This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 edition. Excerpt: ... Imagination is a blessed gift of God. How we live in it, revel in it, delight ourselves in it! Through it the soul is regaled with flowers of every hue, and scented with odors of every fragrance. By it the heart is often refreshed with things more real than reality itself. Happy compensation this, to those who are compelled to stay at home. They have, most frequently, the larger share of enjoyment. Their imaginings of distant persons, places and things, are ever much above the reality. Thus more to them than to those who see. It has never been my happiness to see, for the first time, a famed person, a noted object, or historic place, without feelings of disappointment, and these often sore ones--so much did the ideal excel the original. Hardly a sarcasm was it, uttered by that sarcastic old curmudgeon, that " no man was great in the eyes of his own valet." The child's disappointment was natural, carried on its father's shoulder, in the midst of a crowd, to see General Washington pass. The multitude clapped and shouted, yet did the child look in vain for the wonderful personage. In the midst of the tumult, it shouted out: "Where's Washington, pa?" "There, child. That's he." "No, pa, no. That's not Washington. Why that man is just like any body else!" Our Capital.--Well, I have seen Washington, and been disappointed. Have seen, for the first time, this noted centre of wealth and wisdom, of power and influence, belonging to that famous old gentleman, called "Uncle Sam." John Randolph designated this same place, "the city of magnificent distances." Since then it has no doubt partially filled up. Yet still it may fairly be defined by the young lady's comparison of her admirer's beard. Dandy must have whiskers. That he would. The entire...

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