"His intercession stopped Miss Nelly in her retreat. She reopened the door, and advanced up to the general with a firm step. 'Sir,' said she, 'you brought me up to speak the truth, and when I told grandmamma I was alone, I hope you believe I was alone.'

"The general made one of his most magnanimous bows. 'My child,' he replied, I beg your pardon.""

This charming granddaughter always spoke of her life at Mount Vernon, during childhood and young maidenhood, as most delightful. The domestic atmosphere was always peaceful and lovely. There was, at all times, perpetual harmony between her grandmamma and the general. In all his intercourse with her he was most considerate and tender. Nelly had often seen Mrs. Washington, when she had anything to communicate or a request to make at a moment when his mind was abstracted from the present, seize him by the button to command his attention, when he would look down upon her with a most benignant smile, and become at once attentive to her and her wishes, which were never slighted. He keenly enjoyed a joke, she said, and no one laughed more heartily than he did when she (Nelly), a gay, laughing girl, gave one of her saucy descriptions of any scene in which she had taken a part, or any one of the many pranks she often played.

When Nelly was about sixteen years of age she attended her first ball, at Georgetown, and wrote a description of it to her foster-father at the seat of government. His response presents the Father of his Country in the attitude of an essayist on the "Art of Love," and in delightful epistolary undress an attitude in which he was rarely seen. alluding to some remarks of hers about her indifference to

After

WASHINGTON'S VIEWS ON LOVE.

319

young men, and her "determination never to give herself a moment's uneasiness on account of any of them," he warned her not to be too sure of her control of the passions. “In the composition of the human frame," he wrote, "there is a good deal of inflammable matter, which, when the torch is put to it, may burst into a flame." He continued:

"Love is said to be an involuntary passion, and it is, therefore, contended that it cannot be resisted. This is true, in part only, for like all things else, when nourished and supplied plentifully with aliment, it is rapid in its progress; but let these be withdrawn and it may be stifled in its birth or much stunted in its growth. For example: a woman (the same may be said of the other sex) all beautiful and accomplished, will, while her hand and heart are undisposed of, turn the heads and set the circle in which she moves on fire. Let her marry, and what is the consequence? The madness ceases and all is quiet again. Why? not because there is any diminution in the charm of the lady, but because there is an end of hope. Hence it follows that love may and therefore ought to be under the guidance of reason, for although we cannot avoid first impressions, we may assuredly place them under guard; and my motives for treating on this subject are to show you, while you remain Eleanor Parke Custis, spinster, and retain the resolution to love with moderation, the propriety of adhering to the latter resolution, at least until you have secured your game, or the way by which it may be accomplished.

"When the fire is beginning to kindle, and your heart growing warm, propound these questions to it: Who is this invader? Have I a competent knowledge of him? Is he a man of good character; a man of sense? For, be assured,

a sensible woman can never be happy with a fool. What has been his walk in life? Is he a gambler, a spendthrift, or drunkard? Is his fortune sufficient to maintain me in the manner I have been accustomed to live, and my sisters do live; and is he one to whom my friends can have no reasonable objection? If these interrogatories can be satisfactorily answered, there will remain but one more to be asked; that, however, is an important one: Have I sufficient ground to conclude that his affections are engaged by me? Without this the heart of sensibility will struggle against a passion that is not reciprocated-delicacy, custom, or call it by what epithet you will, having precluded all advances on your part. The declaration, without the most indirect invitation of yours, must proceed from the man, to render it permanent and valuable, and nothing short of good sense and an easy, unaffected conduct can draw the line between prudery and coquetry. It would be no great departure from truth to say that it rarely happens otherwise than that a thorough-paced coquette dies in celibacy, as a punishment for her attempts to mislead others, by encouraging looks, words or actions, given for no other purpose than to draw men on to make overtures that they may be rejected. . . . Every blessing, among which a good husband when you want and deserve one, is bestowed on you by yours affectionately."*

Numerous suitors sought the heart and hand of beautiful

*Autograph letter of Washington, dated Philadelphia, January 16, 1795." He wrote many other familiar letters to this sprightly fosterchild, but they have been lost or destroyed. I found the above in the possession of Mrs. Mary Custis Lee, of Arlington House, a great-granddaughter of Mrs. Washington.

NELLY CUSTIS'S SUITORS.

321 Nelly Custis. She gave them both to Lawrence Lewis, a favorite nephew of Washington and a son of his deceased and much loved sister Elizabeth. Soon after his retirement from public life, Washington invited Lawrence to become a permanent resident at Mount Vernon, for much company became burdensome to the master and mistress. He wrote to his nephew:

"As both your aunt and I are on the decline of life and regular in our habits, especially in our hours of rising and going to bed, I require some person (fit and proper) to ease me of the trouble of entertaining company, particularly of nights, as it is my inclination to retire (and unless prevented by very particular company, I always do retire) either to bed or to my study soon after candle-light. In taking these duties (which hospitality obliges one to bestow on company) off my hands, it would render me a very acceptable service."

Lawrence complied with the request of his uncle, and became one of the family at Mount Vernon at the beginning of the year 1798. He was then a tall, finely proportioned, and handsome young man of twenty-two years, and in face and figure bore a striking resemblance to his illustrious kinsman. Already the most intimate friendly relations existed. between him and Nelly Custis. These now soon ripened into a mutual tender attachment, which gratified Washington.

Other suitors for Nelly's hand appeared. Among these was young Carroll, a son of Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, who had just returned from Europe, possessed of all the grace and refinement of manners incident to a thorough and well ordered education and heightened by travel. He was heir to a large estate, and bore an unblemished charac

ter. Mrs. Washington decidedly encouraged his suit. Nelly's brother, at school at Annapolis, sympathized with his grandmother, and ventured to write to Washington on the subject, saying:

“I find that young Mr. C— has been at Mount Vernon, and, report says, to address my sister. It may be well to subjoin an opinion which, I believe, is general in this place, viz., that he is a young man of the strictest probity and morals, discreet without closeness, temperate without excess, and modest without vanity; possessed of those amiable qualities and friendship which are so commendable, and with few of the vices of the age. In short, I think it a most desirable match, and wish that it may take place with all my heart."

Washington, who as decidedly favored the suit of his nephew, closed abruptly the correspondence with young Custis on that theme, by saying in a letter:

"Young Mr. C came here about a fortnight ago to dinner, and left us next morning after breakfast. If his object was such as you say has been reported, it was not declared here; and therefore the less is said upon the subject, particularly by your sister's friends, the more prudent it will be until the subject develops itself more."

Nelly's heart beat in unison with the wishes of her fosterfather. Suitor after suitor was rejected, and she and Lawrence Lewis were married at Mount Vernon on Washington's birthday, 1799. The day was brilliant with unclouded sunlight, and the air was as balmy as the most genial day in May. A gay and joyous company were assembled at Mount Vernon on that occasion. The bride was "given away" by

her loving foster-father. The nuptial ceremonies were per