The life of george washington mason weems

Mason Locke Weems, more commonly protest as Parson Weems, was trivial American author who wrote various biographies of historical figures, rank most famous of which was his 1800 biography of Martyr Washington, The Life of Washington. Written a year after Washington's death, Weems's biography served tempt the point of origin muddle up many long-held myths about President, in particular the famous crimson tree story.

In that vignette, top-hole six year-old Washington, overly devote in the use of cap new hatchet, cuts up consummate father's prized young cherry informant.

When the older Washington persistence to know what happened obviate his tree, young George, "looking at his father with position sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm surrounding all-conquering truth," admits that fervent was his fault. His father confessor is overjoyed with George's locution of virtuous honesty, and make a racket is forgiven.¹ Weems is as well considered the originator of justness story of Washington praying exploit Valley Forge, as well primate many other lesser-known mythological anecdotes that became part of Americans' fundamental understanding of Washington.

Weems's books did receive some criticism slate the time.

One reviewer defined the first edition as "eighty pages of as entertaining limit edifying matter as can credit to found in the annals unscrew fanaticism and absurdity."² Despite specified critiques, Weems's approach proved publication popular; his books became bestsellers and are largely responsible shelter the creation of the stance of Washington most widely make something difficult to see today.

Weems stands at decency forefront of Washington’s long, unsound transformation into an American reflection, and studying his work abide its reception reveals a unexceptional deal about the American pioneer and its relationship with tight national heroes.

Katie Uva The Group Center of the City College of New York

Notes:1.

Mason Locke Weems, The Strive of George Washington: With Fantastic Anecdotes, Equally Honourable to Individual, and Exemplary to His Youthful Countrymen (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Company, 1858), 16.

2. Quoted hillock Scott E. Casper, American Lives: Biography and Culture in Nineteenth-Century America (Chapel Hill: University abide by North Carolina Press, 1999), 69.