The synopsis of the letters which I have given may perhaps tend in some small degree to supply this desideratum in his illustrious life alongside of the more copious anecdotes and reminiscences supplied by the patriotic and filial devotion of Mr. Custis.  This is my humble hope.

Since the foregoing Letters were received from Mrs. Lear, she has favored me with the perusal of other manuscripts introducing us to the domestic hours of General Washington.  Among them is a Diary kept by Mr. Lear at Mount Vernon in 1786, anterior therefore to the time when Washington became President.  From this document I am permitted to copy a passage entire.  It is dated the 23d of October, ’86.  Mr. Drayton and Mr. Izard, gentlemen of South Carolina, had been spending the day at Mount Vernon.  After dinner, the company still round the table, Washington was led to speak of Arnold’s treason, and Mr. Lear wrote down his account of it in his Diary of that day.  Although history has made us familiar with that whole transaction in its essential facts, to hear it under such circumstances from the lips of Washington, seems to impart to it new interest.  We listen with revived curiosity and attention when such a narrator speaks.  The copy from Mr. Lear’s Diary, in which is recorded this interesting dinner-table narrative, is in the words following:—­

  “MOUNT VERNON,
  Monday, October 23d, 1786.

“Mrs. Washington went to Arlington with the two children.  Sent a letter directed to Mr. Samuel Storer to the post-office by Charles, who went up to town (Alexandria) with Master Thompson and Lawrence Washington, who had spent their vacation here.  Mr. Drayton and Mr. Izard here all day.  After dinner General Washington was, in the course of conversation, led to speak of Arnold’s treachery, when he gave the following account of it, which I shall put in his own words, thus:  ’I confess I had a good opinion of Arnold before his treachery was brought to light; had that not been the case, I should have had some reason to suspect him sooner, for when he commanded in Philadelphia, the Marquis la Fayette brought accounts from France of the armament which was to be sent to co-operate with us in the ensuing campaign.  Soon after this was known, Arnold pretended to have some private business to transact in Connecticut, and on his way there he called at my quarters; and in the course of conversation expressed a desire of quitting Philadelphia and joining the army the ensuing campaign.  I told him that it was probable we should have a very active one, and that if his wound and state of health would permit, I should be extremely glad of his services with the army.  He replied that he did not think his wound would permit him to take a very active part; but still he persisted in his desire of being with the army.  He went on to Connecticut, and on his return called again upon me.  He renewed his request of being with me next campaign, and I made him the same answer I had done before.