in company with the commissioners who laid out the District of
Columbia, he related to his friends that during the entire absence
from home he had abstained from the use of liquors; adding, "I feared
to trust myself even with wine, lest it should steal away the little
sense I have." On a leaf of one of his almanacs, appears the following
in his own handwriting:--

"Evil communications corrupt good manners, I hope to live to
hear, that good communication corrects 'bad manners.'"

He had a just appreciation of his own strength. He hated vice of every
kind; and, while he did not connect himself to any church, he was
deeply attached to the _Society of Friends._ He was frequently seen in
their meeting-house. He usually occupied the rear bench, where he
would sit with uncovered head, leaning upon his staff, wrapt in
profound meditation. The following letter addressed to Mr. J. Saurin
Norris shows that his character was upright:--

"In the year 1800, I commenced my engagements in the store
of Ellicott's Mills, where my first acquaintance with
Benjamin Banneker began. He often came to the store to
purchase articles for his own use; and, after hearing him
converse, I was always anxious to wait upon him. After
making his purchases, he usually went to the part of the
store where George Ellicott was in the habit of sitting to
converse with him about the affairs of our Government and
other matters. He was very precise in conversation and
exhibited deep reflection. His deportment whenever I saw
him, appeared to be perfectly upright and correct, and he
seemed to be acquainted with every thing of importance that
was passing in the country.

"I recollect to have seen his Almanacs in my father's house,
and believe they were the only ones used in the neighborhood
at the time. He was a large man inclined to be fleshy, and
was far advanced in years, when I first saw him, I remember
being once at his house, but do not recollect any thing
about the comforts of his establishment, nor of the old
clock, about which you enquired. He was fond of, and well
qualified, to work out abstruse questions in arithmetic. I
remember, he brought to the store, one which he had composed
himself, and presented to George Ellicott for solution. I
had a copy which I have since lost; but the character and
deportment of the ma