This is an interesting idea- that the University should be funded from public patronage or not at all. I think the wording is interesting here- the word "derive" is used in lieu of "funded" or "financed." This may reflect the power that the donors may have over this university. This is also an interesting statement because it defines the University of Virginia foremost as a public institution. Because of this, when reviewing the university, it is important to realize that the views and opinions of the university often reflect the views of the entire government, not just a couple individuals.

I was not sure what "Pneumatics was so I looked it up. Pneumatics is the branch of engineering that studies pressurized air. While this is obviously still a field, it does not seem to be a prominent as come of the other fields. This may be a reflection of the times in which developing technologies when steam engines and similar technologies were being used. It is also interesting because this is coinciding with the start of the American industrial revolution, in which this field played a large role.