tinguished by his skill and success and his profes sional merits were highly and justly appreciated. In the various relations of private life, his character was truly estimable and his memory is precious to all, who had the happiness and the honour of his acquaintance. He was one, and what a proud eulogy it is, of whom the immortal Washington was pleased to write, my compatriot in arms, my old and intimate friend,

915.

ALEXANDRIA, D. COL.

Note.-The MUSEUM established at Alexandria, from the noble principles, on which it is founded, and from the number, variety, value, and interest of the articles it contains, is an object deserving of the liberal attention it continually receives; and is worthy of the notice of every lover of the works of nature and art in its vicinity and of every traveller, who has the happiness to visit the beautiful city, of which it is the pride and the

ornament.

It is under the jurisdiction of the Alexandria Washington Lodge Num. 22, of which col. George Dencale is M. This gentleman is also M. W.D.G. M. of District Num. 10, under the G. L. of Virginia, and William Paton, jun. esq. is its W. M. for the present year, 1814, both of whom are highly esteemed by their brethren for the active, zealous, and faithful manner, in which they discharge the duties of their respective offices.

According to the constitution, the officers of the

lodge, for the time being, are trustees of the Museum? One of the fraternity is elected a manager, to whose charge all things pertaining to it are committed; yet subject to the inspection of the trustees, who hold a meeting once a month, and to whom a statement of donations, of receipts from visiters, and of all the fiscal concerns of the institution is submitted.

The Museum is founded on the principles of benevolence and charity towards all mankind. As its funds admit, gratuities are bestowed upon the worthy, as their exigencies may require, according to the discretion of the trustees.

The manager keeps a fair and faithful record of every article presented and of the names of all donors. The property belonging to the Museum, exclusive of its pecuniary income, can be neither sold, loaned, nor given away; and should it ever be thought expedient to dissolve the institution, by a particular clause in its constitution, the lodge is pledged to return the valuable contents of the Museum to the original donors, or to their heirs.

It will, no doubt, be gratifying to many of the readers of this work to be informed, that the lodge, having under its protection and patronage this benevolent and useful establishment, claims, for one of its principal founders, the late general Washington, whose memory is dear to every friend of the United States. In 1788, it passed under the Jurisdiction of the G. L. of Virginia. The Alustrious George Washington was created the first

W. M. of the same.

After the decease of this

noble benefactor of the human race, the Alexandria Lodge, in which he first had presided, was permitted to assume his name. It was, accordingly, in 1805, enrolled in the archives of the G. L. of Virginia by the name of the Alexandria Washington Lodge Num. 22, of which about 120, of the first respectability, are at present members.

The Museum owes its origin to Timothy Mountford, esq. who, on St. John's day, in 1812, stated to his brethren of the lodge, in a concise address, the feasibility and the importance of such an institution. The fraternity was pleased to express their high approbation of mr. Mountfords's benevolent suggestion, and appointed a committee for carrying the object into effect. A constitution was formed embracing all the ideas of the projector, who was elected by the suffrages of the masonick body the Manager of the Museum. He is a gentleman of wonderful talents for building up and conducting the concerns of such an establishment. He immediately entered on the duties of his office and it is astonishing, that he should so soon have amassed such a vast collection of curious, rare, costly, and interesting articles. No other person could have expected to effect, in twenty years, what he has, by his activity and zeal, effected, in two. Under his fostering care the institution has risen to importance, without funds, and, as it were, by magick touch; and promises long to gladden the sons ant

daughters of want, while it affords a pleasant resort for amusement and instruction.

Among the many thousand articles, which mr. Mountford has already brought together, and he has been heard to say that he never applied in vain for any thing, which he thought desirable for a place in his collection, may be seen the mantle in which Washington received baptism; his grand masonick robes; his pistols studded with brilliants, given by Louis XVI, to the general, through the hands of marquis De La Fayette; a model of the Bastile, made of stone taken from the ruins of that once prison of misery and despair, presented to the general by the national assembly of France. These articles were given to the Museum by connexions of general Washington, messrs. Lewis, Custis, and Robinson. Other donations of great value have been made by president Madison and other distinguished characters.

The institution established and patronized by a respectable masonick lodge, calculated to benefit society in general, and to be the mean, in particular, of affording help to those, who are ready to perish, will unquestionably continue to experience, from the liberal, benevolent, and patriotick, all that encouragement and support, to which, on the noblest principles, it has a just and honourable claim.

PEN. I-VOL V.

I

1

916.

ALEXANDRIA, D. COL.

The greatest traveller of my spe; cies. My name is SEAMAN, the dog of captain Meriwether Lewis, whom I accompanied to the Pacifick ocean through the interior of the continent of North America.

Nole. The foregoing was copied from the collar, in the Alexandria Museum, which the late gov. Lewis's dog wore after his return from the western coast of America. The fidelity and attachment of this animal were remarkable. After the melancholy exit of gov. Lewis, his dog would not depart for a moment from his lifeless remains; and when they were deposited in the earth no gentle means could draw him from the spot of interment. He refused to take every kind of food, which was offered him, and actually pined away and died with grief upon his master's grave!

WASHINGTON, D. COL.

917. Note. The following inscriptions are from the beautiful monument, erected, in a conspicuous part of the navy yard at the city of Washington, in honour of the American naval heroes, who nobly fell, in their country's cause, before the walls of Tripoli. The accompanying statement was kindly furnished, on the suggestion of a friend, for a place in this Collection, by B. H Latrobe, esq. whose skill, taste, and judgment, in every department of the fine arts, are well known, and whose remarks add much to the value of this article..