ations, has already,
I doubt not, brought to your minds the story of two huge giants, who,
chancing to meet one night, fell into a long and stormy dispute with
each other about the possession of a fair bit of meadow-land they had
happened to spy out at the same moment, where it lay in the lower horn
of the moon; and who finally, like the silly monsters that they were,
began belaboring each other with their heavy malls, as if the last
hope of beating a little reason in were to beat a few brains out.

To drive and keep back the French and their Indian allies, Gov.
Dinwiddie made a call on the Virginia militia, and wrote to the
governors of some of the neighboring provinces, urging them, for their
common defence, to do the same. To strengthen their borders, and give
security to their frontier settlers, a small party of pioneers and
carpenters were sent to build a fort at the Forks of the Ohio, as
Washington had recommended in his journal. This journal, by the way,
throwing, as it did, so much new light on the designs of the French in
America, was thought worthy of publication, not only throughout the
Colonies, but also in the mother-country. The good sense, skill,
address, and courage shown by the young Virginian throughout the late
expedition, had drawn upon him the eyes of his countrymen; and, from
that time forward, he became the hope and promise of his native land.
As a proof of this high regard, he was offered the command of the
regiment to be raised: which, however, he refused to accept; for his
modesty told him that he was too young and inexperienced to be
intrusted with a matter of such moment to his country. To Col. Fry, an
officer of some note in the province, the command of the regiment was
therefore given; under whom he was quite willing to accept the post of
lieutenant-colonel.

Notwithstanding the pressing danger that threatened all alike, the
people were shamefully slow in answering the summons to arms.
Washington had felt confident, that, at the very first tap of the
drum, squads upon squads of active, sturdy, well-fed, well-clothed
young farmers, moved by the same spirit with himself, would come
flocking to his standard with their trusty rifles, powder-horns, and
hunting-pouches, ready and eager to do their country service. Instead
of this, however, there gathered, about him a rabble of ragamuffins
and worthless fellows, who had spent their lives in tramping up and
down the country, without settled homes