UNBOUNDED GENEROSITY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2054, 4 February 1889, Page 3

UNBOUNDED GENEROSITY

The Ducaees de (ialliera, wha died on Bnnday niuht at her historical mansion m the Faubourg St Germain was (writes the Paris correspondent of tbe " Daily News") as large hearted and as open handed as the late Mad me Bonoicault, though perhaps leas judicious m the use she made of one of the largest fortunes of tbis age. The late Duke of Gallieia wis ooe of the Continental Railway Kings, and a keen and venturesome speculator. He died leaving personality m France alone amounting to £11,000,000 sterling, and m Italy over £3,000,000 sterling The '•Universe ' give 3 the following list of her well-known deeds of generosity : £400 a year to the poor of the Seventh Arroa disemant ; £800 a year to the poor of all Paris ; £250 a year to the poor of her own parish ; for the Brignole-Galliera Museum, near ihe TropadeVo, £250,000; for the oreation of an orphanage at Meudon, £560,000 ; for the support of that institution, £400 000 ; for the building of three workine-olars lodging-bouses m Paris, £80,000. To deepen the port of Genoa she gave £340.000 ; to the present Pope, £100,000 ; to build two hospitals, £380,000. Be&ideß the above donations she gave Genoa the palace oal'ed the Palazzo Bosea, with its art furniture and pictures, comprising a collection of ancestral portraits by Rubens and Vandyke. The gift of a palace and estate at Bologna to the Duo de Monlpeneier can hardly be called a charity. Her last great benefactions were the founding of two asylums, one for 200 old men and 106 old j women and another for Christian Brothers too old or broken down m health to teaoh)t waa at the opening of the former at whioh she caught cold, which, degenerate ing into inflammation of tbe Jurga, killed her. How she disposed of the remnant of her vast fortune is not yet known. The DucheFS had an idea that she was insulting the poor to ask them to live m meanly constructed alnubou er, She therefore created palaces for them .