from that venerated source, and doubly so, considering how little is
known, through his own correspondence, of his domestic life; scarcely,
in fact, any of its details. Reading the letters again, I found the
matter to be somewhat more varied than my first eager inspection of
them, as hastily unfolded, had led me to suppose; but they were
desultory, and much broken as to dates. The occasional mixture of other
matter, especially public matter, with the domestic topics, did not
diminish the interest of the letters, but the contrary. In this
publication I follow the order of the dates. Where wide chasms occur, I
have merely supplied a link in the chain by an explanatory remark here
and there, in aid of the reader, not hazarding other remarks until all
the letters are mentioned. Thus much as to the plan. I proceed to speak
of the letters themselves.

The first in date is of the fifth of September, 1790. It is written in
Philadelphia, where Washington had just then arrived from New York, Mr.
Lear, as may be inferred from it, being in New York. He states that he
would proceed onward to Mount Vernon on the day following if Mrs.
Washington's health would permit, as she had been indisposed since their
arrival in Philadelphia; that before he arrived, the city corporation
had taken the house of Mr. Robert Morris for his residence, but that it
would not be sufficiently commodious without additions.

[This house was in Market Street on the south side near
Sixth Street. The market house buildings then stopped at
Fourth Street; the town in this street extended westward
scarcely as far as Ninth Street; good private dwellings were
seen above Fifth Street; Mr. Morris's was perhaps the best;
the garden was well inclosed by a wall.]