew his strength, he gradually became convinced that any further effort was not only useless, but opposed to the Divine will in his case ”