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The Writings of George Washington: Life of Washington
The Writings of George Washington Life of Washington Author:George Washington Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: derived from his suggestions and advice. To Mr. Samuel A. Eliot, also, I would here make a public acknowledgment of the substantial and valuable aid he has in va... more »rious ways lent to my undertaking, the successful issue of which has been promoted in no small degree by his friendly offices and personal exertions. Copious Indexes are added to the last Volume, in constructing which much care has been bestowed and much difficulty encountered, particularly in regard to names and dates ; but it is hoped, that a good measure of accuracy has been attained, and that they will furnish all the facilities to readers, which could be expected in a work of such variety and extent. In writing the Life of Washington, which is comprised in the First Volume, I have endeavoured to follow closely the order of time, adopting the plan of a personal narrative, and introducing collateral events no farther than was absolutely necessary to give completeness to this design. After the able, accurate, and comprehensive work of Chief Justice Marshall, it would be presumptuous to attempt a historical biography of Washington. Yet it must be kept in mind, thatmuch the larger portion of his life was passed on a conspicuous public theatre, and that no account of it can be written, which will not assume essentially the air of history. Anecdotes are interwoven, and such incidents of a private and personal nature as are known ; but it must be confessed, that these are more rare than could be desired. I have seen many particulars of this description which I knew not to be true, and others which I did not believe. These have been avoided ; nor have I stated any fact for which I was not convinced there was credible authority. If this forbearance has been practised at the expense of the reader's entertainment, he must s...« less