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Fac-Simile of General Washington's Hand Writing ; and 

 sketches of his Private Character. 



It has been suggested to me, by several friends, that a 

 Fac-Simile of Gen. Washington's hand writing, would be 

 a curjosity to such as are not acquainted with it ; and a pleas- 

 ing memorial to those who reverence his name and charac- 

 ter. I have selected the shortest note I can find, relating to 

 agriculture ; and solely on account of its brevity. I cannot 

 lay my hands on letters I received, more appropriate to the 

 topic on which the " Inquiries" are written. He was in the 

 habit of seeking information upon subjects of husbandry and 

 rural affairs ; v/hich gratified and amused his few leisure 

 hours. But he became so much engaged in public labours 

 and cares, that I was happy, at all times, to relieve him from, 

 the pressure, his agricultural correspondence occasioned. A 

 long and sincere love for him, had subsisted from an early 

 period of my life ; and he, without ceremony, required the 

 slender assistance I cheerfully rendered. He would (as in 

 matters of greater moment) correct, observe upon, and add 

 to, any drait, or information, with a masterly hand : and on 

 the subject of husbandry, he was peculiarly zealous and intel- 

 ligent. He generally gave more credit (never less) than they 

 merited, to those who gave him assistance, which his situa- 

 tion necessarily required, in the small, as well as great con- 

 cerns in which he was constantly occupied. His own mode 

 of expressing his thoughts was (in my opinion) better, than 

 that in which any other person could clothe them. I often 

 thought, that he was not sufficiently conscious of this. His 

 style was formed and perfected, by his own efforts'. '^He began 

 the bright career, which furnishes the first chapter in the his- 

 tory of his public life, at an age, when those who have 

 the opportunities, are finishing a literary education. He 

 had a plain and clear style ; natural, and peculiar to himself -, 



