Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian: A Plantation Tutor of the Old Dominion, 1773-1774.. Fithian Philip Vickers

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СКАЧАТЬ of the whole House – It is a custom here whenever any person or Family move into a House, or repair a house they have been living in before, they make a Ball & give a Supper – So we because we have gotten Possession of the whole House, are in compliance with Custom, to invite our Neighbours, and dance, and be merry – But poor me! I must hobble, or set quiet in the Corner!

      Fryday 31.

      I rose at eight. Ben gone again to the quarter —Harriot to Day for the first time said all her letters —

      The Colonel shewed me after Dinner a new invention, which is to be sure his own, for tuning his Harpischord & Forte-Piano: it is a number of Whistles, of various Sizes so as to sound all the Notes in one Octave. At twelve o-Clock Mr Carter ordered his Boy to bring two Horses, and himself & Miss Prissy rode out for an airing as the Day is vastly fine – Assoon as the Bell rang & I had dismissed the Children I took a walk in the Garden; When I had gone round two or three Platts Mrs Carter entered and walked towards me, I then immediately turn'd and met Her; I bowed – Remarked on the pleasantness of the Day – And began to ask her some questions upon a Row of small slips – To all which she made polite and full answers; As we walked along she would move the Ground at the Root of some plant; or prop up with small sticks the bended scions– We took two whole turns through all the several Walks, & had such conversation as the Place and Objects naturally excited – And after Mrs Carter had given some orders to the Gardiners (for there are two Negroes Gardiners by Trade, who are constantly when the Weather will any how permit working in it) we walked out into the Area viewed some Plumb-Trees, when we saw Mr Carter and Miss Prissy returning – We then repaired to the Slope before the front-Door where they dismounted – and we all went into the Dining Room. I shall in a proper time describe the great-House, & the several smaller ones in its neighbourhood; the Area, Poplar-Walk, Garden, & Pasture: In the mean time I shall only say, they discover a delicate and Just Tast, and are the effect of great Invention & Industry, & Expence. At Dinner we were conversing on the seasons of the Year, & giving our different opinions of which of the Seasons we each thought most agreeable: Mrs Carter chose the Months of October, November & December, her reasons were, that we are always most sensible of pleasure when it succeeds Axiety & Pain; therefore because these months immediately follow those in which there is usually Thunder & Lightning & intense Heat, She thinks them most pleasant: The Colonel agreed with her as to the Months but gave a different Reason; He supposes that in these Months the Air is more uniform and settled than at any other so long time in the year. I preferr'd May, June, and July, because our Bodies at that Season are generally sprightly, vigorous and healthy, and the world around us is beautiful & growing to necessary perfection. Miss Prissy & Miss Nancy were on my side.

      Mrs Carter told the Colonel that he must not think her setled (for they have been for a long time from this place in the City Williamsburg, and only left it about a year and a half ago) till he made her a park and stock'd it; while these and many other things were saying, I was surprized at a Remark which Miss Prissy made, "Why Mama says she, you plan and talk of these things as tho' you should never die"!

      Saturday January 1. 1774.

      Another Year is gone! Last New years Day I had not the most remote expectation of being now here in Virginia! Perhaps by the next I shall have made a longer and more important Remove, from this to the World of Spirits!

      It is well worth the while, for the better improving of our time to come to recollect and reflect upon the Time which we have spent; The Season seems to require it; it will give entertainment at least, perhaps much substantial pleasure too, to be able to make with a considerable degree of certainty a review of the general course of our Actions in the course of a year. This shall be my employment, so far as I am able to recollect, when I shall have suitable time for the fixing & laying my thoughts together —

      In the mean time I observe that the Day is most pleasant, the wind is West, not fresh; the air is void of clouds, but near the Earth is smoky; the Ground is clear of Frost and setled, what can be finer? Mr Carter Miss Prissy and myself were to have rode out for an Exercise at twelve, but we were prevented by the coming of a Gentleman, Dr Fantleroy,[108] to whom Mr Carter introduced me —

      After Dinner was finished which was about four o-Clock, Miss Prissy & Myself, together with a Servant (for Mr Carter would not trust us alone he said) rode on Horse-Back to Mr Turbuvilles, about three quarters of a Mile distance; It is the first time I have been there, the House is near, & in Sight, and the families intimate. I rode my Horse for the first time since his misfortune. When we returned about Candlelight, we found Mrs Carter in the yard seeing to the Roosting of her Poultry; and the Colonel in the Parlour tuning his Guitar.

      Sunday 2.

      The weather warm and Damp – The Family rode to Church to-day and are to dine out. Mr Carter at my request, gave me the Keys of his Book-Cases and allowed me to spend the Day alone in his Library.

      The place seems suitable for Study, & the Day ought to be spent in serious contemplation; therefore, as I proposed Yesterday, I shall collect together and write down what I have been doing in the last Year. But will my Life bear the review? Can I look upon my Actions and not Blush! And shall I be no less careful, or have no better Success, in the prosecution of my Duty the Year to come, if I shall be kept alive to the Close of it? —

      In the Beginning of the last year I was in Deerfield, in Cumberland County New-Jersey, with the Rev'd Mr Green; Under him I studied the Hebrew-Language and Divinity. I left the college the last of September 1772. After having setled my business at Home, I entered upon the Study of Divinity with the Rev'd Andrew Hunter; I was with him about a Month, and on the first of December I went to Mr Green with a design to acquaint myself with the Hebrew Tongue; he put me to the Grammar, which I learn'd through, and read some Chapters in the Psalter in the Course of the Winter: In Divinity, he advised me to read Ridgeleys body of Divinity for a System: And he gave me several separate treatisses on Repentance, Regeneration, Faith, &c., & towards spring gave me subjects to consider in the Sermon-Way. Yet how barren am I still? It is an arduous task to bring the Mind to close application; & still greater to lay up and retain useful Knowledge. I continued with Mr Green & pursued my studies, I hope with some Success till August 1773. when I was solicited by Dr Witherspoon to go into Virginia & teach in a Gentlemans Family – The Offer seem'd profitable; I was encouraged by the Dr and was to have his Recommendation – I had likewise myself a strong inclination to go – Yet I was in great Doubt, & Wholly undetermined for some Weeks, because many of my friends, and some of my near Relations opposed my leaving Home, and all seem'd utterly unwilling to advise to go – It is time, according to the Course of my Life they said that I was settling to some constant Employment, and they told me I ought especially to enter with as great speed as convenient into that plan of Life for which I have in particular had my Education – That Virginia is sickly – That the People there are profane, and exceeding wicked – That I shall read there no Calvinistic Books, nor hear any Presbyterian Sermons – That I must keep much Company, and therefore spend as much, very probably much more Money than my Salary – These considerations unsettled for a while my mind – On the other hand I proposed to myself the following advantages by going – A longer opportunity for Study than my friends would willingly allow me If I should remain at home – A more general acquaintance with the manners of Mankind; and a better Knowledge of the Soil, & Commerce of these neighbouring Provinces – And a more perfect acquaintance with the Doctrines, & method of Worship in the established Church in these Colonies, & especially with the Conduct of the Clergy of which there have been so many bad reports – All these however when I had laid them together, seem'd to overbear the others, so that I determined at last to break through and go! – Here now I am in a strange Province; But I am under no more nor stronger temptations to any kind of vice, perhaps not so great СКАЧАТЬ