A new and popular Pictorial History of the United States . mpanion of hisgloiious toils. Three nephews of General Wash-ington took La Fayette, his son, andmyself, to conduct us to the tomb oftheir uncle ; our numerous companionsremained in the house. In a few min-utes the cannon, thundering anew, an-nounced that La Fayette rendered hom-age to the ashes of Washington. Simpleand modest as he was during life, thetomb of the citizen-hero is scarcely per-ceived among the sombre cypresses bywhich it is surrounded. A vault, slightlyelevated and sodded over—a woodendoor without inscriptions—some with-
A new and popular Pictorial History of the United States . mpanion of hisgloiious toils. Three nephews of General Wash-ington took La Fayette, his son, andmyself, to conduct us to the tomb oftheir uncle ; our numerous companionsremained in the house. In a few min-utes the cannon, thundering anew, an-nounced that La Fayette rendered hom-age to the ashes of Washington. Simpleand modest as he was during life, thetomb of the citizen-hero is scarcely per-ceived among the sombre cypresses bywhich it is surrounded. A vault, slightlyelevated and sodded over—a woodendoor without inscriptions—some with-ered and green garlands, indicate to thetraveller, who visits the spot, where restin peace the puissant arms which brokethe chains of his country. As we ap-proached, the door was opened. LaFavette descended alone into the vault,and a few minutes after reappeared withhis eyes overflowing with tears. Hetook his son and me by the hand, andled us into the tomb, where, by a sign,he indicated the coffin. We knelt rev-erentially, and rising, threw ourselves. 344 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. into the arms of La Fayette, and min-gled our tears with his. Williamsburg, though a small place,is the oldest incorporated town in thestate, and was formerly the capital. Itis fifty-eight miles from Richmond, andsixty-eight from Norfolk. It has threechurches, a magazine, two seminaries,the eastern lunatic asylum, and Williamand Mary college. The number of in-habitants is about sixteen hundred. The Statue of Lord Botetourt standsin the square, which retains a portionof its original beauty, though much mu-tilated, having been a good specimenof sculpture. He was one of the firstjudges of the colony. It was erectedin 1774, at the expense of the colony. William and Mary College.—Thiswas the first literary institution of thehigher kind in Virginia, having beenfounded in 1692, under the reign of thesovereigns whose name it bears. Theywere its liberal benefactors, granting ittwenty thousand
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