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.

416 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [APPENDIX.
Dr. Spencer, who I find is often at the ividow's [Mrs. Washington's],
and has some influence, to persuade her to think better of your advice in putting George to sea with good recommendations."
The following extract, on the same subject, was written by
Mr. Robert Jackson to Lawrence Washington, and dated at Fredericksburg, October 18th, 1746.
" I am afraid Mrs. Washington will not keep up to her first resolution. She seems to intimate a dislike to George's going to sea, and
says several persons have told her it was a bad scheme. She offers
several trifling objections, such as fond, unthinking mothers habitually suggest; and I find that one word against his going has more
weight than ten for it. Colonel Fairfax seems desirous he should
go, and wished me to acquaint you with Mrs. Washington's sentiments. I intend shortly to take an opportunity to talk with her, and
will let you know the result."
These are the only written facts, which I have found, relating to
this incident in the life of Washington. It is known, that his
mother's opposition continued, and that on this account the plan of
his going to sea was abandoned. The feelings of the mother will
aot be thought unnatural, or unreasonable, when it is remembered,
that he was her eldest son, that his father had been dead three years
and a half, and that she was left with four younger children.
His predilection for mathematical studies made him soon acquainted with the art of surveying lands, and he became a practical
surveyor at.the age of sixteen. He went into the woods upon a
surveying tour among the Allegany mountains, accompanied by
Mr. George Fairfax, in March, 1748, being then but just sixteen
years old. He kept a rough journal, or diary, from which the following extracts are taken.
" Jarch 13th. - Rode to his Lordship's [Lord Fairfax's] quarter.
About four miles higher up the river Shenandoah we went through
most beautiful groves of sugar trees, and spent the best part of the
day in admiring the trees and richness of the land.
" 14th. -We sent our baggage to Captain Hite's, near Fredericktown [afterwards Winchester], and went ourselves down the river
about sixteen miles, (the land exceedingly rich all the way, producing
abundance of grain, hemp, and tobacco,) in order to lay off some
land on Cate's Marsh and Long Marsh.
" 15th. - Worked hard till night, and then returned. After supper we were lighted into a room, and 1, not being so good a woodsman as the rest, stripped myself very orderly, and went into the bed,
as they called it, when to my surprise I found it to be nothing but a