USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > Historical sketches of the ten miles square forming the District of Columbia : with a picture of Washington, describing objects of general interest or curiosity at the metropolis of the Union. > Part 18
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North of the Executive Mansion, and commands a rich and interesting prospect; a noble river flowing in front, animated by vessels of com- faerce or pleasure, the Metropolis of the Union stretching right and left before you; the Potomac bridge, Alexandria, Fort Washington, and a dis- tant glimpse of Mount Vernon, terminate on the horizon. Attached to this seat is about 130 acres, highly cultivated, and an orchard of choice fruit trees. Its present proprietor is making vast im- provements: this seat is within fifteen minutes ride of the city, which gives it all the advanta- ges of a city residence; for visiting or business.
ADLUM'S VINEYARD-NEAR GEORGETOWN.
This Vineyard is in a sequestered and lonely situation, surrounded by hills and woods on the banks of Rock Creek, a smail branch of the Poto- mac. It is planted on a deep declivity, looking to the south, and covering several acres. The soil is a light loam, stony and moist, the growth about it being chiefly white oak.
The vine is planted in rows, raised one above another along the slope, so as to catch all the moist that falls, and the better to retain the arti- ficial irrigation. Between the rows, which are at about twice the distance of Indian corn, there
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Mason's Island.
is sufficient space for using the plough, to keep the ground light and free from weeds. The soil is also enriched by common barn-yard manure.
There are several distinct departments in the grounds, set apart for the cultivation of numerous varieties of the vine. Mr. Adlum has in all twen- ty or thirty different kinds, among which are the following: Hulin's Orwigsburgh grape; Bland's Madeira ; Clifton's Constantia ; Tokay ; Schuyl- kill Muscadel ; Worthington grape ; Carolina purple muscadine; Red juice; large fox grape; Malmscy ; purple Frontinac ; Royal Muscadine ; black Hamburgh ; black cluster ; Syrian ; Cla- piers: Miller Burgundy, and white sweet water. Mr. A's patriotic efforts in the cultivation of his. vineyard, merits very general patronage.
MASON'S ISLAND.
Properly called Annalostan Island, is the seat of Gen. John Mason. It is situated nearly op- posite Georgetown, in the placid bosom of the Potomac, and has a highly cultivated surface of about 70 acres-the natural soil. light and sandy. A causeway on the Virginia side, and a horse- boat ferry from Georgetown, facilitates commu- nication with this beautiful spot, from the shores. Elevated fifty feet, where the house stands, is the highest ground above the level of the river. The usual tides rise about three feet. In digging for water, it is procured at the depth of 20 or 50 feet
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from the furface : agatized wood has been disco- vered in well digging. The house, which you approach through a fine avenue of trees, is exten- sive, with a number of convenient buildings at- tached : its exterior is not uniform ; an east wing is wanted to make it so. Its interior is finished with taste and in a costly style by its opulent owner : from it the Public Buildings in Wash- ington are seen to advantage. The garden is kept in fine order-ornamental trees, shrubs, and rare plants, are a source of attraction to the bo- tanist-whilst the kitchen garden affords excel- lent roots of the choicest varieties. On the North side of the Island an illuvial meadow is rapidly forming. The South side is substantially walled, and dotted with neat white cottages for servants' buildings.
Warden justly remarks that-" The view from this spot is delightful. It embraces the pictu- resque banks of the Potomac, a portion of the city, and an expanse of water, of which the bridge terminates the view. Numerous vessels ply backwards and forwards to animate the scene. Directing the eye over the corner of the garden, we perceive the sails only, as if by enchantment, gliding through the trees. A few feet below the summer-house the rocks afford seats, where those who are fond of fishing may indulge in this amusement."
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Seat of G. W. P. Custis, Esq.
ARLINGTON HOUSE.
Arlington House, the seat of George W. P. Custis, Esq. is situated on the Virginia side of the Potomac, immediately fronting the Capitol .- It occupies a most lofty and commanding position, upon a height between two and three hundred feet above the river, to which the grounds incline by a slope, for the most part, gradual. The view from the house, is one of the most grand and pic- turesque that can be imagined, embracing the whole of the City of Washington and George- town, the river with its bridge, and the range of Maryland heights, as far down as the Fort, with panoramic beauty and effect.
The Mansion House consists of a centre build- ing of sixty feet front, and two wings of forty each, making a principal front of 140 feet. The centre has a portico of sixty feet, by twenty five, the pediment supported by eight massive columns, six in front. This noble portico was designed from drawings of the Temple, at Postum near Naples, the columns are five feet diameter at their bases, gradually declining to the capitals, which are of the ancient Doric order: the columns twenty six feet in height, are built of brick, cov- ered with stucco, resembling freestone, and like
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the pediment marked off in blocks. This stucco resists the frost, and forms an impenetrable ce- ment.
At this seat, are some rare and valuable pic- tures. Two by Vandyke, portraits of great anti- quity. One by Sir Godfrey Kneller, painted in 1707, representing the celebrated Colo. Parke, & splendid old picture. There are others of later, but by no means lesser interest.
There is a splendid engraving of the Death of Chatham, presented by Copeley.
A Death of Wolfe, presented by West, and a fine engraving of Napier of Merchiston, the fa- mous inventor of the Lograthims, presented by the Earl of Buchan, and addressed to Marshal General Washington, conveying to Americans the novel intelligence that their beloved Chief was a Marshal of France; this high dignity hav- ing been conferred upon the General, by Louis the XVI, to enable the American Chief to com. mand the Count de Rochambeau; for the Count being a very old oficer, by the etiquette of the French, service could only be commanded by a Mareschal de France.
The Mount Vernon plate, bearing the arms and crest of Washington, the venerable Pretorium of the Revolution, and many other valued and in- teresting relics from the late mansion of the
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Hero, are kept in pious preservation at Arlington House.
During the sojourn of General La Favette in the District, he paid several visits of affection to the proprietor of Arlington House; the last but one survivor of the Washington Family. The good General waspeculiarly gratified with a view from the grand Portico, pronouncing it the finest he had ever seen, and warmly recommended to Mrs. Custis to cherish the native forest trees, which extended for some distance in the rear of the mansion, observing emphatically, Recollect my dear, how much casier it is to cut a tree down, than to make one grow!
A great inany relicks have been given away in presents to numbers who have begged them, and they are now dispersed in almost every country in Christendom. Some very interesting ones still remain. The bed and bedstead on which the first President slept, during the whole of his Presidency, and on which he breathed his last sigh, the 14th December, 1799 .- China made to order of Mr. Van Braam, having the names of all the Votes of the Old Confederation, a service al- so bearing the representation of the order of the Cincinnati, with other rare and interesting re- miniscences, treasured with care, and which half a century hence will delight other generations.
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curious to behold aught which belonged to Him, whose farne and memory will freshen with Time.
From Mr. Custis's " Recollections, " we add the following-
Of original pictures, there are four at ARLING- LINGTON HOUSE. The most ancient, and the only one extant of the hero at that time of day, is the work of the elder Peale; was painted in 1772, full size and three quarter length; repre- sents the Provincial Colonel in the Colonial uni- form, blue, with scarlet facings, silver lace, snd scarlet under-clothes, with sash and gorget, and the hat usually called the Wolfe hat, which, from its size and shape, must have been better suited for service in a forest warfare than would be the chapeaus of modern times.
This is a fine expressive picture, and said by his cotemporaries, to be the Washington in the prime of life; the countenance open and manly, the mild blue eye, the whole bespeaking intelli- gence, the dominion of lofty feelings, and the passions at rest.
It will be remembered that 1772 was the year of the remarkable Indian prophecy.
. Next in the order of originals, is an half bust, by Houdon, after the manner of the antique, full size, and was taken after the war of the revolu- tion.
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Srd. A beautiful cabinet picture, in relief, by Madame de Brienne, representing the heads of Washington and Lafayette, about the time of Houdon.
4th. The profile likeness in crayon, by Sharp- less, in 1796, an admirable likeness, the profile taken by an instrument, and critically correct.
Of other originals, we have to notice the eques- trian picture, by Trumbull, of 1790, now in the City Hall of New York. For this, the white charger had several standings. The figure of the General-in-Chief is well described, the cos- tume, the uniform of the Staff in the war of In- dependence, being the ancient whig colors. blue and buff-a very splendid performance through- out, and the objection to the face being florid, not a correct one. He was both fair and florid.
A Mr. Williams, a painter in Crayons, had sittings about 1794, made a strong likeness, but we have no further knowledge of him or his works.
The works of Stuart have acquired such exten- sive and deserved celebrity that a critique from us would be almost superfluous. Of the great Pre- sident, the head (that is the head only) of Stuart is certainly a chief d'œuvre. There are three originals by this distinguished master -- the head and bust, from which many copies have been
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tuken the full length for the Marquis of Lans- down, and an original intended for Mrs. Wash- ington. The artist has been particularly happy in delineating that graceful fall of the shoulders, for which the Chief was remarkable, and which is said to constitute among the finest lines in the portraiture of manly excellence. The defects of the full length are in the limbs. There is too much of roundness and finish, according to the rules of art and the most approved models of taste and celebrity, whereas the original was in him- self a model for the arts. Stuart once observed, "my impressions of his superior size considera- bly abated on trying on his coat, and finding that the span of his body was not greater than was to be found in some other men." True. We re- peat, that his remarkable conformation was ex- clusively in the limbs, and the great artist, and truly pleasant gentleman might have continued his trials, and worn out the coat in trying, ere he would have found a man whose arms should have filled the sleeves, or who possessed that breadth of wrists, and those hands which, in the Chief, almost "exceeded nature's law."
We are thus minute in describing the portrai- ture of Washington, because posterity always inquires, "how looked the Great of the olden time." Should these "recollections" meet the
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eye of futurity, we can only say, that our por- trait, though humbly, is faithfully drawn.
Ceracci, the celebrated sculptor and enthusi- ast for liberty, came to this country about '93 or $94, and executed two busts in marble, of the President, and of Hamilton, the last said to be the best. Ceracci was a singularly looking man, very short, full of action, brilliant eyes, emitting the sparks of genius, and wore two watches. He afterwards perished at Paris, as author of the Infernal Machine.
In '95, both the elder and younger Peale had sittings. It was the fortune of the venerable Charles Wilson Peale to have painted the Pro- vincial Colonel of his Britannic Majesty's service, in 1772, and the same individual, as Chief Magis- trate of a great empire, in 1775. The revolu- tionary recollections of the Peale family, embrace James Peale, who was one of that gallant band of Philadelphians, who joined the wreck of the grand army in '76, and was engaged in the bat- tles of Frenton and Princeton. The collection of Portraits, made by the patriotic founder of the first American Museum, are of inestimable value to our posterity, being the only likenesses extant of some of the most distinguished worthies of the days of trial. This collection, and the Museum entire, should be Government property, and at- tached to a National University.
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Custis' Note on Washington's Portrait. 297
Nors. Of the 1000 portraits which have been given of Wash- ington, all of them possess a resemblance from the drawing of a sign post, to the galleries of Taste. He was so unique: s) unlike any one else, his whole appearance so striking and in- pressive, that it was almost impossible to make a total failure. in forming a likeness of him, " on whom every God appeared to have set his seal, to give the world assurance of a man."
Gen. WASHINGTON, in the prime of his life, stood six feet two inches, and measured precisely six feet when attired for the grave. From the period of the revolution, there was an evident bending in that frame, so passing straight before; but the stoop is attributable rather to the care and toils of that ar- duous contest than to age: for his step was firm, and his car- riage noble and commanding, long after the time when the physical properties of man are supposed to be on the wane.
To a majestic height, was added correspondent breath and firmness, and his whole person was so cast in nature's firmest mould, as to resemble the classic remains of ancient statuary. where all the parts contribute to the purity and perfectiou of the whole.
His habit might be deemed rather spare than full, his weight never exceeding from two hundred and ten to twenty. His limbs were remarkable. His arms were long, large and si- newy, and could a cast have been made from his hand, it would have afforded a study for the sculptor, and if exhibited in the present day, would be supposed to have belonged to some he- ro of romance.
Bred in the vigorous school of the frontier warfare, "the earth his bed, his canopy the heavens," he excelled the hun- ter and the woodsman in their athletic habits, and in those truds of manhood which distinguished the days of his early lite.
His physiogomy was decidedly Roman-not in its type ex- pressing the reckless ambition of the " broad fronted Cesar," or the luxurious indulgence of the " curled Anthony," but ra- ther of the better age of Rome, the Fabius Maximus, Marcel- lus, or the Scipios.
An equestrian portraiture is particularly well suited to him who rode so well, and who was much attached to the noble ani- mal which so oft and gallantly had borne him in the chase, in war, and in the perilous service of the frontier. Rickets, the celebrated equestrian used to say, " I delight to see the Gene- tel ride, and make it a point to fall in with him when I hear that he is abroad on horseback-his seat is so firm, his manage- ment so easy and graceful, that I, who am a professor of hor as- mansbip, would go to him and learn to ride."
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Mount Vernon-Distance-House,
MOUNT VERNON.
The distance to Mount Vernon from Alexan- dria, is 8 miles, from Washington 15 miles. In summer the road is tolerable, but in winter, be- youd Alexandria, it is very bad. The best mode of travelling thither is in a hack, which may be easily obtained at Washington, at from four to five dollars, for the trip, which will only take up a single day.
The house, erected on this consecrated spot, is of wood, and cut in imitation of freestone. The cen- tre part was built by Lawrence Washington, bro- ther to the General; the wings were added by Gene- . ral Washington; named after Admiral Vernon, in whose expedition Lawrence Washington serv- ed. The house is two stories high and ninety- six feet in length, with a portico fronting the river, extending the whole length of the house, surmounted by a cupola; the grounds are in the same state as left by General Washington.
The House contains, on the ground floor, six rooms, and a spacious passage, four of these are of ordinary size; at the North-East is a large room, very lofty, with a handsomely sculptured ceiling, and contains a remarkably handsome marble mantlepiece sent to General Washington from Italy, also, a very fine organ, on which in-
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Mount Vernon-Summer House.
strument the late Mrs. Washington was a fine performer; this room is only used for large din- ner parties, &c. The room, at the South-East end of the house, is used as a family dining room,. and contains busts of Monsieur Neckar, Paul Jones, and General Washington, also, a hand- some library, fitted in the wall, with glass cases; the books chiefly collected by Gen. Washington.
The house fronts North-West, the rear looking to the river; in front of the house a lawn extends itself, containing five or six acres of ground, with a serpentine walk around it, fringed with shrub- beries, and planted with poplars; on each side of the lawn stands a garden -- that on the right is the flower garden, and contains two green houses, (one built by General Washington, the other by Judge Washington) a hot house, and a pinery; it is laid off in handsome walks, with box-wood borders, remarkable for their beauty; it contains, also, a quantity of fig trees, producing excellent fruit-the other is a kitchen garden, containing only fruit and vegetables.
About two hundred yards from the house, in a Southerly direction, stands a summer-house, on the edge of the river bank, which is lofty and sloping, clothed with wood to the water's edge. The summer-house commands a fine prospect of the river and the Maryland shore, also of the
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White House, at a distance of five or six miles down the river, where an engagement took place during the late war, with the British vessels which ascended the river .* Proceeding from the sum- mer house about one hundred and fifty yards, in a Westerly direction, you come to the vault-a plain excavation in the bank, faced with brick, and surrounded with a rough whitewashed paling; several lofty oaks stand around it, and small red cedar trees grow on the top of the tomb; the door and door-posts are covered with names of visitors.t In the vault are buried General Washington and his wife, Judge Washington and his wife, with many relations of the family.
The estate, as owned by Judge Washington, consisted of between three and four thousand acres, now divided between the Judge's nephews, John Augustine Washington owns Mount Ver- non, with the grounds immediately round the
* When the British squadron in ascending the Potomac had arrived opposite the tomb of Washington, Capt. Gordon di- rected a national salute to be fired, and his band to play in the first place, God save the King, and afterwards Hail Columbia: Rags half-masted. This transaction was probably intended as a mark of respect to the ashes of the Hero, but it was a tri- bute which our country, under such circumstances, could not receive without disgrace.
+ It was the wish of the ornithologist, Wilson, an ardent ad- mirer of nature, to be buried, in some rural retreat, where " the birds might sing over his grave." The proudest columns of marble, which a grateful country can rear, could not be more impressive to the contemplative mind, than the simple tomb of Washington, in its present rustic state.
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house, and 1,200 acres of land. The fallow deer abound in the woods; timber chiefly white and black oak, with dogwood, hickory, ash, cedar, &c .; the soil is thin, and rather poor, cultivated chiefly in Indian corn, rye, barley, &c. Judge Washington cultivated the millet to a considera- ble extent; he kept many sheep, and found them profitable.
In consequence of the depredations committed by visiters, especially those coming by water, the late Judge Washington forbid any strangers to land from steam boats, &c. for the purpose of viewing the place. Every day in the year, ex- cept Sundays, the house and grounds were open to the inspection of visiters, and servants were ready to attend them, and show them every thing worth seeing. Those who brought letters to the Judge were always treated with the greatest hos- pitality; the number of visiters made it impossi- ble to entertain them indiscriminately. The pre- sent owner continues the regulations made by the Judge.
There are two fisheries on the place, where shad and herring are caught in large quantities.
Mount Vernon is healthy during all the year except the fall, when agues and bilious fevers prevail.
An intelligent visiter, connected with the pub- lic press, some years since, gave to the world an
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interesting sketch of a visit to M. Vernon. The gar- den, he remarks, 'was projected by Gen. Wash- ington, but a part of it left unfinished at the time of his death. It exhibits an accuracy of knowledge in the art of gardening, and a minuteness of at- tention to matters of mere ornament and of lit- tle moment, which I supposed had formed no part of the character of this wonderful man. But in the course of our rambles we found abundant evi- dence of the fact, that the versatile powers of his capacious mind could descend to whatever is ' elegantly little,' as well as soar to what is 'aw- fully grand,' uniting-in his character the astou- ishing combination of the warrior and the civilian, the scholar and agriculturist, the man of business and of taste.
" We were conducted over long gravel walks, bordered with box, which is arranged and trim- med into the most fancitul figures, and which at the age of twenty years and upwards, still pos- sesses the vigour and freshness of youth. At the extremity of these extensive alleys and pleasure grounds, ornamented with fruit-trees and shrub- bery, and clothed in perennial verdue, stand two hot-houses and as many green-houses, situated in the sunniest part of the garden, and shielded from the northern winds by a long range of wood. en buildings, for the accommodation of the ser-
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.vants. From the air of a frosty December morn- ing, we were suddenly introduced into the tropi- cal climate of these spacious houses, where we long sauntered among groves of the coffee tree, lemons, and oranges, all in full bearing, regaling our senses with the flowers and odours of spring. It would be an endless task, and swell my sketch to a botanical treatise, should I attempt to " num- ber up the countless tribes" of plants, which are here sheltered from the inclemencies of winter. At the opening of spring they are all removed from their winter quarters, being permitted to breathe the fresh air and to fling their fragrance upon the breeze.
" One of the hot-houses is appropriated entirely to rearing the pine apple, which grows in great perfection, long rows of which we saw in a flour- ishing and luxuriant condition. A stalk produces but a single apple, which grows near the ground, in the centre of a cluster of tall and spear-shaped leaves. Many bushels of lemons and oranges of every variety are annually grown, which besides furnishing the family with a supply of these fruits at all seasons, are distributed as a delicacy to their friends, or to administer to the comforts of their neighbors in cases of sickness. The coffee plant thrives well, yields abundantly, and in quality is said to be equal to the best Mocha.
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The branches under which we walked were laden with the fruit, fast advancing to maturity. Among the more rare plants, we saw the night blooming Cereus, the Guava, from which the jelly of that name is made, Alloes of a gigantic growth, the West Indian Plantain, the sweet Cassia in bloom, the Prickly Pear, and a thousand others. They are all tastefully arranged in large boxes made for the purpose, and nurtured with unceasing at- tention, requiring the constant services of two as- sistants besides the chief gardener. To the north of the range of buildings before mentioned, is an extensive kitchen garden, surrounded with a hedge of cedar so regularly trimmed, as to pre- sent the appearance of a verdant wall.
' At every step in these pleasure grounds, the thought occurred, that the illustrious projector is no more. ' There was a garden, and, in the gar den, a new sepulchre,' says the Scripture. The lesson on human pursuits and human pleasures, inculcated by this concise and beautiful narration of the Evangelist, never struck me more forcibly, than when we left the gate, and walked towards the tomb of Washington. In passing the house, the chamber in which he died was pointed out to us ; and imagination aided by these memorials, soon presented the whole scene in such distinct and vivid colours, that we seemed almost to follow
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