at first experienced in America-strong friends and violent enemies; but as I have got the ear of the country, I shall go on, and at least show them, what is a novelty here, that there can be a person beyond the reach of corruption."

This work was written in answer to Edmund Burke's famous letter to a French gentleman, in 1790, entitled Reflections on the Revolution in France. The government, incensed at Paine's language in the Rights of Man, instituted a prosecution against him for libel. He went to France, became a member of the National Assembly, fell into prison during the reign of the Terrorists, and becoming offended at Washington because he properly refused his official aid in procuring Paine's liberation, on the ground of his being an American citizen, he abused him most shamefully in a published letter, more remarkable for its scurrility than talent.

Washington returned to Philadelphia early in June, and toward the close of July journeyed with his family to Mount Vernon. He remained there until early in October, when he returned to Philadelphia, with his family, to prepare for the assembling of the Congress, which took place on the 5th of November. During that time he was in frequent correspondence with the heads of departments, for matters of great public interest required frequent communications between them and the chief magistrate. An Indian war in the west was then in progress, and symptoms of insurrectionary movements in Western Pennsylvania, on account of an excise law which the people deemed oppressive, began to appear.

Washington was also much engaged, during that time, with his agricultural operations; and he and Mrs. Washington were much distressed on account of the mortal sickness of his

nephew George, who had resided at Mount Vernon much of the time since his marriage several years before. Washington's anxiety concerning him is evinced by the frequent mention of his illness to his correspondents. In a letter to Lafay ctte, in June, he said:

"I am afraid my nephew George, your old aide, will never have his health perfectly re-established. He has lately been attacked with the alarming symptoms of spitting large quantities of blood; and the physicians give no hopes of restoration, unless it can be effected by a change of air, and a total dereliction from business, to which he is too anxiously attentive. He will, if he should be taken from his family and friends, leave three fine children, two sons and a daughter. To the eldest of the boys he has given the name of Fayette, and a fine looking child he is."

To General Knox, he wrote: "I thank you most sincerely for the medicine you were so obliging as to send for my nephew, and for the sympathetic feeling you express for his situation. Poor fellow! neither, I believe, will be of any avail. Present appearances indicate a speedy dissolution. He has not been able to leave his bed, except for a few moments to sit in an arm-chair, since the 14th or 15th of last month. The paroxysm of the disorder seems to be upon him, and death, or a favorable turn to it, must speedily follow."

The sufferer was then residing upon a small estate in Hauover. He lingered for several weeks, and expired; and on the 24th of February, Washington wrote to his widow:

"MY DEAR FANNY: To you, who so well know the affectionate regard I had for our departed friend, it is unnecessary

to describe the sorrow with which I was afflicted, at the news of his death, although it was an event I had expected many weeks before it happened. To express this sorrow with the force I feel it, would answer no other purpose than to revive in your breast that poignancy of anguish, which by this time, I hope, is abated. The object of this letter is to convey to your mind the warmest assurance of my love, friendship, and disposition to serve you. These I also profess to bear, in an eminent degree, for your children."

He then invites her to make Mount Vernon the home of herself and children. "You can go to no place," he said, "where you will be more welcome, nor to any where you can live at less expense or trouble." He then invites her to bring his niece, Harriet Washington, with her, to Mount Vernon, of whose conduct he had heard pleasant words. Miss Harriet remained at Mount Vernon a long time, the grateful recipient of her uncle's bounty.

The young widow appears to have declined the offer of a home at Mount Vernon, preferring to keep house in Alexandria, but offering to resign the charge of her eldest son, Fayette, into Washington's keeping. In March, the President wrote to her, saying:

"The carriage which I sent to Mount Vernon, for your use, I never intended to reclaim, and now, making you a formal present of it, it may be sent for whenever it suits your conve nience, and be considered as your own. I shall, when I see you, request that Fayette may be given up to me, either at that time, or as soon after as he is old enough to go to school. This will relieve you of that portion of attention, which his educa tion would otherwise call for."

Washington's affection for children was very great, and he was ever anxious to have young people in the mansion at Mount Vernon. He enjoyed their amusements with a keen relish, and yet the mysterious awe felt in his presence, by all who had the good fortune to know him personally, was experienced by children. His adopted daughter (Mrs. Lewis) used to say that she had seen him laugh heartily at her merry pranks, or when, a gay, joyous girl, she would give him a description of some scene in which she had taken a part; and yet she had as often seen him retire from the room in which her young companions were amusing themselves, because he perceived that his presence created a reserve which they could not overcome.

His love for his two adopted children was very strong, and he watched over their mental and moral development with great solicitude. In several of his letters to Mr. Lear, from Mount Vernon, in the autumn of 1790, when preparing for his residence in Philadelphia, he mentioned the subject of schools, expressing a great desire to have young Custis placed in one of the best character.

Mrs. Washington was always over-indulgent to her two grandchildren. The boy (George Washington Parke Custis) was always familiarly called Washington, and by that name he was always distinguished in the general's private correspondence. His beautiful sister, Nelly, used to speak of the affection which Mrs. Washington lavished upon him, and the many excuses which she offered in his defence, when the father, true to his nature and education, exacted submission to the most thorough discipline on all occasions, much as he loved the boy.

"Grandmamma always spoiled Washington," his sister would say; and his daughter, in a late memoir of him, has said "He was the pride of her heart, while the public duties of the veteran prevented the exercise of his influence in forming the character of the boy, too softly nurtured under his roof, and gifted with talents, which, under a sterner discipline, might have been more available for his own and his country's good."

Notwithstanding her indulgent disposition, Mrs. Washington was a thorough disciplinarian in her household, and Nelly Custis experienced many a tearful hour when compelled by her grandmother to attend assiduously to her studies in letters and music. Washington made her a present of a fine harpsichord, at the cost of one thousand dollars-Schroeder's beautiful invention, the piano-forte, not being then much used in America. In England, even, where Zumpe had introduced it, with many improvements, between twenty and thirty years before, the piano had by no means supplanted its parent the harpsichord, and the latter instrument, or the spinet, might be found in almost every family of wealth in the kingdom.

The best teachers were employed to instruct Nelly in the use of the harpsichord, and her grandmother made her practise upon it four or five hours every day. "The poor girl," says her brother, the late Mr. Custis, "would play and cry, and cry and play, for long hours, under the immediate eye of her grandmother, a rigid disciplinarian in all things.”

That harpsichord, according to the inscription upon a plate above the keys, was manufactured by "Longman and Broderip, musical instrument makers, No. 26 Cheapside, and No. 13 Haymarket, London." It was carefully packed and taken