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BY AARON BANCROFT D. D.

PASTOR OF A CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN WORCESTER

TWO VOLUMES IN ONE.

BOSTON:

PHILLIPS, SAMPSON, AND COMPANY

1857.

KD 1001

HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY

SHELDON FUND

JULY 10, 1940

PREFACE.

THE following publication originated in the author's wish to place within reach of the great body of his countrymen, an authentick biography of General WASHINGTON.

Judge Marshall, in his valuable life of this illustrious patriot, has embraced not only the settlement and general history of the North American Colonies; but also the political history of the United States. His work is therefore necessarily too expensive to be ob tained by all classes of American people. The writer of these memoirs apprehended, that by publishing the life of WASHINGTON in a compressed form, he should enable those of his fellow citizens, who are not in possession of Marshall, to leave to their posterity a memorial of a man, who was pre-eminently distinguished as a Soldier and Statesman.

General WASHINGTON was from his youth devoted to his country, his character therefore cannot be portrayed, without bringing into view many important publick transactions. The plan of the writer has been to notice no individual or evert, further than was ne cessary to display the principal character.

He has made Judge Marshall his leading authority for facts, and has in some measure followed him in the order of events. The histories of the war by Doctors Ramsay and Gordon, and several original writings have been consulted; but he trusts, that greater liberty has not been taken with any of them than is fair and honourable. The few facts, which have not before been published, were received immediately from confidential friends of General WASHINGTON, or from gentlemen who, in respectable official situations, were members of his family during his military command.

It has been the endeavour of the author to display the character of the man who is the subject of the work, by exhibiting in a connected view his actions and his writings; and he has, as far as possible, made this exhibition in the person of General WASHING. ΤΟΝ.

He has not conceived that he was writing for men of erudition, but for the unlettered portion of the community; and he has for their benefit more particularly studied simplicity of style. Should he be so happy as to obtain their approbation, he will receive an ample reward of his labour.

He entertains no expectation of acquiring literary fame by this publication; but he hopes to escape the disgrace of having written a useless bork.

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