Part 8 (1/2)

”You will, (says the saist,) no doubt, be astonished to understand, that the rereat and excellent man still repose in a humble sepulchre on the estate at which he resided, and from which, like Cincinnatus, he was several tirateful, but they seem to have an aversion to perpetuate a ratitude by splendid to acquaintance with Westreat and the obscure, the good man and the villain, are alike honoured by their country or their friends, nation, at the ireat republic, to the memory {476} and past services of its illustrious dead, but I question whether it be not correct policy To begin would be to have no end, and the erection of a ht ter Since the invention of writing, and the present extent of knowledge, the ”storied urn and animated bust,” have become almost useless History will record with fidelity the illustrious actions of him who has deserved well of his country, and his name will be as perpetual as if Pelion had been piled on Ossa, to preserve histo the want of this art, that the huyptians, were forratitude, or of perpetuating the memory of their dead After all, perhaps, the best monument is ”to read their history in a nation's eyes

”It is but justice, however, to state, that though the Aovernment have refused to erect a monument to the memory of their illustrious hero, his countrymen have not been quite so fastidious; and the citizens of Baltimore, with that enthusiasm and public spirit which have done the a ratitude, their patriotism, and their taste It may be safely asserted, that the Americans pay less attention to the depositories of their dead, than almost any other nation {477} They seeotten; and the tear of sorrow, and the hand of affection, neither bedews nor decorates the sward, under which the friend, the parent, or the relative reposes A the ancients, you will recollect, this was a part of their religion, and e to the tenderness and affection of a Corinthian nurse for her deceased charge, the rich and splendid capital which beautifies the Corinthian shaft It is in vain to look into the burial grounds of this country, for the pensive cypress, or theover the urn of her departed lover, or thechild No flower blooms, bedeith the tear of affection All is waste and dreary, and dead as the sunken grave over which you pass; and a few stones, on which are engraved the nae of the deceased, are all that re, to those who have passed away and are no ton, the present proprietor of Mount Vernon, is the nephew of the General He seee, is below the middle size, and apparently nervous and feeble; his complexion is pale and cadaverous, but his countenance has the linea been one of the judges of the supre that period, discovered no deficiency {478} in his acquaintance with the law His decisions are, I believe, generally correct, though not very reuished for his eloquence at the bar; but little seems to be known of his powers as an advocate or a lawyer, and that little does not tend to place hirade of mediocrity Satisfied with the reputation which the fame of his uncle, the situation he holds, and the wealth he possesses, cast around him, he feels no motive to exertion, and no desire to render himself illustrious by his own efforts He appears to be one of those men to who than the fitful, though captivating splendour which surrounds the temples of the statesman or the warrior, and he prefers what the world would terlorious repose of doitation and sickly turmoil of public life

”Mount Vernon has become, like Jerusalem and Mecca, the resort of travellers of all nations, who come within its vicinity Veneration and respect for the reat and illustrious chief, whose body it contains, lead all who have heard his nae to the shrine of patriotisround which has been consecrated by the repose, and hallowed by the ashes, of herois, a flower, or even a stone, beco, when taken froton lived and died, and nowith him some memento to exhibit to his family and friends”

_17th_--I was revisited yesterday and to-day by Mr Laho, in speaking of ood, and learned , nor ever did a wise one' He is ever unprepared to protect hirandson of the faeneral; he was once the richest inia land for the same quantity in the west country, which he was told abounded in iron, silver, and other mines; he thus parted with a substance for a shadow”[157] ”He still,” says Mr Elliott, ”possesses 100,000 acres, and one of the warht up at Mount Vernon, a favourite of General Washi+ngton's, who predicted great things of hi in prison bounds His lady lae, and the hot walks she had to entleman's brother, Thomas Fairfax, Esq, coht is a British peer, possesses large unproductive estates, and lives frequently in disgrace, but both, though lords in England, would feel thehly insulted were they so to be addressed here

Both are staunch republicans

I yesterday added to my acquaintance a lord-chancellor, a lord, and two princes of the Ossage nation of Indians, ith two other chiefs, last week, went in state (naked) to the Secretary of war, and staer, they came not here to be cheated out of their lands They are fine dignified fellows, speaking only their oild language

Mr Law, during conversation this day, observed that if this government would, and he believed they would, adopt his financial systeain, and every wild spot becoarden ”Mr Crawford, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, although he has recommended a contrary measure, is exactly of my opinion We are both as much alike on this subject as pea to pea”

I said, ”Mr Laould not a visit to England be agreeable? Would it not tend to lengthen your life?” ”O, Sir, it would, but I could not now live in England; I ood of mankind My opinions would run counter to the pohich be”

”But, Sir,” rejoined I, ”is it not our duty to be prudent and to seek the peace of the land we live in? Because in its peace we shall have peace”

”Certainly! such is the duty of every good man {481} Why should he sacrifice himself and family? Mr A----, your envoy here, seems suspicious of you on account of your acquaintance with Mr ---- I aiven such toasts at the dinner on the 4th of July, in favour of the radicals What have the radicals to do with America? These toasts will be sent ho to do but to watch the conduct of British subjects and give reports I aood, kind-hearted, polite man, should thus expose himself, and you, and other friends, to suspicion andletter froton, 18th July, 1820_

Dear Sir,

I enclose you a list of garden seeds; if you will make a statement of the probable amount, I will pay now, or answer your draft after the purchase A pound or two of Swedish turnips and of Norfolk turnips may be added I shall be happy to pay every attention to any of ive theret that I formed your acquaintance so late My hay turns out better than I expected, and I hope to have four or five acres of turnips, as I a information I shall be very thankful {482} for I ree,

Your most obedient servant, T LAW

Pray write toletter froardener to Mr Law, is a specimen of the easy freedom and familiarity of Yankee labourers It is addressed

To Thomas Law, Esq

_July, 1820_

Sir,

Considering my ill behaviour towards you the other day, I consider myself culpable; therefore to prevent such like trouble in future to you, I shall declare upon oath against spirituous liquors, such as brandy, ruin, and whiskey, _except three dra as I live with you Three drams a day will not injure my health or temper Upon these conditions I expect not to displease you in future, which will be a cause, I hope, for you to encourage me in your employment

Sir, From your faithful servant, EDWARD MEACHER

{483} _20th_--This day I bade farewell to Washi+ngton city and Aht and vivid spirits I found in it

_21st_--In company with Mr E Durey squirrel, a native of Maryland, whose brushy tail is his nightcap, and who eats razors, buttons, bibles, &c, and is therefore sentenced to transportation for life, I eood shi+p _Minerva_ of Boston, to Areat river Potowe of about 30 days, we arrived at the Isle of Wight Here I had the honour to present n with a precious relic--a cedar-cane cut froallons of ”elegant, e of 10,000 miles, to ripen for the use of British royalty

{484} CONCLUSION