Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian Part 28

[189] Colonel John Tayloe.

_Fryday 15._

I got up a little before six & as it is very warm, I threw up the window to enjoy the Morning's fine salubrious Air--I saw a _Lady_--She was walking to the _Poplars_--She appeared small but walked genteel--She walked slow & looked on the ground--Her Dress look'd to be extremely good, but was only thrown carelessly on; She had a Silk shade thrown over her shoulders in which her hands were m.u.f.fled--I had the Idea in a moment of a Woman in some kind of Difficulty--But how can such a woman have been to Mr Carters & done Business, who was not there last night.?--It was Mrs _Oakly_--She has the Ague and was walking for the benefit of the _Morning Air_.--We are rid of two _troubles_ from this morning till Monday: for _Bob_ & _Nancy_ are gone to the Dancing School--They dance at Colonel Lee's--Two great troubles, indeed, for this hot weather I can hardly keep them in the Room, much less to any useful business--Please to excuse me from Dinner, says Mrs Carter, & retired to her Chamber--There appears in the North a black Cloud, where it Thunders--Send us a Shower in Mercy, bountiful Heaven, tho' our Sins deserve thy Frowns & Judgments.--The Cloud thickens. it rises--At last there comes a kind Shower--After the Rain about six Ben & I took a Ride for exercise, the Corn litterally looks glad--I have made a party, Says Mr Carter at Coffee, for a Trip by Water to morrow, Mr Fithian will you be one?--With all my heart Sir, if it is agreeable--We are to ride then to Mr _Atwels_ says he, & there enter my new Barge; with her we will go down the River Machodockin to Potowmack then up the Potowmack & enter the River Nomini, & up that River Home--

[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO JOHN PECK]

Nomini-Hall. July 15th. 1774.

SIR.

I have communicated your intention to Mr _Carter_; he begs you will by no Means disappoint him.

I wrote you a letter by the post early in June possibly it was lost, for either letters are lost, or you and the rest of my friends in _Jersey_ use me vastly ill, for I have not received a line since I have been in Virginia--You had better go into the school and acquaint yourself with the method of teaching, and procure some copper plate copies: I am by the goodness of heaven very well; I hope you will remember me to all friends at Princeton to relations and friends at Cohansie; desire _Charles_ to carry my _Homer_ to cohansie when he goes down in the vacancy; tell him I shall be at home if no unforeseen accident prevents by the last of october.

You had better provide yourself with recommendations from several, especially from Doctor Witherspoon, something of the kind will not be a hindrance, but may possibly at some J[u]ncture be of eminent Service.

I am, Sir, Yours, PHILIP V FITHIAN

Mr John Peck.

Na.s.sau-Hall

[JOURNAL]

_Sat.u.r.day 16._

The _Colonel_, _Ben_, & _myself_ rode on Horse-back about Six to Mr Atwels; four l.u.s.ty, hearty Men had gone on foot before who were Oarsmen: Here we were to enter a Boat never Rowed before, & proceed down the River Machodock to Mr _Carters_ Store-Houses which are now building near the mouth of that River--But I am going to venture upon a Description of a Scene which I am sure I shall not do Justice to--A Scetch of three Rivers--Their Beautiful Banks--Several Gentlemens Seats--Their commodious harbours--In particular that near which Mr _Carter_ is erecting Store-Houses--The whole is to be an account of our peregrination this 16th burning day of July 1774--With several remarks.--What a Crack of Thunder there was! I must run to the Window & view the Cloud--It is a small white remote Cloud in the North-West.

I am summoned to Coffee--Mrs _Carter_ gave us a Dish round--Amazing what a Flash of Lightning! how fast it rises!--Ben child, says the lovely Woman, take my Seat & fill out the Coffee. Please to excuse me; & She then retired up chamber--We finished our Coffee--The Gust came up, & to be sure I have seldom seen one more terable! Long, bright, forked bolts seemed to dart incessantly through the broken parts of the Cloud; some of them would appear perpendicular others horizontal, and some would split, & in a Moment seem to bespangle, with sparks of Fire, the whole Front of the Cloud! And these were continually succeeded with alarming alternate Cracks of Thunder!--It brings, however to the scorched Earth a plenteous needful Supply--By nine it is past, & opens a serene beautiful western Sky--I resume my Description.

I have said, that we rode on Horseback to Mr _Atwels_ where we were to go on board & have our Horses sent back. This House is called six Miles from the mouth of Machodock--It stands on the Bank of the River; The Boat that carried us is built for the purpose of carrying the young Ladies and others of the Family to Nominy Church--It is a light neat _Battoe_ elegantly painted & is rowed with four Oars--We went on board; The Sun beamed down upon us, but we had each an Umberella--The River is here about Gunshot over; the Banks are pretty low, but hard to the very Water--I was delighted to see Corn & Tobacco growing, or Cattle & Sheep feeding along the Brink of this River on both Sides, or else Groves of Pines, Savins & Oaks growing to the side of the Bank--We pa.s.sed by an elegant small Seat of Mr _Beal_;[190] it was small, but it was neat--We arrived at Mr _Carters Store-Houses_ in 50 minutes, they are 5 Miles from Mr _Atwels_, & one from Potowmack--These Houses are building for the reception of Iron, Bread, Flour &c. there are two Houses each 46 Feet long by 20.--They stand at the Bottom of a Bay which is a safe & s.p.a.cious harbour--Here we Breakfasted at ten.--At twelve we pushed of from thence & rowed by parson Smiths Glebe & in sight of his house in to the broad beautiful Potowmack--: I think it is here ten Miles or twelve over has a fine high hard Bank; no Marshes--but Cornfields, Trees, or Gra.s.s!--Up the lovely Water we were rowed six Miles in to the Mouth of Nominy--We went on Board a small Schooner from _Norfolk_ which lay in Nominy-Bay--Mr Carter is loading her with Flour & Iron--Here we were in Sight of Stratford, Colonel Lee's, Seat.--We were in Sight too of Captain Cheltons--And of Colonel Was.h.i.+ngtons Seat at Bushfield--From the Schooner we Rowed up Nominy-River--I have forgot to remark before that from the time of our setting out as we were going down Machodock, & along the Potowmack-Sh.o.r.e, & especially as we were rowing up Nominy we saw Fishermen in great numbers in Canoes, & almost constantly taking in Fish Ba.s.s & Perch--This was beautiful!--The entrance of Nomini is very shoal, & stony, the Channel is very narrow, & lies close to the Easternmost Side--On the edges of these shoals, or in Holes between the Rocks is plenty of Fish--The Banks of Nominy are steep and vastly high, twenty & thirty Feet, & in some places almost perpendicular; The Course of the River is crooked, & the prospects on each Side vastly romantic & diversified--We arrived at the Granary near Nominy-Hall about six--I went to my room to take off an Account of the expedition--When the Gust soon hindred.

[190] The Beales were a prominent family in Richmond and Westmoreland counties. Several members of this family had intermarried with the Carters. Robert Carter's uncle, Landon Carter of "Sabine Hall," had taken Elizabeth Beale as his third wife in 1746. Landon's son, Robert Wormeley Carter, married Winifred Beale, and Robert Wormeley's sister, Judith, married Reuben Beale.

_Sunday 17._

The Air this morning serene & cool--I do not go to Church. At last I have finished my Presbyterial pieces roughly they are to be reviewed & corrected; In the mean Time tho', (as Workman say) I must blow a little, for to be sure I am fatigued--Mr _Fithian_, says Mr _Carter_ at Dinner with a serious Air, you see we cannot with conveniency attend _Ucomico_ Church. If I should propose having prayrs read in the great Room on that vacant Day would you encourage & a.s.sist me?--I answered him that I was heartily agreed--You then, Sir, says he, may read the _prayrs_--& I will read the _Lessons_. The Afternoon extremely hot I could not leave my Room til the Sun had hid his flaming Place behind the Earth--Then I walked through the Garden--The whole Family seem to be now out Black, White, Male, Female, all enjoying the cool evening--

_Monday 18._

Pray Sir let all our Windows be put up, says Bob the Moment he came down from his chamber, & let the Doors be set open or we shall faint with Heat--Such a night I never spent before--The Heat says he, and these cursed Chinches made me intirely restless--I scribbled over a Letter to Mr _John Peck_, & one to Miss ... pray Mr Fithian says Nancy draw me a picture such as you drew for f.a.n.n.y last Week--At two, just before we sit Down to Dinner a Cloud appear'd in the West--Mrs Carter excused herself from Dinner; while we were dining the Cloud came over, very moderate tho' with plenty of Rain--It is now, says Mrs Carter at Coffee, cool enough, a fine fair evening, a Northerly breeze & lovely evening--Mrs Oakly came into my Room this evening--It was to take her leave; she is to leave us early tomorrow morning--Good night, said I to the little Woman, I wish you a safe pa.s.sage over the Rappahannock, & a pleasant journey home--I drew off as well as I could a rough plan of Nominy-Hall for Nancy.

_Teusday 19._

Nurse left us early this morning postilion Nat. carried her in a chair to the Ferry--The Day is fine cool enough--After School in the evening I rode out to a Corn-field, about a Mile & a half off, where I usually go for exercise, the Corn is beginning pretty generally to ta.s.sel, & I saw one hill in Silk, and in Blossom--To day I put _Harry_ into decimal Arithmetic--

_Wednesday 20._

Shut the Door, _Harriot_, says _f.a.n.n.y_ I I'm so cold I shake--indeed the morning is cool enough to sit with December clothes on!--I spent the little time I have for myself to Day in forming my Latin _Exegesis_--Mr _Taylor_ the head Overseer Dined with us--At _Coffee_ The Colonel & myself entered somehow into Dispute upon the advantage in working an Oar--He a.s.serted & tried to prove that the advantage lies in having the Oar longer from the _Thole-pin_ or where it lies on the Boat to the water, than from the _Thole-pin_ to the Rowers hand in a mathematical sense; He allow'd the Water to be the Fulcrum or Prop, & the Boat to be the weight, & the Rower to be a secondary Power--But the resistance of the Water to the Oar he call'd the chief & primary Power--

_Thursday 21._

Lazy Fellows! _Ben_, _Bob_, _Harry_, & _Myself_ all this Morning slept til near seven!--It was a sleepy Morning tho', for the Girls to give us countenance slept too--My Leisure time to Day is spent in forming my Latin Exegesis--Only just before the Sun went Down _Ben_ & I had our Horses & rode to our accustomed Resort the Corn-field, now many of the Hills are in Silk--We returned to Coffee--The Day has been very warm; the evening is light & pleasant, &, Thank, to our common, & bountiful Preserver, I am in good Health--

_Fryday 22._

My Exegesis goes on l.u.s.tily; I have finished three pages--Indeed Sir, says _Harry_ I cannot reduce 7s 6d into the decimal of a Pound Sterling--you must reduce 7s & 6d to pence; for a numerator; then you must reduce a Pound Sterling to Pence for a Denominator; this Numerator you divide by the denominator & the Quotient will be the Decimal sought--Well _Ben_ you & Mr _Fithian_ are invited by Mr Turberville, to a Fish feast to-morrow, said Mr Carter when we entered the Hall to Dinner--I am uncertain whether my Latinitas will not be a Shackle too heavy to allow me to favour his kind invitation.

_Sat.u.r.day 23._

_Priscilla_, & _f.a.n.n.y_, each presented me with a fine Jessamine Nosegay this morning--At eight I dismissed the School: _Ben_, _Bob_, & _Harry_ go to the _Fish-Feast_, I to making latin--While we were Dining a black turbulent Cloud came over from the West (I believe the Boys will commend my choice now) It rained, it Thundered hard, & continued exceeding stormy til after six in the Evening; I spent the Afternoon however in Quiet & to advantage--I am more & more pleased with my Situation. the Time draws nigh when I must enter on a new, & perhaps less agreable exercise--There were many at the River; the Boys tell me, among others Miss _Betsy Lee_--I do not, however, repent my having staid at Home--The Colonel shewed me some Powder which was made in _Frederick_ in this Province--It seems good--He charged a _Pistol_, it fired quick & strong--

_Sunday 24._

I lazy slept til seven--The Boys seem sick of their yesterdays Voyage--I rode to Nomini-Church--The Parson invited me home but we have company--Mr _Turberville_, _Mr Cunningham_, _George_ & _Lancelot Lee_ dined with us--After the ordinary Toasts we were call'd on to Toast Ladies: I gave Miss _Jenny Was.h.i.+ngton_--The Lee's came over to our School-Room I swear says George, there is no Devil!--There is no Devil, I swear!--He went on in such an impious, & at the same time whimsical & foolish manner, that I left the Room, and went over to Mr & Mrs Carter, with whom nothing is heard indecent or profane--After the Company were gone as we were walking near the Poplar Avenue, says Mrs Carter how sweet, & pure the Air is; how much the weather resembles September!--Indeed I think it feels like the fever & Ague!--_Bob_ in the Evening brought me Colonel Taylors[191]

compliments, who begs I will wait on him soon; He wants to know if I have provided a Tutor for Mrs _Thornton_ Mr _Leek_ told me something about coming, but not til next Spring, & I judge that Mrs Thornton will be impatient before that time--Do you now indeed, sincerely, in your Heart, Sir says Ben to me after we had retired to our Chamber, believe that there is a Devil?--For my part, tho' I made _George Lee_ think otherwise, I do not--I told him that it was universally allowed by writers of the greatest reputation for Learning and Religion in the established Church of England, whose Canons he profess'd to believe & adhere to--And that, if he would attend to my advice, he ought not to doubt its Reality.

[191] Colonel John Tayloe.

_Monday 25._

_Harry_ & _Bob_ go shrugging up their backs with their Coats b.u.t.toned about the School, first one then the other complaining of the cold--The Girls too, in their white Frocks, huddle close together for the benefit of warming each other, & look like a Flock of Lambs in the Spring--I wish they were half as innocent--I myself, after having added a Waistcoat, am notwithstanding disagreeably Cold--The air is clear, the wind strong from the West--I proceeded in my Latin Exegesis, & shall, I hope, shortly be through it--I gave to _Nancy_ at her Request, my Scetch of _Nominy-Hall_--I propose to take off one for myself--

_Teusday 26._

The morning cool enough--Order me a Horse & Chair, says the Colonel after Breakfast, for I must go to Westmoreland-Court--I piddled at my Exegessis, but (as they say here in Virginia) I did a mighty little--Priscilla after School invited me to ride with her, but I had preengaged to go on Board the _Harriot_; She now lies in Nominy about half a mile Distant--_Bob_ conducted me on board, She is a neat vessel, carries 1400 Bushels--_Bob_ strip'd & swam round us half an hour--Coffee; Well, Sir, says the Colonel at las I can treat you with several Letters--My heart jumped--A fine Repast indeed, valuable because exceeding rare! But shall I hear any thing from--_Laura_?--On this he gave me Letters from,

1. Rev'd Enoch Green, Dated Feb: 1774.

2. From Laura, Dated Feb: 13th 1774.

3. From John Peck Dated Na.s.sau Hall July 2. 1774 4. From John Peck dated Feb: 25th 1774.

5. From the Revd: Andrew Hunter, dated Cohansie June 24th. 1774.

6. From Andrew Hunter Junr: Dated June 24th. 1774. Cohansie.

7. From Mr James Ewing, Dated Bridge-town July 7th. 1774.

For these Letters I paid--12s 5d--Pennsylvania Currency, & I am very proud of my Bargain--