came here to dinner and went away afterwards."— Washington's Diary.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15.

At Mount Vernon: "November 15.-Went with my Compass and finished the line of Stakes from Dogue Run (at the Tumbling dam) to Hunting C; for a Road on the border of my land adjoining to Col Masons-also connected this with the Road leading from the Gum Spring to Alexandria and from the former run the courses and measured the distances to my Mill and from the Mill to the Mansion House.

"On my Return home in the Evening I found Mr Warville and a M' de Saint Tries here-brought down by M2 Porter who returned again. November 16.-MonsTM Warville and Saint Tres returned to Alexandria in my Chariot. November 17.-It was this day and not yesterday that Mr Warville and Mr Staint trees returned to Alexandria.”— Washington's Diary.

"I hastened to arrive at Mount Vernon, the seat of General Washington, ten miles below Alexandria on the same river. On this rout you traverse a considerable wood, and after having passed over two hills, you discover a country house of an elegant and majestic simplicity. It is preceded by grass plats; on one side of the avenue are the stables, on the other a green-house, and houses for a number of negro mechanics. In a spacious back yard are turkies, geese, and other poultry. This house overlooks the Potowmack, enjoys an extensive prospect, has a vast and elevated portico on the front next the river, and a convenient distribution of the apartments within. The General came home in the evening, fatigued with having been to lay out a new road in some part of his plantations. You have often heard him compared to Cincinnatus: the comparison is doubtless just. This celebrated General is nothing more at present than a good farmer, constantly occupied in the care of his farm and the improvement of cultivation. He has lately built a barn, one hundred feet in length and considerably more in breadth, destined to receive the productions of his farm, and to shelter his cattle, horses, asses, and mules. It is built on a plan sent him by that famous English farmer Arthur Young. But the General has much improved the plan. This building is in brick, it cost but three hundred pounds; I am

sure in France it would have cost three thousand * He planted this year eleven hundred bushels of potatoes. All this is new in Virginia, where they know not the use of barns, and where they lay up no provisions for their cattle. His three hundred negroes are distributed in different log houses, in different parts of his plantation, which in this neighbourhood consists of ten thousand acres. Colonel Humphreys, that poet of whom I have spoken, assured me that the General possesses, in different parts of the country, more than two hundred thousand acres.

"Everything has an air of simplicity in his house; his table is good, but not ostentatious; and no deviation is seen from regularity and domestic œconomy. Mrs. Washington superintends the whole, and joins to the qualities of an excellent house-wife, the simple dignity which ought to characterize a woman, whose husband has acted the greatest part on the theatre of human affairs; while she possesses that amenity, and manifests that attention to strangers, which render hospitality so charming. The same virtues are conspicuous in her interesting niece; but unhappily she appears not to enjoy good health.

"M. de Chastellux has mingled too much of the brilliant in his portrait of General Washington. His eye bespeaks great goodness of heart, manly sense marks all his answers, and he sometimes animates in conversation, but he has no characteristic features; which renders it difficult to seize him. He announces a profound discretion, and a great diffidence in himself; but at the same time, an unshaken firmness of character, when once he has made his decision. His modesty is astonishing to a Frenchman; he speaks of the American war, and of his victories, as of things in which he had no direction."-J. P. BRISSOT DE WARVILLE, Nouveau Voyage dans les États Unis de l'Amérique Septentrionale, fait en 1788, Paris, 1791.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20.

At Alexandria: " November 20.-Went to Alexandria with Mr Washington-Dined with Col° Henry Lee & Lady at Mr Fendalls and returned home in the Evening-Found Doct' La Moyeur here."- Washington's Diary.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2.

At Mount Vernon: "The expensive manner in which I live (contrary to my wishes, but really unavoidable), the bad

*The building of a brick barn has occupied much of my attention this summer. It is constructed according to the plan you had the goodness to send me; but with some additions. It is now, I believe, the largest and most convenient one in this country."-Washington to Arthur Young, December 4, 1788.

years of late, and my consequent short crops, have occasioned me to run in debt, and to feel more sensibly the want of money than I have ever done at any period of my whole life, and obliges me to look forward to every source from whence I have a right to expect relief. Under these circumstances I must ask you what prospect I have, and in what time (after it becomes due) I may expect to receive the present years annuity."- Washington to David Stuart.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4.

At Mount Vernon: "The more I am acquainted with agricultural affairs, the better I am pleased with them; insomuch, that I can no where find so great satisfaction as in those innocent and useful pursuits. In indulging these feelings, I am led to reflect how much more delightful to an undebauched mind is the task of making improvements on the earth, than all the vain glory which can be acquired from ravaging it, by the most uninterrupted career of conquests."- Washington to Arthur Young.

"I have a prospect of introducing into this country a very excellent race of animals, by means of the liberality of the KING of Spain. One of the jacks which he was pleased to present to me (the other perished at sea) is about 15 hands high, his body and limbs very large in proportion to his height; and the mules which I have had from him, appear to be extremely well formed for service. I have likewise a jack and two jennetts from Malta, of a very good size, which the Marquis de la FAYETTE sent to me.* The Spanish jack seems calculated to breed for heavy slow draught; and the others for the saddle, or lighter carriages. From these, altogether, I hope to secure a race of extraordinary goodness, which will stock the country."-Idem.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19.

At Mount Vernon: "December 19.-Rid to the Plantations at the Ferry and Frenchs-and to Dogue Run &

* The jack presented by Lafayette was called the Knight of Malta; this jack was a superb animal, black in color, with the form of a stag and the ferocity of a tiger.

Muddy hole. . . . M Madison came here to dinner. December 20.-Remained at home with Mr Madison. December 25.-Sent Mr Madison after breakfast as far as Colchester in my Carriage."- Washington's Diary.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 29.

At Mount Vernon: "December 29.-Rid to the Plantations at the Ferry and Frenchs-and to Dogue Run & Muddy hole. December 30.-Rid into the Neck-and to Muddy hole Plantations. December 31.-Rid to the Ferry & Frenchs-and to Dogue Run and Muddy hole Plan"."— Washington's Diary.

1789.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1.

At Mount Vernon: "January 1.-Went out after breakfast to lay of or rather measure an old field which is intended to be added to Muddy hole Plantation-after which marked out a line for the New Road across from the Tu[m]bling Dam to little Hunting Creek to begin post and Rail fence on."- Washington's Diary.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7.

At Alexandria: "January 7.-Went up to the Election of an Elector (for this district) of President & Vice President when the Candidates polled for being Doct' Stuart and Col' Blackburn the first recd 216 votes from the Freeholders of this County-and the second 16 Votes.-Dined with a large company on Venisen at Pages Tav" and came home in the evening."— Washington's Diary.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18.

At Mount Vernon: "The first wish of my soul is to spend the evening of my days as a private citizen on my farm; but, if circumstances, which are not yet sufficiently unfolded to form the judgment or the opinion of my friends, will not allow me this last boon of temporal happiness, and I should once more be led into the walks of public life, it is my fixed determination to enter there, not only unfettered by promises, but even unchargeable with creating or feeding the expectation of any man living for my assistance to office."- Washington to Samuel Hanson.