Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian Part 10

_Fryday 3._

Busy in School. Expence to Boy for tr.i.m.m.i.n.g my Horse half a Bit.

Evening after School walked in the fields with Mrs _Carter_, Miss Carter, and Miss Nancy.

_Sat.u.r.day 4._

About Eleven Ben and I rode to Mr Lees walked over a Part of his Farm; from his House we see the Potowmack, and a fine River putting from it.

We returned in the Evening, found Mr Fantleroy, and Mr Walker at Home; at Supper I had the pleasure to toast in my turn Miss Corbin--But I meant the absent _Laura_!

_Sunday 5._

Rode to Richmond upper Church, a Polite a.s.sembly; Mr Gibbern gave us a Sermon on, O Death I will be thy Plague &c., a warm discourse Dined at Home.

_Monday 6._

Mr Walker left us after Breakfast. Busy in School.

_Teusday 7._

Mr _Stadley_ Miss Priscilla's Music Master arrived this morning--He performed several peices on the Violin. Expence for an Orange half a Bit.

_Wednesday 8._

Miss Priscilla with her Music Master, they performed together to day--

_Thursday 9._

Mr Stadley left us. Busy in School.

_Fryday 10._

Miss Nancy is beginning on the _Guitar_. Ben finished reading Sal.u.s.ts Cataline Conspiracy.

_Sat.u.r.day 11._

Rode and Dined with Captain Walker--Saw and dined with Miss _Simpson_ & Mr Warden.[88]

[88] John Warden was a young Scotsman. While a student in Edinburgh, Warden had been engaged by Dr. Walter Jones of Virginia to serve as a tutor in the family of his brother, Colonel Thomas Jones of Northumberland County. In the Jones home Warden had enjoyed exceptional advantages and he appears to have read law after coming to the colony. He later became a distinguished member of the Virginia bar.

_Sunday 12._

Rode to Nominy-Church, parson Smith preached 15 minutes--Advertis.e.m.e.nt at the Church door dated Sunday Decemr 12th Pork to be sold to-morrow at 20/. per Hundred--dined with us to day Captain Walker. Colonel Richd Lee,[89] & Mr Lanclot Lee. sat after Dinner till Sunset, drank three Bottles of Medaira, two Bowls of Toddy!--

[89] Both Richard Lee (1726-1795), commonly called "Squire" Lee, and his cousin, Richard Henry Lee (1732-1794), who was known as "Colonel"

Lee, lived on estates on the Potomac River in Westmoreland County.

"Squire" Richard Lee's manor plantation was called "Lee Hall." The home of Colonel Richard Henry Lee was known as "Chantilly." A second Richard Lee, also known as "Squire Lee," and a cousin of the above mentioned persons, lived on the Potomac in Charles County, Maryland.

_Monday 13._

Mr Carter is preparing for a Voyage in his Schooner, the Hariot,[90]

to the Eastern Sh.o.r.e in Maryland, for Oysters: there are of the party, Mr _Carter_, Captain _Walker_, Colonel _Richd Lee_, & Mr _Lancelot Lee_. With Sailors to work the vessel--I observe it is a general custom on Sundays here, with Gentlemen to invite one another home to dine, after Church; and to consult about, determine their common business, either before or after Service--It is not the Custom for Gentlemen to go into Church til Service is beginning, when they enter in a Body, in the same manner as they come out; I have known the Clerk to come out and call them in to prayers.--They stay also after the Service is over, usually as long, sometimes longer, than the Parson was preaching--Almost every Lady wears a red Cloak; and when they ride out they tye a white handkerchief over their Head and face, so that when I first came into Virginia, I was distress'd whenever I saw a Lady, for I thought She had the Tooth-Ach!--The People are extremely hospitable, and very polite both of which are most certainly universal Characteristics of the Gentlemen in Virginia--some swear bitterly, but the practise seems to be generally disapproved--I have heard that this Country is notorious for Gaming, however this be, I have not seen a Pack of _Cards_, nor a _Die_, since I left home, nor gaming nor Betting of any kind except at the Richmond-Race. Almost every Gentleman of Condition, keeps a Chariot and _Four_; many drive with six Horses--I observe that all the Merchants & shopkeepers in the Sphere of my acquaintance and I am told it is the case through the Province, are young Scotch-Men; Several of whom I know, as _Cunningham, Jennings, Hamilton, Blain_;--And it has been the custom heretofore to have all their Tutors, and Schoolmasters from Scotland, tho' they begin to be willing to employ their own Countrymen--Evening Ben Carter and myself had a long dispute on the practice of fighting--He thinks it best for two persons who have any dispute to go out in good-humour & fight manfully, & says they will be sooner and longer friends than to brood and harbour malice--Mr _Carter_ is practising this Evening on the _Guittar_ He begins with the _Trumpet Minuet_. He has a good Ear for Music; a vastly delicate Taste; and keeps good Instruments, he has here at Home a _Harpsichord_, _Forte-Piano_, _Harmonica_,[91] _Guittar_, _Violin_, & _German Flutes_, & at Williamsburg, has a good _Organ_, he himself also is indefatigable in the Practice.

[90] This schooner had been named for Carter's daughter, Harriot Lucy.

[91] Carter described the harmonica as "the musical gla.s.ses without water, framed into a complete instrument, capable of through ba.s.s and never out of tune." Quoted in Williams, ed., _Fithian_, p. 59, fn. 1.

[Ill.u.s.tration: boat ride]

_Teusday 14._

Busy in School--The Weather vastly fine! There has been no Rain of consequence, nor any stormy or disagreeable Weather, since about the 10th of last Month! From the Window, by which I write, I have a broad, a diversified, and an exceedingly beautiful Prospect of the high craggy Banks of the River _Nominy_! Some of those huge Hills are cover'd thick with _Cedar_, & Pine Shrubs; A vast quant.i.ty of which seems to be in almost every part of this Province--Others are naked, & when the Sun s.h.i.+nes look beautiful! At the Distance of about 5 Miles is the River Potowmack over which I can see the smoky Woods of Maryland; At this window I often stand, and cast my Eyes homeward with peculiar pleasure! Between my window and the potowmack, is Nominy Church, it stands close on the Bank of the River Nominy, in a pleasant agreeable place, Mr Carters family go down often, so many as can with convenience in a Boat rowed by four Men, and generally arrive as soon as those who ride.

The mouth of Nominy River where it falls into Potowmack is about 25 miles above the mouth of Potowmack or where it falls into the Chessapeak-Bay. And about 12 Miles below the mouth of Nominy the River Ucomico[92] puts up into the country, near which River, and about three miles from the mouth stands the lower parish Church of Westmorland County call'd Ucomic Church.[93] The River Potowmack opposite to us the People say is 18 miles over, but I think it is not more than 8. Afternoon Captain Grigg,[94] who arrived last Sunday moning into the River Ucomico from London visited Mr Carter. Evening reading Picteete.

[92] The Yeocomico River.

[93] Yeocomico Church.

[94] Grigg, the captain of an English vessel, often mingled with the plantation families of the Northern Neck when he was in the colony.

_Wednesday 15._

Busy in School--To day Dined with us Mrs Turburville, & her Daughter Miss Letty[95] Miss Jenny Corbin, & Mr Blain. We dined at three. The manner here is different from our way of living in Cohansie--In the morning so soon as it is light a Boy knocks at my Door to make a fire; after the Fire is kindled, I rise which now in the winter is commonly by Seven, or a little after, By the time I am drest the Children commonly enter the School-Room, which is under the Room I sleep in; I hear them round one lesson, when the Bell rings for eight o-Clock (for Mr Carter has a large good Bell of upwards of 60 Lb. which may be heard some miles, & this is always rung at meal Times;) the Children then go out; and at half after eight the Bell rings for Breakfast, we then repair to the Dining-Room; after Breakfast, which is generally about half after nine, we go into School, and sit til twelve, when the Bell rings, & they go out for noon; the dinner-Bell rings commonly about half after two, often at three, but never before two.--After dinner is over, which in common, when we have no Company, is about half after three we go into School, & sit til the Bell rings at five, when they separate til the next morning; I have to myself in the Evening, a neat Chamber, a large Fire, Books, & Candle & my Liberty, either to continue in the school room, in my own Room or to sit over at the great House with Mr & Mrs Carter--We go into Supper commonly about half after eight or at nine & I usually go to Bed between ten and Eleven. Altho the family in which I live, is certainly under as good political Regulations, and every way as suitable & agreeable as I can expect, or even could desire; & though the Neighbourhood is polite, & the Country pleasant, yet I cannot help reflecting on my situation last winter, which was near the lovely _Laura_ for whom I cannot but have the truest, and the warmest Esteem! possibly, If Heaven shall preserve my life, in some future time, I may again enjoy her good society.

[95] Let.i.tia Corbin Turberville.

Mr Carter heard this Evening that Captain _Walker_ cannot go to Maryland, he is thus stop'd.

_Thursday 16._

I can only to day write down my Misfortune; my poor Horse as he was feeding in a miry Bottom, walked upon a sharp Stick, which stuck into his Thigh on the under Side about four Inches below his Flank!--The stick went in more than three Inches!--He is very lame, but they tell me will recover, The Hostler, when we had lead him to the Stable, applied Spirits of Turpentine to the part, and in the Evening is to fill it with Comfrey Roots pounded Soft.

I had the pleasure of walking to Day at twelve o-Clock with Mrs Carter; She shewed me her stock of _Fowls_ & _Mutton_ for the winter; She observed, with great truth, that to live in the Country, and take no pleasure at all in Groves, Fields, or Meadows; nor in Cattle, Horses, & domestic Poultry, would be a manner of life too tedious to endure; Dined at three.