Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-09-26

icers be welcome guests at the tables o.
Lawrence and his father-in-aW. Thus
military scenes on sea and shore would
become the topics of conversation. The
capture of Porto Bello; the lombard
ment of Carthagena ;. old stories of cruisr
ings in the East and West Indies, and
campaigns against the pirates. We can
picture to ourselves George. grave and
earnest boy, with an expanding intellect,
and deep-seated passion for enterprise.
listening TO such conversations with a
kindling spirit and a growing desire to en-
ter the navy which he evinced when
about fourteen years of age. The, ,oppor-
tunity for gratifying it appeared at hand.
Ships of war frequented the colonies, and
at times, as we have hinted, were an>
chored in the Potomac. The inclination
was encouragedby Lawrence Washington
and Mr.. Fairfax. Lawrence retained
pleasant recollections of his cruisings in
the fleet of Admiral Vernon, and consi-
dered the naval service popular path to
fame and fortune. George was at a sui
table age to enter the navy. The great
difficulty was to procure the assent OF his
mother. She was brought, however, to
acquiesce midshiPman's warrant was
obtained, and it is even said that the lug
gage of the youth was actually on board
of a man -of-war, anchored in the river
Just below Mount Vernon.
At the eleventh hour the mothers heart
faltered. This was her eldest. born. A
son, whose strong and steadfast character
promised to be support to herself and a
protection to her children. The
thought of his being completely Sc
vered from her, and exposed to the hard
ships and perils of boisterous profession,
overcame even her resolute mind, and at
her urgent remonstrances the nautical
scheme was given up.
10 school, therefore, George returned
and continued his studies for nearly two
years longer, devoting himself especially
10 mathematics. and accomplishing him
self in those branches calculated to fit him
either for civil or military service
Among these, one of the most important
in the actual state of the country was
land surveying. In this he schooled him.
self thoroughly, using the highest process
Of the art making surveys about the
neighborhood, and keeping regular field
books, some of which we have examined
in which the boundaries and measurements
Of the fields surveyed were carefully en-
tered, and diagrams made, with neat
ness and exactness as if the whole related
to important land transaction instead Of
being mere school exercises. Thus, in
his earliest days, there was perserver-
ance and completeness in all his underta-
Kings. Nothing was left half done, or
done in hurried or slovenly manner
The habit Of mind thus cultivated contin-
ued throughout life SO that however
complicated his tasks and overwhelming
his cares in the arduous and hazard
Gus situations in which he was often
placed, he found time to do every thing.
and to doit well He bad acquired the
magic of method, which of itself works
wonders.
In one7of these manuscript memorials
of his practical studies and exercises, we
have come upon some documents in con-
trast with all that we have just cited. and,
with his apparently unromantic character.
In word. there are evidences in his own
hand writing, that, before he was fifteen
years of age, he had conceived passion
for some unknown beauty, SO serious as to
disturb his otherwise well~regulated mind
and to make him really unhappy. Why
this Juvenile attachment was source oi
of unhappiness, we have no positive
means of ascertaining. Perhaps the OBJ
ject of it may have considered him mere
school-boy, and treated him as such or
his own shyness may have been in his
way, and his ''rules for behavior and
conversation" may as yet have set awk-
wardly on him, and rendered him forma1
and ungainly when he most sought tc
please. Even in later years he was ap,
to be silent and embarrassed in female
society. "He was very bashful young
man." said an old lady, he used to visl
when they were both in their nonage.-
" l used often to wish that he would talk
more"
Whatever may have been the reason
this early attachment seems to have beer
Il source of poignant discomfort to him
1t clung to him after he took final leave
Of school in 1747. and went to reside will
his brother Lawrence at Mount Vernon
Here he continued his mathematical stu
dies and his practice in surveying. dis
turbed at times by occurrences of his un
, lucky passion. Though by no means o
poetical temperament, the waste page:
Of his journal betray several attempts t,
, pour forth his amorous sorrows in verse
They are mere commonplace rhymes
such as lovers at his age are apt to write
f in which he bewaiIs his "poor restles
heart, wounded by Cupid's DART" ant
r bleeding for one who remains pitiless O
, his griefs and woes.'
The tenor of some of his verses Undue,
t US to believe that he never told his love
} but, as we have already surmished, wa
= prevented BY his bashfulness.
.' All, woe is mo, that should love and conceal
q Long have wished and never dare reveal.'
3 1t is difficult to reconcile ones self t