140 
my family as my private secretary, and 
possesses a large share of my esteem and 
friendship. 
A commercial pursuit has oceasioned 
him to resolve on a trip to Europe, and 
a desire to visit some of the principal 
manufactories in Scotland, will carry 
him first to that country. 
A wish, whilst there, to pay his re- 
spects to your lordship, (with whom he 
knows I have been in correspondence,) 
must be my apology for recommending 
him to your notice, especially as it will 
afford me a fresh occasion to assure you 
of the great esteem and respect with 
which I have the honour to be, 
Your Jordship’s most obedient 
and very humble servant, 
Earl Buchan. G. WASHINGTON. 
Philadelphia, Feb. 20, 1796. 
My Lord,— Having seen several per- 
sons from the vicinity of your estate of 
Dryburgh Abbey, with your lordship’s 
certificates of their honest and orderly 
deportment, (one or two of whom I have 
employed, and found deserving the cha- 
racter,) I take the liberty of troubling 
your lordship with the perusal of the en- 
closed annunciation of a design which I 
have had in contemplation two or three 
years, but lately only have resolved to 
Carry it into execution. 
I accompany the information, my 
lord, with an unequivocal declaration, 
that it is not my intention to invite emi- 
grants, even if there be no prohibiting 
act of your government opposed to it. 
My sole objectis, if there are persons on 
the move, who may incline to associate 
and become tenants on such a plan as I 
offer, that being apprised of the measure 
they may decide how far their views 
would be accommodated by it. 
The staple produce of the part of the 
country in which my Mount Vernon 
estate lies, being wheat, I mean to fix 
the rent in that article as most conyeni- 
ent and equitable for both landlord and 
tenant; and I set it at a bushel and 
half for every acre contained in the 
lease, which will be all arable, with the 
privileges detailed in the printed notifi- 
cation. : 
In failure of a crop of this article, the 
rent may be discharged in cash, at the 
price it bears in the market. 
I have but little expectation, I own, 
of maturing this plan so as to carry it 
into full effect next year; nor would I 
wish’ to do it with the slovenly fanmers 
of this country, if I bad a well-founded 
hope of obtaining this class of men from 
any other (particularly from Great Bri- 
Stephensiana, No. XX1I. 
[Sept. I, 
tain,) where husbandry fs well under- 
stood, and the language similar. _ 
Having had occasion lately to write to 
Dr. Anderson (of Coldfield) on other 
matters, I have detailed my plan much 
nore at large than I choose to trouble 
your lordship with; and have sent him 
a sketch of the farms, with their relative 
situations to each other, and divisions 
into fields, lanes, lots, &c. trom whence 
an idea, more accurate than can be 
formed from the printed notification, 
might be had; but itis not my wish that 
any man, or set of men, should engage 
without first, by themselves or agents, 
competently qualified and instructed, 
viewing the premises, and judging for 
themselves. 
I pray your lordship to present me in 
respectful terms, in which Mrs. Wash- 
ington unites, to Lady Buchan; and 
that you will be persuaded of the re- 
spect and consideration with which I 
have the honour to be, 
Your lordship’s most obedient 
and humble servant, 
Earl Buchan. G. WASHINGTON. 
LETTER Of LORD FAIRFAX. 
Mount Eagle, near Alexandria, 
in Virginia, January 18,1800. 
My Lord,—Although I had the ho- 
nour of writing to your lordship before 
my departure from London, to acknow- 
ledge the many unmerited favours I had 
received from you, yet I have thought, 
since my arrival here, that another letter 
would not be unacceptable, or too in- 
truding on your leisure moments, even 
though it should repeat my acknow- 
ledgements, which is a theme I Jove to 
dwell on sometimes, when it respects 
those to whom I am greatly indebted, 
and surely that is my case with respect 
to your lordship and your connections. 
For I could not well receive greater 
proofs of friendship than I did from your 
brother; and, as to Lady Ann, I consi- 
dered and lived with her as with a sister. 
It has pleased God to prolong my life, 
and to bring me home to my family after 
. many dangers, and some distress and 
sickness; but he has taken away our 
friend General Washington. This you 
will have heard of when this reaches 
your hands. Yes, he is gone; but he 
died as he lived, with fortitude, so that 
he was great to the last; for he said to 
Dr. Craik, before he expired, ‘“‘I die 
hard,” which is a great thing from him, 
because he was one of the last men to 
complain. One expression of that sort 
from him, to me shews ‘more suffering 
than a hundred groans from almost any 
other man. 
I Janded 
