Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian: A Plantation Tutor of the Old Dominion, 1773-1774.. Fithian Philip Vickers
1773.
Revd Sir.
I am sorry that I may inform you of the dissattisfaction which my friends in general since my return home seem to discover, with my intention of going this fall to Virginia. However willing I am myself to accept the proposal and go, it will not be easy to break through the entreaties of those who are my neares[t] relations, and who have all along, with the warmest friendship interested themselves to procure my welfare. I do not intend by any means, abruptly to decline the fulfilling my agreement, but only desire to know, if there are not some to be found among the late Seniors who would willingly discharge me by accepting the offer themselves. If not I have only further to beg, that you would be pleased, Revd Sir, to favour me with the proposal of the gentleman; and so soon as there is a return from him, I shall be glad to know the time when I must leave home;
I am Revd Sir, with great respect your humble Servt
P. S. Letters come safe sent by the princeton stage, and directed to me at Greenwich.
To Laura.
As an old Sinner, who has been long accustomed to Mishief, cannot bear to think of quitting his much-loved Practice; so I, from Time to Time, with few Returns, am intruding my Epistles upon you.
I have just been reading Yorrick's celebrated Letters to Eliza: They are familiar – They are plain – They are beautiful. I love Eliza, from the admirable Description he has given of her: But possibly he has been wholly romantic; & only painted the Woman he could love; or, if has given his own candid Sentiments, & described that Woman in Truth; There is in America an Eliza I would venture, from Yorricks own Picture, to set against it; & let Yorrick himself be Judge, should I venture never so largely, I am sure I should succeed —
I was, yesterday, at Deerfield, & heard News enough – I was told that a civil, good looking Gentleman; who had been lately from N – n, told them he saw me there with you – That I was wild, & noisy – He thinks I shall make a damn'd droll Figure in a Pulpit, with Powdered-Hair; a long Cue; & deep Ruffles! – I fancy myself it would appear odd! – I was told there also every Circumstance of our Ride from Princeton to N – n. Of my being with your Brother in Philadelphia as I went up, & returned – Of almost the whole of my Company & Conduct while in Town.
It is something curious, tho' by no Means troublesome, that every part of my Behaviour, is in whatever Place I go, so circumstantially inspected. – I shall suppress all I heard of you, only that you are soon to be married, & I should not have mentioned this, but that I might let you know it was told in Triumph to dash me! – Yet if it had wounded my Soul I would have sustained & concealed the Pain, to outbrave such Insolence! I cannot help, however, when I am alone in my Chamber, reflecting on the Danger of the Impropriety I may possibly be guilty of in thus continuing my Intimacy with you.
But I turn it all off with a Smile, &, if the Report be true, with a Wish, in the Language of the Poet Walter to a Lady of his Acquaintance "That you may possess all your Wishes, as to earthly Happiness & Comfort, in the Society of him whom you have preferr'd to the rest of Men; & that you may feel as much for him, of that Anxiety which arises from Esteem, as others have felt for you" – I am going, next Month to Virginia, unless the Remonstrances of my Relations prevail with me to decline it.
But on I go little thinking how much I may incur your Censure by writing so freely, & so long – O Laura, I wish most ardently, that I could with Propriety, from the present Moment, spend all my hours near your Person. – They would then, with their purple Wings, fly along through the Sorrows, & Tumults of Life, wholly unnoticed.
Laura, yours
Dr Sir.
I am very sorry that I cannot answer your letter so much to your satisfaction as I could desire. Doctor Witherspoon is gone to New-England to the convention and is not expected home 'till the latter end of this week – he received no account from Virginia before he went from home. You may trust that I will let you know when ever I can hear any thing related to your prospect of going to the southward.
Mr Imlay[37] is gone from College and is not expected back 'till near commencement, however I have talked with some of his acquaintances, and they say he expects to go.
I would have the spelling of your name corrected, but the catalogue is sent off, and I suppose by this time is in the press. I must thank you for the good news you give me concerning the young lady's health.
I was very uneasy about the account we heard before you left princeton.
We go on pretty well in College, but I hope we shall have two or three of the possessed swine turned off when the Doctor comes home.
Do write me every week and give what news you can.
I am, Sir,
Your friend.
Wednesday Sept: 8.
Received a Letter from Mr Hunter – No News from Princeton – Nor Virginia – Evening Mr Paterson came home with Uncle.[38]
To Laura.
I hope the World is using you very well, & that you enjoy yourself in Contentment; & the Society of your Friends with Pleasure. The Reason of my saying this, is, because many People here are often enquiring about you; Where you live? How you do? When you will return? The Cause of your Absence? – And forty other things that none knows, or ought to speak of, but yourself.
You inform me that you propose to be at the approaching Commencement: It will not be in my Power, with any Convenience, to go – I can, however, give you a Caution; Let not Pity so much affect you, nor Fear so much alarm you, as again, (you remember last Fall) to excite Tears in your Eyes, or one sorrowful Ake in your Breast, if any of Nassau's bold Sons shall attempt once more, to support their Right by suppressing Impertinence & Violence.
There are many going from Philada &, I am told, some Ladies of Note & Eminence – There are many expected from the Southern Colonies – And, because of the Connexions, many from York, & the New-England Goverments. The Assembly, no Doubt, will be large, & splendid – And I hope the Exercises may be worthy their Attention & Approbation. Nothing hinders my being there but only my Purpose of going soon to the Southward.
I may not omitt telling you that – Smith as we were returning Home, pitied you from his Heart; An agreeable, & sensible young Lady, separated from genteel Society, & prisoned in a Room in the Woods, in the Midst of an unpleasant Country, like a penitent Virgin conscious of her Sins, voluntarily retiring to a lonely Monastary! – But he forgot, Laura, that infelt Peace, makes us always happy, even tho' our Circumstances be apparently distressful.
I am, Eliza, yours
Wednesday. Sept: 15.
Rose at seven; slept but little for I was affraid – Breakfasted on Oysters, at the Ferry-Mans, with John Holmes, Esq: – Had an Hours Conversation with him, on Lotteries – Whether they are just & lawful – He thinks not – At ten we came up to his Brother Benjamin Holmes's Esq: – They mentioned to me an Intention they have to erect, & establish a School, among them, that their Children may be taught, Latin, Greek, & the Practical Branches in Mathematicks – They desired to know if it would be convenient, & agreeable for me to undertake with them, to prosecute their Plan. But I must, with Doubt, away to Virginia– It would be a laudable undertaking if such a School could be founded in this Part of our Province; & I think ought to be duely encouraged —
I left Mr Holmes's about twelve,
William Eugene Imlay was graduated at Princeton in 1773. Cf. Williams, ed.,
Probably Samuel Fithian, the brother of Philip's father. Philip refers to him as "Uncle Fithian" on other occasions.