us mind of
the great man. Here are all the presents from different courts: members
of the United States Government are not allowed to keep them. There is a
costly diamond snuffbox from the Emperor of Russia; and a large bottle
of pure attar of roses, three times the price of gold. There are
portraits of Gortez, conqueror of Mexico in 1521; of Columbus, the
discoverer of America; of Cuvier, the French naturalist; and one I was
much struck with, by Spagnoletti, of Job and his three friends (see Job
xiv.): also one of Wat Tyler!

We visited the old departments of Government, State, War, and General
Government. The rooms of the various secretaries are furnished plainly.
We were disappointed at the Navy Yard--no appearance like England. The
first object introduced was a piece of cannon taken from the English
fleet when Sir George Cockburn came up the Potomac. The sight of this
gave me a chill, as it was the first time I had ever seen England's arms
in other powers' possession. The name of Sir George Cockburn is hated,
as he would have destroyed recklessly, had not Ross, a Fifeshire man,
restrained him. Ross's memory is as much loved as the other's is hated.
This was in 1814. On the left is the house of the commandant of the
yard--a captain in the navy. They make anchors, blocks, and tackle of
all sorts for ships' use. There are several hundred men usually employed
at the yard. Several first-rate vessels have been built here. They told
us that they sunk several of their vessels here when they heard of their
defeat at Bladensburg; but I guess it was the English that sunk them.
There are many more sights, but our time would not allow us to tarry.

I had much wished to have gone down to Charlestown, and then into the
far West; but the contemplation of slavery, the pain of living in the
constant intercourse with slave servants, and the awfully hot weather,
which might have caused me to take the fever--added to all, my great
anxiety to receive letters from England--particularly from my wife,
from whom I had now been absent five weeks without hearing--the
pleasures of memory having almost kindled into the charming
reminiscences of my first love--decided me to take my course North
again; and I must acknowledge I left Washington with regret, and the
contemplation that, ere many years roll over, it will be a magnificent
city. I may here remark there is a telegraph, or galvanic power, fixed
between the Capitol and Baltimore, that take