The date of the thing?...gee, Lou, you got any easy questions? I'll take a whack at it...INTERNAL evidence: 1. well, "Miss Betty" (RBB 261 2) was born 1759 and if she's old enough to be (hopelessly) woo'ed by the Englishman as described and reveals "curves of.unrivaled loveliness" let's make her at least 15 or 16 which would put us at 1774 or thereabouts. I'm reluctant to push the date out much further or George Washington wouldn't be a complimentary colonel, he'd be a real general of the revolutionary war. 2. further supporting that "Miss Betty" is of some age is the "daughters of the house"..."who appeared to all be reckoned as scions of the family tree." We know Miss Betty had one older sister and eventually at least 6 younger ones likely part of the "bevy" which would make Elizabeth likely more than a child. 3. it's not in the dead of winter: "the wide fireplace, having accomplished its winter duty, etc." Sconces held "sprays of laurel leaves" and the fireplace contained "flowering shrubs of the season." Early to mid-fall is traditional hunting season so that would seem to have the best possibilities. 4. it's pre-1776 or George Washington, no matter how reluctantly, wouldn't be inclined to toast the King. Why is this internal detail important? Well, because the EXTERNAL evidence (Washington's diary) is all photographs of pages so one has to just page through the entries for 6 or 8 years worth of days looking for something Washington would almost certainly recorded however briefly..which was his inclination. And it sure helps to cut down the time frame. All I have found so far is an entry for 3 Nov 1774: "at Col Poyters all day taking Bonds and making Conveyances." I'll keep looking; if anybody finds anything please shout. Thanks. Maynard