The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-01-29
A LOVE STORY OF GE0RGE WASHING
TON.

Rev. +. d. Neill, while residing near
Washington, was requested by the rep
rcsentatlves ofthe Fairfax family which
gave The hero of Naseby to English his
tory, aud in the last century was assS-
ciated. in the person of the sixth Lord
Fairfax, with the early lite of George
Washington, to examine collection Of
letters with dates ranging from 1886 to
1893. There had been a publication in
England bentley, London. 1S4S,l OF
Fairfax correspondence, being the con-
tents of an old oaken chest sold as rub
bish of Leeds Castle in 1922, and upon
examination OF his Virginia treasure
trove, Mr.. Neill was gratified to find
that the letters were an interesting sup
plement to the series which had been
edited and published in England. As
the dates progressed the correspon-
dence became more and more American,
or raihe Virglnian, until their chief in-
terest relates to the young surveyor OF
the Fairfax estate in the Shenandoah
valley.
Joel MunseH, of Albany, assumed the
publication OF the letters, as edited and
annotated by Mr.. Neill. They consti-
tute very attractive volume OF 232 oc-
| tavo pages.
We have no space for the many refer
cnces to business, local politics. the
| Western campaign under Braddock,
which we find scattered through this
| publication in connection with Wash
! ington, aud which have become familiar
to the readers of Sparks and Irving
but Mr.. Ncill brings to light pleasant
episode-nothing less than love-letter
of the young Virginian, and the editors
industry helps us to the appreciation of
its tull significance.
The Fairfaxes had wealth, a title, dis
tinguished ncesto.y-accessories no.
where hcld in greater estimation than
in the Old Dominion. George William
Fairfax had married e Try, and at his
residence young Washington met a
young sister, Miss Mary Cary. Bishop
Meade, in his History of Old Churches
in Virginia, says that Washington asked
permission of old Mr.. Cary to address
his daughter before he ventured TO speak
| to herself. The reply of the old gen
tleman was, t'lf that is your business
here. sir, wish you to leave the house.
i for nv daughter has been accustomed
to ride IN her coach" The Bishot
speaks of rejection by the young Ia
DIV: but there is evidence that the some
what insolent rebuff of a wealthy colo
NAL aristocrat was the real obstacle t(
A successful suit. In 1907, when Wash
iugton, with the rank OF colonel, wa
absent upon the expedition against tn
French post of Duquesne, since Fits
burg. we find him addressing letter t.
Miss Mary Cary, which Edward Ever
EFT has Incorporated in his article IL
Appleton's Cyclopedia on Washington
but enormously supposed by him to b.
addressed TO Martha Gusts. whom IN
afterwards married, Mr.. Neill has es
tablshed that the letter was written t.
the lady whom he calls ''t..e first love
Washington" Mary Cary. 1t Is thu
commenced:
"DEAR MADAM:-Do We still mlsun
derstand the true meaning OF each oth
ers letters? / think it must appear SO
though would feign hepe the contra
, ry, as | cannot speak palmer Wlthou
+; -. but I'll say no more, and leave yo
), to guess the rest"
Then followed the general news ofth
campaign. given with much detail, an
including the particulars of disastrou
repulse Of Major Grant on the 10th c
September. 1853. The letter then re
sulmes its personal interest.
81 should think our times more agree
ably [sicl spent, believe me, in playin
5, a part in Cato" with the company yo
mention, and myself doubly happy
being the Juba TO such Marcia as yo
must make"
We place sentence in italics whic
might pass unnoticed by the reader, es
cent for the research of Mr.. Neill. 4
this point the editor appen1s the follow
ing note:
C Addison's tragedy of Cato must hay
been full of interest to the young mil
tarv officer In love with fair maldel
and yet debarred from being her hu
band because her father looked II. a
, han as without fortune and withoi
= fame.
Many passages in the play are e!
5, ceedingiy opposite to one in his situ
III ton. but only few eau be given:
ACT /. Scene 5..
Juba % Marcia, let me hope thy XIII
l.. concerns
l., And gentle wishes follow me to battl
he Marcia--My prayer and wishes shs
.i1 ,si always attend
a The friends of Rome, the Glorio
cause eivirtuer