At eight I dismiss'd my small charge. Immediately after Breakfast I took some Boys, & went a Surveying; Ben, impatient of tiresome scurvy Home, strain'd off through the County—I run in to Dinner, the Colonel & I dined alone, we drank a Glass of Madeira, as a Health to absent Friends, after which I went again to the Field & survey'd till six in the evening; The Business of this Day has been to go round the inner Pasture About half an Hour after Sunset (when Women who love their Husbands & Families always come Home) Mrs Carter & the Girls arrived from Stratford She informed us that there was a large, genteel, and agreeable Company at the Dance; that the Ague & Fever have been & continue troublesome in that Neighbourhood; & that Word is arrived from Boston that Governor Gage has fired on the Town, & that it is expected his orders are to burn & beat it to Destruction! Ben returned about seven from Westmoreland Courthouse—He informed us that Mr Sorrels Negroes had their trial there to Day, concerning their accusation of entering their Masters House in the night with an intention to murder Him—It was there proved (so far as Negroes evidence will go) that a Brother of this Sorrels early last Spring bribed some Negroes to Poison his Brother; & when that diabolical Attempt could not succeed, he has since tried to perswade them to murder Him!—But all Evidence against the Negroes was so weak & dark that the judges ordered them to be whiped & dismised them—Though the Law considers all Testimony given by a Negro against a White-Man as weak & unsubstantial; yet what the Negro said to Day on Oath of the younger Mr Sorrel, seems to gain much Belief with many who are candid, & unbiased Judges; & with me beyond all Scruple, it fixes on him the cursed Character of a Fratricide!—
Sunday 18.
The Colonel gave me, at Breakfast the offer of a Seat in his Boat to Church. The Morning was fine, & Nomini-River alive with Boats Canoes &c. some going to Church, some fishing, & some Sporting—Mr Smith gave us a very practical Sermon against the common vices here, in particular against the practise of abusing Slaves—The report concerning Boston is much talked off & still confirmed!—We dined all at Mr Turberville's; Miss Corbin looks fresh & plump as ever. Towards evening arose a pretty furious Thunder-Gust, which we hardly escaped on our way home I observed that several, but in special Mr Carter is not pleased with Mr Smith's Sentiments of Slavery.
Monday 19.
The morning fine & cool, & produces in our School at last a fine Fire!—Fire looks & feels most welcome; and I observe it makes our children remarkably garrulous & noisy—I took cold by Saturdays unusual exercise, & to Day have a Pain through my head, sore throat, & the other common troubles in a Cold—This Day begins the examination of The Junior class at Nassau-Hall. Every time I reflect on that Place of retirement & Study, where I spent two years which I call the most pleasant as well as the most important Period in my past life—Always when I think upon the Studies, the Discipline, the Companions, the Neighbourhood, the exercises, & Diversions, it gives me a secret & real Pleasure, even the Foibles which often prevail there are pleasant on recollection; such as giving each other names & characters; Meeting & Shoving in the dark entries; knocking at Doors & going off without entering; Strowing the entries in the night with greasy Feathers; freezing the Bell; Ringing it at late Hours of the Night;—I may add that it does not seem disagreeable to think over the Mischiefs often practised by wanton Boys—Such are writing witty pointed anonymous Papers, in Songs, Confessions, Wills, Soliliques, Proclamations, Advertisements &c—Picking from the neighbourhood now & then a plump fat Hen or Turkey for the private entertainment of the Club "instituted for inventing & practising several new kinds of mischief in a secret polite Manner"—Parading bad Women—Burning Curse-John—Darting Sun-Beams upon the Town-People Reconoitering Houses in the Town, & ogling Women with the Telescope—Making Squibs, & other frightful compositions with Gun-Powder, & lighting them in the Rooms of timorous Boys, & new comers—The various methods used in naturalizing Strangers, of incivility in the Dining-Room to make them bold; writing them sharp & threatning Letters to make them smart; leading them at first with long Lessons to make them industrious—And trying them by Jeers & Repartee in order to make them choose their Companions &c. &c—Evening after School with Mrs Carter, & the Girls I took a Walk thro the Pumpkin & Potatoe Vines. the Air is clear, cold & healthful. We drank our Coffee at the great House very sociably, round a fine Fire, the House And air feels like winter again.
Teusday 20.
Among the many womanish Fribbles which our little Misses daily practise, I discovered one to Day no less merry than natural; Fanny & Harriot by stuffing rags & other Lumber under their Gowns just below their Apron-Strings, were prodigiously charmed at their resemblanc to Pregnant Women! They blushed, however, pretty deeply on discovering that I saw them—We have to day both in the School & great-house steady Fires—Mr Thomas Edwards a reputable Planter in the Neighbourhood died this day about one o-Clock—I saw him last Sunday at Church when he was in good Health; was taken the same Evening, & hurried off at once!—Frail Man, how easily subdued!—
Wednesday 21.
We have a more particular account of the Death of Mr Edwards. About a twelve-month ago, he was suddenly siezed with a Fit of the Palsy, his Foot, Side, Arm, & part of his Face then failed, & became useless, after some time, however, he grew better, & has since been apparently well; til Sunday evening last after the Shower, as he was walking in his Garden, he fell down in an instant, there happened to be help at hand, he only said these emphatical Words—"Now I must die"—He was carried in, & expired as I mentioned yesterday!—I am told that the Flux is in the upper part of this County—My cold continues; in the Evening on going to bed, I took a dose of Honey & Rum—
Thursday 22.