Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-01-12
Sha kspeare says

/
tsSpeak but one rhyme and am satisfied !.
Cry butah, me- couple but love and dove"
Had Washington turned poet, be could
have said:
ssBy heavens, do loye;s ..f{
And it has taught me to rhyme, and be melan-
choly.' fs''z 4Rs
ssHe wished and sighed,
And versifed, go ~ e h.i1 i,a
And a thousand other pretty things beside.D
Washington's poetry does not equal
Milton, or Cowper; Young. or Pollock.
Two lines, think, will satisfy the reader:
s;Ahl woe is me that should love and conceal;
Long have wished, and never dare reveal.
as ffR ,taEtsss - 1873 ~ FL ~
Washington wrote this to bis dear friend
Robin: .'My residence is atpresent at his
Lordship's. where I might. were my heart
disengaged. pass my time very pleasantly.
as there is very agreeable young lady
living in the same house Colonel George
Fairfax's wife's sister. butas thatis only
adding fuel to the FIRE, it makes me the
more uneasy. for BY often and unavoida-
bly, being in company With hsr EsRiyes
my former passion for your Lowiand Beau
ty; whereas. was I to live more retired
from young women. I might in some mea-
sure, alleviate my sorrows, by burying
that chaste and troublesome passion in the
grave of oblivion" etc. o s i ae
Washington Irving says: 'It is diff
cult to- reconcile ones self to the idea OF
the cool and sedate Washington, the great
champion of American liberty, q woe worn
Ilover'in his youthful days. "sighing like
"a 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 bis studied decorum
and reserve he1had a heart of flesh throb-
bing with the warm impulses Of human
nature" as.assgeft -! ae.s I'D 80
I The question will naturally be asked.
why was Washington Disappointed in his
earliest love? Benson j. Lossing says
Miss Grimes s.reciprocated not bis love :
Washington Irving says "bashfulness
was the cause. a'saea . ase} q es2sls
/ = -
There is such thing as the ldifidence
Of love. His poetry is key to ualock
and explain the, whole business. He con-
cealed his passion he never. revealed it te
the ''Lowlandc Beauty nleoShe did no1
know the ardent love be felt for her. Il
was secret he locked up in his own bos-
om and sighed over it when it was toe
late. It was bashfulness. This is the
rock on which his first love was wrecked.
He was very bashful young man, u
said an old lady whom Washington used
to visit when he was young, Il used often
to wish he would talk more"
Fora long time there was mystery
concerning Washington's ''Lowland Beau
| ty." Tradition pointed to one and then
another; but the mystery is finally solved,
the curtain is drawn aside, and we are in
troduced to the veritable lady herself
She was Miss Grimes, of Westmoreland
county, Va. She was married to gen.
tleman by the name of Lee, and. in1756,
became the mother of Henry Lee. He
was one of the heroes of the revolution
and his name adorns the annals of his
country. He was familiarly known as
Light Horse Harry" He, was not only
distinguished as general. but as states
man; being member of Congress. Gov
ernor of Virginia. etc. fas " @
Washington held him iu high estima-
ton not only on account of his splendid
military talents, but because he was the
son of his, first love. -.
There was an air of dignity about Wash.
ington SO he could not be approached with
undue familiarity. Gouverneur Morris
once tried it, he met with such stern re-
buke he never had disposition to try il
again. ais97g
But on such intimate terms were Lee
and Washington that the former could ap-
proaeh him with the utmost freedom, as
the following shows. When the revolu-
tionary war was over, General Lee was
often welcome guest at Mount Vernon.
One day they were seated at the dinner
table, and Washington said he was in want
Of carriage horses, and he asked General
Lee if he knew where he could get pair.
Il have pair" replied Lee, ''but.
General, you cannot have them" a
"Why not =" ...,a, : s. =.
Because you win never pay more than
half price for anything, and / must have
full price for my horses 81 So +.
This reply caused Mrs. Washington to
laugh heartily, and her parrot at her side