Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-06-02
For the Phpnix
MOIINT VERNON AS IT Is

pious pilgrim TO make his tour TO his shrine in
the East. The recollection of the hero. The
patriot, and the sage, the man of all Others
whom the sons of liberty delight to call the;,
own, sirs up feeling within as he stands be.
side the tomb where his sacred dust is enshrin.
ed, that is not experienced by any ASSOCIATIONS
with which the great name of Washington ia
connected.
II is then that one is conscious of being A.
mid scenes which were once enjoyed BY him
who had endeared them to the recollection or
his countrymen, and who first selected them
for their calm, quiet beauty and sequesterJ
shades II is then that he feels the presence or
the spirit which once lowered in persona
around the spot, and IFS mute whispetfnps and
silent admonitons seem like the familiar con-
verse Of an early monitor or some heaven-di-
rected friend.
Little does The appearance Of this veneraIe1
spot now accord with the feelings which tour
10 il naturally exciIes in the beholder. One IS
taught to expect, at least, faint resemblance
between the temple with its appufienancrs.
and the diuinity which forms the object Of wor-
ship and willing homage. Not so here. Time
in its Needless march has left multiplied evden-
ces of its blighing and whitening influence A.
bout this once beautiful and still romantic spot
Decay has gradually risen from gross neg-
gence, until the whole place teens with DESC
lation and unmitigated neglect. Could the
shade Of the illustrious dead break from IFS
marble tenement and witness the sad havoc
made upon his well cultivated fields, his walks.
his shrubbery, his well ordered and durable
buildings, his neat and lasting sepiments, ar
ranged after his own ideas of utility | saw,
could he view the inroads made upon them all,
how just would be the Tebuke that would fall
upon the dcspoilers of what smoothed for him,
the grim visaged front nj war, and QUOTED the
anxious feelings and distracted thoughts atten-
dant upon the path Of political life The road
which leads meandering from the principal
highway up To the mansion is in a most deplo-
rable state Of repair, rendering il nearly impos-
slble to approach the house Otherwise than on
horseback, and at the risk of disabling your
horse-to say nothing of the imminent dan
ger one is exposed TO of breaking his own neck
You may chance, also, In have a Don QuixOt-
ic encounter with herd of gentleman porkers,
or some other Struggling quadrupeds which
wander at large about The enclosure. On
nearer approach, you are struck with the filthy
and disnrdery appearance Of the yard, which
looks as if the "rebe army'' had lately encamp-
ell there, and fled in the midst of a most de-
lightful confusion. You pass by the crumbng
walls OF the old green house,, weeping, if
may use the term, over its fallen grandeur. A
slave opens gate, which creaks as though it
would express the pent up grief which lies in
its hinges-and you are on the lawn west of
the house.
This, to the writer, was the most delightful
spot about the premises-streiching as il does
Tor about q quarter of mile, surrounded by
gravel walk, and skirted on either side BY a
row of tulip tress, though much decayed, and
shrubbery, with other ct ceteTas, which give
evidence of former splendor, il presented nu-
ly delightful appearance.
The path from thence down to the tomb is
greatly declining and strewed with RUBBISH
To The right, stand few solitary monuments
of antiquity, grinning under the iorturing lash
of time, whose impressions they but TOO clear
" show. You hobbe, stumble, or jump, ac-
cordng TO your own inclination, over an apo-
ogy for fence, between the rails Of which Is
placed one end of board, while the other rests
upon a stake, in order 10 make the gradailon
more easy for those who are not inclined TO
dislocate hip or fracture an arm. Immediate
| " before you, in Knocked solemniiy, lie the
remnants Of the old tomb, and further on, in
more retired spot, rise the walls OF the new
vault, in which Tepose the Wondering remains
of Washington and his wife, enclosed in two
handsome marble sarcophngi which were pre-
scented by John Struther, an engraver OF Phila-
delphia. On the one is carved the American
Eagle and the Grecian Shield. with the simple
inscription of WAsHINGToN on the other,
MARTHA, consort of Washington. These are
seen through a kind of lattice work, composed
OF bars Of iron arranged perpendicularly, with
few running transversely. The scenery a.
round is somewhat broken, and at a short dis
lance TO the left, with its tranquil waters, runs
the majestic Potomac.
! Keeping to the right and near the river as
you come up, the path leads into an open
space to the east of the Mansion, and declining
] tn fhsar uata rs AL linz IN al
as il were, and underneath the ouispreadng
branches of giant oak, is situated the summer
house, which appears now 10 be designed Tor
no other purpose than for the inscription OF
names by the curious and idle traveller. I'm
derneath was formerly an ice cellar; but il ap-
pears now more like the 'descensus Averni,"
than what lis other name indicates. The house
is of the apcient order OF architecture, with an
observatory on the top. The view from this
Is delightful, and well calculated to afford that
tranquility and beauty of scenery for which it
was erected. Arranged in a semi-ciTcular form,
stand the other buildings, the house forming
the key of the arch.
The present incumbent is grand nephew oil
the Generals, young man OF 90 years. lie
has recognized The ruth of the saying, that
"happness was born a twin" and has lately
sacrificed at Hymen's altar. Should spark OF
Promelhean FIRE still slumber in his bosom, or
remnant of national pride exist within him,
it is hoped that Mount Vernon will no longer
wear The gloomy aud sombre appearance which
il now presents, but that life, newness and or
der may be difused through its whole system,
and while no particular part shall be radically
changed, every part shall be so restored and
invigorated, as TO bid defiance, for many COM
ing years, to that most Tavenous and consnm-
ing disease, neglect. L'ORlENTE.
Chesterfield, April 25, l84S.
In the year l755, portion of Lisbon was