Howell's Pocket Map of the State of Pennsylvania, 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 52.00 9 Maps of different Parts of Virginia and Carolina, and 50.00 3.00 40.00 . 100.00 40.00 2 Reams of small Paper, 8.00 Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, 4 vols. 8vo.,. Handmaid to the Arts, 2 vols. . Bancroft on Permanent Colors, 1 vol. Washington's Library contained above twelve hundred books and pamphlets, about one hundred Maps Charts and Plans, and a considerable number of Engravings. The whole had an appraised total money value of about two thousand six hundred dollars. Nearly every work in the collection was of practical value to a man like Washington, and seemed to have been purchased for use as a mechanic would purchase his tools. Works of an imaginative character were comparatively few; yet there was a sufficiency of light reading for the healthful amusement and culture of the younger and less thoughtful part of the household. It will be observed that the Library was singularly barren in the more ephemeral political literature, both English and American, of the period immediately preceding the Revolution, when pamphleteers in both hemispheres were very active. The dearth of such literature in the Library at Mount Vernon may be partly accounted for by the fact that previous to the Revolution, Washington avoided politics and public employment as much as possible, as he had a natural dislike for them. He took only a general passing interest in the political agitations of the day, and lived the easy life of a country gentleman of wealth, more interested in social enjoyments and the management of his large landed estate, than anything else. There is one book in existence which was at Mount Vernon in the early years of Washington's married life, that does not appear in the catalogue. In a list of articles ordered by Washington, from London, for "Miss Custis, 6 years old," (see page 74,) is named a "spinet," and "books, according to the inclosed list"-books for musical instruction. One of these, an octavo, entitled "The Complete Tutor for the Harpsichord or Spinet," has upon a fly-leaf in the hand-writing of the eminent Elias Boudinot, the words, "Miss Boudinot's Book, presented by her friend, Mrs. Washington, 1780." Its frontispiece is a picture of a musician in the costume of about 1760, playing upon a Harpsichord in form precisely like the one delineated on page 282. The book is in the possession of John William Wallace, Esq., of Philadelphia, a descendant of Miss Boudinot. THE GROUNDS ABOUT THE MANSION. On page 156, mention is made of the lawn on the West front of the Mount Vernon Mansion, and the method observed in planting the trees. I have before me the original memorandum made by Washington, concerning distances on that Western side, or main front of the house; and also on the Eastern side or river front, where the great piazza is. The following is a copy of the memorandum : "From the middle of the front door to the centre of the line between the Garden Houses, is N. 56, 12 W.*; 111 feet to the west line of the store and Ho. opposite-148 feet to the outer part of the circle--174 to the line between the two necessaries-178 to the line of the trees-267 to the line between the centre of the Garden Gates-360 to the centre of the line be tween the Garden Houses. The line between the Store and Ho. opposite is N. 32, 15 E-132 feet. From the necessary in the Lower Garden to the Mulberry Tree-reckoning from the wall of the Garden, is to the Spanish Chesnut is and to the Cherry Tree is 25.9 63. 3 95.9 From the necessaries in the Upper Garden, the distance from the Garden Wall to the English Walnut, is 25, 9. to the Spanish Chestnut 63. 3. and to the Cherry Tree, 95. 9. the same as on the other side. *8% feet to circle-29 to the grass-79 to Dial-post. 128 to the edge of the inner circle. Memorandum. From the middle of the front doom * 84.1+ to cingle-29 to the & 128. to the edge of the in. grass -79 rindial, N°56-12. 17. - * 111 feet to the зо что поч 148 174: & & to the line between the noc necessa Dies — 178 he the line of the Trees 267 to the line-batueen the center of the dai den gates-360 to the Center of the line & between the Sarden House's FAC SIMILE OF WASHINGTON'S MEMORANDUM. From the Garden House in the Lower Garden, (say from the Garden Wall) opposite the first Cherry Tree is to the new planted Walnut, to the other Cherry Tree, From the other Garden House to ye first Walnut, to the 2d Walnut is to the 3d Walnut is 18.6 28.9 71. 27. 3 55. 78. From the Lower Garden Ho. (centre thereof to the centre of the Gate is 95. 6 from thence to the centre of necessary, 93. 6 From the centre of the other Garden Ho. to the centre of the gate is 90. 3 from thence to the centre of N'y, centre 93. From the centre of the front door to the English Walnut, is N. °37. 45 W. From Ditto to the Mulberry Tree, N. °80. W. 252 ft. From the Line between the Garden Houses to the outer circle is From one necessary to the other, the course is N. 32. 20 E. From the Piazza to the descent of the Hill in a line with the spire of the dry well and the point of the Hill at the N. circle, is 130 ft., and the course between the two is N. 40, 15 E. The course of the Wall between the lower necessary and the Garden Ho. is S. 54. 15 E. Ditto between the N. Garden House and Nes'y, is S. 56,-E. The semi-circles at the sides, is The distance between the Store and House opposite, is WASHINGTON AS A FREE MASON. 263 ft. 150 ft. 132 ft." The simple fact that Washington was a member of the fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, is mentioned on page 166, and in succeeding pages are some notices of Masonic regalia presented to him. All that is known of Washington's Masonic Life, is given in a volume by Sidney Hayden, published in 1866, entitled "Washington and his Masonic Compeers." The frontispiece to that work, is a copy of a portrait of Washington in full Masonic Regalia, as presiding officer of Alexandria Lodge, No. 22, for which it was painted in September, 1796, by a speculating and indifferent portrait-painter named Williams. He went to Philadelphia for the purpose, and obtained the privilege of making the portrait, through an address from the officers of the Alexandria Lodge asking |