The Inauguration and the New England Tour — Nathaniel Philbrick — Philbrick recounts Washington'sinauguration ceremony, noting his emotional collapse immediately following the ritual, which revealed him not as an impassive "marble man" but as a human profoundly terrified of the political road ahead. Philbrick draws historical parallels between this psychological moment and a near-fatal fall experienced by artist N.C. Wyeth. Washingtonsubsequently undertook a systematic tour of New England to unify the fractured nation, deliberately balancing his role as a man of the people—staying in public taverns among ordinary citizens—with the constitutional dignity of his new office. Philbrick highlights oral traditions documenting Washington gently reminding awestruck observers that he was merely "only a man" despite his historical prominence.
1840