It may be pretty confidently stated that both Madison and Monroe owed their success and eminence more to their engaging manners than to great intellectual powers.  They were even notably deficient in that oratorical ability which counted for so much in the political era with which they were connected.  They rarely spoke in Congress.  When speaking, Madison was hesitating, and was heard with difficulty; but his quietness and modesty, his consideration for others, made the eloquent speak for him Whether these two statesmen were personally taught by James Marye is doubtful, for he was getting old when they were at school in Fredericksburg; but we may feel sure that civility was still taught there in their time, as, indeed it was within the memory of many now living.

George Washington, though even less able than the two others to speak in public, had naturally a strong intellect.  But in boyhood he had much more against him than most of his young comrades,—­obstructions that could be surmounted only by character.  His father had much land but little money; at his death (1743,) the lands were left chiefly to his sons by the first wife.  His widow was left poor, and her eldest son, George, had not the fair prospect of most of his schoolmates.  Instead of being prepared for William and Mary College, he was prepared only for going into some business as soon as possible, so as to earn support for his mother and her four younger children.  In his old book of school-exercises, the “Rules of Civility” are found in proximity to business forms that bear pathetic testimony to the severe outlook of this boy of fourteen.  In the MS. of Col.  Byrd Willis, already referred to (loaned me by his granddaughter, Mrs. Tayloe, of Fredericksburg), he says:  “My father, Lewis Willis, was a schoolmate of General Washington, his cousin, who was two years his senior.  He spoke of the General’s industry and assiduity at school as very remarkable.  Whilst his brother and other boys at playtime were at bandy and other games, he was behind the door ciphering.  But one youthful ebullition is handed down while at that school, and that was romping with one of the largest girls; this was so unusual that it excited no little comment among the other lads.”  It is also handed down that in boyhood this great soldier, though never a prig, had no fights, and was often summoned to the playground as a peacemaker, his arbitration in disputes being always accepted.

Once more it may be well enough to remind the reader that it may yet be found that Washington, in his mother’s humble home on the Rappahannock, read and pondered “Youth’s Behaviour,” wrote out what it held for him, and himself became an instructor of his schoolmates in rules of civility.  It would be wonderful, but not incredible.

Although Washington became a fine-looking man, he was not of prepossessing appearance in early life; he was lank and hollow-chested.  He was by no means a favourite with the beauties for which Fredericksburg was always famous, and had a cruel disappointment of his early love for Betsy Fauntleroy.  In his youth he became pitted by smallpox while attending his invalid half-brother, Lawrence, on a visit to the Barbadoes.