The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-20
the Human Side Physical
and intellectual Neighbour and Friend and Lover

washington, ID. ca February fo.-
While knowledge Of George Washing
tons official side is n necessity. ac-
quaintancc WITH his human side is on
~ rare luxury OF our education. Wog
leave school or college fairly intimate !,
with Washington the soldier and the
statesman. but ignorant of Washing
ton the man, and our chance meetings
with the first American In this latter
role occur only In the course of our
incidental and accidental browsings
III pastures literary. But that the
world may now become better ac-
quainted with Washington the ncighbor
and friend. the husband and lover--tlIe
man In the Hesli--ths Library of Con- |
grass IL now having repaired and sub |
stantlallY mounted, oornd and care.
fully catalogred, the governments vast
and priceless but long neglected col
lection OF Washington manuscripts,
some $4,000 human documents, mostly
letters from, to and descriptive of this
great immortal. whose lTSth birth
day. we shall celebrate Tnosday next.
His Physical Charms and Defects.
AS described by his friend George
Mercer, about The time of his marriage,
or when twenty-seven. he was "as
straight as an Indian, measuring siSl
feet two inches in his stockings, and
weighing 175 pounds" He had well
developed muscles. large bones and
5ojnts. big feet and hands, wide
shoulders, but a chest neither deep nor
round. He was neat wasted" but
broad across the hips. and his head was
mot large" although his neck was
superb" His nose was large and
straight rather than prominent" his
eyes blue-gray, penetrating, widely
separated and oyerhung by heavy
brows.
He wss long faced. with high. round
check bones and a firm chin. and his
hair, worn in cue, was dark brown.
He had clear. though rather color
less pale skin. which burns with the
cum and his mouth was large and
generally firmly closed, but which from
time TO time disclosed some defective
teeth"
When thirty-onc he described him
self to his tailor as six feet high and
Internationally made-if anything rath-
<cr slender than thick for person or
that height, with pretty long arms and
thighs" BY the time he wac nifty
ono his weight had Increased to 2io. or
thlrty-ilve pounds over what he car
ried at the time of his marriage.
lie was peck marked. In addition to
having defective teeth. His attack OF
the awful disease which marked him
LOT iilc@Nhh EOHNTs-ttt'i at tbs ttt5N Va
nineteen, while with mis- invalid bro-
Their In Babadoes. When hfty-scyen.
In the year OF his first inauguration,
Senator Maclay, describing him "aa
lie really Is" said he was OF unex-
captionabic make, but lax appearance
and complained that his frame would
seem to want filling up" that his COM
piexIon was pale, nay, almost cadav-
erons" and that his voice was "hol-
ard IND fGfif NHs inc ne he'll
to artificial teeth before his upper Jaw.
which occasions q fairness"
"Projection OF the lower jaw" was
mentioned year later as one OF his
pecuiiarIties. as was thick nose. too
coarseIy and strongly formed and sew
eral critics note that his head was
small. Gilbert Stuart. the eminent
painter OF his portrait, said that the
sockets of his eyes were larger than
any that he had seen before. and the
upper part of his nose broader" When
he was sixty-five he was described az
still OF his natural erectness, but with
out rhe soldicrly air which might be
expected Yet even his severest crit.
les speak with enthusiasm of the maj,
esty of his exterior. his commanding
presence, the bening dignity of hi
countenance. his expression of beneYo
lence. nobility and self-possession. IL
the winter OF his life he was described
as having ~pensiyc eyes, and q "settlet
aspect of melancholy
That porcraiture has failed TO show
us the real Washington is the opinion
of several writers who studied him af-
ter he became President and who la
mented that there are few portraits
which resemble him" that his face had
an expression which mo painter hao
succeeded in taking and that mo pic
ture accurately resembles him in the
minute traits Of his person" He write.