Letter of George Washington to Francis Hopkinson 1787Author(s): George WashingtonSource: The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 38, No. 4 (1914), pp. 461-462Published by: The Historical Society of PennsylvaniaStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20086191 .

Accessed: 13/05/2014 22:50

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access toThe Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 195.78.108.54 on Tue, 13 May 2014 22:50:51 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

George Washington to Francis Hopkinson, 1787. 461

LETTEE OF GEOEGE WASHINGTON TO FEANCIS HOPKINSON 1787.

Mount Vernon. Feby 5th 1787. Dear Sir,

We are told of the amazing powers of musick in ancient times ; but the stories of its effects are so sur

prising that we are not obliged to believe them, unless

they had been founded upon better authority than Poetic assertion?for the Poets of old (whatever they may do in these days) were strangely addicted to the marvellous ;? and if I before doubted the truth of their relations with respect to the power of musick I am not fully convinced of their falsity?because I would not for the honor of my Country; allow that we are left by the Ancients at an immeasurable distance in every thing; and if they could sooth the ferocity of

wild beasts could draw the trees & stones after them, and could even charm the powers of Hell by their

musick, I am sure that your productions would have

had at least virtue enough in them (without the aid of voice or instrument) to soften the Ice of the Dela

ware or Potomac and in that case you should have had an earlier acknowledgment of your favor of the 1st

December which came to hand but last Saturday? I readily admit the force of your distinction between

"a thing done" and "a thing to be done" and as I do not believe that you would do "a very bad thing" "indeed"?I must ever make virtue of necessity and

defend your performance if necessary, to the last effort of my musical abilities

But my dear Sir, if you had any doubts about the

reception which your work would meet with or had the

This content downloaded from 195.78.108.54 on Tue, 13 May 2014 22:50:51 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

462 George Washington to Francis Hopkinson, 1787.

smallest reason to think that you should need my assist ance to defend it, you have not acted with your usual

good Judgement in the choice of a Coadjutor; for should the tide of prejudice not flow in favor of it (and so various are the tastes, opinions, & whims of men

that even the sanction of Divinity does not ensure universal concurrence), what alas ! can I say to support it ? I can neither sing one of the songs nor raise a single note on any instrument to convince the unbelieving. But I have however one argument which will prevail with persons of true taste (at least in America) I can tell them that it is the production of Mr. Hopkinson. With the compliments of Mrs Washington added

to mine, for you & yours I am dear Sir

Your most obed* & very humble Servant

George Washington. The Honbl*

Fran8 Hopkinson.

This content downloaded from 195.78.108.54 on Tue, 13 May 2014 22:50:51 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions