Chapter I: Preface

Every American, old or young, should become familiar with the life of Washington; it will confirm their patriotism and strengthen their loyalty. Such a character will become an inspiration to them, eliciting nobler aims, and impelling to nobler deeds.

Washington himself wrote to his step-son, who was in college:

"You are now extending into that stage of life when good or bad
habits are formed; when the mind will be turned to things useful
and praiseworthy or to dissipation and vice. Fix on which ever
it may, it will stick by you; for you know it has been said, and
truly, 'The way the twig is bent the tree's inclined.' This, in
a strong point of view, shows the propriety of letting your
inexperience be directed by maturer advice, and in placing guard
upon the avenues which lead to idleness and vice. The latter
will approach like a thief, working upon your passions,
encouraged, perhaps, by bad examples, the propensity to which
will increase in proportion to the practice of it and your
yielding. Virtue and vice cannot be allied, nor can idleness and
industry; of course if you resolve to adhere to the former of
these extremes, an intimacy with those who incline to the latter
of them would be extremely embarrassing to you; it would be a
stumbling block in your way, and act like a mill-stone hung to
your neck; for it is the nature of idleness and vice to obtain
as many votaries as they can....

"It is to close application and perseverance that men of letters
and science are indebted for their knowledge and usefulness; and
you are now at the period of life when these are to be acquired,
or lost for ever. As you know how anxious your friends are to
see you enter upon the grand theatre of life with the advantages
of a finished education, a highly cultivated mind, and a proper
sense of your duties to God and man, I shall only add one
sentiment before I close this letter and that is, to pay due
respect and obedience to your tutors, and affectionate reverence
for the president of the college, whose character merits your
highest regards. Let no bad example, for such is to be met in
all seminaries, have an improper influence upon your conduct.
Let this be such, and let it be your pride to demean yourself
in such a manner as to obtain the good will of your superiors
and the love of your fellow students."

Better advice than this was never given to a youth; and to enforce it, we present in this volume the life and character of the great man who so lovingly tendered it. By employing the colloquial style, anecdotal illustration, and thrilling incident, the author hopes more successfully to accomplish his purpose.

In the preparation of this work the author has availed himself of the abundant material furnished by Washington's well-known biographers, Ramsey, Weems, Marshall, Sparks, Bancroft, Irving, Everett, Custis, etc., together with the anecdotes of his earlier and later life, found in eulogies, essays, and literary articles upon his life and character, with which the literature of our country abounds. Incident is allowed to tell the life story of the subject. The incidents of his boyhood and youth are particularly narrated, that the achievements of ripe manhood may more clearly appear to be the outcome of a life well begun. To such an example parents and guardians can point with confidence and hope.

Believing that biography should be written and read so as to assure a sharp analysis of character, thereby bringing the real qualities of the subject to the front, and believing, also, that the biographies of the noblest men only should be written for the young, since "example is more powerful than precept," the author sends forth this humble volume, invoking for it the considerate indulgence of critics, and the blessing of Divine Providence.

W. M. T.

FRANKLIN, Mass.

CONTENTS.

I.

ANCESTORS AND BIRTH.

Ancestors in England--John and Lawrence Washington--Family of
Note--The Washington Manor and Irving--Sir Henry Washington in
War--English Fox Hunting--Washington and Franklin--The
Washingtons in America--Birth of George--House where
born--Ceremony of placing a Slab on it by Custis--Paulding
describes the Place--The House described--George
baptized--Removal to Banks of Rappahannock--Large Estates--Style
of Living--Vast Wilderness--Militia--Depredations by
Indians--Negro Slavery 23

II.

BOYHOOD.

Reliable Information about it--Visit to the Orchard, and the
Rebuke to Selfishness--George's Name growing in the Garden--Its
Lesson about God--The Hatchet, and it Lesson about
Lying--Raising a Regiment of Soldiers--George's Brother in
Uniform--Effect of Military Display on George--Playing
Soldier--His Brother Lawrence a Good Soldier--Love Greater than
War--George's Military Spirit increasing--George's Manly
Bearing--Excels in Athletic Sports--What Fitzhugh said--The
Sequel 36

III.

SCHOOL DAYS.

His Brother Lawrence educated in England--Leaving Home--George
at School when Five Years Old--His Teacher, Hobby--What a
Biographer says of his Progress--The Homeschool--His
Writing-book and Thoroughness--A Good Speller--Studying and
Playing with all his Might--Best Runner, Wrestler, etc.--The
School Grounds a Military Camp--An English and Spanish Army of
Boys--Juvenile Commander-in-chief--A Quarrel that George could
not Conquer--Truth-teller and Peacemaker--At Mr. Williams'
School, and a Mother's Lesson--Studying Surveying--Mimic
War--Surveying School-grounds--Later Surveying--Settling a
Difficulty--Acting as Umpire--What Mr. Weems says--What Mrs.
Kirkland says 52

IV.

METHOD AND THOROUGHNESS.

Doing Things Well--Dialogue with Lawrence--His "Book of Forms,"
and what a Schoolmate thought of it--His "Book of Problems:" its
Use and Abuse--His "Book of Drawing"--Odd Moments--Preserving
Bits of Prose and Verse--What Irving says--His "Rules of
Behavior"--What Lawrence Washington and his Wife thought of
them--Their Influence over him--Part of them Quoted--What
Everett says of them--Author's Opinion--Sample Extract from his
Copy-book--These show his Character--His Heart made a Level
Head 72

V.

FOUR INCIDENTS AND THEIR LESSONS.

His Father's Sudden Sickness--George at Chotauk--The Doctor's
Opinion--Growing Worse, and Startling Revelation--George sent
for--He arrived when his Father was dying--Affecting
Scene--Death and Will--The Arabian Colt--Attempt to ride
him--The Animal killed--George confessing his Wrong-doing--The
"Lowland Beauty"--George in Love--A Human Heart after All--What
Irving says about it--Naval Officers at Vernon--Wants to be a
Midshipman--His Mother's Opposition, and Lawrence's
Approval--Enlists--Appears before his Mother in Naval
Costume--Her Grief--He does not go--His True Manliness asserts
itself 82