Washington's Journal here given to the public, if we except his
version of the "Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company
and Conversation," is the earliest literary effort of this, the
most admirable character in all history. The editor has long
been engaged in collecting accurate copies of all the obtainable
writings of this great man. Wherever it has been found practicable
to examine and critically compare even his generally accepted
writings with the originals, it has been, or will be done to secure
a copy of exact and verified conformity, in every particular, with
the text as it left the hand of the writer.
It is a well-known fact that editors have taken great liberties
with Washington's writings, not for the purpose of falsifying
history, or aspersing his character, but from a variety of reasons,
often to suppress caustic expressions, or to substitute a more
euphonious word to give to his sentences a fine, rhetorical finish.
Such editorial dressing, even where the motive is well intended,
is vicious in principle and liable to abuse; and, in the case of
Washington's writings, is neither justifiable nor desirable. The
time has come when the people want to know intimately and without
glamour or false coloring, the father of his country as he actually
lived and labored, and to possess his writings, just as he left
them, on every subject which engaged his attention. It is the
purpose of the editor to prepare a complete collection of all the
writings of George Washington, from his youth to the close of his
eventful life, with that literal exactness as to text which can
only be assured by the careful efforts of an experienced copyist
and expert proof reader having access to and comparing in every
possible case the copies with the originals. This initial Diary of
Washington opens with his sixteenth year, and plainly shows the
energy and the maturity of his judgment, and his capability to
discharge even then important trusts with efficiency.
Forthcoming volumes will give, in chronological order, his
co-operation in the march of events on this continent, and his life
and opinions as seen through the writings he left. This volume must
be viewed as the work of a youth, making a few, brief and hurried
memoranda while in the depths of the forest and intended for no
eye but his own. The time is not far distant when an edition of
Washington's more important papers will be called for in facsimile
by some one of the photogravure processes now available for such
purposes, because of the unquestionable fidelity to the original it
secures and which is approximately arrived at in this publication.
This is the first systematic attempt to produce the writings of
Washington with literal exactness as to abbreviations, the use of
capitals, punctuation, spelling, etc. It is possible that the plan
pursued may not, at first, meet with an unqualified commendation
from the public. But if the editor does not much mistake the
desire of students, the admirers of Washington and the demand of
historians, this method, if faithfully executed, must produce the
preferred edition of his writings.
A few miscellaneous pieces in Washington's youthful handwriting
are preserved in this Journal, and are here printed with the same
effort for literal accuracy which has been bestowed upon the
Journal itself, and upon his field notes of land surveys.
[Illustration: Mount Vernon Hills]