Chapter 16: July 1774
16.1 Saturday 2
Mr Grubb called again about twelve with an intention to ride out to the Potowmack but there came on a Rain & kept us at Home—We spent the afternoon sociably in our Room. Miss Nancy Carter last Night or this morning, in some whimsical freak, clipt off her Eye-Brows; She has a very good Skin; exceeding black hair, & black-well arched, full Eye-brows, which, as I said the other day are much esteemed in Virginia—She denies positively that She cut them herself, & swears some mischievous person has done it when She was sleeping. But I am inclined to think it is an experiment She has been making on herself to see how she can vary the looks of her face. It made me laugh when I saw it first, to think how early & how truely She copies Female absurdities.
Towards evening we rode out merely for exercise, & straggled at last to Mr Simpsons; near his house we saw two trees standing near each other both of which have lately been struck by Lightning & are torn to shivers in several parts—
Mr Grubb agreed to stay the night. we supt on Artichoks, & Huckleberries & Milk—The toasts, after Supper, were the King, Queen & Royal Family, the Governor & his family, & then young Ladies of our acquaintance—We were alone. Mr and Mrs Carter left us immediately, so that we spent the evening without restraint.
16.2 Sunday 3
We were all to go to Church to day, but we were prevented by a storm of thunder & Rain; the Ground is now sufficiently wetted—I have not heard a Sermon on Sunday since the fifteenth of May; a longer Vacancy from publick worship than I have ever had since my first remembrance. About ten an old Negro Man came with a complaint to Mr Carter of the Overseer that he does not allow him his Peck of corn a Week—The humble posture in which the old Fellow placed himself before he began moved me. We were sitting in the passage, he sat himself down on the Floor clasp'd his Hands together, with his face directly to Mr Carter, & then began his Narration—He seem'd healthy, but very old, he was well dress'd but complained bitterly—I cannot like this thing of allowing them no meat, & only a Peck of Corn & a Pint of Salt a Week, & yet requiring of them hard & constant Service. We have several Rains this day so that the Ground is sufficiently wetted—I spent the greater part of the day writing at my Sermon.
16.3 Monday 4
I begun to read the first Volume of Tristam-Shandy—He is droll in the account he gives us of his Birth & Family—We have several good showers to day, the weather is warm, funky, very damp, & I fear will not turn out long to be healthful. With us in Jersey wet Weather about this time not only is prejudicial to the Harvest, but is generally thought, & I believe almost never fails being a forerunner of Agues, Fall-Fevers, Fluxes, & our Horse-Distempers—Fearing these, any of which so far from Home, would be painful & expensive, I keep myself much at Home, contrary to the repeated & strong invitations of the youngsters—And indeed my Duty, seems to require my Presence pretty constantly; & I am forced to produce an Example for what I find it necessary to enforce on our Boys, in order to do it with some face, for they always call upon me for a Reason for every one of my precepts—It is now the Height of Harvest—There is at Mr Turburville's a young Lady, from the Isle-of Wight, Miss Betsy Lee,1 a Sister of George & Lancelot Lee's—It is proposed that Ben & I go this Evening to the Captain's & Invite her here—Accordingly after School we rode on our errand, We found besides Miss Lee—Mr George Turburville, his Wife, Mr Grubb, & Lancelot Lee—After the ceremony of Introduction, & our Congees were over, we took our seats in a cool passage where the Company were sitting; all the Company when we entered were laughing at Master Lee, who had been gathering Mulberries, & either through carelessness or Greediness had stained his ruffles—At any Rate they looked like a scarlet Clock in a Bunters stocking, both indilicate & impudent—The attention of the Company however being wholly taken up with Mr Lee, I had the opportunity, which I wanted, of examining the person of his Sister, without being interrupted either by the notice of others, or by my own timidity—Miss Betsy Lee, I am told is but lately entered her twenty sixth year; She is a well set maid, of a proper Height, neither high nor low—Her Aspect when she is sitting is masculine & dauntless; she sits very erect; places her feet with great propriety, her Hands She lays carelessly in her lap, & never moves them but when she has occasion to adjust some article of her dress, or to perform some exercise of the Fan—She has a full face, sanguine Complection, her Nose is rather protuberant than otherwise; Her Eyes are exactly such as Homer atributes to the Goddess Minerva; & her Arms resemble those which the same Poet allows to Juno. When She has a Bonnet on & Walks, She is truely elegant; her carriage neat & graceful, & her presence soft & beautiful—Her hair is a dark Brown, which was crap'd up very high. & in it she had a Ribbon interwoven with an artificial Flower—At each of her ears dangled a brilliant Jewel; She was pinched up rather too near in a long pair of new fashioned Stays, which, I think, are a Nusance both to us & themselves—For the late importation of Stays which are said to be now most fashionable in London, are produced upwards so high that we can have scarce any view at all of the Ladies Snowy Bosoms; & on the contrary, they are extended downwards so low that whenever Ladies who wear them, either young or old, have occasion to walk, the motion necessary for Walking, must, I think, cause a disagreeable Friction of some part of the body against the lower Edge of the Stays which is hard & unyielding—I imputed the Flush which was visible in her Face to her being swathed up Body & Soul & limbs together—She wore a light Chintz Gown, very fine, with a blue stamp; elegantly made, & which set well upon her—She wore a blue silk Quilt—In one word Her Dress was rich & fashionable—Her Behaviour such as I should expect to find in a Lady whose education had been conducted with some care & skill; and her person, abstracted from the embelishments of Dress & good Breeding, not much handsomer than the generality of Women—
What made me desirous to see, & curious to reconnoitre this young Lady, was, a Sentence that was dropt yesterday by a respectable Member of our Family, intimating a Desire that I may, on seeing Miss Lee, after having known, by report, her faultless character, be so pleased with her person as to try to make her mine, & settle in this Province—That kind Body, who is for making me happy by settling me in Virginia, & connecting me with one of the best families in the Government, little knows how painful it would be if I was indeed compell'd by any accident of Fortune to spend the remainder of my Days in Virginia if is the pleasure of Providence that I am to continue for any length of time in the World—Strong, & sweet are the bands which tye us to our place of nativity; If it is but a beggarly Cottage, we seem not satisfied with the most elegant entertainment if we are totally seperated from it—But if a Princess should solicit me to accept, together with Herself, 50000£ a Year—I declare, with as great pleasure as truth, that the esteem, & Fidelity which I possess for my dear, dear Eliza would make me without reflection, evade & refuse the Proposal—Ben & I returned Home before dark—We had the 'Squire to drink Coffee with us—He brought us a Newspaper containing the debate, of the House of Commons concerning the Repeal of the Tea-duty.
16.4 Teusday 5
While we were at Breakfast came from Hobbes-Holes Mrs Oakly a Woman who has acted as nurse for several of Mrs Carters Children with great credit—All the family speak of her with Love & regard—This day is very warm, but no rain—I gave all the Girls this day to chat with their old acquaintance—Tho' the weather is warm & very Damp we have here no Musquetoes; I have not seen one, since I came into the Province as I can now recollect which seems to me a little strange; for at Princeton in Jersey some warm evenings in July & August they are so numerous as to be troublesome, & that is more than twenty miles from Salt Water, this not more than three times as many Rod.—In the evening, among several other things Mr Carter informed me that he has on this plantation a Negro Man called Prince who is now unwell of a Strain—This Man, he swears, he would not sell for 500£ ready Cash—I was almost ready to say it is more Money than I would give for all he owns on his Estate—The evening is very pleasant I had an oppertunity on the Pavement before the Hall Door of shewing away on Astronomy to Mrs Carter, I lectured for half an hour on the Milky-Way, on several of the Stars, on Jupiter in particular, & on the Course of Comets—
In bed by half after ten as usual.
16.5 Wednesday 6
Ben seems pretty well recovered—We dined to day on the Fish call'd the Sheeps-Head, with Crabs—Twice every Week we have fine Fish, & every Day good Fruit for Dinner, caudled Apples, Hurtle-Berries with milk &c—Yes, says Mrs Carter at Supper, this hot weather takes away all my life; the small Lightning that we now have makes me uneasy & melancholy—I love to see her in such Distress—Beauty & Virtue when combined together & Strugling against Misfortune; O how such objects move, & awaken the most delicate sensations of our Souls—Call in Nancy to her Guitar, says the Colonel. In She minces slow & silent from her supper—She scratches her Instrument, after a long preparation, into the Air of "Water parted from the Sea." What, pray Miss Nancy, what bewitched you with a desire of clipping your Eye-Brows—The Genius of Woman shines forth in this little Girlish trick—Pray Mr Fithian, was you ever taught Singing? Yes Sir, I attended two years—Had you any instructions in particular for using the Shake2—I am giving Nancy some Lessons, but She is vastly indolent—Nancy, play over and sing the Funeral Hymn—Excuse me, Papa, I have lost the Verses—Happy Soul, thy Days are ended,—Go on—How steady & how sharp it lightens in the North too—Good Night.
16.6 Thursday 7
Yes Fanny may sit down to Breakfast—Where's Ben—The Weather is hot & Ben for enjoyment had stript himself naked—Of every thing but his shirt & Trowsers—Where's Ben—He is not very well, Madam,—This Day says the Colonel after having Prefac'd our Breakfast with a—"God bless us in what we are to recieve"—is our Rye yonder to be mown down; mown down thinks I, do they mow their Grain in Virginia—Yes two Negroes take naked Sythes & mow down the Grain; others are imploy'd in raking it into heaps, but much of it is left—Shall I help you, Mr Fithian, to a Dish of Coffee?—I choose a deep Plate, if you please, Ma'am, & Milk—Our Corn, Madam, in Jersey is inferior to yours in this Province—Or your Cooks, Sir, are less Skilful in managing it—Well, Nancy, I have tuned your Guitar; you are to practice to Day with Priscilla, who is to play the Harpsichord, till twelve o Clock; You can repeat the Verses of the Funeral Hymn?—I can Sir—What, Harry, do you hesitate at that plain Sum in Arithmetical Progression?—Bob, attend to your Business—When I am bedizen'd with these clamorous children, sometimes I silently exclaim—Once I was told, now I know I feel how irksome the Pedagoging Scheme is—Fanny—I say, Fanny, dont you hear me, Fanny, and Betsy, sit down—pray, Sir, must I multiply here by 32—Yes, thick-Scull—But Mr Fithian, I dont know how to divide by 5½—Look, Sir, do you see what Mouth's Harry Willis is making?—I can say my Lesson—Buz, Buz—To divide by 5½ you must double both your Dividend & divi[sor]—Half after two we were rung to Dinner; poor Tasker, his Fever has continued high since yesterday afternoon, he lies quiet, and asks for nothing—If his Disorder does not abate to night, I shall give him in the morning a dose of "James's Powder"—Will you lend me Jack, he meant my Horse, says Mr Randolph, to ride tomorrow to Captain Cheltons; Yes Mr Randolph, I will oblige Jenny so far.
16.7 Fryday 8
I swear, says Bob, Harry belies me. I never told the Nurse that Harriot should stay in School all Day—It was Mama's order that so long as Mrs Oakly the Nurse stays, Harriot is to go into School after Breakfast, & after Dinner, & say a lesson each time—I was passing through the Hall from Breakfast—The Nurse, a short Stump of a [wom]an, who blundered by mere accident, when she was young, out of the road in which Virgins commonly travel, & felt the difficulties of being a Mother, several years before She enjoyed the Pleasures of being a Wife—She call'd to me, & begg'd me to close the Quarrel; You shall have, said I, dear Madam, with the greatest Freedom my consent—Harriot shall be with you—At Breakfast—Where is Ben?—He breakfasts with the House-keeper Madam—At School—What a likeness there is in the manners of Boys; Bob, & Harry had skulk'd behind the writing-Table with their Slates on their Knees, & their Faces close together, just as I have done a thousand Times, in our little School-House in Greenwich—But once I was threshed confoundedly for a piece of such hidden play—Tom Parks [blotted] asleep, poor Fellow he is now sleeping in the Dust;—Then he was fast asleep on a Bench, with his mouth open—I fill'd his mouth with Snuff!—He sprung up—Nature was in distress, & found all her Avenues too scanty at that time to clear out at once the tickling penetrating Powder—He snuffed—He coughed—He—He told the Master, & then I was tickled—Indeed he made my Feet beat time to his Lash—-Says Bob to Harry, behind the Table, I wonder Mr Fithian has not fallen in Love yet with some of our Nominy-Girls—Here he sits from Month to Month—(Not many Months longer said I to myself)—Mr Marshal3 was always out; I suppose Mr Fithian never thinks of Girls—Indeed says Harry, drawing his chair clos[e &] lowering his voice, I never in my Life saw a Man who thought so little of these things—Here Tom the Coachman came in with a wood Tarripin which he brought to be a resident in our Room to catch the Bugs & Cockroaches—
Yes, Harry, & Bob, Fithian is vulnerable by Cupids Arrows—I assure you, Boys, he is, Not by the Girls of Westmorland—O my dear Laura, I would not injure your friendly Spirit; So long as I breathe Heavens vital air I am unconditionally & wholly Yours—At Dinner, Mrs Carter call'd for the Chariot, Mrs Turburville will think me rude, unless I welcome her Home. I will take Priscilla this Afternoon & make her a visit—I saw in a moment that Miss was better pleased with the notion of trotting off in the Carriage, than to be [blotted] up with Multiplication & Division—O yes, says Mrs Oakly, I know Dadda Gumby at Williamsburg. I think you look as brisk, as hearty & as young now as you did ten years ago—Gumby—I & my old Woman, here Master, are the two oldest Negres in Mr Carters Estate. Here we live, Master, on our worthy Landlords Bounty—The Nurse, Betsy, & Harriot were at Gumby's House which stands about twenty Rod from the Garden—I was walking, with a Book in my Fist, musing & stumbling along—I saw them, I went up, & with a lower Bow than I should give to a Nurse, if Women were plenty, says I, pray Mrs Oakly do you know Dadda Gumby? We stood chattering with the old African, or rather he stood chattering with us, relating one story after another, leaving some of his Narrations half untold, beginning others in the middle having entered into the true Spirit of Loquacity—Dennis, in the Height of a Story about his Grandfathers Uncle's harpooning a Porpoise summoned me to Coffee—Mrs Oakly, will you walk?—Come Betsy—Where's Ben?—Says the Colonel has Ben r[e]tired from the World?—He rode out this Evening, Sir, about five o Clock for Exercise—Mrs Carter, Mr Carter, good Night—
16.8 Saturday 9
I was waked by Sam the Barber thumping at my Door—I was dressed—In Powder too; for I propose to see & dine with Miss Jenny Washington to Day. D—n the Bugs & Chinches, says Ben rolling over on the Bed, & rubbing his Eyes, I have slept none for them—Mr Fithian, do you rest any o-Nights? Dont these cursed Bugs keep you awake?—No Sir; for you see I commonly sit & read til half after ten, or eleven—So that by the Time I lay my poor Skin & Bones on the Bed, I am so much fatigued with the tumultuous Business of the Day, & the Study of the Evening that my sleep the rest of the night is sound & unbroken—Priscilla hangs her head a little this morning, She looks feverish, dispirited, sits on a low bench, with her Elbow in her Lap, & Leaning her head upon her hand, swings backwards and forwards, just as I have seen beautiful Quaker Girls when they are weeping at the frightful distortions & Grimaces of some deep-inspired Father. But Priscilla & Tasker are unwell—Fanny teizes me for a Picture, I must draw her a slip, she says, on Paper like the one I drew for Her the other Day with my finger in the Sand—I love the little careless Girl, & will oblige her—On the writing-Table in the School-Room I found this morning an old Book of Esops Fables done into English Verse; In the Margins of this Book up & Down Bob had in his scribbling Way recorded the Names of several young Ladies of Westmorland & Richmond Counties. I shall set them down, as I turned over the Leaves & found them—I do not insinuate, by writing this Story, the smallest reproach to either of the Ladies; I mention it solely to shew Bob's Taste, & the Meditations of his heart when wholly alone. In the Life of Esop, page 23, at the Bottom of the Leaf his own Name is written at full length & in as elegant a hand as he is master of with a Dash below.
Robert Bladen Carter.
He has in the same manner introduced it a few leaves further on, he has done this to be a kind of Preface for what is to follow; he has also very cleverly interspersed it with the Ladies, either that the Ladies Names should be a foil to set his off to advantage, or that his Name be a Foil to adorn the Ladies—In the Life of Woglog the great at the first page
Miss Lucy Carter of Sabine-Hall.
Page 3d at the Bottom of the Leaf
Miss Lettitia Turberville of Hickory Hill.
Page 8.
Miss Betsy Carter of Sabine-Hall.
Page 9.
Miss Priscilla Carter of Nomini-Hall—his Sister:
Esops Fables Page 1st he writes the Name of the Girl he loves
above all others
Polly Tayloe the Lovely of Mount-Airy.
Page 39th Miss Betsy Lee.
Page 41.
Miss Kitty Tayloe. Mount Airy.
Page 43.
Miss Lydia Pettit has d—m'd ugly Freckles in her Face, otherways
She is handsome & tolerable—
Page 45.
Miss Betsy Gaskins.4
Page 47.
Miss Sally Tayloe.
Page 50.
Miss Jenny Washington of Bushfield is very Pretty.
Then he Bolts in
Robert Carter.
Page 57.
Miss Polly Tolliver.5
Page 59.
Miss Steerman is a beautiful young Lady.
Miss Jane Corbin.
— Aphia Fantleroy.
— — Edwards.
— Betsy Jones
— Sally Panton.
But this afternoon Mrs Oakly is taken with a Fever; I suppose, She was out last evening without any thing on her head rather too late, when I saw her at Daddy Gumby's—
16.9 Sunday 10
A Sunday in Virginia dont seem to wear the same Dress as our Sundays to the Northward—Generally here by five o-Clock on Saturday every Face (especially the Negroes) looks festive & cheerful—All the lower class of People, & the Servants, & the Slaves, consider it as a Day of Pleasure & amusement, & spend it in such Diversions as they severally choose—The Gentlemen go to Church to be sure, but they make that itself a matter of convenience, & account the Church a useful weekly resort to do Business—I am told, for I have not yet been to Church since my Return, that all the Sermons are in the forensic Style, & on political Subjects. But I shall go to Church to Day—I am sorry that I may relate an accident which happened last night—By some accident; or by the carelessness of some Negroes Mr Turburville's Barn took fire and burnt Down—His loss is judged at 300£ which is something considerable for a Man who is with the greatest Anxiety turning every ear of Corn into Money—At Church Parson Smith Read to the Congregation an Order Issued out lately by the Governor to elect Burgesses in the several Counties—He preached us a Sermon on Brotherly Love—Dined with us to Day Mr Parker,6 a Lawyer of this County, & his Son, a young Man about 20 who is also licensed to plead Law—And Mr Cunningham—I am not very well to Day. I have pains in several parts of my Body—Mr Lowe informed me that Colonel Washington is unwell of a sort of Cholic—
16.10 Monday 11
Indeed says Mrs Carter at Breakfast a Fire this morning would be very pleasant—Yes says I, for I have had the look & feeling of November all the morning; My Room shut up, My Coat buttoned, & yet my Body cold Besides!—Mr Carter on this, advanced a strange Assertion, that there is not a single Person on this whole Continent, if this Change is as powerful through the Continent as it is here, who is not to day, in a greater or less Degree affected with a Fever!—My poor skinny Body, I know is in a prodigious Tumult; I impute it tho to my ride Yesterday to Church in the schorching Sun; & to drinking five or six Glasses of Wine extraordinary—Priscilla & Harriot are confined at Home of an eruptive Fever, some think it a Swine Pox at any Rate they are sick, & break out into Pustules—I am in such Ferment to Day that I cannot sit nor Walk, nor Write with any Stomach—I made out tho' with some Difficulty to finish a rough Draught of my Sermon, & laid by for future Perusal.
16.11 Teusday 12
Indeed I enjoy this fine cool weather, says Ben as he lay on his Back in the Bed rubbing his Eyes, & ears about half after six o-Clock; Lancelot Lee had never I am sure, more sensible Pleasure in swallowing a well prepar'd Dinner—To be sure I have slept last Night with the sweetest composure in Spight of the Chinches, & in spight of my Disorder!—Get up, Lump of Indolence, said I to him; Get up & clap to Virgil instead of lying there & boasting—Breakfasted with us Captain Guthrie, of a Small Schooner of Norfolk; & Mr Stadley the Musician—I love this good German, He used to teach in New York & Philadelphia—He has much simplicity & goodness of heart—He performs extremely well—He is kind & sociable with me—Dined with us one—one—Mr—Mr—I forget his name—I know his trade tho': An Inspector—He is rather Dull, & seems unacquainted with company for when he would, at Table, drink our Health, he held the Glass of Porter fast with both his Hands, and then gave an insignificant nod to each one at the Table, in Hast, & with fear, & then drank like an Ox—The Good Inspector, at the second toast, after having seen a little our Manner "Gentlemen & Ladies (but there was none in Womans Cloathing at Table except Mrs Carter) The King"—I thought that during the Course of the Toasts, he was better pleased with the Liquor than with the manner in which he was at this Time obliged to use it—I made a b[e]gining of my Latin Thesis—"Cuinam Usui inservi: at Lex moralis sub Evangeliis." I made out to write thus much—Duabus hisce Propositionibus sequentibus simulatim Respondeo.—But if I wrote so much every Day for a twelve Month my Thesis will be short. The Day is pleasant, cool enough: & my disorder which has been for several days a growing painful Dysentery, seems to have subsided—
16.12 Letter of Philip V. Fithian To Elizabeth Beatty
Nominy-Hall July 12. 1774.
To Laura.
The Summer is advancing briskly on, & bringing me with it every Day still nearer to you—And to my last Change—With you I am looking for the purest Happiness in Friendship & Love that I can derive from any thing below; And it will add to measure of Felicity if I can make the Woman I choose to protect & esteem think me worthy her Regard.
I said that the swift Advances of Summer are bringing me swiftly on to Death—In Virginia there are numberless Admonitions to this Reflection, but I suppress any farther Declaration. I wrote you by Mr —— early last Month; & at the same Time I wrote to several of my Acquaintances: but if they lived in the Moon I could hear from them as often as I do now when only a Couple of Hundred Miles, or a little more, separates us: Would it not be more agreeable to me if they did—? For then I should every Night almost, see, at least, the Place of their Habitation, tho' we could have no Correspondence.
You are such a Pilgrim, Laura; I mean such a Rover, that I am at some Loss to know how to direct a Letter to you; & I want my Letters, while they are on their Passage to go through as few Hands as possible, not because I write any Secrecy, or Scandal, for you will not allow either the one or the other; but only that you may speedily receive & read the Little I do write, fresh from my Heart.
I suppose that Miss —— has before now seen Cohansie—And cloyed of it too, no Doubt. She is a lively, sportful Soul. But that dear Place, which ingrosses so many of my Thoughts, has not Variety enough to entertain her long—You yourself, who are not always soaring on Follie's Wing, through the Regions of Vanity & Nonsense, sometimes find the Country dull—But Miss —— does not find Satisfaction in the City; it is plain then since that young Lady cannot find Contentment either in City or Country, that She cannot be happy at all.
Merciful, merciful Heaven! O grant me what I am trying hard to obtain; grant that my Inclinations be all duely bended to a perfect Satisfaction with my Lot here—! With such a Temper I shall be at Rest, be happy, if I continue here in Virginia; Or I shall be happy if I remove into new Jersey; But, must I declare it, Laura, that if I am destitute of this, I should be wretched, tho' your Friend & Companion—I am,
Laura, thine
Philip. V. Fithian.
16.13 Wednesday 13
I drew off this morning for Dadda Gumby a List of his Children, & their respective ages—He himself is 94—For this office I had as many Thanks, As I have had blessings before now from a Beggar for Sixpence—Thank you, thank you, thank you Master, was the language of the old Greyheaded pair.—Call on us at any time, you shall have Eggs, Apples, Potatoes—You shall have every thing we can get for you—Master!—In this Torrent of Expressions of Gratitude I was rung to Breakfast; I bow'd to the venerable old Negroes, thank'd them in my Turn for their Offers, & left them—
Indeed, said the Colonel at Breakfast, cool as it was last Night, I kept my Window up the whole night—I am not fond of your hot a dust Air—Was yours up Mr Fithian no truly; so long as I can breath without panting I am for keeping my Window down, & my Room close on summer nights; especially here in Virginia, Madam, where the Dews are so heavy, and so dangerous—The Postilion keeps a fox at the Stable & I am often much diverted with his Cunning Tricks. The other Day, Mrs Carter was lying in the long room among the Books on the Couch; In jumps Reynard, through a broken Pane of Glass, & begins to frisk & hue about the Room like a Bedlam—How is Nurse, pray, says the Colonel at Dinner? She has her Ague & Fever again to Day, Sir—This is a fine Sheeps-Head, Mr Stadly shall I help you?—Or would you prefer a Bass or a Perch?—Or perhaps you will rather help yourself to some picked Crab—It is all extremely fine, Sir, I'll help myself—Well says the Colonel when we had almost finished our Dinner with a Glass of sparkling Porter on the Table before him, we have but fasted to Day; here stands a fine Ham, & a Shoulder of excellent Mutton yet untouched—At least, says the merry, good-hearted Man, we have kept Lent—Yesterday evening I scribled a little for Laura, & to Day I drank her Health from my Heart in generous Medaira—Yes, best of Women, when you are the Toast I drink wine with Pleasure—
16.14 Thursday 14
To Day is the election of Burgesses in Richmond the neighbouring County—Come, Fithian, will you go? My old objection recurs; I am too busy—I met this morning in Wingates Arithmetic, with the following merry Problem—"To discover a Number which any one shall have in his mind, without requiring him to reveal any part of that or any Number whatsoever"—After any one has thought upon any number at Pleasure; bid him double it, & to that double bid him add any such even number as you please to assign: Then from the Sum of that Addition let him reject one half, & reserve the other half; Lastly, from this half bid him subtract the Number which he first thought upon; then you may boldly tell him what Number remains in his mind after that Subtraction is made, for it will be always half the Number which you assigned him to add—A Reason for the Rule is added. "Because, if to the double of any number (which number for Distinction sake I call the first) a second number be added, the half of the Sum must necessarily consist of the said first number, & half the Second: Therefore if from the said half sum the first Number be subtracted, the remainder must of necessity be half the second Number which was added—Mr Inspector dined with us again to day—We had after Dinner, Lime Punch & Madaira: but he chose & had a Bowl of Grogg—You are a mean Puppy, a treacherous, ungenerous Scoundrel, says Bob, to Harry just as I entered the School after Dinner—you told Mr Lowe, you did more, you published in Mr Washingtons Family that Mr Fithian horsed me for Staying out all night—That he call'd in John the Waiter to help him—& that you was sent to cut & bring in Whips—After School with Ben I rode out the Day is warm, & the Ground grows to be very dry—I was not a little Surprized to see Corn out in Tassel—But the Tobacco looks dismal, it is all poor, much of it is dead with the drouth; I think, however, that the Season is ten days or two Weeks earlier here than in New Jersey.—
Mr Stadly, left us to Day. I love that Man, he is gone to Colonel Taylors7—
16.15 Fryday 15
I got up a little before six & as it is very warm, I threw up the window to enjoy the Morning's fine salubrious Air—I saw a Lady—She was walking to the Poplars—She appeared small but walked genteel—She walked slow & looked on the ground—Her Dress look'd to be extremely good, but was only thrown carelessly on; She had a Silk shade thrown over her shoulders in which her hands were muffled—I had the Idea in a moment of a Woman in some kind of Difficulty—But how can such a woman have been to Mr Carters & done Business, who was not there last night.?—It was Mrs Oakly—She has the Ague and was walking for the benefit of the Morning Air.—We are rid of two troubles from this morning till Monday: for Bob & Nancy are gone to the Dancing School—They dance at Colonel Lee's—Two great troubles, indeed, for this hot weather I can hardly keep them in the Room, much less to any useful business—Please to excuse me from Dinner, says Mrs Carter, & retired to her Chamber—There appears in the North a black Cloud, where it Thunders—Send us a Shower in Mercy, bountiful Heaven, tho' our Sins deserve thy Frowns & Judgments.—The Cloud thickens. it rises—At last there comes a kind Shower—After the Rain about six Ben & I took a Ride for exercise, the Corn litterally looks glad—I have made a party, Says Mr Carter at Coffee, for a Trip by Water to morrow, Mr Fithian will you be one?—With all my heart Sir, if it is agreeable—We are to ride then to Mr Atwels says he, & there enter my new Barge; with her we will go down the River Machodockin to Potowmack then up the Potowmack & enter the River Nomini, & up that River Home—
16.16 Letter of Philip V. Fithian to John Peck
Nomini-Hall. July 15th. 1774.
Sir.
I have communicated your intention to Mr Carter; he begs you will by no Means disappoint him.
I wrote you a letter by the post early in June possibly it was lost, for either letters are lost, or you and the rest of my friends in Jersey use me vastly ill, for I have not received a line since I have been in Virginia—You had better go into the school and acquaint yourself with the method of teaching, and procure some copper plate copies: I am by the goodness of heaven very well; I hope you will remember me to all friends at Princeton to relations and friends at Cohansie; desire Charles to carry my Homer to cohansie when he goes down in the vacancy; tell him I shall be at home if no unforeseen accident prevents by the last of october.
You had better provide yourself with recommendations from several, especially from Doctor Witherspoon, something of the kind will not be a hindrance, but may possibly at some J[u]ncture be of eminent Service.
I am, Sir, Yours,
Philip V Fithian
Mr John Peck.
Nassau-Hall
16.17 Saturday 16
The Colonel, Ben, & myself rode on Horse-back about Six to Mr Atwels; four lusty, hearty Men had gone on foot before who were Oarsmen: Here we were to enter a Boat never Rowed before, & proceed down the River Machodock to Mr Carters Store-Houses which are now building near the mouth of that River—But I am going to venture upon a Description of a Scene which I am sure I shall not do Justice to—A Scetch of three Rivers—Their Beautiful Banks—Several Gentlemens Seats—Their commodious harbours—In particular that near which Mr Carter is erecting Store-Houses—The whole is to be an account of our peregrination this 16th burning day of July 1774—With several remarks.—What a Crack of Thunder there was! I must run to the Window & view the Cloud—It is a small white remote Cloud in the North-West. I am summoned to Coffee—Mrs Carter gave us a Dish round—Amazing what a Flash of Lightning! how fast it rises!—Ben child, says the lovely Woman, take my Seat & fill out the Coffee. Please to excuse me; & She then retired up chamber—We finished our Coffee—The Gust came up, & to be sure I have seldom seen one more terable! Long, bright, forked bolts seemed to dart incessantly through the broken parts of the Cloud; some of them would appear perpendicular others horizontal, and some would split, & in a Moment seem to bespangle, with sparks of Fire, the whole Front of the Cloud! And these were continually succeeded with alarming alternate Cracks of Thunder!—It brings, however to the scorched Earth a plenteous needful Supply—By nine it is past, & opens a serene beautiful western Sky—I resume my Description.
I have said, that we rode on Horseback to Mr Atwels where we were to go on board & have our Horses sent back. This House is called six Miles from the mouth of Machodock—It stands on the Bank of the River; The Boat that carried us is built for the purpose of carrying the young Ladies and others of the Family to Nominy Church—It is a light neat Battoe elegantly painted & is rowed with four Oars—We went on board; The Sun beamed down upon us, but we had each an Umberella—The River is here about Gunshot over; the Banks are pretty low, but hard to the very Water—I was delighted to see Corn & Tobacco growing, or Cattle & Sheep feeding along the Brink of this River on both Sides, or else Groves of Pines, Savins & Oaks growing to the side of the Bank—We passed by an elegant small Seat of Mr Beal;8 it was small, but it was neat—We arrived at Mr Carters Store-Houses in 50 minutes, they are 5 Miles from Mr Atwels, & one from Potowmack—These Houses are building for the reception of Iron, Bread, Flour &c. there are two Houses each 46 Feet long by 20.—They stand at the Bottom of a Bay which is a safe & spacious harbour—Here we Breakfasted at ten.—At twelve we pushed of from thence & rowed by parson Smiths Glebe & in sight of his house in to the broad beautiful Potowmack—: I think it is here ten Miles or twelve over has a fine high hard Bank; no Marshes—but Cornfields, Trees, or Grass!—Up the lovely Water we were rowed six Miles in to the Mouth of Nominy—We went on Board a small Schooner from Norfolk which lay in Nominy-Bay—Mr Carter is loading her with Flour & Iron—Here we were in Sight of Stratford, Colonel Lee's, Seat.—We were in Sight too of Captain Cheltons—And of Colonel Washingtons Seat at Bushfield—From the Schooner we Rowed up Nominy-River—I have forgot to remark before that from the time of our setting out as we were going down Machodock, & along the Potowmack-Shore, & especially as we were rowing up Nominy we saw Fishermen in great numbers in Canoes, & almost constantly taking in Fish Bass & Perch—This was beautiful!—The entrance of Nomini is very shoal, & stony, the Channel is very narrow, & lies close to the Easternmost Side—On the edges of these shoals, or in Holes between the Rocks is plenty of Fish—The Banks of Nominy are steep and vastly high, twenty & thirty Feet, & in some places almost perpendicular; The Course of the River is crooked, & the prospects on each Side vastly romantic & diversified—We arrived at the Granary near Nominy-Hall about six—I went to my room to take off an Account of the expedition—When the Gust soon hindred.
16.18 Sunday 17
The Air this morning serene & cool—I do not go to Church. At last I have finished my Presbyterial pieces roughly they are to be reviewed & corrected; In the mean Time tho', (as Workman say) I must blow a little, for to be sure I am fatigued—Mr Fithian, says Mr Carter at Dinner with a serious Air, you see we cannot with conveniency attend Ucomico Church. If I should propose having prayrs read in the great Room on that vacant Day would you encourage & assist me?—I answered him that I was heartily agreed—You then, Sir, says he, may read the prayrs—& I will read the Lessons. The Afternoon extremely hot I could not leave my Room til the Sun had hid his flaming Place behind the Earth—Then I walked through the Garden—The whole Family seem to be now out Black, White, Male, Female, all enjoying the cool evening—
16.19 Monday 18
Pray Sir let all our Windows be put up, says Bob the Moment he came down from his chamber, & let the Doors be set open or we shall faint with Heat—Such a night I never spent before—The Heat says he, and these cursed Chinches made me intirely restless—I scribbled over a Letter to Mr John Peck, & one to Miss ... pray Mr Fithian says Nancy draw me a picture such as you drew for Fanny last Week—At two, just before we sit Down to Dinner a Cloud appear'd in the West—Mrs Carter excused herself from Dinner; while we were dining the Cloud came over, very moderate tho' with plenty of Rain—It is now, says Mrs Carter at Coffee, cool enough, a fine fair evening, a Northerly breeze & lovely evening—Mrs Oakly came into my Room this evening—It was to take her leave; she is to leave us early tomorrow morning—Good night, said I to the little Woman, I wish you a safe passage over the Rappahannock, & a pleasant journey home—I drew off as well as I could a rough plan of Nominy-Hall for Nancy.
16.20 Teusday 19
Nurse left us early this morning postilion Nat. carried her in a chair to the Ferry—The Day is fine cool enough—After School in the evening I rode out to a Corn-field, about a Mile & a half off, where I usually go for exercise, the Corn is beginning pretty generally to tassel, & I saw one hill in Silk, and in Blossom—To day I put Harry into decimal Arithmetic—
16.21 Wednesday 20
Shut the Door, Harriot, says Fanny I I'm so cold I shake—indeed the morning is cool enough to sit with December clothes on!—I spent the little time I have for myself to Day in forming my Latin Exegesis—Mr Taylor the head Overseer Dined with us—At Coffee The Colonel & myself entered somehow into Dispute upon the advantage in working an Oar—He asserted & tried to prove that the advantage lies in having the Oar longer from the Thole-pin or where it lies on the Boat to the water, than from the Thole-pin to the Rowers hand in a mathematical sense; He allow'd the Water to be the Fulcrum or Prop, & the Boat to be the weight, & the Rower to be a secondary Power—But the resistance of the Water to the Oar he call'd the chief & primary Power—
16.22 Thursday 21
Lazy Fellows! Ben, Bob, Harry, & Myself all this Morning slept til near seven!—It was a sleepy Morning tho', for the Girls to give us countenance slept too—My Leisure time to Day is spent in forming my Latin Exegesis—Only just before the Sun went Down Ben & I had our Horses & rode to our accustomed Resort the Corn-field, now many of the Hills are in Silk—We returned to Coffee—The Day has been very warm; the evening is light & pleasant, &, Thank, to our common, & bountiful Preserver, I am in good Health—
16.23 Fryday 22
My Exegesis goes on lustily; I have finished three pages—Indeed Sir, says Harry I cannot reduce 7s 6d into the decimal of a Pound Sterling—you must reduce 7s & 6d to pence; for a numerator; then you must reduce a Pound Sterling to Pence for a Denominator; this Numerator you divide by the denominator & the Quotient will be the Decimal sought—Well Ben you & Mr Fithian are invited by Mr Turberville, to a Fish feast to-morrow, said Mr Carter when we entered the Hall to Dinner—I am uncertain whether my Latinitas will not be a Shackle too heavy to allow me to favour his kind invitation.
16.24 Saturday 23
Priscilla, & Fanny, each presented me with a fine Jessamine Nosegay this morning—At eight I dismissed the School: Ben, Bob, & Harry go to the Fish-Feast, I to making latin—While we were Dining a black turbulent Cloud came over from the West (I believe the Boys will commend my choice now) It rained, it Thundered hard, & continued exceeding stormy til after six in the Evening; I spent the Afternoon however in Quiet & to advantage—I am more & more pleased with my Situation. the Time draws nigh when I must enter on a new, & perhaps less agreable exercise—There were many at the River; the Boys tell me, among others Miss Betsy Lee—I do not, however, repent my having staid at Home—The Colonel shewed me some Powder which was made in Frederick in this Province—It seems good—He charged a Pistol, it fired quick & strong—
16.25 Sunday 24
I lazy slept til seven—The Boys seem sick of their yesterdays Voyage—I rode to Nomini-Church—The Parson invited me home but we have company—Mr Turberville, Mr Cunningham, George & Lancelot Lee dined with us—After the ordinary Toasts we were call'd on to Toast Ladies: I gave Miss Jenny Washington—The Lee's came over to our School-Room I swear says George, there is no Devil!—There is no Devil, I swear!—He went on in such an impious, & at the same time whimsical & foolish manner, that I left the Room, and went over to Mr & Mrs Carter, with whom nothing is heard indecent or profane—After the Company were gone as we were walking near the Poplar Avenue, says Mrs Carter how sweet, & pure the Air is; how much the weather resembles September!—Indeed I think it feels like the fever & Ague!—Bob in the Evening brought me Colonel Taylors9 compliments, who begs I will wait on him soon; He wants to know if I have provided a Tutor for Mrs Thornton Mr Leek told me something about coming, but not til next Spring, & I judge that Mrs Thornton will be impatient before that time—Do you now indeed, sincerely, in your Heart, Sir says Ben to me after we had retired to our Chamber, believe that there is a Devil?—For my part, tho' I made George Lee think otherwise, I do not—I told him that it was universally allowed by writers of the greatest reputation for Learning and Religion in the established Church of England, whose Canons he profess'd to believe & adhere to—And that, if he would attend to my advice, he ought not to doubt its Reality.
16.26 Monday 25
Harry & Bob go shrugging up their backs with their Coats Buttoned about the School, first one then the other complaining of the cold—The Girls too, in their white Frocks, huddle close together for the benefit of warming each other, & look like a Flock of Lambs in the Spring—I wish they were half as innocent—I myself, after having added a Waistcoat, am notwithstanding disagreeably Cold—The air is clear, the wind strong from the West—I proceeded in my Latin Exegesis, & shall, I hope, shortly be through it—I gave to Nancy at her Request, my Scetch of Nominy-Hall—I propose to take off one for myself—
16.27 Teusday 26
The morning cool enough—Order me a Horse & Chair, says the Colonel after Breakfast, for I must go to Westmoreland-Court—I piddled at my Exegessis, but (as they say here in Virginia) I did a mighty little—Priscilla after School invited me to ride with her, but I had preengaged to go on Board the Harriot; She now lies in Nominy about half a mile Distant—Bob conducted me on board, She is a neat vessel, carries 1400 Bushels—Bob strip'd & swam round us half an hour—Coffee; Well, Sir, says the Colonel at las I can treat you with several Letters—My heart jumped—A fine Repast indeed, valuable because exceeding rare! But shall I hear any thing from—Laura?—On this he gave me Letters from,
1. Rev'd Enoch Green, Dated Feb: 1774.
2. From Laura, Dated Feb: 13th 1774.
3. From John Peck Dated Nassau Hall July 2. 1774
4. From John Peck dated Feb: 25th 1774.
5. From the Revd: Andrew Hunter, dated Cohansie June 24th. 1774.
6. From Andrew Hunter Junr: Dated June 24th. 1774. Cohansie.
7. From Mr James Ewing, Dated Bridge-town July 7th. 1774.
For these Letters I paid—12s 5d—Pennsylvania Currency, & I am very proud of my Bargain—
Mr Peck informs me that he is to succeed me in this place—Mr Hunter & Mr Ewing inform me of the Death of Uncle Ephraim Seeley! That he died of a Diabetes which has long troubled him! He has left no Doubt a mourning Family—Mr Hunter writes me word that Andrew was licensed to preach about the middle of June. Laura says—They all express with Concern the great Commotions which at present exist through the Colonies.
16.28 Wednesday 27
Somehow I have taken a bad Cold, & am low-spirited to Day—The Colonel was all the forenoon down at the Harriot in the Sun, so that when we went in to dine he seem'd fatigued & eat nothing—We have an Addition to our numerous Family, one Mr —— I forget his name, he is a Cooper, tho', & an Irishman, & seems to be pretty smart; I sat the Evening with him in Mr Randolphs Room.
16.29 Thursday 28
Evening, after the Sun had gone, with Priss I walked in the Garden. we gathered some few Figs which are just growing ripe—My Leisure to Day I spent in finishing off my Latin Exercises.
16.30 Fryday 29
I feell wholly relieved of my cold—I wrote & sent to the Post a Letter to Mr John Peck, to remind & hurry him in his way here—O! it is very hot—The wind itself seems to be heated! We have a fine Room, & sufficiently open; & I dress in a thin Waist-Coat, & a loose, light linen Gown; The Boys, Harry & Bob have nothing on, in School, but their shirts & Breeches; and I laugh'd cordially to see the contrivance of Fanny, the loveliest of them all, to grow cool, She sat on a low bench, & put her Hand in her pocket, & seem'd exceeding diligent in looking for something—But before She took out her hand She had off both her Stockings, & left them both in her pocket!—Mrs Carter in particular seems to be overcome with the extreme Heat & looks like a fainting, expiring yet lovely Creature!—At seven I rode out to the Corn-field, the Sun was almost down, & was hid behind a large white thick Cloud where it Thunders—The Corn is roll'd up with the heat & Drouth! Yet it is strange there is no Musquetoes—I have seen one & heard another, & this is the whole compliment I have either seen, heard or felt since I have been in Virginia—While we were drinking Coffee the Lightning, as it began to grow Dark, began to stream, it was at some Distance, but was incessant, bright, & awful—The Colonel, however sat, & with unmoved Composure observed it;
16.31 Saturday 30
The weather is something cooler & bearable this Morning—Frank Christien one of Mr Lowe's Scholars came to visit Harry & Bob, so that I discharged them about eleven, & retired to my Chamber to writing—I sent Mr George Lee a note this morning begging him to excuse Ben & I from attending his Fish-Feast this Day—Captain Dobby dined with us; he is a Man of much Spirit and Humour: A great Mimick—He acquainted us that at Hobbs's-Hole this Day is a Boat-Race on the River Rappahannock Each Boat is to have 7 Oars: to row 2 Mile out & 2 Miles in round a Boat lying at Anchor—The Bett 50£—And that in the Evening there is a great Ball to be given—I believe both the Rowers & dancers, as well Ladies as Gentlemen will perspire freely—Or in plain English they will soak in Sweat! The Captain invited us on Board his Ship next Teusday to Dine with him & wish them a pleasant Passage as the Ship is to Sail the day following—If the Weather is not too burning hot I shall go provided the Others go likewise. Ben towards evening rode to Colonel Tayloe's—
16.32 Letter of Philip V. Fithian to George Lee
To Mr. George Lee.
July 30th. 1774.
Sir.
With my compliments I am to inform you that Ben:-Carter is, of necessity, to go this day into Richmond; and as my company alone will not be equal to the trouble you must be at I give you this timely notice that you may avoid it,
I am,
with my thanks for your
Invitation, Sir,
Your most humble Servt:
P. V. Fithian.
16.33 Sunday 31
Daddy Gumby saw me walking—I had just got up, it was early I had only a Gown thrown round me—He walked towards me—Well Master you never call for no Eggs. I can now give you a Water Melon—No, Thomas, with your Wife & family enjoy these things. I am well provided for—Well, Master, I promised you Eggs, for writing you will think I never designed to pay you—God yonder in Heaven Master will burn Lyars with Fire & Brimstone!—I speak Truth I will not deceive you Men are wicked, Master; look see the Grass is burnt: God burns it to punish us! Is the ground dry, Dadda. O! all dry, all burnt—Pray, Pray, Master, do you go to Church?—No No Dadda it is too hot—Too hot, Good God, too hot! I shall affront you, Master—Too hot to serve the Lord! Why I that am so old & worn out go on Foot.—I felt a little non plus'd, I confess, but walk'd to my Room & went none to Church—I expected that we should have had prayrs at home, but it was not mentioned—Fanny towards Evening brought me half a Water-Melon—I accepted & thank'd the little pretty Slut, she seems so artless, & delicate I esteem her exceedingly—I walked out about Sun-set, when it is a little cool, along the River Nominy—
16.34 Monday August 1st 1774
The Colonel rode to Richmond Court—The morning very hot—A Cloud appeared about two o Clock as we were going to Dinner in the West where it thundered—Mrs. Carter kept her Chamber—There is almost no Rain—I looked to day over Dr Burney's present State of Musick in Germany—I think it more entertaining than realy useful—Ben to Day begun the Eneid—Poor Mr Randolph seems to be sickening with the Ague & Fever!—Evening the Colonel returned & gave us Captain Dobby's repeated Invitation.
This Elizabeth Lee was the daughter of the late George Lee of "Mount Pleasant" and his first wife Judith Wormeley of "Rosegill" in Middlesex County. She died unmarried.↩︎
A trill, or rapid reiteration of two notes comprehending an interval not greater than one whole tone, nor less than a semitone.↩︎
James Marshall, Fithian's predecessor as tutor of the Carter children, had formerly been an usher at the College of William and Mary. Marshall had inherited a plantation in Orange County. The Virginia Gazette of April 18, 1773 had announced the death of Marshall, at "Nomini Hall" and had corrected the error in its next issue.↩︎
The Gaskins family lived in Northumberland County. Elizabeth Gaskins, daughter of Colonel Thomas Gaskins of that County married Edward Digges of "Bellfield" in York County in 1775.↩︎
The Taliaferro family was a prominent one in Tidewater Virginia. While the name is pronounced "Tolliver," it is believed to be of Italian origin.↩︎
Richard Parker (1729-1813) of "Lawfield" was a distinguished lawyer in Westmoreland County at this time.↩︎
Colonel John Tayloe.↩︎
The Beales were a prominent family in Richmond and Westmoreland counties. Several members of this family had intermarried with the Carters. Robert Carter's uncle, Landon Carter of "Sabine Hall," had taken Elizabeth Beale as his third wife in 1746. Landon's son, Robert Wormeley Carter, married Winifred Beale, and Robert Wormeley's sister, Judith, married Reuben Beale.↩︎
Colonel John Tayloe.↩︎