Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian Part 24

[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO THE REVEREND ANDREW HUNTER]

Nomini-Hall, Virginia. June 3d. 1774.

REVD: & DEAR SIR.

It will not be wonderful if I inform you that this Colony is in great tumult and confusion. The general Voice is _Boston_. You will have heard before the reception of this, that the Governor dissolved the a.s.sembly in this province on their making a resolve to keep the first day of June on which the Act of Parliament is to take place at Boston, (excepting the days of grace) a solemn fast. The people agree however in general to unite with the people of Boston and the other northern trading Cities, and by their example to influence all the Colonies, not to make any resistance to the Britains, but to keep themselves independant, and refuse to receive their comodities, and keep within themselves, their own more valuable comodities, because they are for the support of life--So stedfast are the people here that the Captain of a s.h.i.+p belonging to an eminent house in London was yesterday refused any more Tobacco til' there is intelligence from the Northward--

The frost which happened the 4th. of May, was by far more severe and fatal here than either in Maryland, New-Jersey, or Pennsylvania--The expected produce of Gardens and Peaches, (which were some planters chief dependance) are not only almost wholly destroy'd, but in the upper parts of the province Wheat and Rye are so much cut off that the owners think it best to mow it down for fodder!--

I have the pleasure to inform you that I had a speedy and pleasant ride; found the family in good health; that it is a time of general health in the County--and that I am again agreeably settled to business--

Please to make my compliments to Mrs Hunter, Miss Nancy, Andrew, and to Uncles family--I am, sir

Your most obedient Most humble Servt: PHILIP V. FITHIAN

[JOURNAL]

_Sat.u.r.day 4._

The day cool & agreeable--I kept the children in til twelve tho' with great difficulty; they were for a.s.serting their liberty. & pleaded the custom of las winter--I finished a rough incorrect plan of my English Thesis, & laid it by for future examination--

After dinner I begun the Lecture, wrote an introduction--Towards evening I took my hat & a Sermon, & retired to a Shady Green where I rambled about til dusk committing my Sermon to memory--We have omitted Supper, & in its place subst.i.tuted Coffee which we commonly take about seven in the evening--Ben, this Afternoon rode to Colonel Frank Lee's.

The ground is very dry; The Frost of the fourth of May has been much more severe and fatal here than in the northern colonies--The peaches here, except on Farms lying near the Potowmack are wholly destroy'd, & these were the choisest expectation of some, who think Brandy their most valuable comodity!--And I am told that in Louden, & the other upper counties, (which indeed are the best for grain) Wheat & Rie are cut off, so intirely that the owners mow it down for fodder!--And in these lower Counties in many places the Woods appear like November, & the Leaves are actually dropping!--To be sure it is unusual & melancholy!--

_Sunday 5._

The weather cool & agreeable--Sermon is to Day at Ucomico, at the lower church, I choose therefore to stay in my Room--How pleasant is retirement! And how easy is it to enjoy it--This may seem strange, but it is true--I have but very few acquaintances, & they easily dispense with my Absence--I have an elegant inviting apartment for Study--I have plenty of valuable & entertaining Books--And I hav business of my own that requires my attention--At Home my Relations call me proud and morose if I do not visit them--My own private business often calls me off & unsettles my mind--There too lives the Girl who has subdued my heart!--All these put together, when they operate at once, are a strong incitement to divert me from Study. Yet I love Cohansie! And in spite of my resolution, when I am convinced that my situation is more advantageous here, yet I wish to be there--How exceedingly capricious is fancy! When I am Home I then seem willing to remove, for other places seem to be full as desirable--It is then Society which makes places seem agreeable or the Contrary--It can be nothing else--Adam when he had no troublesome painful thoughts within him; and had a flowery Paradise for his habitation & enjoyment, was not yet fully happy while he possessed it alone; much less can we his offspring, frail, & variable, enjoy much sattisfaction without intercourse with one another--I have just spoken in praise of Society & retirement; And I now observe we are of such a make that, if we be happy, these must alternately succeed each other--It is something like the opinion of _Socrates_ concerning pleasure & pain, that if we possess the one, we may expect it will not be long before we shall meet with the other--Towards evening At Mrs Carters request I waited on Miss _Priscilla_, _Nancy_, & _f.a.n.n.y_ who rode on Horse-back for an airing--Wrote a Letter to the Revd Mr Andrew Hunter, Cohansie New Jersey--In the evening Ben returned full of news of _Boston_, that we must fight that the troops are arrived & impudent &c, &c.

[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO ELIZABETH BEATTY]

Nominy-Hall Virginia June 5: 1774.

TO LAURA.

I have the Pleasure, since you allow me the Honour of corresponding with you, to acquaint you that I had a speedy & delightsome Pa.s.sage from Home to this Place: It was you know, in the best Time of the lovliest of Months.

The Delaware, the broad Chesapeak, & the beautiful Potowmack were mild & lovely as a handsome, Woman's Presence when her Mind is at Rest--But are fine Women, Laura, as easily thrown into Confusion & Tumult as they--?

I expect these, if you receive them at all, will find you at N--n. If they should, please to make my kind Respects to your Brother--& compliment him on his new Alliance.

I shall wish, very much, to see you at C--e in the Fall, but if it be inconvenient I do not ask you to pay any Manner of Regard, in this Case, to my Inclination. The Face of this Part of Virginia is now indeed beautiful. I wish often that you was here for a While to see, because I am unable to describe, the charming Landskips, & long delightsome Prospects of our winding River which we have from the high Hills! But especially in the Evening when I commonly (as it is the Custom of the Family) walk for half an hour through the Garden in Company generally with three brisk mischievous Girls you would I am certain, for you delight in Gardens, & love the Company of noisy, gay, & agreeable young Girls, be highly entertain'd.--And as for myself, if you was here, I should take these Walks & Arbours to be a verdant flowery Elysium!--I must not omit to thank you for your Letter of Feb: last; because a Line from you is rare & valuable as the Phenix of Arabia.

Write to me, best of Girls, the Moment you receive this, that I may know how, & where you be; & let me hear often from you this Summer.

You may rest a.s.sured of my Constancy in continuing a free & full Correspondence.

PHILIP V. FITHIAN.

[JOURNAL]

_Monday 6._

Mr _Carter_ rode to richmond court--At Dinner I had a long and useful conversation with Mrs Carter She told me openly & candidly the Several failings of her children, & indeed She knows them perfectly--In particular she knows not what to do with her perverse Son _Bob_--He abuses his Mama, Miss Sally, the children, Family, and is much given to slander. Poor unhappy youth, I fear he will come to an unhappy end!

This afternoon I found it necessary to correct Bob severely for impertinence in School--Mr Carter at Court received his Invoice from London for this Spring, in which was a gold Seal for _Ben_ with a Coat of Arms price five Guineas!--

_Teusday 7._

The morning pleasant, cool & agreeable--I corrected Harry this morning for telling me a Lie--Stomachful & sullen as any youth--The day warm but very bearable--Breakfasted with us Mr Blain & Mr Warden, all the conversation is Politicks; But People seem moderate & yet settled in their determinations to stand out

_Wednesday 8._

The morning pleasant--Mr _Carter_ rode to the Ucomiko Ware-houses to examine in the s.h.i.+pping some of his Tobacco--We have no Company. The day is very warm--A flaming sultry Sun, a dusty scorched Ground, Mr _Carter_ returned, the day being smoky introduced, at Coffee, a conversation on Philosophy, on Eclipses; the manner of viewing them; Thence to Telescopes, & the information which they afforded us of the Solar System; Whether the planets be actually inhabited &c.

[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO SAMUEL FITHIAN]

Nomini Hall Virginia June 8th. 1774.

SIR.

After I acquaint you that, by the kindness of providence I arrived safe and am in good health, I shall not neglect to inform you that the Virginians are warm and active in supporting the liberties of America; the first day of June throughout this Colony, by a resolve of the House of Burgesses, or a.s.sembly of Representatives for the province was kept a solemn Fast, and kept religiously too, to invoke almighty G.o.d to a.s.sist our falling country, and save us from oppression and Tyranny--The ware-Houses are already hindring the s.h.i.+pping Tobacco, and it is expected there will shortly be a general embargo laid on all exportable commodities--The people here wish for the union of all the Colonies, and for firm perseverance in what shall seem most conducive to the good of America, notwithstanding this Colony and Maryland will suffer vastly, because Tobacco is a comodity less saleable among ourselves than most of the produce of the Northern Colonies, and it is in these the staple--

I am seated once more to great sattisfaction in my business, the family and neighbourhood are well, but I propose and expect by the permission of providence to return home the latter end of October; in the mean time, I am,

Dear Unkle Your most obliged Nephew PHILIP V FITHIAN

P. S. Please to remember me to the family, &c.

[JOURNAL]

_Thursday 9._

The morning haizy, no Wind, & very warm--I wrote a Letter to Uncle _Samuel Fithian_--After Dinner Mr Carter set out for Williamsburg--by him I sent to the Post-office at _Hobbes-Hole_, My Letters to Mr _Hunter_, Uncle _Fithian_, Miss _Beatty_. & Mr _Peck_--After School in the evening I had an agreeable walk with Mrs _Carter_ in the Garden--

[Ill.u.s.tration: couple walking]

_Fryday 10._

Cool but exceeding dry--Writing at my Lecture. Mrs _Carter_ was to day sadly frighted with a Lizard, that lives under the House--After School, with Ben I wakked over to Mr Turburville's to gather Cheries, which are there in great plenty--Mrs _Carter_ in the evening after our return, gave me a Lecture for taking _Ben_ to _Annapolis_ when I went last Home without a waiting-Man--Wrote at my Lecture til eleven. Ben sleeps at the Great-House in the absence of his _Papa_.

_Sat.u.r.day 11._