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CHAPTER X. 



TOUR IN THE UNITED STATES. 



To Mrs. T. 



Ckarlestown, S. C, January 11, 1850. 

 I wrote to M. C. H., from Washington, and take it for 

 granted that I told her most of what seemed worthy of note in 

 that city. I may have omitted to mention Greenhough's statue 

 of Washington, which stands on a wide area or square at the 

 back of the capitol. 



It is a colossal figure, sitting on a chair of state, the whole 

 raised on a pedestal. At a sufficient distance the figure is 

 commanding, being in the style of an Olympian Jupiter ; but on 

 approach, you are struck with the strange incongruity between 

 the head of Washington and the naked sculptured body ; the 

 latter being quite nude, save a blanket rolled about the legs, a 

 part of which hangs over the right arm. The idea of the 

 sculptor seems to be the moment of his resigning his commis- 

 sion, for he holds in one hand a sword, with the hilt turned from 

 him, while the other is raised as if he was giving a valedictory 

 address. As a work of art, I am incompetent to judge of it ; but 

 I rather pitied the poor old hero, sitting on a cold stone in the 

 midst of snow and ice without a shred to wrap himself in. I 

 think most of the sculptured ornaments of the Capitol are 

 mediocre, which is a great pity, as the site is a most noble one. 

 In future times they must yield to better ; but that will be 

 when art has fixed her centre here where only her circumference 

 now touches. 



January 7th. I left Washington city • by steamer on the 

 Potomac, as far as Acquia Creek, about fifty miles, where it 

 meets the railway for Richmond. There was much ice on the 



