In Washington's earliest account-book there is an item when he was sixteen
years old, "To cash pd ye Musick Master for my Entrance 3/9." It is
commonly said that he played the flute, but this is as great a libel on
him as any Tom Paine wrote, and though he often went to concerts, and
though fond of hearing his granddaughter Nelly play and sing, he never
was himself a performer, and the above entry probably refers to the
singing-master whom the boys and girls of that day made the excuse for
evening frolics.

Mention is made elsewhere of his taking lessons in the sword exercise from
Van Braam in these earlier years, and in 1756 he paid to Sergeant Wood,
fencing-master, the sum of £1.1.6. When he received the offer of a
position on Braddock's staff, he acknowledged, in accepting, that "I must
be ingenuous enough to confess, that I am not a little biassed by selfish
considerations. To explain, Sir, I wish earnestly to attain some knowledge
in the military profession, and, believing a more favorable opportunity
cannot offer, than to serve under a gentleman of General Braddock's
abilities and experience, it does ... not a little contribute to influence
my choice." Hamilton is quoted as saying that Washington "never read any
book upon the art of war but Sim's Military Guide," and an anonymous
author asserted that "he never read a book in the art of war of higher
value than Bland's Exercises." Certain it is that nearly all the military
knowledge he possessed was derived from practice rather than from books,
and though, late in life, he purchased a number of works on the subject,
it was after his army service was over.

One factor in Washington's education which must not go unnoticed was his
religious belief. When only two months old he was baptized, presumably by
the Rev. Lawrence De Butts, the clergyman of Washington parish. The