In the centre of the
building, round the circular part, under the dome, are some very
indifferent pictures, representing subjects connected with the history
of America, beginning with the landing of Columbus. Two out of the eight
represented incidents in the war of independence; one being the
surrender of Lord Cornwallis, who seemed very sorry for himself. The
view from the Capitol is fine; the gardens round it are kept in good
order, and there being a great deal of maple in the woods, the redness
of the leaf gave a brilliant effect to the scene.
From the Capitol we went to the Patent Office, in which are contained an
endless variety of models. It is immediately opposite the Post Office,
and both are splendid buildings of white marble. The Post Office is
still unfinished, but it will be of great size. The Patent-Office is an
enormous square building. The four sides, which are uniform, have large
flights of stairs on the outside, leading to porticos of Corinthian
pillars. We entered the building, and went into a large apartment, where
we were lost in contemplation of the numerous models, which we admired
exceedingly, though the shortness of the time we had to devote to them
prevented our examining them as minutely as they seemed to deserve.
Papa, indeed, was disposed to be off when we had gone through this room,
as we had still much to do, and he professed his belief that we must
have seen the whole.
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