The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-06-07
From Irving's Life of Washington
THE LOVES OF WASHINGTON.

In one of these manuscript memorials of
his practical studies and exercises, we have
come upon some documents singularly in CON
trast with all that we have just cited and with
bis apparently unromantic character. In a
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 of unhapplness we have no positive
means of ascertainng. Perhaps the object of
it may have considered him a mere school
boy and treated him as such or his own shy
aes. may have been in his way and his ''rules
for behavior and conversation" may as yet
have sat awkwardly on him and rendered him
formal and unganful when he most sought 20
please Even in latter 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 heiwould talk more
Whatever may have been the reason, this
early attachment seems to have been source
of poignant discomfort to him. 1t clung to
him after he took final leave of school in the
autumn of 1847 and went to reside with his
brother Lawrence at Mount Vernon. Here
he continued his mathematical studies and his
practice in surveying, disturbed at times by
occurrences of his unlucky passion. Though
BY no means of a poetical temperament, the
waste pages of his journal betray several at
tempts to pour forth his amorous sorrows in
verse. They are mere commonplace rhymes,
such as lovers at his age are apt 10 write, in
which he bewas his 'poor restless heart.
wounded by Cuplds dart" and bleeding
for one who remains pitiless of his griets and
woes
The tenor of some of his verses induces us
to believe that he never told his love; but. as
we have already surmised. was prevented by
his bashfuness.
"ah wo is me. that should love and conceal;
Long have wished and dare reveal
1t is difficult to reconcile ones self TO the
idea Of the cool and sedate Washington, the
great champion of American liberty. a woe
worn lover in his youthful DAYS, ''sighing like
furnace" and inditing plaintive verses about
the groves of Mount Vernon. We are glad
OF an opportunity, however. of penetrating to
his native feelings and finding that under his
studied decorum and reserve he had a heart OF
flesh, throbbing with the warm impulses OF
human nature
The merits OF Washington were known and
appreciated by the Fairfax family. Though
not quite sixteen years of age, he no longer
seemed bow nor was he treated as SUCH
Tall athletic, and manly for his years, his ear
~ selitraining. and the code of conduct he
mad devised. gave gravity and decision tc
ms conduct; his frankueSs and modestv iaSpir-
ed cordial regard. and the melancholy Of which
he speaks may have produced sottness in his
manner calculated 10 win favor in ladies' ewes
According to his own account. the female soci
ETY. by which he was surrounded had a sootb
ing effect on that melancholy. The charm.
o. Miss Carey, the sister of the bride. seemed
even 70 have caused slight futterinsr IN HI.
bosom, which, however, was constantly ra
ouSed by the remembrance Of his former pas
sion--so at least we Judge from letters 10 hi.
youthful coaddants, rough drafts OF whiel
are SUI TO be seen in his telltale Journal
10 one whom he addresses as lis dea
mend Robis, he write:
My residence Is at PR sent, a. his lordShip'
Where | might, vas my heart diselgag ged
pass my nme very pleasantly, as there's yer
agreeable young lady living in the same house
Vol George Fairfax wile's sister, but a
maj IS only adding fuel to the fire. it make
me the more uneasy. for by often ani una
'0idaoly being in company with her, revive
"a! former passion for Your Lowland Beauty
whereas was to hive more retired from voun.
women, l might in some measure alleviate M
sosFows by burying that chaste and trouble
so.e passloa IN the grave of oblivion" dc
Similar ayowals he makes to another of hi
Young CORES spoudeuts. whom, he STYLES De
Trend John" as also to female coa63sn
styled, "Cesr Sally TO whom he aeknovi