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of their armies, from a natural persuasion that so good a man must be the peculiar favourite of Heaven, and the fastest friend of his country. How far this precious instinct in favour of goodness was correct, or how far Washington's conduct was honourable to Religion and glorious to himself and country, bright ages to come, and happy millions yet unborn, will, we confidently hope, declare to the most distant posterity.

CHAPTER XIV.

WASHINGTON'S CHARACTER CONTINUED.

HIS BENEVOLENCE.

This only can the bliss bestow
Immortal souls should prove;

From one short word all pleasures flow,
That blessed word is-Love.

Ir ever man rejoiced in the divine administration, and cordially endeavoured to imitate it by doing good, George Washington was that man. Taught by religion that "God is love," he wisely concluded those the most happy who love the most; and, taught by experience that it is love alone that gives a participation and interest in others, capacitating us to rejoice with those who rejoice, and to weep with those who weep, he early studied that benevolence which rendered him so singularly the delight of

mankind.

The marquis De Chastellux, who visited him in camp, tells us that "he was astonished and delighted to see the great American living among his officers and men as a father among his children, who at once revered and loved him with a filial tenderness."-

Brissot, another famous French traveller, assures us, that "throughout the continent every body spoke of Washington as of a father."

The dearest and best of all appellations, "The father of his country," was the neutral fruit of that benevolence which he so carefully cultivated through life. A singular instance of which we meet with in 1754, and the 22nd year of his age.

He was stationed at Alexandria with his regiment, the only one in the colony, and of which he was colonel. There happened at this time to be an election in Alexandria for members of the assembly: and the contest ran high between Colonel George Fairfax, and Mr. Elzey. Washington was the warm friend of Fairfax: and a Mr. Payne headed the friends of Elzey. A dispute happening to take place in the court-house yard, Washington, a thing very uncom mon with him, became warm; and, which was still more uncommon, said something that offended Payne; whereupon the little gentleman, who, though but a cub in size, was the old lion in heart, raised his sturdy hickory, and, at a single blow, brought our hero to the ground. Several of Washington's officers being present, whipped out their cold irons in an instant and it was believed that there would have been murder off-hand. To make bad worse, his regiment, hearing how he had been treated, bolted out from their barracks, with every man his weapon in his hand, threatening dreadful vengeance on those who had dared to knock down their beloved colonel. Happily for Mr. Paine and his party, Washington recovered, time enough to go out and meet his enraged soldiers: and, after thanking them for this expression of their love, and assuring them that he was not hurt in the least, he begged them, as they loved him or their duty, to return peaceably to their barracks. As for himself, he went to his room, generously chastising his imprudence, which had thus struck up a spark that had like to have thrown the

whole town into a flame. Finding on mature reflection, that he had been the aggressor, he resolved to make Mr. Payne honourable reparation, by asking his pardon on the morrow! No sooner had he made this noble resolution, than, recovering that delicious gaiety which accompanies good purposes in a virtuous mind, he went to a ball that night, and behaved as pleasantly as though nothing had happened! Glorious proof, that great souls, like great ships, are not affected by those little puffs which would overset feeble minds with passion, or sink them with spleen!

The next day he went to a tavern, and wrote a polite note to Mr. Payne, whom he requested to meet him. Mr. Payne took it for a challenge, and repaired to the tavern, not without expecting to see a pair of pistols produced. But what was his surprise on entering the chamber, to see a decanter of wine and glasses on the table! Washington arose, and in a very friendly manner met him; and gave him his hand. "Mr. Payne," said he, "to err is nature: to rectify error is glory. I find I was wrong yesterday but I wish to be right to-day. You have had some satisfaction: and if you think that sufficient, here's my hand; let us be friends."

Admirable youth! Noble speech! No wonder, since it charms us so, that it had such an effect on Mr. Payne, who from that moment became the most ardent admirer and friend of Washington, and ready at any time, for his sake, to charge up to a battery of two and forty pounders.

What a lesson for our young countrymen! Had Washington been one of the race of little men, how sadly different would have been his conduct on this occasion! Instead of going that night to the ball, and acting the lively agreeable friend, he would, like an angry viper that had been trod on, have retired to his chamber. There he would have found no such entertainment as Washington had at this ball; no sprightly music, no delicious wines, no sweetly

smiling friends. On the contrary, all the tortures of a soul brooding over its indignities, until reflection had whipped it up into pangs of rage unutterable, while all the demons of hell, with blood-stained torches pointing at his bleeding honour, cried out "revenge! revenge! revenge!" There in his chamber, he would have passed the gloomy night preparing his pistols, moulding his bullets, or with furious looks driving them through the body of his enemy chalked on the wall. The next morning would have seen him on the field, and in language lately heard in this state, calling out to his hated antagonist, You have injured me, sir, beyond reconciliation: and by

I'll kill you if I can. While his antagonist, in a style equally musical and christian, would have rejoined, Kill, and be! Pop go the pistolsdown tumbles one of the combatants; while the murderer, with knocking knees and looks of Cain, flies from the avenger of blood! The murdered man is carried to his house, a ghastly, bloody corpse. Merciful God! what a scene ensues! some are stupified with horror! others sink lifeless to the floor! His tender sisters, wild shrieking with despair, throw themselves on their dead brother and kiss his ice-cold lips; while his aged parents, crushed under unutterable woe, go down in their snowy locks brokenhearted to the grave.

Thus bloody and miserable might have been the end of Washington or of Payne, had Washington been one of those poor deluded young men, who are determined to be great; and so be brought forward in newspapers, in spite of God or devil. But Washington was not born to exemplify those horrid tragedies, which cowards create in society by pusillanimously giving way to their bad passions. No-he was born to teach his countrymen what sweet peace and harmony might for ever smile in the habitations of men, if all had but the courage, like himself, to obey the sacred voice of justice and humanity. By

firmly obeying these, he preserved his hands unstained by the blood of a fellow man; and his soul, unbarrowed by the cruel tooth of never-dying remorse. By firmly obeying these, he preserved a life, which, crowned with deeds of justice and benevolence, has brought more glory to God, more good to man, and more honor to himself, than any life ever spent since the race of man began.

Sons of Columbia! would you know what is true courage? see it defined, see it exemplified in this act of your young but great countryman. Never man possessed a more undaunted courage, than Washington. But in him this noble quality was the lifeguard of his reason, not the assassin; a ready servant to obey her commands, not a bully to insult them; a champion to defend his neighbour's rights, not a tyrant to invade them. Transported by sudden passion, to which all are liable, he offended Mr. Payne, who resented it rather too roughly, by knocking him down on the spot. Washington had it in his power to have taken ample revenge: and cowards, who have no command over their passions, would have done it. But duty forbade him: and he had the courage to obey. Reason whispered the folly of harbouring black passions in his soul, poisoning his peace. He instantly banished them; and went to a ball, to drink sweet streams of friendship from the eyes of happy friends. Again reason whispered him, that having been the aggressor, he ought to ask Payne's pardon, and compromise the difference with him. In this also he had the courage to obey her sacred voice.

In what history, ancient or modern, sacred or profane, can you find, in so young a man, only twentytwo, such an instance of that TRUE HEROIC VALOUR which combats malignant passions-conquers unreasonable self-rejects the hell of hatred, and invites the heaven of love into our own bosoms, and into those of our brethren with whom we may have

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