APRIL 14th
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“John . . . has displeased me, by giving himself impudent airs, in saying he would not have this thing, nor he would not have that thing, because they were either not good enough, or not made to his liking. You may tell him from me, that this is neither the way to make me his friend, or to get better things.”
“Consider how little a drunken Man differs from a beast; the latter is not endowed with reason, the former deprives himself of it.”
To John Christian Ehler*
Philadelphia, 23 December 1793
By a vessel which left this City ten or twelve days ago I sent you Graffs of several kinds of fruit, according to a list which was enclosed to Mr. Lewis, and which I presume he gave you.
I now give you a letter to a Gentleman living about 12 miles from you, where there used to be, and I dare say still is, a great variety of choice apples and other fruits. Go then when you find it convenient, for them, and it may be done by land or water, as you like best. Do not omit grafting a good many of the Golden Pippin which grows in my own Orchard
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I expect Mr. Pearce who is to superintend my business will be at Mount Vernon by the time this letter will get to your hands, and I expect you will observe his directions, and pay the same attention to any regulations he may establish, as if they were given, and made by myself; the same will be expectd from your wife, and from John. The last of whom, that is John, you may inform, has displeased me, by giving himself impudent airs, in saying he would not have this thing, nor he would not have that thing, because they were either not good enough, or not made to his liking. You may tell him from me, that this is neither the way to make me his friend, or to get better things. The way to obtain them is to ask for what he wants modestly, without wch. he will not get them at all, or at least nothing more than what is absolutely necessary.
I hope, and do expect, that you will use your best exertions in planting out trees; making good the hedges, Keeping the Gardens, the Lawns, and the Vineyard in order, with such other things as was to have been done last winter but were not then accomplished. And as I have desired Mr. Pearce to have cuttings of the Lombardy Poplar, and the Willows planted along the ditches at the Plantations, for hedges, do not trim those along the Walks, or elsewhere until they are wanted for this purpose.
I shall not close this letter with out exhorting you to refrain from Spirituous liquors, they will prove your ruin if you do not. Consider how little a drunken Man differs from a beast; the latter is not endowed with reason, the former deprives himself of it; and when that is the case acts like a brute; annoying, and disturbing everyone around him. But this is not all, nor as it respects himself the worst of it; By degrees it renders a person feeble and not only unable to serve others but to help himself, and being an act of his own he fall[s] from a state of usefulness into contempt and at length suffers, if not perishes in penury and want.
Don’t let this be your case. Shew yourself more of a man, and a Christian, than to yield to so intolerable a vice; which cannot, I am certain (to the greatest lover of liquor) give more pleasure to sip in the poison (for it is no better) than the consequences of it in bad behaviour, at the moment, and the more serious evils produced by it afterward, must give pain. I am Your friend.
G:o Washington
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