Monday 6.
Mr Carter rode to richmond court—At Dinner I had a long and useful conversation with Mrs Carter She told me openly & candidly the Several failings of her children, & indeed She knows them perfectly—In particular she knows not what to do with her perverse Son Bob—He abuses his Mama, Miss Sally, the children, Family, and is much given to slander. Poor unhappy youth, I fear he will come to an unhappy end! This afternoon I found it necessary to correct Bob severely for impertinence in School—Mr Carter at Court received his Invoice from London for this Spring, in which was a gold Seal for Ben with a Coat of Arms price five Guineas!—
Teusday 7.
The morning pleasant, cool & agreeable—I corrected Harry this morning for telling me a Lie—Stomachful & sullen as any youth—The day warm but very bearable—Breakfasted with us Mr Blain & Mr Warden, all the conversation is Politicks; But People seem moderate & yet settled in their determinations to stand out
The morning pleasant—Mr Carter rode to the Ucomiko Ware-houses to examine in the Shipping some of his Tobacco—We have no Company. The day is very warm—A flaming sultry Sun, a dusty scorched Ground, Mr Carter returned, the day being smoky introduced, at Coffee, a conversation on Philosophy, on Eclipses; the manner of viewing them; Thence to Telescopes, & the information which they afforded us of the Solar System; Whether the planets be actually inhabited &c.
[Letter of Philip V. Fithian to Samuel Fithian]
Nomini Hall Virginia June 8th. 1774.
Sir.
After I acquaint you that, by the kindness of providence I arrived safe and am in good health, I shall not neglect to inform you that the Virginians are warm and active in supporting the liberties of America; the first day of June throughout this Colony, by a resolve of the House of Burgesses, or Assembly of Representatives for the province was kept a solemn Fast, and kept religiously too, to invoke almighty God to assist our falling country, and save us from oppression and Tyranny—The ware-Houses are already hindring the Shipping Tobacco, and it is expected there will shortly be a general embargo laid on all exportable commodities—The people here wish for the union of all the Colonies, and for firm perseverance in what shall seem most conducive to the good of America, notwithstanding this Colony and Maryland will suffer vastly, because Tobacco is a comodity less saleable among ourselves than most of the produce of the Northern Colonies, and it is in these the staple—