he desires may be expressed in the terms following, that is to say,--that
despairing of hearing what may be said of him, if he should really go off
in an apoplectic, or any other fit (for he thinks all fits that issue in
death are worse than a love fit, a fit of laughter, and many other kinds
which he could name)--he is glad to hear _beforehand_ what will be said of
him on that occasion; conceiving that nothing extra will happen between
_this_ and _then_ to make a change in his character for better, or for
worse. And besides, as he has entered into an engagement ... not to quit
_this_ world before the year 1800, it may be _relied upon_ that no breach
of contract shall be laid to him on that account, unless dire necessity
should bring it about, maugre all his exertions to the contrary. In that
same, he shall hope they would do by him as he would do by them--excuse
it. At present there seems to be no danger of his thus giving them the
slip, as neither his health nor spirits, were ever in greater flow,
notwithstanding, he adds, he is descending, and has almost reached the
bottom of the hill; or in other words, the shades below. For your
particular good wishes on this occasion he charges me to say that he feels
highly obliged, and that he reciprocates them with great cordiality."

Other social qualities of the man cannot be passed over. A marked trait
was his extreme fondness of afternoon tea. "Dined at Mr. Langdon's, and
drank Tea there, with a large circle of Ladies;" "in the afternoon drank
Tea ... with about 20 ladies, who had been assembled for the occasion;"
"exercised between 5 & 7 o'clock in the morning & drank Tea with Mrs.
Clinton (the Governor's Lady) in the afternoon;" "Drank tea at the Chief
Justice's of the U. States;" "Dined with the Citizens in public; and in
the afternoon, was introduced to upwards of 50 ladies who had assembled
(at a Tea party) on the occasion;" "Dined and drank tea at Mr. Bingham's
in great splendor." Such are the entries in his diary whenever the was
"kettle-a-boiling-be" was within reach. Pickering's journal shows that
tea served regularly at head-quarters, and at Mount Vernon it was drunk
in summer on the veranda. In writing to Knox of his visit to Boston,
Washington mentioned his recollection of the chats over tea-drinking, and
of how "social and gay" they were.

A fondness for picnics was another social liking. "Rid with Fanny Bassett,
Mr. Taylor and Mr. Shaw to meet a Party from A