Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian: A Plantation Tutor of the Old Dominion, 1773-1774.. Fithian Philip Vickers
which all our company dispersed; I had the offer of a Horse, & was strongly solicited to go to Church, but I declined it – My Horse is very lame, his Thigh, from the sore down to his knee is much swell'd! – It runs however, and the Hostler tells me it is mending. Dined at three; Miss Betsy Lee[100] dined with us – Writing to day my Sermon for the Presbitery. Sup'd on Oysters.
This is the first day I have missed Church.
Monday 20.
Rose at half after Seven; the Morning extremely cold – We had in School to Day as visitors Miss Betsy, and Miss Matilda Lee[101] Mr Carter gave me for his Daughter Nancy to Read, the "Compleat Letter-writer" – Also he put into my hands for the use of the School, "the British-Grammar."
Teusday 21.
Rose by Half after seven – the weather serene but sharp and cold. – To day, before Dinner called in and stayed a short time Mr Blain and Mr Lee who were going to one Mr Lanes[102] to a Christning, which I understand is one of the chief times for Diversion here – Miss Carter, this afternoon told me that her Mama thought of giving a small Ball at the approaching Christmas for select friends.
To Laura.
If these shall be so fortunate, as to come to your Hands, I beg leave to acquaint you that I am as agreeably settled as I can possibly be when so remote from the chief object of my Esteem on Earth – And, that I am, & have been, since I left Home, through the Kindness of Heaven, in good Health.
You will be surprized if I tell you that I should have been now in Cohansie, had I never seen you, or had you been less uncertain of your future Purpose! That you may not be wholly without a Reason for what I say, I must tell you, that in your Absence last Summer I found it difficult to restrain myself from Writing frequently to you; And after I was compell'd, tho' unwilling, to believe that you would grant me no Return; lest I should be troublesome or impertinent, when I had an advantageous Offer from the Gentleman with whom I now reside, I determined to leave Home a few Months. So far I have jested – But to be serious, Laura, I hope to see you in the Spring as I propose to be at Home by the Beginning of May – Perhaps the fine Air; the sprightly Conversation; the sociable Balls; & various Pleasures so common here, will have made so very a "Coxcomb" of musty Philander, that you will blush to confess you ever knew him! Be not hasty to judge – Possibly, on the other Hand, Laura; even Laura, may appear so dull & unfashionable that Philander tho' a Coxcomb will look down & despise her – No Laura, for tho, we have fine Ladies; Gay Fellows, charming Music; rich & I may say luxurious Entertainment; to all which I am almost every Week strongly invited; Yet I find greater Pleasure at Home, where I have every genteel Accomodation I could wish, and a Family of lovely Children to instruct – You would envy me if I was able to tell you how kind, obedient, & beautiful the Children are which I teach! – I have three Boys the youngest of which is about the Age & Size of your Brother R – Also five Girls between five & fourteen years Old. The Girls all dress in White, & are remarkably genteel. They have been educated in the City Williamsburg in this Colony – The two eldest are now learning Music, one to play the Harpsichord; the other the Guittar, in the practice of which they spend three Days in the Week – I have only further to acquaint you that every one is now speaking of the approaching Christmas. – The young Ladies tell me we are to have a Ball, of selected Friends in this Family – But I, hard Lot, I have never learn'd to dance!
I am, however, my dear Eliza, thine
Wednesday 22.
Mr Cunningham came last Evening and staid the Night. – There is a Report that he is making suit to Miss Jenny Corbin.
To day I finished my Sermon for the Presbitery – I read Pictete, The Spectator, Salust, History of England, English Grammar, Arithmetic, and the Magazines by turns. Miss Priscilla, and Miss Nancy rode this morning in the Chariot over to Mr Turburvills– Bob, every day at twelve o-Clock, is down by the River Side with his Gun after Ducks, Gulls &c. – Ben is on his Horse a Riding, Harry, is either in the Kitchen, or at the Blacksmiths, or Carpenters Shop. They all find places of Rendesvous so soon as the Beell rings, and all seem to choose different Sports! – To day dined with us Mr Cox the Gentleman at whose House I breakfasted the Day after I came first. – Evening Mr Carter spent in playing on the Harmonica; It is the first time I have heard the Instrument. The music is charming! He play'd, Water parted from the Sea.[103]– The Notes are clear and inexpressibly Soft, they swell, and are inexpressibly grand; & either it is because the sounds are new, and therefore please me, or it is the most captivating Instrument I have Ever heard. The sounds very much resemble the human voice, and in my opinion they far exceed even the swelling Organ.
Thursday 23.
Rose at eight – Rains this morning, the weather is also warmer. Mr Carter has sent his son Ben to his head Overseer, to take notice and account of the measuring the Crop of Corn – For the Planters now have just gathered in their Summers Crop! – To Day I write a letter to Laura: Waft it, kind Oppertunity, soon to the dear Maid, and Make it easy, & desirable for her to make me a Return! —
At Dinner Mr & Mrs Carter gave their opinion concerning what they thought pleasing and agreeable in a person; Mrs Carter said she loved a sociable open, chatty person; that She could not bear Sullenness, and stupidity – Mr Carter, on the other-hand, observed that it is just which Solomon says, that there is a "time for all things under the Sun"; that it discovers great Judgment to laugh in Season, and that, on the whole, he is pleased with Taciturnity – pray which of the two should I suit? – It is a custom with our Bob whenever he can coax his Dog up stairs, to take him into his Bed, and make him a companion; I was much pleased this morning while he and Harry were reading in Course a Chapter in the Bible, that they read in the 27th Chapter of Deuteronomy the Curses threatened there for Crimes; Bob seldom, perhaps never before, read the verse, at last read that "Cursed be he that lyeth with any manner of Beast, and all the People shall say Amen." I was exceedingly Pleased, yet astonished at the Boy on two accounts. – 1st At the end of every verse, befor he came to this, he would pronounce aloud, "Amen." But on Reading this verse he not only omitted the "Amen," but seem'd visibly struck with confusion! – 2d And so soon as the Verse was read, to excuse himself, he said at once, Brother Ben slept all last winter with his Dog, and learn'd me! – Thus ready are Mankind always to evade Correction! – This Evening, after I had dismiss'd the Children, & was sitting in the School-Room cracking Nuts, none present but Mr Carters Clerk, a civil, inoffensive, agreeable young Man, who acts both in the character of a Clerk and Steward, when the Woman who makes my Bed, asked me for the key of my Room, and on seeing the young Man sitting with me, she told him that her Mistress had this afternoon given orders that their Allowance of Meat should be given out to them to-morrow. – She left us; I then asked the young man what their allowance is? He told me that excepting some favourites about the table, their weekly allowance is a peck of Corn, & a pound of Meat a Head! – And Mr Carter is allow'd by all, & from what I have already seen of others, I make no Doubt at all but he is, by far the most humane to his Slaves of any in these parts! Good God! are these Christians? – When I am on the Subject, I will relate further, what I heard Mr George Lees Overseer, one Morgan, say the other day that he himself had often done to Negroes, and found it useful; He said that whipping of any kind does them no good, for they will laugh at your greatest Severity; But he told us he had invented two things, and by several experiments had proved their success. – For Sulleness, Obstinacy, or Idleness, says he, Take a Negro, strip him, tie him fast to a post; take then a sharp Curry-Comb, & curry him severely til he is well scrap'd; & call a Boy with some dry Hay, and make the Boy rub him down for several Minutes, then salt him, & unlose him. He will attend to his Business, (said the inhuman Infidel) afterwards! – But savage Cruelty does not exceed His next
Probably Elizabeth Lee, daughter of John Lee of Essex County, a nephew of Thomas Lee of "Stratford."
Matilda Lee was the daughter of Philip Ludwell Lee of "Stratford." She later married "Light Horse Harry" Lee.
One Joseph Lane was a prominent planter in Westmoreland County at this time.
This song occurs in an opera,