Chapter 18: September 1774
18.1 Fryday 2
Extreme hot to day—Yesterday a Negro Child about six years old sickened as to appearance with the Ague & Fever, & to Day about eleven in the morning it expired! It is remarkable that the Mother has now lost seven successively, none of which have arrived to be ten years old!—The Negroes all seem much alarm'd, & our School make it a Subject for continual Speculation; They seem all to be free of any terror at the Prescence of Death; Harry in special signified a Wish that his turn may be next. I should be glad if his desire were wise; & he was as fit for the business of the other world, as he seems willing to leave the business of this—In the evening this unexpected Death was the Subject of Conversation in the House—Mr Carter observed, that he thought it the most desirable to die of a Short Illness. If he could have his Wish he would not lie longer than two days; be taken with a Fever, which should have such an unusual effect on his Body as to convince him that it would be fatal, and gradually increase till it affected a Dissolution—He told us that his affairs are in Such a state that he should be able to dictate a Will which might be written in five Minutes, & contain the disposal of his estate agreeable to his mind—He mentioned to us the Substance—"That he would leave Mrs Carter 6000£ Serling; & leave the remainder of his Estate to be disposed among his children as the Law directs."—
He told us likewise, with great firmness, that if he hives [lives] to see his children grown, he will pay no regard to age, but give his wealth to Him who bids fairest to be useful to mankind—That he allows all an equal oppertunity of improvement, but the One who is found then improved shall with the Learning inherit also the Substance—Dennis the Lad who waits at Table, I took into the School to day at his Fathers request, He can spell words of one syllable pretty readily. He is to come as he finds oppertunity.
18.2 Saturday 3
Indeed says Mrs Carter at Breakfast, the Lightning, Rain, & Thunder, disturbed me, & kept me padding from Room to Room all Night; I first had the Girls Beds removed as far as possible from the Chimneys—then had lights placed in the passage; and then but without rest or pleasure, I wandered through the house silent & lonely like a disturbed Ghost!—It has however effected an agreeable change in the Air; which is now cool & agreeable. I was invited this morning by Captain Fibbs [Gibbs] to a Barbecue: this differs but little from the Fish Feasts, instead of Fish the Dinner is roasted Pig, with the proper apendages, but the Diversion & exercise are the very same at both—I declined going and pleaded in ex[c]use unusual & unexpected Business for the School—By appointment is to be fought this Day near Mr Lanes two fist Battles between four young Fellows. The Cause of the battles I have not yet known; I suppose either that they are lovers, & one has in Jest or reality some way supplanted the other; or has in a merry hour call'd him a Lubber, or a thick-Skull, or a Buckskin, or a Scotchman, or perhaps one has mislaid the others hat, or knocked a peach out of his Hand, or offered him a dram without wiping the mouth of the Bottle; all these, & ten thousand more quite as triffling & ridiculous, are thought & accepted as just Causes of immediate Quarrels, in which every diabolical Stratagem for Mastery is allowed & practised, of Bruising, Kicking, Scratching, Pinching, Biting, Butting, Tripping, Throtling, Gouging, Cursing, Dismembring, Howling, &c. This spectacle, (so loathsome & horrible!) generally is attended with a crowd of People! In my opinion, (others may think for themselves) animals which seek after & relish such odious and filthy amusements are not of the human species, they are destitute of the remotest pretension to humanity; I know not how they came by their form, by the help of which they are permitted to associate with Men, unless it has been (unfortunate for the World!) by an intermixture of the meaner kind of Devils with prostitute Monkeys!—This however, I cannot determine; But I think all such should be deemed by the community infectious, & suspended at least any kind of intercourse, til, either the lineage be settled & recorded, or those shrew'd Characteristicks of a spurious, illegitimate claim to kindred with men be in a good Measure abated.
18.3 Sunday 4
We had last night a flood of rain, the wind North East stormy—No Church to Day—Mr Carter sent down to his Mill-Dam, & channel all his people to try if they can secure them; he gives them Rum, & a Shilling a man—
I read Prayrs, by the desire of the Parents, at the Grave over the deceased Child Priscilla, Nanccy, Fanny, Betsy, Ben, Bob, Harry, & Myself, & about forty or fifty Negroes were present. Neither the Father nor the Mother of the Child went out; imitating the example they see in others, & stay from an affectation of overflowing Grief.
18.4 Monday 5
There is wonderful To do, this morning among the Housekeeper & children, at the great house. They assert that a Man or a Spirit came into the Nursery about one o-Clock this morning—That if it was indeed a Spirit the Cause of his appearance is wholly unknown; but if it was Flesh & blood they are pretty confident that the design was either to rob the House, or commit fornication with Sukey, (a plump, sleek, likely Negro Girl about sixteen)—That the doors & windows were well secured, but that by some secret manner, unknown to all, the Thing opened the Cellar door, went through the Cellar, & up the narrow dark Stairs (which are used only on necessary occasions, as when the great Stair way is washing or on some such account)—That it left the said Cellar door standing open, & besides unbar'd, & threw open the East Window in the little Room, in order, as they wisely supposed, to have, if it should be hurried, a ready passage out—That it had previously put a small wedge in the Lock of the Nursery Door, where several of the young Ladies, & the said Sukey sleep, so that when they were going to Bed they could not Lock nor bolt the door, but this they all believed was done in mischief by the children, & went thereupon to bed, without suspicion of harm, with the door open—That Sukey some time in the Night discovered Something lying by her Side which she knew to be a Man by his having Breeches—That She was greatly surprised, & cry'd out suddenly to the others that a Man was among them, & that the Man tickled her, & said whish, whish—That on this She left the Bed & run & squeased herself in by the side of Miss Sally the House-keeper, but that by this time the Whole Room was awake & alarmed—That when the thing knew there was a discovery it stamped several times on the floor, shook the Bedstead by the side of which it lay, rattled the Door several Times & went down Stairs walking very heavy for one barefoot—That on its leaving the Room the Hous[e]Keeper went to Ben Carters Chamber, & that he rose & they all went down & found the Doors & window as I have mentioned—All this with many other material accidents is circulating through the family to Day; some conclude it was a Ghost because it would not speak—But, more probably it was one of the warm-blooded, well fed young Negroes, trying for the company of buxom Sukey—The Colonel however, at Breakfast gave out that if any one be caught in the House, after the family are at Rest, on any Pretence what ever, that Person he will cause to be hanged!—This Afternoon Nelson the Lad who waits in our School, was in the woods about half a mile off, where he met with & kill'd a Rattle-Snake having six Rattles—He cut off the head, & brought Home the remainder of the Body, which we have skin'd & stuff'd—Mrs Carter complains to Day of the Tooth-Ach, & a slight Fever.
18.5 Teusday 6
The day fine—It is whispered to Day that B... is the Ghost that walk'd in the Nursery the other night, but I think the report is false, and arises from calumny. We had an expectation of company to day, but are disappointed. We dined on Fish & Crabs, which were provided for our company, to-morrow being Fish-Day—I begun a Sermon Job XXIII. 3. 4. We have too vagrant Tinkers with us mending several articles, one of whom is this afternoon violent sick with the Fever & Ague—I rode to my old spot, the Corn field, by chance met with Mr Taylor. I walked with him among the Tobacco Cotton &c. He gave me Directions for raising the latter.—Cotton must be planted about the middle of May in rich Land, prepared with Hills, & made very mellow. When up it must be weeded & kept clean, it must be top'd & suckered as Tobacco, otherwise it runs too much to vine. Towards the Fall it will begin to open, when the opened pods mu[s]t be gathered & laid by til dry, then the Cotton pick'd out & clean'd—
18.6 Wednesday 7
Mrs Carter not very well; is troubled with a small tooth-Ach Fever & a Cold—Every leisure minute I spend in writing at my Sermon—Dined with us Mr Sorrel, & Mr .... on Fish, Rock, Perch, fine Crabs, & a large fresh Mackerel. Yesterday & to day I have been a little pained & pretty much alarmed, at an unusual feeling in my right arm. Almost all the Summer I have felt an obstruction when I would lift up my arm. But now it is a trembling steady knawing down the under part of my arm & Wrist, without unless when I move it suddenly—Evening I walked throug the pasture to the River, the Hills are green, since the late rains, & look fine tip'd with the setting Sun.
18.7 Thursday 8
Cloudy & cool. I rise now by half after six—I found it necessary to flogg Bob & Harry on account of lying in bed, after I come into School—At twelve Mr & Mrs Carter, with all the Family except Ben, Harry & Myself; Ben staid of choice, & Harry I kept at Home on account of a sullen Impudence when I dismiss'd them—I told them that they both had my leave to go but at the same time it was my advice that they should stay—Harry then answered "D—n my Soul but i'll go!" At this I informed him that he had at once dismiss'd himself from my authority. & without singular signs of Submission I should never take him under my direction more—And therefore that he had general & unbounded Liberty to go not only to the Horse Race, but where & when he chose—He seem'd startled, & began to moderate his answer: I ordered him out of the Room, & told him to use his liberty. Mrs Carter took with her all the young Ladies & all her children—Ben & I with great satisfaction dined alone. Nelson, to Day, kill'd another Rattle Snake; near the place where he kill'd the other, which had twelve Rattles—Harry grew sick and refused to go to the Race, he came soon to my room & with every Sign of Sorrow for his conduct begg'd me to forgive him, at first I refused, but at length I took him in, yet informed him that I shall pass over no other instance of what may be called rudeness only.—The Colonel on his return, in the evening informed us that the Race was curious, & that the Horses were almost an even match—That the Betts were Drawn & no Money paid—That the Rider of one of the Horses weighed only forty Seven pound—Strange that so little substance in a human Creature can have strength & skill sufficient to manage a Horse in a Match of Importance—Something alarming happened a few nights ago in the Neighbourhood at Mr Sorrels1 a House in sight—It is supposed that his Negres had appointed to murder him, several were found in his bed chamber in the middle of the night—his Wife waked—She heard a whispering, one perswading the other to go—On this She waked her Husband, who run to his Gun; but they escaped in the dark—Presumption is so strong together with a small confession of the Fellows, that three are now in Prison—The ill Treatment which this unhappy part of mankind receives here, would almost justify them in any desperate attempt for gaining that Civility, & Plenty which tho' denied them, is here, commonly bestowed on Horses!—Now, Laura, I sleep in fear too, though my Doors & Windows are all secured!—
18.8 Fryday 9
Mr Stadley came in before Breakfast. He inform'd us that Governor Dunmore has gone to the Frontiers with about 400 Men to subdue the Indians—That the Indians seem disheartened, & leave their towns, & are unwilling to fight—Mrs Carter, out of Compliment, this morning presented to Ben & I for staying at home yesterday, a large fine Cake—Dined with us a Stranger—Ben with great Humour either out of a Bravado or for Revenge gave out in the Family to day that it is the opinion of a certain Female, of considerable Note in the family, that all the male Children which shall be born in this unlucky year, tho' they may be fair to the Sight, will be yet unable, from a Debility of Constitution, to do their Duty, with respect to Women, either married or single—That She has two reasons for this opinion,
1. Because the Air appears to her extremely barren, weak, & ungenerative—2. Because the Peaches, & other Fruit, are observed this year to have in them very few Kernels, at the same time that the Peaches are sweet & fair—I think that Ben, by this stratagem, whether it be real or otherwise, is levil with the invidious Vixen which suspected him of entering the Nursery to visit black-faced Sukey—
18.9 Saturday 10
With the Boys I Surveyed a small field lying along the Richmond Road; the Colonel has a good Theodolite & other Aparatus for Surveying—English Magazines, & Reviews arrived to Day—One of the Books lately published I am desirous to purchase viz.—Dr Henry's History of Great Britain on a new Plan. This history is to be contained in ten Books, each of which will be divided into seven chapters. In the first Chapter of every Book, the Author relates, the civil & military History of Great Britain—The second chapter contains the ecclesiastical History of the same period: the third presents us with the history of our political constitution, Government, Laws, & Courts of justice: the fourth is employed upon what relates to Learning & Learned men: the fifth investigates the State of the useful & ornamental Arts: the sixth enquires into that of commerce, Shipping, Money, with the prices of commodities: & the last Chapter of every Volume is alloted to a Detail of the Manners, Virtues, Vices, remarkable Customs, Language, Dress, Diet, & Diversions of the Great Britains—Six o-Clock, Mrs Turberville, Miss Jenny Corbin, and Miss Turberville came in; Miss Corbin has been, all the Summer, at her Brothers on Rapahanock forty miles distant.2—I saw, in the evening, in Mr Randalls3 Room, a Young man about twenty years old, totally deaf, & dumb! He is well-set, lusty, & likely; he is cheerful, good natur'd, extremely dextrous, quick of apprehension, &, in short, very conversable, & sociable by signs—he was taken to the much famed Dr Graham,4 when he was in this Colony trumpeting about his own unproved Abilities; he fumbled with the unfortunate Lad, by blooding, gouging, boreing &c. putting him to torture and expence without any possible expectation of help—He Sustains among his neighbours the Reputation of being, honest, industrious, & useful—He supports by Labour his mother, & himself; He is remarkably fond of Cloths; & vastly curious, & nice in examining every article of dress, where he has the smallest intimacy—He abstains entirely from strong Liquor.—And what most of all produced admiration in me, was his taking a Pen & writing his Name "Coley Reed" in a good legible Hand, better indeed, than the Bulk of planters are able to do! But he can write nothing more—
18.10 Sunday 11
Ben rode out yesterday after Dinner and returned this morning; but came on foot, I begin to suspect him of being actually engaged in what several alledge against him—But I will keep off so long as I possibly can, so unwelcome, so unwelcome & so Base a thought of its Reality—After Breakfast Mr Stadley left us; I feel always Sorry when he leaves the Family; his entire good-Nature, Cheerfulness, Simplicity, & Skill in Music have fixed him firm in my esteem—None go to Ucomico Church to day—Towards evening, I took a book in my hand, & strolled down the Pasture quite to the Bank of the River—Miss Stanhope, Priss, Nancy, Fanny & Betsy Carter were just passing by—They walked to the Mill; there they entered a Boat, & for exercise & amusement were rowed down the River quite to the granary, & then went to angling—I walked to them, & together we all marched Home to Coffee.
18.11 Monday 12
We threatned having a Fire this morning—I wrote at my Sermon—From the Ship lying at Leeds, arrived this afternoon our new Coach—It is a plain carriage, upper part black, lower Sage or Pea-Green—The Harness is neat strong, & suitable for the Country. Price 120£ Sterling—In the same Ship Mrs Carter imports about 30£ value in plate in a pair of fashionable Goblets; Pair of beautiful Sauce-Cups; & a Pair of elegant Decanter-holders—Ben introduced into our Room a plain useful Book-Case, in which we class & place our Books in order. after School, I took a Book, and walked through the Pasture strolling among Horses, Cows, & Sheep, grazing on the Hills & by the River.
18.12 Teusday 13
We thought of Fire this morning, but put it off—Ben's mare is not yet heard of, though he has had a Boy almost constantly searching about for her—It is curious to see the Girls imitating what they see in the great House; sometimes tying a String to a Chair & then run buzzing back to imitate the Girls spinning; then getting Rags & washing them without water—Very often they are knitting with Straws, small round stockings, Garters &c—Sometimes they get sticks & splinter one end of them f[o]r Brushes, or as they call them here Clamps, & spitting on part of the floor, they scrubb away with great vigor—& often at a small game with Peach-stones which they call checks—Evening after School I rode to the much Frequented Cornfield, Mr Taylor was from Home the evening cloudy, cool, but fine, The Planters now begin to cut their Tobacco.
18.13 Wednesday 14
Mr Carter received word to day that he has had brought very lately for his Mill 7000 Bushels of Wheat at 4s 6d pr Bushel.—I am at a Loss to know where he will dispose of such vast Quantities!—The Colonel who is often pidling in some curious experiment, is to day making some Printers Ink—He tells me the Materials are Lint-seed-Oil, Wheat-Bread, Onions, & Turpentine, a rank compound truely—then for Black, Lamp-Black, red, Vermillion—Ben, found his mare lost in last Saturday's Visit, poor Brute! She was confin'd in the Pasture where he left her, in which being very large She had been concealed.—Mr Smith, who was wounded last Spring by a Shot of his Brother is lately dead, & it is said by the Wounds which he received from his Brother!—
18.14 Thursday 15
Ben is much better: he has return'd to his Bed in my Room, but complains often of the pain in his Breast.—I put him to begin & read some select odes in Horace—He works arithmetic but is only in Reduction—He dispises Greek, & therefore makes little or no progress in that Language—He is reading in course the Eneid Lib 3—He has an unconquerable Love for Horses; he often tells me that he should have been a skilfull, & useful Groom; that he should be more fond & careful of a favourite Horse than of a Wife, or than his victuals, or than any thing whatever! I never saw a Person, in any Diversion, Recreation or amusement, who seemed so full of Pleasure & enjoyment as he is when on Horse back, or even in the company of a Horse! He seems to possess as warm a regard for them as Dr Swift had for the Houyhnhnms—But I cannot discover that Ben has so cordial an enmity to Mankind as Swift had for the Yahoos.—Bobs passion for the same Animal is no less strong, but it is furious, & cruel, he rides excessive hard, & would ride always—Harry's Genius seems towards Cocks, & low Betts, much in company with the waiting Boys, &, against my strongest Remonstrances, & frequent severe corrections, he will curse, at times, horribly, & swear fearfully! he always, however, omits it when I am Present.—
18.15 Fryday 16
Mrs Carter, this morning, with Prissy, Nancy, & Bob went in the New-Coach to the Dance at Stratford, the morning is mild, fair & cool—The Colonel informed me that now his Mill-House Bake-Houses, Store Houses &c. with a clear unobstructed navigation is compleated, & that, he will rent them all to a Person properly qualified—or gladly employ a person who is capable, trusty & industrious enough to be the sole Director of so great & valuable Property—Dined with us captain Walker—He threw out several exceeding unpopular Sentiments with regard to the present amazing Disturbances through the Colonies—One in special I think proper to record because it fixes his Character, & declares him, in Spite of all pretence, an enemy to America—He asserted that no Officers (at Boston or elsewhere) are obliged, either by Law, or Right, to question or refuse any kind of orders which they receive from their Sovereign, or commanding Officer—But I account every man, who possesses, & publishes such sentiments in this Crisis of the Fate of a vast Empire, as great an enemy to America at least, as Milton's Arch-Devil was to Mankind!—After School, we took the Theodolite, the Colonel along, & run several Lines, He seems perfectly well acquainted with the Art.
18.16 Saturday 17
At eight I dismiss'd my small charge. Immediately after Breakfast I took some Boys, & went a Surveying; Ben, impatient of tiresome scurvy Home, strain'd off through the County—I run in to Dinner, the Colonel & I dined alone, we drank a Glass of Madeira, as a Health to absent Friends, after which I went again to the Field & survey'd till six in the evening; The Business of this Day has been to go round the inner Pasture About half an Hour after Sunset (when Women who love their Husbands & Families always come Home) Mrs Carter & the Girls arrived from Stratford She informed us that there was a large, genteel, and agreeable Company at the Dance; that the Ague & Fever have been & continue troublesome in that Neighbourhood; & that Word is arrived from Boston that Governor Gage has fired on the Town, & that it is expected his orders are to burn & beat it to Destruction! Ben returned about seven from Westmoreland Courthouse—He informed us that Mr Sorrels Negroes had their trial there to Day, concerning their accusation of entering their Masters House in the night with an intention to murder Him—It was there proved (so far as Negroes evidence will go) that a Brother of this Sorrels early last Spring bribed some Negroes to Poison his Brother; & when that diabolical Attempt could not succeed, he has since tried to perswade them to murder Him!—But all Evidence against the Negroes was so weak & dark that the judges ordered them to be whiped & dismised them—Though the Law considers all Testimony given by a Negro against a White-Man as weak & unsubstantial; yet what the Negro said to Day on Oath of the younger Mr Sorrel, seems to gain much Belief with many who are candid, & unbiased Judges; & with me beyond all Scruple, it fixes on him the cursed Character of a Fratricide!—
18.17 Sunday 18
The Colonel gave me, at Breakfast the offer of a Seat in his Boat to Church. The Morning was fine, & Nomini-River alive with Boats Canoes &c. some going to Church, some fishing, & some Sporting—Mr Smith gave us a very practical Sermon against the common vices here, in particular against the practise of abusing Slaves—The report concerning Boston is much talked off & still confirmed!—We dined all at Mr Turberville's; Miss Corbin looks fresh & plump as ever. Towards evening arose a pretty furious Thunder-Gust, which we hardly escaped on our way home I observed that several, but in special Mr Carter is not pleased with Mr Smith's Sentiments of Slavery.
18.18 Monday 19
The morning fine & cool, & produces in our School at last a fine Fire!—Fire looks & feels most welcome; and I observe it makes our children remarkably garrulous & noisy—I took cold by Saturdays unusual exercise, & to Day have a Pain through my head, sore throat, & the other common troubles in a Cold—This Day begins the examination of The Junior class at Nassau-Hall. Every time I reflect on that Place of retirement & Study, where I spent two years which I call the most pleasant as well as the most important Period in my past life—Always when I think upon the Studies, the Discipline, the Companions, the Neighbourhood, the exercises, & Diversions, it gives me a secret & real Pleasure, even the Foibles which often prevail there are pleasant on recollection; such as giving each other names & characters; Meeting & Shoving in the dark entries; knocking at Doors & going off without entering; Strowing the entries in the night with greasy Feathers; freezing the Bell; Ringing it at late Hours of the Night;—I may add that it does not seem disagreeable to think over the Mischiefs often practised by wanton Boys—Such are writing witty pointed anonymous Papers, in Songs, Confessions, Wills, Soliliques, Proclamations, Advertisements &c—Picking from the neighbourhood now & then a plump fat Hen or Turkey for the private entertainment of the Club "instituted for inventing & practising several new kinds of mischief in a secret polite Manner"—Parading bad Women—Burning Curse-John—Darting Sun-Beams upon the Town-People Reconoitering Houses in the Town, & ogling Women with the Telescope—Making Squibs, & other frightful compositions with Gun-Powder, & lighting them in the Rooms of timorous Boys, & new comers—The various methods used in naturalizing Strangers, of incivility in the Dining-Room to make them bold; writing them sharp & threatning Letters to make them smart; leading them at first with long Lessons to make them industrious—And trying them by Jeers & Repartee in order to make them choose their Companions &c. &c—Evening after School with Mrs Carter, & the Girls I took a Walk thro the Pumpkin & Potatoe Vines. the Air is clear, cold & healthful. We drank our Coffee at the great House very sociably, round a fine Fire, the House And air feels like winter again.
18.19 Teusday 20
Among the many womanish Fribbles which our little Misses daily practise, I discovered one to Day no less merry than natural; Fanny & Harriot by stuffing rags & other Lumber under their Gowns just below their Apron-Strings, were prodigiously charmed at their resemblanc to Pregnant Women! They blushed, however, pretty deeply on discovering that I saw them—We have to day both in the School & great-house steady Fires—Mr Thomas Edwards a reputable Planter in the Neighbourhood died this day about one o-Clock—I saw him last Sunday at Church when he was in good Health; was taken the same Evening, & hurried off at once!—Frail Man, how easily subdued!—
18.20 Wednesday 21
We have a more particular account of the Death of Mr Edwards. About a twelve-month ago, he was suddenly siezed with a Fit of the Palsy, his Foot, Side, Arm, & part of his Face then failed, & became useless, after some time, however, he grew better, & has since been apparently well; til Sunday evening last after the Shower, as he was walking in his Garden, he fell down in an instant, there happened to be help at hand, he only said these emphatical Words—"Now I must die"—He was carried in, & expired as I mentioned yesterday!—I am told that the Flux is in the upper part of this County—My cold continues; in the Evening on going to bed, I took a dose of Honey & Rum—
18.21 Thursday 22
A pure cold northerly wind still blows, & we all keep Fires—Peaches & Fruit are omitted at Dinners, & Soup or Broth is brought in; Milk and Hominy at Breakfast too are laid by & Coffee & Sage Tea brought in; Our Suppers are Coffee & Bred & butter—Neatness variety & Plenty are reigning Characters in our worthy oconomist Mrs Carter. I read to Day, & am charm'd with a —— of Lord Chesterfield. Letters to his natural Son, which I propose to purchase—After School, with Ben, I took a walk to Mr Turberville's—He has received a line from Colonel Lee at Philadelphia that the Congress is going on—That the account concerning Boston is false—Evening Lancelot Lee came in, & staid the night—He gave Ben & myself an Invitation to dine with him tomorrow, I took out of the Library & began to read Watts's Logic—
18.22 Fryday 23
I spent some time in reviewing Geography & Logic—Mr Lee left us about twelve, & Ben rode out with him—Evening from Mr Turberville's I saw some Barberry's, Sloes, & Pomegranates, neither of which I had seen before—
18.23 Saturday 24
Together with my Cold I have to Day a most disagreeable gathering on my middle Finger—I keep myself at home reading Logic—Evening the Colonel invited me to walk with him; he took me to his Mill, Coopers, House, Channel, Meadows &c., and was vastly particular in describing to me their particular uses—I begin to look with eager Sollicitude to the time of my revisiting my friends & Relations—It is, happily near—
18.24 Sunday 25
The morning clear cool & very dry—I rode to Ucomico-Church, I was surprised when the Psalm begun, to hear a large Collection of voices singing at the same time, from a Gallery, entirely contrary to what I have seen befor in the Colony, for it is seldom in the fullest Congregation's, that more sing than the Clerk, & about two others!—I am told that a singing Master of good abilities has been among this society lately & put them on the respectable Method which they, at present pursue—I dined at Mr Fishers, among others I saw there, Dr Steptoe, & Mr Hamilton who have lately been to Philadelphia—They give various Reports concerning political affairs, & as to the Congress nothing certain, so that I say nothing on that Score—Their Remarks on the City & Inhabitants; The Country &c. are curious—They allow the City to be fine, neat, & large; they complain a little of the small Rooms, Uniformity of the Buildings, & several other like faults—They call the Inhabitants grave & reserved; & the Women remarkably homely, hard favour'd & sour!—One Colonel Harrison5 from a lower County in this Colony, offer'd to give a Guinea for every handsome Face that could be found in the City, if any one would put a Copper on every Face that did not come up to that Character!—This is an impeachment of the Ladies which I have never heard before, I do not give my opinion either for or against it—The face of the Country, & the method of farming that way delights them: but at this I dont wonder.
18.25 Monday 26
Yesterday the Inspector, whom I have named & described before, desired the Parson to wait on them in his family and christen his Child—Is the child sick? No Sir—Why then today? it is the Mothers Desire Sir—Why was it not brought to Church? The Mother is unwell, Sir—The Parson excused himself, & promised to come some Days hence, but the long winded officer, inured to Stubbornness, hung on, &, without moderation or Apology demanded his presence!—And prevail'd.—Something in our palace this Evening, very merry happened—Mrs Carter made a dish of Tea. At Coffee, she sent me a dish—& the Colonel both ignorant—He smelt, sipt—look'd—At last with great gravity he asks what's this?—Do you ask Sir—Poh!—And out he throws it splash a sacrifice to Vulcan—
18.26 Teusday 27
This morning the Colonel with his Theodolite observed the Centre of the Sun at his rising, & found it bore East 5° South—This he is doing to fix a true East & West Line for regulating the Needle at any time. This Bearing he corrected by finding the Suns Declination, & fixed his Points—After the morning we let our fire go down—Both yesterday, & this evening I rode out to exercise myself & horse against our approaching Journey—Mr Hodge, a Merchant of Leeds & Mr Leech a Merchant of Dumfries came Home with the Colonel from Westmoreland-Court—Both chatty, in special Mr Leech; both well-bred, sensible, & sociable—The loyal Toast was Wisdom & unity to the Conferrences now assembled—And when Women were to be toasted, I gave Miss Jenny Washington.—
18.27 Wednesday 28
The weather remarkably dry, since Sunday sennight, we have not had a drop of Rain, nor even a cloudy Sky, and till yesterday, & steady, cold, serene northerly Wind—To Day is the annual Commencement at Nassau Hall—
18.28 Letter of Philip V. Fithian to Mr. Larkin Randall
[Nomini Hall. September 28 (?) 1774]
Mr Randall.
You will please to acquaint Mr Rigmaiden6 that I received and looked over his Note, and should have attempted to answer it but for the following reasons. I observe that the first author of the question very rudely calls Mr Rigmaiden a fool for not working it by Cross-Multiplication.
And I observe too that Mr Rigmaiden throws back the word fool, (I suppose in revenge) upon the other, and if I should intermeddle in the case it is more than probable, that I should be called the third fool, by either the one or the other, at least I think the hazard of this too great to set against any Honour I could recieve by resolving it—But since Mr Rigmaiden intimates in his note that he is at something of a loss to know whether himself or the other have the least claim to the character; I shall propose a question in arithmetick, which will fully decide any dispute of this nature, for I pronounce the man who can work it off at once, to be no fool in figures.
A Man has 5000£ which he puts to interest for 30 years 6£ per Cent. per Annum. I demand how much of this he must spend every day, to spend it all, principal and interest in the thirty years, and let the daily sums in the whole time be equal?
As to the question given, "to Multiply 12£ 12s 12½d by itself", It must have been a punn, or from one not well skill'd in figures. If it was the former, it does not deserve to be answered at all, because that would be indulging wanton impertinence; and if it was the latter, I am not able to understand how such a person should venture to question Mr Rigmaidens answer—Upon the whole, I am apt to think it is all a punn which, "Brother Quill" (as he is pleased to style himself) has ventured to throw out, and on this account, until I am better satisfied that the sentiment is genuine, I decline wholly entering farther into the matter.
I am, Sir, Yours
P V Fithian
To Mr Larkin Randell
Nomini Hall.
18.29 Thursday 29
Warm to day, but dry & clear. Mr Leech & Mr Hodge spent last evening with us; the Conversation was on exchange—Loyal Toasts, Agreement, & Firmness through the american Colonies—Ladies. mine was Miss Corbin—The Colonel informed us that early next week he shall set out for Williamsburg—Soon after I hope to set out for Cohansie!
18.30 Letter of Philip V. Fithian to Benjamin Carter
Nomini Hall Septr: 29th. 1774.
"Aetas Parentum, pejor avis, tulit
Nos nequiores; mox daturos
Progeniem vitiosiorem."
Sir.
You will comprehend, at once, the design of Horace in the Ode from which this motto was taken, And, perhaps, you may think the application of it here unmeaning, and impertinent. In order to free you wholly from every such secret suspicion, you will please to take notice, that the dignity of your very respectable family, (which is a sacred thing) depends almost entirely upon your Capacity, improvement, and behaviour, an attempt, therefore, to guide and enlarge either or all of these may not be called unmeaning; and, as you have honoured me for some time past in the character of a Tutor, by submitting to my advice and instruction, I cannot suppose you so utterly destitute of candour and gratitude as to put the name of impertinence on what is the close and sum of my duty to you: especially as there is but little probability that I shall ever see you more, and can, therefore, have no possible incitement from interest, to flatter nor oppertunity of indulging any kind of revenge. These remarks, I presume, are sufficient to remove from you any hurtfull prejudice. I therefore go on, to make several observations with moderation and freedom, which, at least, I hope you will duely consider, and if they please you, practise. Give me leave then, first of all to tell you, That you possess a critical tho' a high station, and that in your road throug[h] life you are liable to innumerable dangerous [dev]iations. On many accounts your station is critical; I shall enumerate only a few.
—The rest is lost—
To Mr Ben Carter
18.31 Fryday 30
Warm, but clear & dry—Dined with us Mr Blain; He gave us a large account of affairs at the Congress, of the City, Country, Manners, Persons, Trade &c—But he swears the Women are coarse & hardy—Evening I informed the Colonel that it is hardly probable I shall continue in his family til his return from the general Court, & at the same time, desired him to give me a discharge so that I expect to have all things adjusted before he leaves Home—We have now entered on the Winter plan, have Coffee just at evening & Supper between eight & nine o-Clock—It is wonderful to consider the Consumption of provisions in this family—I have before spoken of Meat, & the steady Rate of flour weekly, for the great House is 100Lb of which 50 is the finest, & 50 the Seconds—But all the Negroes, & most of the Labourers eat Corn.
18.32 Saturday October 1st. 1774
Wind South West cloudy. After Breakfast with the Boys I went a Surveying along the River round the lower pasture at twelve, Ben, Bob, Harry all gallop off—I spent the afternoon plotting my work—I paid Sam our Barber for Blacking, Dressing &c. 12/.
18.33 Sunday 2
Parson Smith is out of the Parish so that we have no service—With Ben I rode to Mr Washingtons. Mr Lowe again absent—Dined with us Mrs Turberville, Miss Corbin, Miss Pierce—we found the Colonel in the evening busy at his Instrument of Music—We drank our Coffee & retired early to our Room, & read til ten, then thanking our bountiful Preserver we retired to our bed.—
Thomas Sorrel owned a plantation near "Nomini Hall" in Westmoreland County.↩︎
Gawin Corbin of "Yew Spring" in Caroline County.↩︎
Apparently Randolph Carter's clerk.↩︎
There were frequent references in the Virginia Gazette during the previous year to the arrival in Williamsburg of "Dr. Graham, the celebrated oculist and aurist, at Philadelphia."↩︎
Probably Benjamin Harrison of "Berkeley" in Charles City County, who attended the Congress in Philadelphia in 1774.↩︎
In 1771 William Rigmaiden was the master of a free school in Richmond County that was supported by Landon Carter. William and Mary College Quarterly, Vol. XIII, series 1, p. 158.↩︎