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Mason Weems (1760 - 1825). Clergyman, author, bookseller
(Excerpts taken from "Footnote People in U.S.
History", People's Almanac, David Wallechinsky, N.Y: Doubleday &
Co, pp. 113-114).
"That George Washington zealously felled a cherry tree at the
tender age of 6 is American history. What most Americans don't know is that
this touching portrait of American honesty is the product of Mason Locke
"Parson" Weems's lively pen. The cherry tree escapade is but one
of the tales in Weems's Life of George Washington; with Curious Anecdotes,
Equally Honorable to Himself, and Exemplary to His Young Countrymen, a largely
fictitious, or at least lavishly embellished, account of our 1st President's
life and times. To say that the good parson had a flair for exaggeration
would surely be an understatement, but what he did have was an eye for what
the reading public thrived on, and what would sell a book. This is not to
say that Reverend Weems was deceitful, only that the extreme vivacity of
his character was easily translated to the printed page.
Born in Maryland in 1760, Weems was the youngest of 19 children.
He studied medicine, then took up theology, and in 1784, he and another
were the 1st Americans to be ordained in the Church of England after the
American Revolution.
For 8 or 9 years, Weems preached with a passion in small Maryland
churches, using a fiery style that appealed to the emotions. Not wholly
satisfied with this life, be took up the printing and selling of religious
works, and from there came into the employ of the pioneer Philadelphia publisher,
Matthew Carey.
Weems reveled in his new trade as a traveling bookseller, which he
was to continue for the rest of his life. He wrote quite a number of "improvement
books" with such titles as Hymen's Recruiting Sargeant, or, The
New Matrimonial Tat-too for Old Bachelors-The Philanthropist; or
a Good Twenty-Five Cents Worth of Political Love-Powder--God's Revenge
against Dueling--God's Revenge against Gambling-God's Revenge
against Adultery --The Immortal Mentor; or Man's Unerring Guide to
a Healthy, Wealthy and Happy Life. The virtues of the last were attested
to by George Washington himself, who wrote that he had "perused it
with singular satisfaction" and found it "invaluable." Although
Weems boasted that he had preached for Washington at Mount Vernon, in truth
they had never met.
Next to the beloved Bible, his Life of Washington was the
best seller. It was published in 1800, and was so immensely popular that
before 1850, 59 editions were published. The frontispiece (by Weems) bore
the inscription:
Go thy way old George. Die when thou wilt, We shall not look upon
thy like again.
(It was altered accordingly when Washington died 6 months later.)
[The anecdote about the cherry tree was not included in Life and
Memorable Actions of George Washington until the fifth edition in 1806.]
Here is the historic anecdote: "When George was about
6 years old, he was made the wealthy owner of a hatchet! of which, like
most little boys, he was immoderately fond; and was constantly going about
chopping every thing which came in his way. One day, in the garden, where
he often amused himself by hacking his mother's pea-sticks, he unluckily
tried the edge of his hatchet on the body of a beautiful young English cherry
tree, which he barked so terribly, that I don't believe the tree ever got
the better of it. The next morning, the old gentleman, finding out what
had befallen his tree, which, by the by, was a great favourite, came into
the house; and with much warmth asked for the mischievous author, declaring
at the same time, that be would not have taken 5 guineas for his tree. Nobody
would tell him anything about it. Presently George and his hatchet made
their appearance. 'George,' said his father, 'do you know who killed that
beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden?'"
"This was a tough question; and George staggered under it for
a moment; but quickly recovered himself; and looking at his father, with
the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering
truth, he bravely cried out, 'I can't tell a lie, Pa; you know I can't tell
a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet.'--Run to my arms, you dearest boy,
cried his father in transports, run to my arms; glad am I, George, that
you killed my tree, for you have paid me for it a thousand fold. Such an
act of heroism in my son is worth more than a thousand trees, though blossomed
with silver and their fruits of purest gold."
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