THE NATIONAL CAPITOL,
As seen from Pennsylvania Avenue.
THE VAN NESS MANSION, AND DAVY BURNS’ COTTAGE.
At the time of the sale of his estate to President Washington.
Before Washington came to negotiate for the future site of the Federal city, the society of Davy Burns was probably composed of plain farmer folk like himself. It was at a later time, when the farmer was transformed into a millionaire, and his only daughter had grown into the fairest belle and richest heiress in all the country round, that the long, low rooms of the one-story farm-house were filled with the most illustrious men of their generation. David Burns’ only daughter was not more than twelve or thirteen years of age.
With a prescience of her future lot, he proceeded to give her every advantage of education and society at that period accessible to a gentlewoman of fortune. The Rector of St. John’s Church, who preached her funeral sermon in 1832, said: “She was placed by her parents in the family of Luther Martin, Esq., of Baltimore, who was then at the height of his fame as the most distinguished jurist and advocate in the State of Maryland, and with his daughters and family she had the best opportunity of education and society.”
At eighteen, Marcia Burns returned to the home of her parents—the lowly farm-house on the banks of the Potomac. Then, and at a later day, when the flush and enchantment of youth had fled, the vision of Marcia Burns is altogether lovely. Beside the attractions of fortune, she seemed to possess in an eminent degree the highest qualities of the feminine nature. It was of Marcia Burns that Horatio Greenough wrote:
“’Mid rank and wealth and worldly pride,
From every snare she turned aside.
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