both mental and bodily. He was for hours in his study
occupied with his pen, and for hours on horseback, riding the rounds
of his extensive estate, visiting the various farms, and
superintending the works in operation. All this he did with unfailing
vigor, though now in his sixty-seventh year.

Winter had now set in, with occasional wind and rain and frost, yet
Washington still kept up his active round of in-door and out-door
avocations, as his diary records. He was in full health and vigor,
dined out occasionally, and had frequent guests at Mount Vernon. For
some time past he had been occupied in digesting a complete system on
which his estate was to be managed for several succeeding years;
specifying the cultivation of the several farms, with tables
designating the rotations of the crops. It occupied thirty folio
pages, and was executed with that clearness and method which
characterized all his business papers. This was finished on the 10th
of December, and was accompanied by a letter of that date to his
manager or steward.

According to his diary, the morning on which these voluminous
instructions to his steward were dated was clear and calm, but the
afternoon was lowering. The next day (11th), he notes that there was
wind and rain, and "at night _a large circle round the moon_." The
morning of the 12th was overcast. About ten o'clock he mounted his
horse, and rode out as usual to make the rounds of the estate. The
ominous ring round the moon, which he had observed on the preceding
night, proved a fatal portent. "About one o'clock," he notes, "it
began to snow, soon after to hail, and then turned to a settled cold
rain." Having on an overcoat, he continued his ride without regarding
the weather, and did not return to the house until after three. His
secretary approached him with letters to be franked, that they might
be taken to the post-office in the evening. Washington franked the
letters, but observed that the weather was too bad to send a servant
out with them. Mr. Lear perceived that snow was hanging from his hair,
and expressed fears that he had got wet; but he replied, "No, his
great coat had kept him dry." As dinner had been waiting for him he
sat down to table without changing his dress. "In the evening," writes
his secretary, "he appeared as well as usual."

On the following morning the snow was three inches deep and still
falling, which prevented him from taking his usual ride. He complained
of a sore