PREFACE THE popular idea of Washington has recently begun to veer away from the vision of an eighteenth century demigod in a wig,-an old-fashioned statue in dusky bronze, stern and forbidding. We are swinging around toward the idea of a loveable, fallible, very human personality with humor, a hot temper, and a genuine love of pleasure. Accordingly, in gathering material for this book the editor has passed by those earlier writers who are mainly responsible for this distorted view; and he has aimed to gather here the essays, orations, poems, stories, and exercises which best exhibit the modern conception of Washington; together with a selection from his own writings, and the finest of the elder tributes to the memory of our greatest National Hero. MEM AOBK TIBKYBA NOTE The Editor and Publishers wish to acknowledge their indebtedness to Houghton, Mifflin & Company; Doubleday, Page & Company; J. B. Lippincott & Co.; Mr. David McKay, John Macy, and others who have very kindly granted permission to reprint selections from works bearing their copyright. MEM AOUK NOTE The Editor and Publishers wish to acknowledge |