Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian Part 36

Nomini-Hall Octr: 18th: 1774.

FOR MR LOWE.

Ben: Carter's compliments with mine wait on you this morning, and beg your company with us to day to dine, if it be convenient.

We also present our compliments and the same request to Mr Fantleroy.

I should not have ventured to encroach upon your hours of business, but as Mr Peck, the gentleman who succeeds me in this family arrived last sat.u.r.day so that I propose to set out tomorrow and should be glad to see you before I leave Virginia.

I am, Sir, Your most humble Servt.

P V FITHIAN.

[JOURNAL]

_Wednesday 19._

Mr Lowe & Fantleroy left us early But I agreed to stay till tomorrow--I gave to Nelson on going away 2/2--To Miss Sally the House-Keeper 5/.--

_Thursday 20._

I rose by three, & left Home by half after four--Gave Nelson & Dennis half a Bit a piece--rode thence to Westmoreland Court House ten Miles by half after six--Fed my Horse & drank some Brandy--Expence a Bit--Rode thence to Mattox Bridge 18 miles--Fed here three quarts of Bran & Corn for a Bit--The b.l.o.o.d.y-Flux is now extremely bad in this Neighbourhood--I am told that scarce a Family is clear of it, & of every family some die!--Rode thence to _Tylers_ Ferry 8 miles the road extremely dry & dusty--At two I set off for Maryland, the wind fresh at South East arrived at Mrs Laidlers by five Ferriage 7/6 I gave the Ferrymen a Bottle of Rum--Here I dined on fryed Chicken, Ham, with good Porter--Accomodations good--I[n] Bed by half after Seven--

_Fryday 21._

Directly over my Room was a sick Woman that kept a dismal groaning all night--My window-Shutters Clapt the Potowmack howl'd, yet I Slept--My Bill at Mrs Laidlers--A Bottle of Porter 2/. Dinner 1/3 Bed./6d--Bottle of Rum for Ferrymen 1/3--Gallon Oats./8d--Stable & Foder 1/.--A smart looking Girl at Mrs Laidlers made me smile--She was complaining to me of the unhealthy Climate, that these three months past she has had a constant Ague & Fever, & been in the Country only six months--Pray Miss said I did you come from Britain?--No Sir, I came from London--Rode thence to Port-Tobacco--It has been extremely sickly here this Fall--Bill to Barber 1s/8--Breakfast 1/--Hay and Oats 1/3--Mrs Halkinson my Landlady, a poor aged, distress'd Widow, when she found that I was acquainted with her little son at Princeton, seemed a little to revive; she beg'd me to encourage her Son to be diligent & industrious, to caution & admonish him from h[er] against bad company & wicked practices--She told me of her great & sore loss of an only Daughter, a young woman of 15 this Summer, since which, she told me in tears, that She has been a stranger to health & Quiet--O relentless Death!--How universal & severe are thy Commissions! From Mrs Laidlers to Port Tobacco is called 13 miles--I rode thence thro' a fog of Dust to Piscatua 14 miles. The Landlady here is very ill--That dismal disorder the b.l.o.o.d.y-Flux has been extremely bad at Port-Tobacco, & in the Neighbourhood of this town, but is subsided--Expence here half a Gill of Brandy./3d--Oats & Fodder./6d--Left this Village half after four, and rode to upper-Marlborough, almost blinded with sweat & dust!--Arrived by seven, a little tired this Evening--Distance 16 Miles--Whole distance yesterday including the Ferry 8 miles 44 Miles--Whole Expence 8/7--That epidemical distemper above mentioned has been likewise raging in the Neighbourhood of this Town--Bill at Marlborough To Tea 1/3--To lodging ./8--To Oats 1/1--To stabling 1/.--

_Sat.u.r.day 22._

Rode thence to Patuxen Ferry 4 mile Ferriage./6d--Thence to South River 12 miles, Ferriage./6d--To Boy ./4--Thence to Annapolis 4 miles--Bill here To Dinner & Club 4/6--To Hay & Oats 1/3--To two Silver watch Seals 15/6 To half Gallon Rum for Ferryman 2/6--To Hay for Horse /8--To Barber 1/--Left Annapolis at 6 no wind returned about 8 to the Coffee-House To Ferriage across the Bay 17/6--

_Sunday 23._

Teusday evening last the people of this Town & of Baltimore obliged one Anthony Stewart a Merchant here to set fire to a Brig of his lately from London in which was 17 Chests of Tea--The People seem indeed to be full of patriotic Fire--Second Bill at Annapolis--Supper 1/6--Lodging ./9 Hay 1/3--2 Gallons Oats 1/6--Articles for the Voyage 4/.--Landed about 5 at Kent-Island,[208] rode thence to a small Ferry for Oats & Ferriage 1/.--thence we rode to Queens Town 15 miles[209]--Bill there 5/2

[208] Kent Islands, Maryland.

[209] Queenstown, Queen Anne County, Maryland.

_Monday 24._

Rode from Queens Town over a low levil Country 7 miles to a small Tavern--Breakfasted 1/7 rode thence by a small Town call'd Churchill--thence to the Head of Chester River 22 miles here I dined my Company gone to the Chester Races which happen to morrow--Expence 2/4 Rode thence to Warwick 12 miles My Horses feet swell this Evening

_Teusday 25._

Bill at Warwick--supper 1/3--Oats./8--Stable Hay & Lodging 2/.--Gla.s.s of Wine Bitters./4--Rode thence to Port Penn 15 miles expence there 1/7--Ferriage 5/.--Arrived once more by G.o.ds Kindness in New-Jersey among my friends & relations I found many of my Acquaintances have gone off the Stage Uncle _Seeley_; _Damon James_; Mrs _Reeve_; _James Boyd_; & several others--And many are Sick--Our Family through divine Goodness are in Health.--

[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO ELIZABETH BEATTY]

Greenwich Novem: 30: 1774.

TO LAURA.

--The Widow left the Room after begging that I would stay to Coffee--I was seated near the Toilet on which Miss had thrown her Piece of Drawing.--I viewed it, She saw me, & began a fine Apology--That her Situation is so lonely, being out of the Way of Entertainment by Company!--That Music & Drawing are her chief & necessary Amus.e.m.e.nts--That She was glad of the Opportunity of an Hours Conversation even of an utter Stranger--That She came to America about the 20th: of last May, with a Brother who is since returned--That her Aunt is desirious She may stay in Mary-land & be a Companion and Intimate with her--That since July She has had the Ague and Fever, which had left her only a few Days--And, said She, I want very much to up to Philada:--I heard all this with great Attention & Patience;--When She had finished her Story, I asked her in turn several Questions which she answered with Propriety, & the greatest Apparent Frankness--Til She came to the Answer which I have before set down, then I smil'd--You came then from Britain, Miss--No Sir, I came from London!--Fearing a Proposal to wait on her down to Annapolis, & thence to Philadelphia, the moment I had drank two Dishes of Coffee, which was a few Minutes before Sunset I mounted & rode twenty Miles--

Do you know Mr ---- who lodged at Mrs ---- in Philada said P.---- to me as we were sitting together in the Parlour this rainy Afternoon, she sewing at a Lawn Wrist-band, & I pouting over Watts's Logic--Yes, Madam, I have some Acquaintance with him--And he knows Miss ---- said She, I saw him last Spring at Mr A---- She had sometime before told him that you was remarkably & impertinently intimate with Miss Beatty--That She herself, & Miss Beatty both had disapproved of your Conduct, & had by themselves, agreed to inform you of their Sentiments & to advise you to enter upon a different Behaviour--She told him that She had at last prevailed over you so far as to declare to her that you would never make any further Addresses to Miss ---- because She had a few Days before made a pointed and ill-natured Remark upon your going to Virginia--And pray Madam, did you believe such Trash--? But Trash or Substance it makes me feel grave--I was to Day looking over my Papers & saw Something Apropos, if I can turn to it presently you shall have it--It is an Extract from my Virginia Journal.

I have heard lately some very dull Stories, & am consequently in a very dull gloomy kind of Humour--Every Day I am expecting a more vigorous Feeling--Perhaps it will come tomorrow, but today I must tell you that my Feeling accords precisely with what I have recorded of myself last March.

--Virginia.

_Teusday March 22. 1774._

--In spite of all my strongest opposing Efforts my Thoughts dwell on that Vixen Laura--I strive to refuse them Admission, or harbour them in my Heart, yet like hidden Fire they introduce themselves, & sieze & overcome me, when perhaps I am pursuing some favorite Study, amusing or useful, or giving Directions to my little lovely Charge--

I had an Invitation to go to night to hear Mr Worth, a Baptist Minister preach; Polley, Salley, Ruth, Sister, Dr King were to be along-- But it storms, & has been storming all Day so violently that I have not dared yet to venture myself so far as the Stable to see my Horse--Nature is like your Pulse Laura; There is a constant Succession of black & white, Pain & Ease, Good & Evil--Yesterday was as fair, & to Day as directly the contrary as ever I saw two--Had you ever a Swellyng on your Finger--? It throbb'd--The Pain came & went by turns--This is not my Thought, I stole it from Mr Addison--He tells us of the Conversation & Behaivour of the great Socrates the morning he was to die. "When his Fetters were knocked off, being seated in the midst of his Scholars, and laying one of his Legs over the other in a very unconcerned Posture, he began to rub it where it had been galled by the Iron: And willing to improve every Oppertunity of instructing them he observed the Pleasure of that Sensation which now arose in those very Parts of his Leg that just before had been so much pained by the Fetter. Upon this he reflected on the Nature of Pleasure & Pain in General that they constantly succeed each other"--If you are curious you may read the whole beautiful Story of their Alliance & Marriage in the Spect: No: 183.

We poor earthly Creatures are, as to fortune & Feeling, exactly like the Nails in a turning Wheel, to Day up, to morrow Down--Always either sinking or rising. I have been descending for several Days, & am this very Moment down on the cold Earth in which lowly Posture I sincerely tell you I am in good or evil Fortune--fortune kind or cross.

forever yours PHILIP. V. FITHIAN.

[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO ELIZABETH BEATTY]

Greenwich Decem: 1. 1774.

TO LAURA.

--"From a Settlement made May 12: 1774 there appears a Balance due from Laura of N. n to Lucius, fifteen Letters & a Visit; the whole to be paid on or before the 20th: of Novem. next ensuing--Which Payment if not well & truely made by the said Laura, within the Time above limited, then the said Lucius is, & by these Presents shall be now & forever possest of the full Liberty of siezing, destraining, or taking any or every Part of the said Delinquents Goods & Chattels, & disposing of the same, as he shall think proper til the said Balance be made up--And in Case there shall be failure of Effects, then it is & Shall be lawful for the said Lucius to take under his immediate Direction the Person of the said Laura--

This 1. Day of Decem: on which I am examining a little into my Accompts is the 11:Day since the Time of Payment allow'd to that young Lady is fully expired--"Curse not the King, said Solomon, in thy Bed-Chamber, not even in thy Heart"--Why? "The Birds of the Air will tell it."--Very fine, this! Bring Scrippture among your Pounds, s.h.i.+llings, & Pence--Very fine, young black Coat--Don't be too fast, Madam, I've got a Gown on, & my Hair is cu'd--On the 4: of July 1774.

about three in the Afternoon, I was sitting alone in my Chamber, in Virginia, thinking--Among many other Conclusions I remember well, it was determined in my mind that this same Laura who is now so much in my Debt, is actually worth 50,000 Sterling, pr Annum--Where is the Impropriety then, of my mentioning Solomon's Advice?--Does it now hurt your Conscience, Madam?--

If you can have Patience, I will tell you, from my Virginia Journal the true Cause of that Conclusion.

--Monday. July 4th: 1774.

"Miss Nancy Carter, at Dinner, informed us that Miss Lee, a young Lady from Richmond is now at Mr Turberville's, & she begg'd that her Brother, & I would go in the Evening & invite her here--We consented, & after School took Horses & rode on our Errand; Besides Miss Lee, we found Capt: Turberville, his Lady, Daughter, & several young Gentlemen.

After the Ceremony of Introduction, & our Devoirs were over, we took Seats, in a Cool Hall where the Company were sitting;--All when we entered were smiling at young Mr ---- who had been gathering Mulberries, & stained his Ruffle--The Attention of the Company being wholly taken up with him, I had the Oppertunity 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 Lee, I am told, is now entering her 20th Year; She is handsome. Her Eyes are exactly such as _Homer_, attributes to the G.o.ddess _Minrva_; and her Arms resemble those which the same Poet allows to _Juno_--Her Hair is a dark leaden Colour; & was c.r.a.ped & knotted up very high, & in it neatly-woven, a Ribband, with a Sprig of green Jessamine--She wore a light Chintz Gown, very fine, with a blue Stamp, eligantly, & fas.h.i.+onably made, & which set well upon her--In one word, her Dress was neat & genteel; her Behaivour such as I should expect to find in a Lady whose Education had been conducted with Care & Skill, & her Person, abstracted from the Embellishments of Dress & Good-Breeding, not much above the Generality of Women.

What made me desirous to see, and curious to examine this young Lady, was a Sentence that was dropt yesterday by a respectable Person in our Family, intimating a Desire that I may, on seeing Miss Lee, after having known, by Report, her faultless Character, be so far pleased with her Person, as to try to make her mine, & settle in this Colony--That kind Person who is for making me happy by setling 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 it is the Pleasure of Providence, that I am to continue for any Length of Time in the World.