Ancestry of Washington. - His Birth and Childhood.
Anecdotes. The Youthful Engineer. The Fairfax Family. - Life in the Wilderness. War with the Indians. Domestic Griefs. The French War. - Washington's Heroism at Braddock's Defeat. Scenes of Woe. - Marriage. Inheritance of Mount Vernon. American Revolution. — Patriotism of Washington. - Appointed Commander-in-chief. - Expulsion of the British from Boston. - Battles of the Revolution. - Perplexities and Sufferings. Spirit of Self-sacrifice. - Alliance with France. - Capture of Cornwallis. -Attacks upon the Character of Washington. - The Tomahawk and Scalping-knife. — Close of the War. - Washington chosen President. - His Retirement.-Peaceful Life at Mount Vernon. - Sickness and Death.
Two centuries ago, Virginia was almost an unexplored wilderness; but, even then, the beautiful realm had obtained much renown from the sketches of chance tourists. The climate, the soil, the rivers, bays, mountains, valleys, all combined to render it one of the most attractive spots upon our globe. Two young brothers, of wealth, intelligence, and high moral principle,-Lawrence and John Washington, -were lured by these attractions to abandon their home in England's crowded isle, and seek their fortunes in this new world. They were both gentlemen. Lawrence was a fine scholar, a graduate of Oxford: John was an accomplished man of business.
After a dreary voyage of four months, they entered that magnificent inland sea, Chesapeake Bay, and from that ascended the beautiful Potomac. It was a scene as of Fairyland, which was spread around them that bright summer morning, when their vessel, propelled by a favoring breeze, glided over the mirrored