The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

APPENDIX.] EARLY PAPERS. 423
March, 1752, his brother George in the mean time having sailed for
Virginia. On the 6th of April he wrote from Bermuda to a friend;
"I have now got to my last refuge, where I must receive my final
sentence, which at present Dr. Forbes will not pronounce. He
leaves me, however, I think, like a criminal condemned, though not
without hopes of a reprieve. But this I am to obtain by meritoriously
abstaining from flesh of every sort, all strong liquors, and by riding
as much as I can bear through several parts of the island. These
are the only terms on which I am to hope for life. My doctor is an
excellent guide for me to follow, who, by a perseverance in a milk
diet, has restored his constitution from a most desperate state. These
are hard terms, but what he further adds is still- worse, that, let me
receive what benefit I may from this climate, the next winter in Virginia will not only render it of no service, but will most certainly
destroy me, the truth of which assertion I am too well convinced of,
by coming here too soon; for though I was much mended and had
lost some of the worst symptoms of my disorder, yet the air being
very keen brought all on again in a worse degree than ever, and so
they yet continue. As my endeavour to overcome this cruel disorder
has already cost me much money and fatigue, I should unwillingly
give over the pursuit whilst any just foundation for hope remains.
Six weeks will determine me what to resolve on. Forbes advises
the south of France, or else Barbadoes."
In the same letter he expressed a strong wish, that his wife would
come to him, as he thought, in any event, that he should remain
there at least a year. He proposed, that George should accompany
her to Bermuda, but he did not insist on her undertaking this voyage,
leaving it to the decision of herself and her friends. It would seem,
however, that his health was not restored, in the degree he had anticipated. He soon wrote again,-" The unhappy state of health,
which I labor under, makes me uncertain as to my return. If I grow
worse, I shall hurry home to my grave; if better, I shall be induced
to stay longer here to complete a cure." All his hopes were fallacious.
Although his disorder sometimes put on a more flattering aspect,
and inspired a momentary confidence, yet it was gradually making
its encroachments with a sure and deadly progress. He hastened
back to Virginia, and arrived only in time to receive the last melancholy greetings of his friends. He died in his own house at Mount
Vernon, July 26th, 1752, at the age of thirty-four, and his remains
were deposited in the same vault, in which were afterwards entombed those of his illustrious brother.
George kept a journal of his voyage to Barbadoes and back, and