e was able to borrow a grammar from Mr.
Everett, but he had to send to New Hampshire for a dictionary; and
the only book he had to read was a copy of _Werther_ belonging to
John Quincy Adams, then in Europe, which he managed to borrow from the
gentleman who had Mr. Adams's books under his care at the Athenaeeum.
This was in 1814, and already he had made up his mind to go to Germany
and profit by the advantages offered by the universities of that
country. With regard to the education he had already acquired, it is
evident that he had learned more by private study than by following
the courses of the college which had given him a degree. But before
visiting other countries he determined to make himself familiar with
his own, and for that purpose he made a journey to Washington and
Virginia, seeing on his way, at New York, one of the earliest ships of
war moved by steam, and in Philadelphia meeting John Randolph, whom he
describes carefully in one of his letters to his father. At Washington
he dined with President Madison, who was in considerable anxiety at
the time (January 21, 1815) about the fate of New Orleans. He gives
a dreary picture of the state festivities. The President, he says,
"sometimes laughed, and I was glad to hear it, but his face was always
grave. He talked of religious sects and parties, and was curious to
know how the cause of liberal Christianity stood with us, and if the
Athanasian creed was well received by our Episcopalians.... He talked
of education and its prospects, of the progress of improvement among
us, and once or twice he gave it a political aspect, though with great
caution." In Virginia he visited Thomas Jefferson at Monticello,
and this eminent man seems to have taken a great fancy to his young
visitor, who gave his father a full account of his host and his ways.
The details are too long to quote, but those who turn to the book
will find that Mr. Ticknor began early to observe people, and
that, although his descriptions, even in his youth, show a lack of
imagination, they are yet made lifelike by his patient, unwearying
elaboration of details. How full, for instance, is his account of Lord
Jeffrey, written to one of his friends in 1814. Such letters have gone
out of fashion now, when it is more frequent to sum up the characters
of our visitors in epigrams than in long essays, as Mr. Ticknor
has here done. This first star, who in comparison with many of Mr.
Ticknor's later acquaintances wa