Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian Part 34

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--

[Ill.u.s.tration: man with telescope]

_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 a.s.sembled--And when Women were to be toasted, I gave Miss _Jenny Was.h.i.+ngton_.--

_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 Na.s.sau Hall--

[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO MR. LARKIN RANDALL]

[Nomini Hall. September 28 (?) 1774]

MR RANDALL.

You will please to acquaint Mr Rigmaiden[205] 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.

[205] 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.

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 p.r.o.nounce 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, princ.i.p.al 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 12d 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.

[JOURNAL]

_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!

[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 dest.i.tute of candour and grat.i.tude 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

[JOURNAL]

_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 coa.r.s.e & 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.

_Sat.u.r.day 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/.

_Sunday 2._

Parson Smith is out of the Parish so that we have no service--With _Ben_ I rode to Mr _Was.h.i.+ngtons_. 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.--

_Monday 3._

I gave Tom the Hostler, for his care of my Horse 3s--After Breakfast the Colonel settled & paid me for my Years Service 40 Sterling--This is better than the scurvy annuity commonly allowed to the Presbyterian Clergy--He is very Busy in adjusting his affairs, he set out however, by twelve for Williamsburg, after taking final leave of me--_Ben_ accompanies him to Richmond Court--Afternoon Miss Corbin & Miss Turberville came in to stay a while with Mrs _Carter_. Bob went yesterday to Mr Lanes there was Parson _Gibbern_ ill of his last weeks Bout; he was up three nights successively drinking & playing at Cards, so that the liquor & want of sleep put quite out of his Sences--A rare tale this to relate of a Man of G.o.d!--To use the language of the vulgar, "Old Satan will sadly belabour such overgrown Sinners"!--

_Teusday 4._

Dined with us Mrs Turberville and Miss _Letty_ we were all Tete a Tete, vastly merry & garrulous--I gave Nelson for a Stirrup Buckle a Bit--I am preparing my Saddle. Cloth's, Bags, Horse, & myself for the intended Ride--

_Wednesday 5._

Dined with us Mr Taylor, he informs us that the crops of Tobacco are like to be good--Evening I wrote a Letter to Mrs Thornton Northumberland, concerning Mr Leek's coming into her Family as a Tutor--I had a fine walk with the young Ladies through the Pasture--They make me proud by expressing much concern at my necessary Departure, throwing out many Wishes that I would continue with them--

[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO MRS CHARLOTTE THORNTON]

Nomini Hall. Octr. 5th. 1774.

MADAM.

I saw Mr Leek last Spring, and, as directed by Colonel Taylor,[206] I enquired if he would undertake the education of several children in this Colony: he seem'd willing, but would make no promise, nor enter into any agreement til he is fully instructed as to the number and standing of his pupils, the conditions of the agreement, and time when he is to begin.

[206] Colonel John Tayloe.