Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-06-14
Mlis(el!aneous.
IRvING,s LIFE OF WASHINGTON.

Our beautiful writer, Washington Irving, af-
ter many years labor, has completed and pub
lished a life Of Che Father Of bis Country, the
great Washington. which, being medium be-
TWEEN the light, anecdotal character OF the old
Life of Washington, by Weems, and the cum
brons, historical one, by Marshall, and which
being more correct, probably, than either, is well
calculated to supply the long-admitted want of
such biography for popular reading. And as
tits destined, doubtless to Supercede all others
we cannot do our readers, wc think, better
service, than to give them few columns of ex-
tracts from it, both as specimens Of the work,
and as the most interesting matter with which
they could be furnished. Ed. OF FREEMAN.
wAsHINGToN's LOVE AFFAIRS.
In one of these manuscript memorials of his
practical studies and exercises, we have come
upon some documents singularly in contrast
with all we have just cited and with his appa-
rently unromantic character. In word, there
are evidences in his own handwriting that, be-
fore he was fifteen years of age, he had conceiv-
ed passion for some unknown beauty, so seri-
GUS as to disturb his otherwise well-regulated
mind and to make HIM really unhappy. Why
this juvenile attachment was source of unhap-
piness we have no positive, means of ascertain
ing. Perhaps the object of it may have consid
cred 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 converse
ton" may as yet have sat awkwardly on him
and rendered him formal and ungainly when he
most sought to please. Even in later years he
was apt to be silent and embarrassed in female
society. He was very bashful young man,
said an old lady whom he used to visit when
they were both in their homage, 81 used often
to wish that he would talk more"
Whatever may have been the reason, this ear
Wy attachment seems to have been source Of
poignant discomfort toNhim. 1t clung to him
after he took final leave of school in the au-
tumn of l747 and went to reside with his broth
er Lawrence at Mount Vernon. Hence he con-
tiuued his mathematical studies and his practice
| n surveying, disturbed at tin,es with the recur-
of his unlucky passion, Thoag
means Of q poetical temperament, the wasfe
pages of his Journal betray several attempts to
pour forth his amorous sorrows in verse. They
are mere common,place rhymes, such as lovers
at his age are apt to write, in which he bewails
his " poor, RESTLESS heart, wounded by Cupid'f
DART, and q" bleeding for one who remains pit
iless of all his griefs and woes"
The tenor of some of his verses induces US
to believe that he never told his love, but, al
we have already surmised, was prevented by his
bashfuluess.
"Ah, wo Is me, that should love and conceal
Long have wished and never dare reveal"
1t is difficult to reconcile ones self to th'
idea of the cool and sedate Washington, th
great champion of American liberty, woe-worl
lover in his youthful days, "sighing like fur
mace " and inditing plaintive verses about tn
groves of Mount Vernon. We are glad of al
opportunity, however, of penetrating his nativ
feelings, and finding that under his studied deco
rum and reserve he had heart of flesh, throb
bing with the warm impulses of human nature
The merits of Washington were known an
appreciated by the Fairfax family. Though no
quite sixteen yeare of age he no longer SCENE
a boy, nor was he treated as such. Tall, ath
letic and manly for his years, his early selftrain
ing and the code of conduct he had devised, CAV
gravity and decision to his conduct his frank
ness and modesty inspired cordial regard, an
the melancholy of which he speaks may hav
produced softness in his manner calculated
win favor in ladies' eyes. According to his ow
, account, the female society by which he wa
, surrounded had a soothing effect on bis melar
: cholly The charms of Miss Carey, the siste
/, Of the bride, seemed even to have caused sligt
: futtering in his bosom; which, however was cor
n stantly rebuked by the remembrance of his fo
t mer passion-so at least we judge from lette
n to bis youthful confdants, rough drafts q
which are still to be seen in his tell-ale journa
!; To one whom he addresses at his dear frier
e Robin, he writes my residence is at prese
n at his lordship's, where might, was my hea
r disengagcd, pass my time very pleasantly,
there's very agreeable young lady lives in Il
y same house (Col. George Fairfax's wife's sister
= but as that's only adding fuel to the fire,
y makes me the more uneasy, for by often q,
unavodably being in company with her, revi,
;, my former passion for your Lowland Bean t,
he whereas, were l to live more retired from your
e, women, | might in some measure alleviate L
a sorrows by burying that chaste and troublesoI
30 passion in the grave of oblivion" &c.
ly Similar avowas he made to another of
e, young correspondents, whom he styles "De
r. friend John" us also to female Sbnlidant st
he ed " Dear Sally" to whom he acknowledg
e- that the company of the very agreeable you
'st lady, sister-in-law of Colonel George Fairfax
'e- in great measure cheers his sorrow and dele
a ednesa. The object of his early passions is =
en- positively known. Tradition states that |
r. lowland beauty" was Miss Grimes, of We
&C. moreland, afterwards Mrs. Lee, and mother
ed General Henry Lee, who figured in revolutit
st AIRY history as Light Horse Harry" and v
d. always faYorite with Washington, probal