tastes, and familiar to the minds of all. Each varying theme was invested with attractiveness by her amiability and good sense; each guest seemed the object of her especial care and attention. And as her husband was habitually taciturn and abstracted, this happy tact, and this gentle womanly politeness, were particularly appropriate and necessary on the part of the hostess of Mount Vernon.

It will readily be supposed that retirement and solitude were unknown to the inmates of the Home of WASHINGTON.

It was the pleasure of the now rusticated American Commander-in-Chief and of "Lady Washington" to repay with grateful interest, those tokens of friendship and politeness which had been exhibited towards them, when both were, in some degree, the tests of unaffected and disinterested report and regard.

Her valued female friends,-the heroic compeers of "Lady Washington" through long, dark years of struggle and suffering,-renewed their intercourse with her under auspices most pleasing to all parties. The venerated members of the first Congress; the illustrious and time-honored Cincinnati; Washington's beloved companions in

arms, the faithful, though humble veterans of the well-fought fields of the Revolution; old friends and new; relations, connections and acquaintances, all "came trooping" to this shrine of Patriotism and Worth.

No distinguished foreigner who visited the new Land of Freedom, thought his tour complete without its including a pilgrimage to the home of the illustrious modern Cincinnatus. Many sought counsel and aid at his hands in the prosecution of objects of business, pleasure or philanthropy. Illustrative of this fact, there may be found among Washington's published Letters, together with many others of a similar nature, several addressed about this time to the celebrated Catharine Maccauley Graham; who, during a prolonged visit at Mount Vernon, endeavored to secure the interest of her host in her benevolent, though somewhat Utopian schemes of usefulness, and with whom he politely continued, subsequently, for some time to correspond.

But among the numerous guests who, during this period of Mrs. Washington's life, claimed the hospitalities of Mount Vernon, there were few whose arrival was anticipated with more pleasure, or whose welcome was more heart-felt,

than that of the Marquis de La Fayette. There was, at one time, a hope entertained by his American friends, that this celebrated Champion of Liberty would be accompanied by the Marchioness in his visit to this country soon after the termination of the War in which he had borne so conspicuous a part. With this distinguished lady Mrs. Washington maintained the most cordial and pleasing correspondence, upon that, and kindred topics.-Nothing could surpass the affectionate veneration with which both these amiable foreigners regarded their beloved "Hero." Their eldest son and daughter bore, severally, the names of Washington and of his native State; and they long cherished the hope that he would, eventually, be enabled to fulfil a half-promise to visit France with Mrs. Washington. The succeeding passage from one of Washington's Letters to Madame de La Fayette, will furnish the reasons that were deemed sufficient to prevent the gratification of this hospitable wish, and exemplify the cordiality with which the Marchioness was invited to Mount Vernon.

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Mrs. Washington is highly honored by your participations, and feels very sensibly the force of your polite invitation to Paris; but she is too

far advanced in life, and too much interested in the care of her little progeny to cross the Atlan tic. This, my dear Marchioness, (indulge the freedom,) is not the case with you. You have youth (and if you should not incline to bring your children, can leave them with all the advantages of education,) and must have a curiosity to see the country, young, rude, and uncultivated as it is, for the liberties of which your husband has fought, bled, and acquired much glory, where everybody admires, everybody loves him. Come, then, let me entreat you, and call my cottage your home; for your own doors do not open to you with more readiness than mine would. You will see the plain manner in which we live, and meet with rustic civility, and you shall taste the simplicity of rural life. It will diversify the scene, and may give a higher relish for the gayeties of the court, when you return to Versailles. In these wishes, and in most respectful compliments, Mrs. Washington joins me. With sentiments of strong attachment, and very great regard, I have the honor to be, madam, &c."*

* In our inability to present our readers with specimens of Mrs. Washington's letters to this interesting family, we venture to commend to their perusal two selections from those ad

In the mean while La Fayette returned, temporarily, to the country of his adoption, though without the Marchioness; and upon his arrival hastened directly to the presence of his dearest American friends. He passed a long-remembered fortnight of such happiness as rarely falls to the lot of mortals with his almost parental host and hostess at Mount Vernon, before commencing his general tour to the North, and returned again for another week of delightful intercourse with them, before his departure for his native land.

Nor was it by those alone who were so fortunate as to be able personally to pay their respects to Mrs. Washington, that she was gratefully and affectionately remembered long after she ceased to spend a portion of each year in intimate association with the martial companions of the Republican Commander-in-Chief. Thus, we find proofs of the kindly recollections ever cherished for her by the Count de Rochambeau; and records of the complimentary and oft-recurring messages of regard exchanged with him through her

dressed, about this time, by Washington to Madame De La Fayette, in which he represents himself as expressing the wishes and sentiments of both Mrs. Washington and himself. See NOTE C, of the Appendix.