The opponents of the enterprise were persistent, though the grounds of their action are not clearly discernible. In this state of the public mind Peter Faneuil came forward and offered to erect the building at his own cost, ' to be improved for a market for the sole uses, benefit and advantage of the town, provided that the town of Boston would pass a vote for that purpose, and lay the s<»ine under such proper regulations as shall be thought necessary, and constantly support it for sjiid use.'

" The selectmen called a meeting to act upon the proposal ; :ii;7 votes were cast for accepting the gift, :!fiO against it. Mr. Faneuil enlarged his plan, and over the market erected a splendid hall, capable of accommodating a thousaml persons. \t a town-meeting in the townhouse, September 13, 1743, a vote wius unanimously passed accepting the gift, anil appointing a committee, consisting of the iiuxlerator of the meeting, the selectmen, the representative to the general court and six other gentlemen, ' to wait upon Peter Faneuil, Esq., and in the name of the town to render him their hearty thanks for so bountiful a gift, with their prayers that this and other expressions of his bounty ami charity limy be abundantly recompensed with the divine blessing.'

"The first town-meeting held within the walls of Faneuil Hall, 1713, was the occasion for ilelivering a eulogy on the life and charai-ter of the donor by Mr. .lohn Lovell, master of the Tiatin school. In his oration Mr. Lovell said, after referring to jirivate charities, 'Let this stately edifice which bears his name witness for him what sinus he expended in public uiiiniticence. This building, erected by him at his own immense i haige, for the convenience and ornament of the tow n is incomparablv the greatest benefaction ever yet known to our western shore.' Thus Boston a century and a quarter ago gratefully di'clared to the worM that, although the Huguenot element tlid iii>t much affect the populalioii as to quantity, it was an effective fa' tor of sterling worth as to •/iinlilii, and that the finest expression of its spirit and style was to be found in the iiiagnilicent record left there by the large-souled young Ilugueiiol of Sew Kochelle.