The Sun.
London, England, 1838-12-14 00:00:00

LITERATURE

SPA RA'S' S LIFE OF WASHINGTON. 2 VoLs,
Colburn, London, MS.

Mr. Jared Sparks's Life of Washington, in addition to
the scrupulous accuracy of its details, which have been
collected with much care from the best sources, official and
otherwise, possesses this great advantage over all preced
ing biographies of the illustrious founder of American in.
dependence—namely, that it enters at considerable lengtl
into the particulars of his career previous to his appoint.
ment by Congress as Commander-in-Chief of the national
armies—particulars which till now have been most unac-
countably slurred over, as if they were of little or no mo-
ment. We have plenty of full-length portraits of Wash-
ington, after his name had become famous throughout Eu-
rope ; but the sketches we have of him in his earlier days,
when he was fighting side by side with Braddock against
the French on the Canadian frontiers, are few in number
and unsatisfactory in essence ; in short, mere outlines—the
present volumes, therefore, supply a material desideratum,
and indeed may be regarded in every respect as the most
valuable addition that has been made of late years to our
stock of biographical literature.
The author commences his work by a brief account of
the ancestors of Washington, from which we learn that the
family was first known in England " about the middle of
the thirteenth century ;" and that " proofs of its opulence
may still be seen in the monuments erected in churches,
and the records of the transfer of property." In the year
1658 a grandson of Lawrence Washington, Mayor of
Northampton, emigrated to Virginia, where he became a
successful planter ; and where, in 1732, " near the banks
of the Potomac, in Westmoreland county," his celebrated
great-grandson George was born, whose father died in
1743, leaving to his widow " the weighty charge of five
young children, the eldest of whom was but eleven years
old. This important charge," adds Mr. Sparks,
" Mrs. Washington executed, with great fidelity to her
trust, and with entire success. Her good sense, assiduity,
tendern,ss, and vigilance, overcame every obstacle, and as
the richest reward of a mother's toil, she had the happiness to
see all her children come forward with a fair promise into life,
filling the sphere allotted to them in a manner equally honour-
able to themselves, and to the parent who bad been the onlyguide
of their principles, conduct, and habits. She lived to witness the
noble career of her eldest son, till by his own rare merits he
was raised to the head of a nation, and applauded and revered
by the whole world. It bas been said that there never was a
great man, the elements of whose greatness might not be
traced to the original characteristics cr early influence of his
mother. If this be true, how much do mankind owe to the
mother of Washington !"
There is much truth in Mr. Spark's remark about maternal
influence, in proof of which we may adduce Napoleon,
who has left it on record that the seeds of ambition were
first planted in him by his mother, who taught him to
" aspire," as the one great object of existence, stimulated
him to action, and, in fart, fashioned his character, and
made him the man he was. As in the instance of this im-
perial despot, the martial tastes of Washington broke out in
early boyhood :
" Tradition reports that at school he was inquisitive, docile,
and diligent ; but it adds that his military propensities and
passion for active sports displayed themselves in his boyhood ;
that he formed his school-mates into companies, who paraded,
marched, and fought mimic battles, in which he was always
the commander of one of the parties. He had also a fond-
ness for the athletic amusements of running, jumping, wres-
tling, tossing bars, and other feats of agility and bodily excl..
cise. His probity and demeanour, too, were such 'as to win
the deference of the other boys, who were accustomed to
make him the arbiter of their disputes, and never failed to be
satisfied with his judgment."
" 'Tis childhood shows the man," says Milton, and the
above passage is a case in point. The subjoined is equally
characteristic :
" It is singular that a schoolboy of thirteen should occupy
himself in studying the dry and intricate forms of business ;
but many pages of Washington's school manuscript books,
which have been preserved, are taken up, with copies of, what
he calls, Forms of Writing, such as notes of hand, bills of
exchange, receipts, bonds, indentures, bills of sale, &c., written
out with care, the prominent words in large and various cha-
racters in imitation of a clerk's hand. But the most remark-
able part of the book is that in which is compiled a system of
maxims and regulations of conduct, drawn from miscellaneous
sources. Some of these are suited only to childhood, others
are of a higher import, fitted to soften and polish the manners,
to keep alive the best affections, to impress the obligation of
the moral virtues, and above all, to inculcate the practice of a
perfect self- control."
At the age of fourteen, just previous to his quitting school,
young Washington obtained, through the influence of some
of his relations, a midshipman's warrant in the British
navy, and was preparing with a " buoyant heart " for his
departure, when his mother insisted on his abandoning the
scheme, which he did, though with great reluctance. How
different had been the destinies of the New World, had
he persevered in his determination to go to sea ! In-
stead of being what she now is, an independent Re-
public, America would most likely have remained to
this hour a British Colony, for of all those who drew the
sword in her behalf, there was none but Washington who
proved equal to the exigency of the case. He was the
only first-rate military genius that appeared during the war
—the only one fitted, by a combination of the rarest qualities,
to take the lead in a national struggle. On quitting school
Washington went to reside with his brother, at the family
seat, Mount Vernon, where he became acquainted with Lord
Fairfax, who had come out as a settler to Virginia, in which
country he held large estates. His Lordship soon learned
to appreciate the high qualities of his young friend—
" Indeed, so favourable an opinion had he formed of his
abilities, that he entrusted him with the responsible task of sur-
veying, his vast property ; and he set off on this expedition just
a month from the day he was sixteen years old. The enter-
prize was arduous, and attended with fatigues to which he had
not been accustomed. After crossing the first range of the
Alleganies, the party entered a wilderness. From that time
their nights were passed under the open sky, or in tents or
rude cabins affording but a treacherous shelter against the
weather. The wind sometimes beat upon, and prostrated them
to the ground. Winter still lingered on the mountains, the
rivers swollen by snows and rains, were impassable at the usual
fords, except by swimming the horses; the roads through the
woods were obstructed by rocks, s xamps, and precipices."
The boy of sixteen, however, triumphed over all these ob-
stacles, and established " his reputation as a surveyor,"
then a lucrative office in America. At the age of nineteen
he accompanied his brother Lawrence, who was in bad
health, to Barbadoes, where the latter died, leaving George
the fine property of Mount Vernon. On his return home,
after an absence of four months, Washington was appointed
by the Government of Virginia " Adjutant-General, with
the rank of Major," of the local militia, which had been re-
cently enrolled, for the purpose of defending the frontiers
from the incursions of the Indians, 'While holding this
honourable post, " intelligence came that the French had
crossed the lakes from Canada in force, and were
about to erect fortifications on the waters of the Ohio."
Washington was, in consequence, dispatched on an expedi-
tion, which had for its object the entering into a treaty with
some border Indian tribes—an object which lie successfully
accomplished, but not without a world of difficulty. Shortly
afterwafils he was appointed Commander of the Virginian
forces, and set.
a long
toutin pursuit of the French, whom he came
up with, after and toilsome march, in a spot called
the Great Meadows, which he described in his report with
true professional gusto, as " a charming field for an encoun-
ter." In this neighbourhood a smart skirmish occurred, in
which the French were defeated, and their Commander,
M. de Jumonville, killed. Various other actions were
fought, in all of which Washington acquitted himself with
marked ability, and at the close of the campaign, received
publicly the thanks of the Governor and Council of Vir-
ginia. Alluding to this, his first essay in arms, Mr. Sparks
says of his heroic countryman—
" Thus commenced the military career of Washington, and
thus terminated his maiden campaign. Although as yet a
youth, with small experience, unskilled in war, and relying on
his own resources, he bad behaved with the prudence, address,
courage, and firmness of a veteran commander. Rigid in
discipline, but sharing the hardship's and solicitous for the
welfare of his soldiers, he had secured their obedience, arid
won their esteem, am;dst privations, sufferings, and perils that
had seldom been surpassed."
Shortly after the close of this campaign, Washington re-
signed his command, in consequence of the Virginian Go.
vernor having projected a scheme, the effect of which would
have been "to reduce him to the rank of a Captain, and
put him under officers whom he had commanded." But
though thus slighted, this high-minded man would not aban-
don what he conceived to be the duty he owed his country,
and, accordingly, he engaged in the service as a volunteer,
under General Braddock, with whom he remained up to
the period of the disastrous battle of Monongahela, which
was fought between the French and English in the year
1755, on the Canadian frontier. Mr. Sparks's account of
this conflict is highly interesting
The officers and soldiers were now in the highest spirits,
and firm in the conviction that they should within a few hours
victoriously enter the walls of Fort Duquesne. Early in the
morning all thipgs were in readiness; and Washington was
often heard to say, that the most beautiful spectacle he had
ever beheld, was the display of the British troops on this
eventful day! Every man was neatly dressed in full uniform,
the soldiers were arresis:ed in columns, anti marched in exact
order, the sun gleamed froes their burnished arms, the river
flowed tranquilly on their right, • and the deep forest oversha-
dowed them wits solemn grandeur on thew left. Officers awl
men were equally inspirissed with cheering hopes side' confident
anticipations.
At one o'clock the whole body had crossed the
river, and al ruGo3,t at this moment a sLaip firing was heard upon
the ja.dFanced parties., :.yho were ascending a hill,. A heavy
dischargk Axe jrlLlSketry 1,774 iseured in upon their front,
which
was the first issiseThgctsc,e they sss,d of the proximity of an
enemy. They were illtA with the greater ,-;;;;isternation, as
the gring seemed to proceed from ain invisile be, Ge-
neral hastened forward to the relief of the advanced parAlep ;
hut before he rpch the spot, they gave way, and fell
back upoa the other
,co4,aimis striking the whole mass with
such a panic, that no order c09.1d Afitor;4ifds restored. ,The
General and his officers used every eifort to pear

but in vain. In this state they continued nearly three hours,
huddling together in confused bodies, shooting down their
own officers and men, and doing no perceptible harm to the
enemy. Meantime the French and Indians concealed in the
ravines and behind trees, kept up an unceasing discharge of
musketry, singling out their objects, taking deliberate aim,
and producing a carnage almost unparalleled in the annals of
modern warfare. More than half of the whole army which
had crossed the river in so proud an array only three hours be-
fore, were killed or wounded. General Braddock himself
received a mortal wound. During the whole action, Wash-
ington behaved with the greatest courage. He rode in every
direction, and was a conspicuous mark for the French sharp.
shooters. By the all-powerful dispensation of Providence,'
says he in a letter to his brother, I have been protected be-
yond all human probability or expectation; for I bad four
bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet I
escaped unhurt, although death was levelling my companions
on every side of me.' So bloody a contest has rarely been
witnessed."
The fatal result of General Braddock's enterprize spread
an alarm throughout Virginia, and all eyes were directed
to Washington, whose courage, sagacity, and self-possession
had been eminently conspicuous throughout the campaign.
Ile was consequently induced to try his skill once again in
arms, and after several months spent in continual hardships
and contests with the French and Indians, succeeded in
capturing Fort Duquesne, and bringing the campaign to a
fortunate termination. In the year 17.59 he married the
widow of John Parke Custis, " a lady three months
younger than himself, and distinguished alike for her beauty,
accomplishments, and wealth." Long before this however,
"He had felt the influence of the tender passion. At the
age of seventeen he was smitten with the graces of a fair one,
whom he called a Lowland beauty, and whose praises he re-
corded in glowing strains, while wandering with his surveyor's
compass among the Allegany mountains. On that occasion
he wrote desponding letters to a friend, and indited plaintive
verses, but never ventured to reveal his emotions to the lady
who was unconsciously the cause of his pains."
The strange admixture of business with sentiment that
appears in Washington's character at this period, is truly
edifying. Imagine him wandering about the American
mountains with " a surveyor's compass" in one hand, and a
copy of " plaintive love-verses" in the other ! Immediately
on his marriage, Washington retired to his favourite estate
at Mount Vernon, and " from this time till the beginning
of the revolution, a period of fifteen years, he was a member
of the House of Burgesses in Virginia, being returned by a
large majority of votes at every election."
The time was now at hand when his sphere of
action was to be enlarged, and he was to stand proudly
forward as the first soldier, statesman, and patriot
of his age. On the breaking out of the disturbances at
Boston and elsewhere, owing to the injudicious conduct of
the British Legislature, Washington took a decided part,
expressing it as his firm conviction that all ratnonstrances
with the mother country would be useless, and that nothing
would hare any effect, but an appeal to arms. The result
showed the sagacity of his opinion ; and when the struggle
was at length resolved on, Congress unanimously appointed
him Commander-in-chief of the American armies. His
career from this time forward is well known. After bear-
ing up against difficulties that would have broken down any
spirit but his own, he achieved the independence of his
country, and then with rare magnanimity retired into pri-
vate lite, refusing to receive even the smallest remunera-
tion for his glorious, and indeed unparalleled services! Mr.
Sparks relates the following interesting anecdote of him at
this period :
" The time had sow arrived when the Commander-in-chief
was to bid a final adieu to his brave companions in arms. This
affecting interview took place on the fourth of December ; at
noon, the principal officers of the army assembled at Frances's
tavern, soon after which their beloved commander entered the
room. His emotions were too strong to be concealed. Fill-
ing a glass, he turned to them and said, With a heart full of
love and gratitude, I now take leave of you ; I most devoutly
wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy, as
your former ones have been glorious and honourable.' Hav-
ing drunk, he added, ' I cannot come to each of you to take
leave, but I shall be obliged if each of you will come and take
me by the hand.' General Knox being nearest, turned to
him. Washington incapable of utterance, grasped his hand,
and embraced him. In the same affectionate manner he took
leave of each succeeding officer. The tear of manly sensibility
was in every eye; and not a word was articulated to interrupt the
dignified silence and tranquillity of the scene. Leaving the
rooms he passed through the corps oflight infantry, and walked
to Whitehall, where a barge waited to convey him to Paulus
Hook. The whole company followed, with dejected counte-
nances, testifying feelings of delicious melancholy which no
language can describe. Having entered the barge, he turned
to the company, and, waving his hat, bade them a silent
adieu I"

This pathetic interview will remind the reader of the
similar one which took place in the court-yard of Fontain-
bleau, when Napoleon bade farewell to his Old Guard.
Washington, had not been long in retirement at
Mount Vernon, when he was called by the
of the nation to the high post of President of thefUnited
States. His conduct as a statesman was quite equal to
what it had been as a soldier. America was never more
prosperous than during the period of his legislation, which
was marked, in every instance, by moderation, foresight, and
decision. On resigning the President's chair, to which he
had been twice elected, Washington hurried home to his
favourite Mount Vernon, where he expired on the 14th of
December, 1799, in his sixty-seventh year, after an
indisposition of a few days, brought on by a neglected
cold. "In person," says his biographer,
Washington was commanding, graceful, and fitly propor-
tioned ; his stature six feet, his chest broad and full, his limbs
long and somewhat slender, but well shaped and muscular.
His features were regular and symmetrical, his eyes of a light
blue colour, and his whole countenance, in its quiet state, was
grave, placid, and benignant. He was not fluent in speech,
but what he said was apposite. He seldom attempted sallies
of wit or humour, but no man received more pleasure from an
exhibition of them by others. Without austerity on the one
hand, or an appearance of condescending familiarity on the
other, he was affable, courteous, and cheerful ; but it has often
been remarked that there was a dignity in his person and man-
ner not easy to be defined, which impressed every one that saw
him for tke first time with instinctive deference and awe."
Such was Washington's exterior. His mind was worthy
of such a noble shrine. Though habitually of an ardent
and even passionate temperament, yet his self-controul,
exercised constantly from his earliest years, enabled him to
overcome it, and he was seldom, if ever, found off his guard.
His sagacity was of the highest and rarest order, and,
joined to his decided genius for war, bore down all oppo-
,ition before it. But perhaps his most distinguishing
characteristic was his magnanimity, which was quite
god-like in its essence. With the power of raising him-
self to the perpetual sovereignty of America, he nobly
disdained all thoughts of self-aggrandizement ; and died
in the possession of a mere private gentleman's com-
petency, when he might have amassed the wealth of a
Crcesus. His natural modesty was so great, that nothing
embarrassed or vexed him so much as allusions to the -sa-
crifices he had made for his country. How different in this
respect from the self-laudatory bulletin-manufacturer, Na-
poleon ! In a word, Washington may be said to have ap-
proached as near to perfection as the imperfect faculties of
human nature will allow ; and is beyond a question the
greatest man that the eighteenth century has produced.

BILL OF FARE Olir THE GREAT WESTERN.--
Ai a specimen of the dinners provided on board the Great
Western, our readers may take the following bill of fare :
Breakfast-6 dishes broiled ham, 2 ditto fish, 6 ditto mut-
ton chops, 100 eggs in omelets, 6 dishes devilled legs poul-
try, 6 dishes Indian meal. Dinner-6 tureens mock turtle,
2 dishes venison, 4 roast turkeys, 4 couple of ducks, 4 dishes
roast beef, 4 ditto cod fish, 4 couple of chickens, 6 dishes
fried oysters, &c., 4 ditto stewed oysters, 4 ditto boiled
mutton, 4 ditto maccaroni, 6 ditto baked mashed potatoes,
6 ditto mashed turnips, 6 ditto potatoes, 6 ditto parsnips,
six ditto plain potatoes, 6 plum puddings, 6 custard ditto,
6 raspberry pies, 6 apple ditto, 6 cranberry ditto, 2 cherry
ditto. Choice wines in abundance.—Bristol Mirror.

The diamond necklace presented to the Queen by
Resehid Pasha, on behalf of the Sultan, contains some of
the finest diamonds that have been seen in this country.
The value is estimated at above 5,0001. Her Majesty
thanked the Ambassador in French, and gracefully placed
the necklace on her beautiful neck. The Duchess of
Kent's necklace is also very fine, but the diamonds are
smaller than those i❑ the Queen's. Her Majesty has re-
ceived a cadcau from the Queen of Belgium, containing
one dozen pairs of velvet slippers, elegantly embroidered,
under the direction of the Queen herself, by a first-rate
artiste at Brussels. They are worthy of the prettiest foot
in Europe, which, by common consent, belongs to Queen
Victoria, and are much approved of by her Majesty, who
has for some time preferred velvet slippers to any other
description of chausszir.

Lord Thurlow had received a strongly recommen-
datory letter of a young gentleman for a living in his Lord-
ship's gift. He did not much like the recommender : but,
acting impartially, said to his secretary, with whose attend-
ance he rarely dispensed, " Show him in !"
The gay can-
didate for preferment put himself through the door, deli-
cately dressed, and redolent of what was then considered a
beautiful perfume, " lavender water." Thurlow looked at
hint for 4 nunute, and then said to the secretary, " Show
him out !"—Nero 111077111111 Magazine,
Three Irishmen pretty well primed with whiskey,
werc reeling home along the banks of the Liffey, last
week, when fine of them, who was descanting on the
virtues of his favourite licinor, which he declared to be
meat and drink to man, fell
off the quay into the river.
9egh,"
.exclaimed one of 116 companions, !`sure you're
now prPF4ecl fori for you had mate and drink, and faith
now you've gond washing and lodgittg74
Qn Wednesday evening a labourer eipploYeq PP"
the (4 rer,:; yYpstern Railway was knocked down hy an en-
gine, hefore he ccuici bep ptift of the Way, and so severely
injured that, on being take to'*, qeprgc's tioso9l, he
sh,crtly-after hisadmisaign, '