masculine, that I was obliged frequently to recollect that line of Dr. Young's,

"Believe her dress; she's not a grenadier,"

to persuade myself that I was not mistaken.

Thus, my dear girl, you have an account which perhaps may amuse you a little. You must excuse my not copying; I fear, now, I shall not get nearly all my letters ready,-my pen very bad, as you see; and I am engaged three days this week,-to a rout at the Baroness de Nolken's, the Swedish minister's, to a ball on Thursday evening, and to a dinner on Saturday. Do not fear that your aunt will become dissipated, or in love with European manners; but, as opportunity offers, I wish to see this European world in all its forms that I can with decency. I still moralize with Yorick, or with one more experienced, and say, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."

I

WASHINGTON, IN THE SECOND PRESIDENCY.

[From a Letter to her Daughter.—Washington, 21 November, 1800.]

ARRIVED here on Sunday last, and without meeting with any accident worth noticing, except losing ourselves when we left Baltimore, and going eight or nine miles on the Frederick road, by which means we were obliged to go the other eight through woods, where we wandered two hours without finding a guide, or the path. Fortunately, a straggling black came up with us, and we engaged him as a guide, to extricate us out of our difficulty; but woods are all you see, from Baltimore until you reach the city, which is only so in name. Here and there is a small cot, without a glass window, interspersed among the forests, through which you travel miles without seeing any human being. In the city there are buildings enough, if they were compact and finished, to accommodate Congress and those attached to it; but as they are, and scattered as they are, I see no great comfort for them. The river, which runs up to Alexandria, is in full view of my window, and I see the vessels as they pass and repass. The house is upon a grand and superb scale, requiring about thirty servants to attend and keep the apartments in proper order, and perform the ordinary business of the house and stables; an establishment very well proportioned to the President's salary. The lighting the apartments, from the kitchen to parlors and chambers, is a tax indeed; and the fires we are obliged to keep to secure us from daily agues is another very cheering comfort. To assist us in this great castle, and render less attendance necessary, bells are wholly

wanting, not one single one being hung through the whole house, and promises are all you can obtain. This is so great an inconvenience, that I know not what to do, or how to do. The ladies from Georgetown and in the city have many of them visited me. Yesterday I returned fifteen visits, but such a place as Georgetown appears,-why, our Milton is beautiful. But no comparisons;-if they will put me up some bells, and let me have wood enough to keep fires, I design to be pleased. I could content myself almost anywhere three months; but, surrounded with forests, can you believe that wood is not to be had, because people cannot be found to cut and cart it! Briesler entered into a contract with a man to supply him with wood. A small part, a few cords only, has he been able to get. Most of that was expended to dry the walls of the house before we came in, and yesterday the man told him it was impossible for him to procure it to be cut and carted. He has had recourse to coals; but we cannot get grates made and set. We have, indeed, come into a new country.

You must keep all this to yourself, and, when asked how I like it, say that I write you the situation is beautiful, which is true. The house is made habitable, but there is not a single apartment finished, and all withinside, except the plastering, has been done since Briesler came. We have not the least fence, yard, or other convenience, without, and the great unfinished audience-room I make a drying-room of, to hang up the clothes in. The principal stairs are not up, and will not be this winter. Six chambers are made comfortable; two are occupied by the President and Mr. Shaw; two lower rooms, one for a common parlor, and one for a levee-room. Up stairs there is the oval room, which is designed for the drawing-room, and has the crimson furniture in it. It is a very handsome room now; but, when completed, it will be beautiful. If the twelve years, in which this place has been considered as the future seat of government, had been improved, as they would have been if in New England, very many of the present inconveniences would have been removed. It is a beautiful spot, capable of every improvement, and, the more I view it, the more I am delighted with it.

Since I sat down to write, I have been called down to a servant from Mount Vernon, with a billet from Major Custis, and a haunch of venison, and a kind, congratulatory letter from Mrs. Lewis, upon my arrival in this city, with Mrs. Washington's love, inviting me to Mount Vernon, where, health permitting, I will go, before I leave this place.

The Senate is much behindhand. No Congress has yet been made. 'Tis said is on his way, but travels with so many delicacies in his rear, that he cannot get on fast, lest some of them should suffer. Thomas comes in and says a House is made; so to-morrow, though Saturday, the President will meet them. Adieu, my dear.

Aaron Cleveland.

BORN in Haddam, Conn., 1744. DIED at New Haven, Conn., 1815.

THE FAMILY BLOOD.

"Genus et proavos, et quod non fecimus ipsi

Vix ea nostra voco."

FOUR

kinds of blood flow in

my veins,

And govern, each in turn, my brains.

From CLEVELAND, PORTER, SEWELL, WATERS,

I had my parentage in quarters;

My fathers' fathers' names I know,
And further back no doubt might go.
Compound on compound from the flood,
Makes up my old ancestral blood;
But what my sires of old time were,

I neither wish to know, nor care.
Some might be wise-and others fools;
Some might be tyrants-others tools;
Some might have wealth, and others lack;
Some fair perchance-some almost black;
No matter what in days of yore,

Since now they're known and seen no more.

The name of CLEVELAND I must wear,
Which any foundling too might bear :
PORTER, they say, from Scotland came,
A bonny Laird of ancient fame :
SEWELL, of English derivation,
Perhaps was outlawed from the nation;
And WATERS, Irish as I ween,
Straight-round-about from-Aberdeen!

Such is my heterogeneous blood,
A motley mixture, bad and good:
Each blood aspires to rule alone,
And each in turn ascends the throne,
Of its poor realm to wear the crown,
And reign till next one tears him down.
Each change must twist about my brains,
And move my tongue in different strains;
My mental powers are captive led,
As whim or wisdom rules the head;
My character no one can know,
For none I have while things are so;
I'm something-nothing, wise, or fool,
As suits the blood that haps to rule.

VOL. III.-20

When CLEVELAND reigns I'm thought a wit
In giving words the funny hit ;

And social glee and humorous song
Delight the fools that round me throng :
Till PORTER next puts on the crown,
And hauls the CLEVELAND banner down.

Now all is calm, discreet, and wise,
Whate'er I do, whate'er devise ;
What common sense and wisdom teach,
Directs my actions, forms my speech;
The wise and good around me stay,
And laughing dunces hie away.

But soon, alas, this happy vein
May for some other change again!
SEWELL perchance shall next bear rule:
I'm now a philosophic fool!

With Jefferson I correspond,

And sail with him, the stars beyond;

Each nerve and fibre of my brain
To sense profound I nicely strain,
And thus uprise beyond the ken
Of common sense and common men.

Thus great am I, till SEWELL's crown
About my ears comes tumbling down.
Wise fools may soar themselves above,
And dream in rapturous spheres they move;

But airy castles must recoil,

And such wild imagery spoil.

But who comes now? Alas! 'tis WATERS,
Rushing and blustering to head-quarters :
He knows nor manners, nor decorum,
But elbows headlong to the forum ;
Uncouth and odd, abrupt and bold,
Unteachable and uncontrolled,
Devoid of wisdom, sense, or wit,
Not one thing right he ever hit,
Unless by accident, not skill,
He blundered right against his will.

And such am I no transmigration
Can sink me to a lower station :
Come, PORTER, come depose this clown,
And, once for all, possess the crown.
If aught, in SEWELL'S blood, you find
Will make your own still more refined;
If found in CLEVELAND's blood, a trait
To aid you in affairs of state;

Select such parts-and spurn the rest,
No more to rule in brain or breast.
Of WATERS' blood, expel the whole,
Let not one drop pollute my soul :
Then rule my head-and keep my heart
From folly, weakness, wit apart :
With all such gifts I glad dispense,
But only leave me-COMMON SENSE.

A

James Moody.

BORN about 1744. DIED at Sissibou, N. S., 1809.

FAILURE OF THE PLOT TO SEIZE THE FEDERAL ARCHIVES.

[Narrative of his Exertions and Sufferings. 1783.]

TALE far more melancholy than any yet related comes now to be told; the recollection of which (and it is impossible he should ever forget it) will forever wring with anguish the heart of the writer of this narrative. In the end of October, 1781, Major Beckwith, aide-de-camp to General Kniphausen, came and informed Lieutenant Moody, that one Addison had been with him, on a project of high moment. It was nothing less than to bring off the most important books and papers of Congress. This Addison was an Englishman; and had been employed in some inferior department, under Mr. Thompson, the Secretary to the Congress. He was then a prisoner; and the plan was, that he should be immediately exchanged, return in the usual manner to Philadelphia, and there resume his old employment. The Lieutenant was abundantly careful, and even scrupulous, in his inquiries concerning the man's character; on which head Major Beckwith expressed the most entire confidence; and observed, that Addison was equally cautious respecting the characters of those who were to attend him.

The matter was of importance; and Lieutenant Moody was confident that, though it might be difficult to perform his part of the business, yet it was not impracticable. He resolved, however, as Addison might think him an object worth betraying, that he should not be informed of his consenting to be of the party. If any other person did inform him of it, he was, to say the least, very imprudent. The Lieutenant pitched upon his only brother, of whom some mention has already been made, and another faithful American soldier, for this arduous enterprise. Their first instructions were to wait on Addison, and to bind him, as they themselves had just been bound, to mutual secrecy and fidelity, by an