Now, I am not sure of the accuracy of that statement, but it is undeniable that Martha Washington was a hip, hip, hip lady and a loyal copartner with her famous husband. By all accounts they had a wonderful marriage, built on trust and loyalty and respect and love. Though the love between them was not the intensely romantic love that our culture idealizes.
George experienced that type of infatuation with another woman, a married woman, Sally Fairfax, the wife of one of his good friends. There is absolutely no evidence that the emotional affair between the two was ever consummated in any way, but the young George Washington was clearly smitten with the beautiful and sensual Fairfax. Shortly before his engagement to Martha he wrote an ambiguous letter to Mrs. Fairfax which he could plausibly say was written about Martha, but was definitely written to declare his love for Sally Fairfax. The intensity of the letter undermines the notion of Washington as solely a cold and calculating, unfeeling man. But it also underscores his control over his emotions.
The letter is a farewell letter, not a plea for reciprocation. Sally Fairfax was bound to his friend William, he is binding himself to Martha. Providence had something else in mind for them. Thus George gladly married Martha. And while passion can hardly be said to be the bedrock of their love, their companionship and mature love helped steady Washington through the many trials he endured and through the many roles he would serve in the founding of our nation. Passion alone, which wanes indelibly, would not have been fit to serve in that capacity.
Plus, isn't facility with weed more important anyway?
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