I shall thank you if you will send me the latest Journal, Gazette, and the Packet.
[JOURNAL]
Teusday 23.
Blessed be God who yet preserves me in perfect health—Priss has another fitt of the Ague these Disorders are giving Alarms. in a few Weeks I suppose they will grow numerous & troublesome—A violent Gust of Wind, Rain, & some Thunder we had about twelve o clock, the Country seems to be afloat—A [I] received this Morning a Note from a School Master in the Village, who signs himself "Brother Quill" He sends me with his compliments a Question. To multiply 12£ 12s 12½d by itself in Cross multiplication—And tells me the Answer is 160£ 1s 6d his way, viz by Decimals—I did not alter his answer, but suffered him to continue satisfied with his own performance.—
Wednesday 24.
Stormy—A poor Man arrived from Maryland with Grain to grind. It was wet—He saw Mr Carter and Mr Randolph—Mr Randolph wore a red Coat—the Marylander asked Bob which was the master of the House—Bob with his usual impudence answered, the Man you see drest in a scarlet Coat—Who then says he is the other in a frowsled Wig?—He is says Bob my fathers Clerk—The Colonel heard this Anecdote of Bob, which entertained him, While we were dining. I hear nothing of the Ague abroad, it seems to go by turns, sometimes brief then exceeding scarce—all this day the wind North East rainy.
Thursday 25.
Still stormy. The Gentlemen who are sailing up the Bay to the Congress have a disagreeable time—This is a true August Northeaster, as we call it in Cohansie—Ben is in a wonderful Fluster lest he shall have no company to-morrow at the Dance—But blow high, blow low, he need not be afraid; Virginians are of genuine Blood—They will dance or die!—I wrote some at my Letter for Mr Peck—The people here pronounce Shower "Sho-er"—And what in New-Jersey we call a Vendue here they a "Sale"—All Taverns they call "Ordinary's"—When a Horse is frolicsome & brisk, they, say at once he is "gayly"—she [if he] is mischievous, they call him, "vicious."—At five, with Ben. I rode out for exercise—After a while we arrived at George-Lee's—He gave us some excellent Peaches—He returned with us to Mr Turberville's—We met here with Miss Betsy Lee, Mr Grubb, Lancelot Lee & here we spent the evening—Fish-Feasts, & Fillies, Loud disputes concerning the Excellence of each others Colts—Concerning their Fathers, Mothers (for so they call the Dams) Brothers, Sisters, Uncles, Aunts, Nephews, Nieces, & Cousins to the fourth Degree!—All the Evening Toddy constantly circulating—Supper came in, & at Supper I had a full, broad, sattisfying View of Miss Sally Panton—I wanted to hear her converse, but poor Girl any thing She attempted to say was drowned in the more polite & useful Jargon about Dogs & Horses!—For my Part, as I was unwilling to be singular, if I attempted to push in a word, I was seldom heard, & never regarded, & yet they were constantly refering their Cases to me, as to a supposed honest fellow, I suppose because I wear a black Coat, & am generally silent; at Home I am thought to be noisy enough; here I am thought to be silent & circumspect as a Spy—How different the Manners of the People! I try to be as cheerful as I can. & yet I am blamed for being stupid as a Nun—
Fryday 26.
Mr Christian came while we were at Breakfast—Soon after came Miss Washington, Miss Hale & the Miss Lee's—I kept myself in my Room pretty Close—Towards evening Mrs Carter, Miss Washington, Miss Hale, Mrs Christien & Myself had a thorough ramble, first thro' the Garden—We gathered some Figs, the Ladies seem fond of them, I cannot endure them—Then we stroll'd down the Pasture quite to the River, admiring the Pleasantness of the evening, & the delightsome Prospect of the River, Hills, Huts on the Summits, low Bottoms, Trees of various Kinds, and Sizes, Cattle & Sheep feeding some near us, & others at a great distance on the green sides of the Hills, People, some fishing, others working, & others in the Pasture among the Horses;—The Country emphatically in her goodly Variety! I love to walk on these high Hills where I can see the Tops of tall Trees lower than my Feet, at not half a miles Distance—Where I can have a long View of many Miles & see on the Summits of the Hills Clusters of Savin Trees, through these often a little Farm-House, or Quarter for Negroes; these airy Situations seem to me to be the Habitations of Health, and Vigor—We return'd, & all were apparently well satisfied with the walk—Evening was spent jovially in Dancing, at Supper, I left the Company, being not very well, & retired to my Chamber, Thanks to my heavenly Father, that I can enjoy a competent Measure of Health when many are sick around—A Note from Mr Lowe. Miss Betsy Lee, & her Brother came in just at night—Miss Lee seems cheerful, dances well, sings agreeably, appears free of formality, & Haughtiness the Common foible here,—