Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-01-17

branches. This tree was vigorous and full OF
life. although leaaess and bare Of fruit. 1t was
the first time had seen this Druidical plant IN
| full growth. II was as green as the fame oil
him who slept beneath it, and involuntary
extended my thoughts to the tree OF Liberty,
whose roots are to sink deeper and whose BRAN
ches are 10 rise higher, and spread wider IN
the lapse of ages; s. on that saw, in the thick
coming fancies of future years, the glory OF
w ashington, hanging like this sacred herb IN
eternal verdure, when every other leaf had TALL
en- by the blast, or had been withered by the
touch of time. The mansion-house OF WASH
ing,on stands about thirty feet higher on the
bank than the tombs The house is said 10 be a.
bout one hundred and seventy feet from the
surface of the water-and commands an extern
sive prospect both up and down the Potomac,
which is here about mile and one half wide.
II was formerly an old fashioned square house,
with chimnies in the centre, but there have
been additions to each end. On the upper end,
Washington, while president, added line din
ing hall. The ceiling is lofty and the windows
Of good size. The chimney piece in this room
is Of exquisitely fine white marble, and bears IN
bold relief rural scene, sculptured by mas
ter hand. On the right plough boy is unhar-
Messing his horses; the fatigue of the docile AMI
mails is finely depicted; in the centre is group
of cows and sheep going to the farm yard, AMI
on the left the nterna! affairs Of the cottage are
exhibited This was present TO Washington,
it is said, from Lafayette. In this room, with
other paintings, hangs a likeness OF Lawrence
Washington, uncle to the General, IN the cos
tune Of British officer. lie served with Adj
miral Vernon in taking Porte Belo in 1899,
and on his return TO private life called his es-
tate after that hero. In the entry which runs
through the house, saw the key Of the Bas-
tile, which, with print Of the demolition oil
this famous prison, was presented to Washing
ton BY Lafayette. This Bastie was, 1t is true,
an accursed ediGce, but the Concicegcrie was
quite as horrible. The former had few in
mates by the order Of despotism, but the latter
was filled, in the reign of terror, by thousand
victims Of blood and frenzy.
There were also several busts Of great value
for their exactness, about the house; that OF
John Paul Jones has the reputation OF being We
ry good; as also one Of Necker; but was hap
by 10 see bust Of Washington himself, which
confirmed me in the opinion that Stuart's 2or.
trait was true to nature-the great muscles Of
the checks with the coseness Of the lips as ex-
pressed in Stuart's Washington are in this bust
very striking. If / could venture to crilicisr
in the slightest degree on that noble effort Of
art, Stuarl's Washington, i, would be on the
breadth Of the forehead--hut this, probably, aris
es from the position in which he was taken
several pictures and prints were 10 be seen, but
had not time TO examine them, except so cur
sorily, as not 10 be able To give you any correct
accoun, ofthem. Nothing could exceed The
urbanity of Judge Washington, which, must
confess after what had been seen in the papers
last srfing, did not expect. He received eve
nv one with ease and courtesy, was communities
tive in giving ex plantations OF what we saw, ire
auen,ly unasked, and freely when Intercepted
The trees are growing So thickly around the
house that you seem almost in the midst OF
forest. Those trees nearest the buildings are
locusls, and appear. many Of them, Of the age
of half century, and were planted by Wash
ington himself The garden and out houses
are near the mansion-house, and are now in
good order, having been very considerably re-
paired within few years past. The green
houses were well filed, and hourishing: as yet,
I presume, there had been no FIRE in them this
season, but it has been cold enough since, there
and here, to require it, Oak and cedar are the
growth Of the circumjacent wood lands. The
plantation now consists offour thousand acres
which were given to others Of his family. The
soil is thin, and should think rather ordinary
in quality and considerably exhausted, as al
most all the lands in the neighborhood seem to
be. The house servants were tall, good look
ing blacks, in livery, and perfectly well trained
Mrs Washington, the wife Of the Judge, was
iadisposed, out / was introduced to Mrs
Washington, wife Of one Of Judge Washing
toms nephpws, aud to Miss Washington, a
daughter Of another. The matroH was quite
convertible, and made to me, while the process
sion was forming to visit the ,omh, some very
iudicious remarks upon modern education,
clearly showing that educa'ion,-for she spoke
Of her children had been subject oflongco con-
sideration in her mind.
Except Alexandria, there is no considerable
settlement from the City Of Washington to
Mount Vernon. There is nothing of those
newborn villages which delight Tie eye as you
sail down the Penobsco, or Kennebeck, or those
older towns and villages, which nave for so
many years been the admiration Of the travel
Ter as he stretched along the banks of the Mer-
rimack and the Connecticut, when at every love-
ly meanderng of the waters some halowed
spire arose 10 tell him that here were the "a
bodies Of intelligence, industry, religion, and
- ar H. F , IN