possible, for the President wishes to command his own time, which these
things always forbid in a greater or less degree, and they are to him
fatiguing and oftentimes painful. He wishes not to exclude himself from
the sight or conversation of his fellow citizens, but their eagerness to
show their affection frequently imposes a heavy tax on him."

This was still further shown in his diary of his tours through New England
and the Southern States. Nothing would do but for Boston to receive him
with troops, etc., and Washington noted, "finding this ceremony not to be
avoided, though I had made every effort to do it, I named the hour." In
leaving Portsmouth he went "quietly, and without any attendance, having
earnestly entreated that all parade and ceremony might be avoided on my
return." When travelling through North Carolina, "a small party of horse
under one Simpson met us at Greenville, and in spite of every endeavor
which could comport with decent civility, to excuse myself from it, they
would attend me to Newburn."

During the few years that Washington was at Mount Vernon subsequent to the
Revolution, the same unbounded hospitality was dispensed as in earlier
times, while a far greater demand was made upon it, and one so variegated
that at times the host was not a little embarrassed. Thus he notes
that "a Gentleman calling himself the Count de Cheiza D'Artigan Officer
of the French Guards came here to dinner; but bringing no letters of
introduction, nor any authentic testimonials of his being either; I was at
a loss how to receive or treat him,--he stayed to dinner and the evening,"
and the next day departed in Washington's carriage to Alexandria. "A
farmer came here to see," he says, "my drill plow, and staid all night."
In another instance he records that a woman whose "name was unknown to me
dined here." Only once were visitors frowned on, and this was when a
British marauding party came to Mount Vernon during the Revolution. Even
they, in Washington's absence, were entertained by his overseer, but his
master wrote him, on hearing of this, "I am little sorry of my own [loss];
but that which gives me most concern is, that you should go on board the
enemy's vessels and furnish them with refreshments. It would have been a
less painful circumstance to me to have heard, that in consequence of
your non-compliance with their request, they had burnt my House and
laid the plantation in ruins. You ought to have considered yo