From Farm House to the White House. William Makepeace Thayer
copy-book than by any other. Its reference to the necessities of manhood was so plain and direct as to prove that he kept preparation for that period of life constantly in view. This book has been carefully preserved, and may be seen to-day at Mount Vernon.
Another manuscript volume of his which has been preserved is a book of arithmetical problems. It was customary, when George attended school, to write the solution of problems in arithmetic in a blank-book—not the result merely, but the whole process of solution. Sometimes the rules were copied, also, into the book. It was a very good practice for a studious, persevering, conscientious boy like George; but the method was a wretched one for certain indolent pupils to whom study was penance; for this class often relied upon these manuscript volumes to furnish problems solved, instead of resorting to hard study. They were passed around among the idle scholars clandestinely, to help them over hard places without study. Mr. Williams forbade the deceitful practice, and punished pupils who were discovered in the cheat; nevertheless, poor scholars continued to risk punishment rather than buckle down to persistent study. There is no doubt that George's book of problems, copied in his clear, round hand, did considerable secret service in this way. But the preparation of it was an excellent discipline for George. Neatness, application, perseverance, thoroughness, with several other qualities, were indispensable in the preparation of so fair a book.
In another copy-book George displayed a talent for sketching and drawing, which elicited Mr. Williams' commendation.
"That portrait is well executed," he said. "You have a talent in that direction, evidently; the likeness is good." It was the face of one of the scholars, drawn with his pen.
"Have you practised much in this art?" continued Mr. Williams.
"No, sir; only a little, for amusement."
"Just to see what you could do?" added Mr. Williams, inquiringly.
"Yes, that is all."
"Well, I advise you to cultivate your talent for drawing. These animals are well done, too. Practise will give you an ability in this line, which may prove of real service to you in future years."
George had drawn animals, also, in the book, and he had given wings to some birds with a flourish of his pen, showing both taste and tact in the use of the pen. George was not a boy who believed in flourishes, except those executed in ink. His interest in the art of penmanship drew his attention to these as ornamental and ingenious.
"A facile use of the pen will always be serviceable to you," he said to George. "No one can become too skilful in wielding it. But it requires much careful practise."
"I have discovered that," answered George. "I do not expect to excel in the art of penmanship."
"You may, with your application and perseverance," responded his teacher. "'Perseverance conquers all things,' it is said, and I believe it."
"But I have not time for everything," remarked George. "Odd moments are all the time I can devote to such things."
"And odd moments have done much for some boys," added his teacher. "Fragments of time well improved have made some men illustrious."
"It will take larger fragments of time than I have to make me illustrious," suggested George, dryly.
"Perhaps not; you are not authorized to come to such a conclusion. There are too many facts known to warrant it. Your industry and resolution are equal to it."
George accepted the compliment in silence with his usual modesty, considerably encouraged by his teacher's words to persevere in doing things well.
This copy-book, containing sketches of his companions and pen-pictures of birds and beasts, has been carefully preserved with others. It is a valuable relic, too, as showing that George was not always the sedate, serious boy he has generally been represented to be; for some of these sketches border upon the comical, and evidently were intended to bring a smile over the faces of his school-mates. Mixed with his usually grave and practical way of doing things, they show more of the cheerful, roguish boy than is accorded to George by writers in general.
Another copy-book contains many extracts, in prose and poetry, which particularly interested George at the time. He was in the habit of preserving in this way choice bits of prose and poetry for future use. They were copied in his clear, fair handwriting, with every i dotted and every t crossed, and every comma and period nicely made and placed.
All these copy books, with other proofs of George's thorough scholarship and progress, can now be seen at Mount Vernon, where he lived and died.
Irving says of these: "His manuscript school-books still exist, and are models of neatness and accuracy. One of them, it is true, a ciphering book, preserved in the library at Mount Vernon, has some school-boy attempts at calligraphy; nondescript birds, executed with the flourish of a pen, or profiles of faces, probably intended for those of his school-mates; the rest are all grave and business-like. Before he was thirteen years of age he had copied into a volume forms for all kinds of mercantile and legal papers, bills of exchange, notes of hand, deeds, bonds and the like. This early self-tuition gave him throughout life a lawyer's skill in drafting documents, and a merchant's exactness in keeping accounts; so that all the concerns of his various estates, his dealings with his domestic stewards and foreign agents, his accounts with governments, and all the financial transactions, are to this day to be seen posted up in books, in his own handwriting, monuments of his method and unvaried accuracy."
There was yet another manuscript more important, really, than those of which we have spoken. It contained one hundred and ten rules for regulating his conduct, to which he gave the title, "Rules of Behavior in Company and Conversation."
When Lawrence Washington examined this manuscript he remarked to his wife, "It is remarkable that a boy of his years should make such a collection of rules as this. They are creditable to a much older head than his."
"They are not original with him, are they?" responded his wife.
"I think not; they must be a collection which he has made from time to time. It would not be possible for a boy of his age to produce such a code of manners and morals out of his own brain. Hear this," and he proceeded to read some of the "Rules."
"Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your reputation, for it is better to be alone than in bad company."
"Good counsel, surely, and well expressed," remarked Mrs. Washington.
"It shows a degree of thoughtfulness and desire to be correct, beyond his years," added Lawrence. "The other rules are no less practical and significant." He continued to read:
"Every action in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those present.
"Speak not when others speak; sit not when others stand. Speak not when you should hold your peace. Walk not when others stop."
"That is paying attention to little things with a will," remarked Mrs. Washington.
"And that is what impresses me," responded Lawrence. "Most boys think that such small matters are beneath their notice, when attention to these secures attention to more important things."
"Very true," replied his wife; "and it certainly shows a desire to be correct in behavior that is commendable."
"And as unusual as it is commendable," added Lawrence. "It is such a manly view of life as we seldom meet with, except in ripe manhood."
"Well, read more of his rules," suggested Mrs. Washington.
Lawrence continued to read, "In your apparel, be modest, and endeavor to accommodate yourself to nature rather than to procure admiration; keep to the fashion of your equals, such as are civil and orderly, with respect to times and places.
"Wherein you reprove another, be unblamable yourself, for example is better than precept.
"When a man does all he can, though it succeeds not well, blame not him that did it."
"Not many men reduce these rules