for word from Aubrey's Miscellanies. What say you ? Why I say, returned the New England Man, that I should be sorry to go bootless home, and, therefore, I will lay no more wagers about Doctor Franklin's originality. At the Washington tavern I found seven Cherokee Chiefs, who had attended the President's levee on the 4th of July; they came to be instructed in the mode of European agriculture. 66 you, Of this circumstance Mr. Jefferson speaks in his Message to Congress: "I am happy to inform that the continued efforts to introduce among our Indian neighbours, the implements "and practice of husbandry, and of the house"hold arts, have not been without success: that "they are become more and more sensible of the "superiority of this dependance for clothing and "subsistence, over the precarious resources of "hunting and fishing: and already we are able "to announce that, instead of that constant dimi"nution of their numbers produced by their wars "and their wants, some of them begin to experience an increase of population." If agriculture be deserving the attention of the Indians, it has also a powerful claim to that of the people of the United States; for it may be considered the firmest pillar of their national prosperity. It is, I think, to be wished that the principal citizens of the United States would enrol them selves into what might be termed a Georgical Society, which should be divided into four classes. The first should comprehend experiments made to ascertain the peculiar qualities, and comparative value of plants, together with the purposes to which they ought to be applied. The second should relate to the culture of plants, and the ascertaining the effects of different manures in facilitating their growth. The third should include experiments to determine the peculiar qualities of different soils. The fourth should be devoted to experiments for facilitating the operations of agriculture by improvements in machinery, and the distinguishing of what animals are the best adapted to labour, as it relates to climate. In such a Republic of Planters and Farmers, how would the knowledge of the most useful of all arts be promoted. Hints would be improved into experiments; the speculations of the theorist would be confirmed, or overthrown, by an appeal to practice; observations would be produced, that still tended to more useful inquiries; and even errors would lead to important truths, by stimulating the ardour of inquiry to refute them. Without such a Society what agricultural improvements can be expected? Planters at present have no incitement to consult books, or alter their mode of husbandry. They are contented to tread tamely in the footsteps of their forefathers, and consider as mere visionaries the writers on agriculture. I return from this digression to my business at Washington, which was to wait on the Secretary of the Treasury, by whom I expected to be invested without delay in some diplomatic department. Bear witness, ye powers, with what visions of greatness I feasted my imagination, as I walked from the tavern to the Treasury! The door-keeper desired to know my business. I wanted to see Mr. Gallatin; but Mr. Gallatin was engaged in an audience with the seven Cherokee Chiefs, who called every Monday morning at the Treasury for their weekly stipend from Government. I was somewhat chagrined that Mr. Gallatin should suffer the savages of the wilderness to take precedence of me, (I had sent up my name), but my chagrin soon gave place to an admiration of his policy; for I recollected these War Captains wore their tomahawks, and that they were men of an irascible temper. In a few minutes, these warriors of scalping memory, descended the Treasury-stairs, which groaned under their giant-limbs; and I was ushered into the room where the Secretary in solemn greatness settled the expenditures of the nation. Mr. Gallatin heard the object of my mission with patience; when he with the utmost composure observed that "the organization of the offi"ces in the Treasury, under the preceding Admi"nistration, had been too complicated, and that 66 "far from having any place to give away, the employments of inferior diplomatic agency were yet to be diminished. Yet he was sorry, very ' sorry, I should travel so far to encounter disappointment. But the Vice-President had certainly misunderstood him. He had not the "pleasure of knowing me. It was another person "of the same name, whom he had spoken of to "Mr. Burr; but even for him there was now no "office, as all such offices were in future to be regulated by legislative power, and legislature "thought the ramifications of office too multiplied. But he was sorry, very sorry, I had tra"velled so far to no purpose. During this speech my colour went and came. But recovering from my stupor, I replied, that I had not travelled to no purpose, for I had not only seen the city of Washington, but also Mr. Gallatin; and making him a very low bow, I again walked down the Treasury-stairs! My ambition was now blasted, and I learned how little dependance was to be placed in the magnificent promises of greatness. Yet I was determined my happiness should not be irrecoverably destroyed by a single blow, and instead of resigning my mind to gloom and despondency, I immediately built another castle in the air, not less desirable than the one I had missed on firm ground; for I had not yet lost the knack of comparing my possible with my actual condition. Finding a schooner at George-town ready to sail for Alexandria, I put my trunk on board of her, and left without regret the Imperial City, where I had encountered only disappointment. The wind being contrary, we had to work down the Potomac.-The river here is very beautiful. Mason's Island forms one continued garden; but what particularly catches the eye is the Capitol, rising with sacred majesty above the woods. Our boat turned well to windward, and in an hour we landed at the Widow Bull's house, which may be considered half way to Alexandria. Here having quaffed and smoked together under the shade of a spreading locust tree, we once more committed ourselves to the waters of the Potomac. In approaching Alexandria, we passed an house on our right, in which the Paphian goddess had erected an altar. Some damsels were bathing before the door, who practised every allurement to make us land; but we treated their invitations with the insolence of contempt. Oh! Modesty ! supreme voluptuousness of love! what charms does a woman lose when she renounces thee! What care, if she knew thy empire over the breast of man, would she take to preserve thee, if not from virtue, at least from coquetry. It was easier landing at Alexandria in America, than Alexandria in Egypt; and I found elegant accommodations at Gadesby's hotel. It is observ |