With my compliments I am to inform you that Ben:-Carter is, of necessity, to go this day into Richmond; and as my company alone will not be equal to the trouble you must be at I give you this timely notice that you may avoid it,
I am,
with my thanks for your
Invitation, Sir,
Your most humble Servt:
P. V. Fithian.
[JOURNAL]
Sunday 31.
Daddy Gumby saw me walking—I had just got up, it was early I had only a Gown thrown round me—He walked towards me—Well Master you never call for no Eggs. I can now give you a Water Melon—No, Thomas, with your Wife & family enjoy these things. I am well provided for—Well, Master, I promised you Eggs, for writing you will think I never designed to pay you—God yonder in Heaven Master will burn Lyars with Fire & Brimstone!—I speak Truth I will not deceive you Men are wicked, Master; look see the Grass is burnt: God burns it to punish us! Is the ground dry, Dadda. O! all dry, all burnt—Pray, Pray, Master, do you go to Church?—No No Dadda it is too hot—Too hot, Good God, too hot! I shall affront you, Master—Too hot to serve the Lord! Why I that am so old & worn out go on Foot.—I felt a little non plus'd, I confess, but walk'd to my Room & went none to Church—I expected that we should have had prayrs at home, but it was not mentioned—Fanny towards Evening brought me half a Water-Melon—I accepted & thank'd the little pretty Slut, she seems so artless, & delicate I esteem her exceedingly—I walked out about Sun-set, when it is a little cool, along the River Nominy—
Monday August 1st 1774.
The Colonel rode to Richmond Court—The morning very hot—A Cloud appeared about two o Clock as we were going to Dinner in the West where it thundered—Mrs. Carter kept her Chamber—There is almost no Rain—I looked to day over Dr Burney's present State of Musick in Germany—I think it more entertaining than realy useful—Ben to Day begun the Eneid—Poor Mr Randolph seems to be sickening with the Ague & Fever!—Evening the Colonel returned & gave us Captain Dobby's repeated Invitation.
Teusday 2.
Ben & I drest ourselves pretty early with an intention to Breakfast with Colonel Tayloe, but the Servant who went with us was so slow in preparing that we breakfasted before we set out—We arrived at Colonel Tayloe's however by half after nine—The young Ladies we found in the Hall playing the Harpsichord—The morning cool with a fine Breeze from the North for I forgot to mention that about Midnight last Night a violent Gust of Blackness, Rain, & Thunder came on & gave us present Relief from the scorching Sun; there was no Dust & the riding was pleasant—The Colonel, his Lady, Miss Polly, Miss Kitty, Miss Sally, rode in their Great Coach to the Ferry—Distance about 4 miles—Ben & I on Horseback—From Colonel Tayloe's to this Ferry opposite to Hobbs's Hole the Land is levil & extremely good; Corn here looks very rank is set thick with Ears, & they are high & large, three commonly on a Stalk—Here I saw about an Acre & a half of Flax, which the people were just pulling, exceedingly out of Season—This is the only Flax I have seen since I have been in the Colony; I am told they raise much in the upper Counties—Here too is a great Marsh covered with thick high Reed—The Face of this part of the Country looks fertile, but I apprehend it is far from being healthy—We came to the Bank of the Rappahannock; it is here about 2 Miles over the Shipping on the other Side near the Town lying at Anchor look fine; no large Vessels can haul along the Wharves on account of shoal Water—There were six Ships riding in the Harbour, and a number of Schooners & smaller Vessels—Indeed, says Mrs Tayloe, Captain Dobby has forgot us. here we have been waiting for a full half hour, shall we take the Ferry Boat Colonel & cross over, & not stand any longer in the burning heat?—I was pleased not a little with the proposal tho' at the same time, I laughed with myself at Mrs Tayloe's truely Womanish impatience!—At last they are coming—The long-Boat came, well furnished with a large Awning, and rowed with four Oars—We entered the Ship about half after twelve where we were received by Captain Dobby, with every possible token of welcome—Since I have been in Virginia, my inclination, & my fixed purpose before I left home, both of which were very much assisted by a strict Attention to the instructing my little Charge, these have kept me pretty constantly, almost wholly, indeed out of that kind of Company where dissipation & Pleasure have no restraint—This entertainment of Captain Dobby's, elegant indeed, & exceeding agreeable, I consider as one among a prodigeous throng of more powerful similar Causes, of the fevers & other Disorders which are common in this Colony, & generally attributed to the Climate which is thought to be noxious & unhealthy. The Weather here indeed is remarkably variable But taking away & changing the usual & necessary Time of Rest; Violent Exercise of the Body & Spirits; with drinking great quantities of variety of Liquors, these bring on Virginia Fevers—The Beaufort is a Stately Ship; Captain Dobby had an Awning from the Stern over the Quarter quite to the Mizen-Mast, which made great Room, kept off the Sun, & yet was open on each Side to give the Air a free passage. At three we had on Board about 45 Ladies, and about 60 Gentlemen besides the Ships Crew, & Waiters Servants &c. We were not throng'd at all, & dined all at twice—I was not able to inform myself, because it seemed improper to interrupt the General pleasure, with making circumstantial inquiries concerning Individuals, & saying pray, Sir, what young Lady is that yonder in a Lute-String Gown? She seems genteel; where does her Father live? Is she a Girl of Family & Breeding? Has She any Suitors? This when one could not be out of the Inspection of the Company, would have seemed impertinent so that I did not much enlarge my Acquaintance with the Ladies, which commonly seems pleasing & desirable to me; But I took Notice of Several, & shall record my remarks—The Boats were to Start, to use the Language of Jockeys, immediately after Dinner; A Boat was anchored down the River at a Mile Distance—Captain Dobby and Captain Benson steer'd the Boats in the Race—Captain Benson had 5 Oarsmen; Captain Dobby had 6—It was Ebb-Tide—The Betts were small—& chiefly given to the Negroes who rowed—Captain Benson won the first Race—Captain Purchace offered to bett ten Dollars that with the same Boat & same Hands, only having Liberty to put a small Weight in the Stern, he would beat Captain Benson—He was taken, & came out best only half the Boats Length—About Sunset we left the Ship, & went all to Hobbs's Hole, where a Ball was agreed on—This is a small Village, with only a few Stores, & Shops, it is on a beautiful River, & has I am told commonly six, eight, & ten Ships loading before it the Crews of which enliven the Town—Mr Ritche[192] Merchant; he has great influence over the People, he has great Wealth; which in these scurvy Times gives Sanction to Power; nay it seems to give countenance to Tyranny—The Ball Room—25 Ladies—40 Gentlemen—The Room very long, well-finished, airy & cool, & well-seated—two Fidlers—Mr Ritche stalk'd about the Room—He was Director, & appointed a sturdy two fisted Gentleman to open the Ball with Mrs Tayloe—He danced midling tho'. There were about six or eight married Ladies—At last Miss Ritche danced a Minuet with —— She is a tall slim Girl, dances nimble & graceful—She was Ben Carters partner—Poor Girl She has had the third Day Ague for twelve months past, and has it yet She appeared in a blue Silk Gown; her Hair was done up neat, without powder, it is very Black & Set her to good Advantage—Soon after he danced Miss Dolly Edmundson[193]—A Short pretty Stump of a Girl; She danced well, sung a Song with great applause, seemed to enter into the Spirit of the entertainment—A young Spark seemed to be fond of her; She seemed to be fond of him; they were both fond, & the Company saw it—He was Mr Ritche's Clerk, a limber, well dress'd, pretty-handsome Chap he was—The insinuating Rogue waited on her home, in close Hugg too, the Moment he left the Ball-Room—Miss Aphia Fantleroy danced next, the best Dancer of the whole absolutely—And the finest Girl—Her head tho' was powdered white as Snow, & crap'd in the newest Taste—She is the Copy of the goddess of Modesty—Very handsome; she seemed to be loved by all her Acquaintances, and admir'd by every Stranger, Miss McCall—Miss Ford—Miss Brokenberry[194]—Ball—Two of the younger Miss Ritche's—Miss Wade—They danced till half after two. Captain Ritche invited Ben & I, Colonel Tayloe & his Family with him—We got to Bed by three after a Day spent in constant Violent exercise, & drinking an unusual Quantity of Liquor; for my part with Fatigue, Heat, Liquor, Noise, Want of sleep, And the exertion of my Animal spirits, I was almost brought to believe several times that I felt a Fever fixing upon me, attended with every Symptom of the Fall Disorders—