upon an extraordinary
occasion. Such he was pleased to consider the present; and although I
suggested the probability that most of the play-loving Alexandrians had
most likely, during the late very lovely nights, visited the Washington
theatre, Mr. Jefferson argued, there yet existed a sufficient body, of
the unsatisfied curious, to repay us for our short trip. A steam-boat,
he said, would take down him and his troop, bag and baggage, in a couple
of hours; and, as I was fond of riding, it was for me but a pleasant
canter.

As it was my intention to pass a few hours at this city, whose spires
might be seen any fine day from George-town heights, and close to which
lived a gentleman whom I had promised to visit, I decided with the
manager upon making trial of our popularity by convening on a certain
evening a public meeting of its inhabitants; our object being similar to
that of most conveners of public meetings, viz. to amuse the lieges and
benefit ourselves.

The town was advertised of our intended purpose, the night appointed,
and all the usual blowing of trumpets duly done, when on the forenoon of
a lovely day, accompanied by Captain R----y of the navy, I traversed the
interminable-looking bridge uniting the district of Columbia with
Virginia, and entered the _Old Dominion_, as the natives love to
distinguish their State.

The road was excellent, bordered with turf nearly the whole way, and
commanding extensive and varied views of the Potomac, together with
George-town and the Capitol. I often halted and turned my horse's head
to look upon this picture, for such it truly was. Nothing, in fact, can
be more panoramic than the aspect of these cities, lying in one of the
best-defined and most beautiful of natural amphitheatres, and flanked by
the grandest of rivers. At the distance of five or six miles all the
meannesses of the city are lost sight of, and the extreme ends, so
widely apart, and so worthily bounded, by the Capitol on the north and
the President's mansion, with the surrounding offices belonging to the
state department, on the south, combined with the dock-yard and a few
other large public buildings in the middle distance, give to the
metropolis of America an aspect no way unworthy of its high destiny.

Arrived at Shooter's Hill, the seat of Mr. D----y, we were encountered
with a welcome characteristic of a Virginian gentleman on his own soil,
and worthy the descendant of an Irishman.

Here then we dine