Part 32 (1/2)

_Sunday 28._

Mr _Grubb_ rose very early, having yesterday made every previous necessary preparation, & set out for Home about One hundred miles Distance. He has so much good Nature, is always so cheerful, & at the same time void of any thing malicious, clamorous & impudent, that I cannot but esteem & very much respect him--On some whimsical unsubstantial Miff or other, however, our Girls cannot endure him--he wrote them some Copies the other Day, & tho' he writes a much finer neater hand than I they would not allow it, nor hardly--Strive to imitate--I laughed at the ridiculous, the perfect Picture of Female _Caprice_, & _Obstinacy_ in Miniature--Sermon is to Day at Ucomico, so that I keep my Room--I wrote several Letters which are to be forwarded by Mr _Blain_, one to _Jack Peck_, one to _John Duffield_,[198] at Dr s.h.i.+ppen's[199] Junr Philadelphia, & one to _Laura_. I begun also a Sermon I understand by Mrs _Carter_ & _Ben_ who were at Church, that the _Parson_ was unable to read Prayrs or Preach, having a Fever, but that there was a thronged a.s.sembly; many I am told, have the Ague & Fever, but none are dangerous or have it fixed--

[198] John Duffield was graduated at Princeton in 1773. He served as a tutor there during the next two years.

[199] Dr. William s.h.i.+ppen (1736-1806) was a distinguished physician of Philadelphia. He was at this time professor of surgery and anatomy at the medical school of the College of Philadelphia. s.h.i.+ppen had married Alice Lee, a sister of Richard Henry, Arthur, Frances Lightfoot, and William Lee.

[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO ELIZABETH BEATTY]

Nominy-Hall. August 28: 1774.

TO LAURA.

There is a Letter of yours lying before me, in which you say ”that if I had continued writing to you, it is more than probable you had been as negligent as ever; but that my leaving off for a Time has at last extorted a Letter from you”--Mighty pretty! I dare say the Sentiment is genuine, & you may be a.s.sured that I allow & believe it.

You are not, therefore, to account this any thing more than the Ghost, the Shade of a Letter; for, thinking this an extraordinary Case, I have gone beyond my usual Manner of speaking, in Order to convince you of my Resolution--And _swore_ that I will not interrupt you til' I have received several.

If you receive this by the Conveyance I expect (I send it by Col: _Lee_ who attends the Congress) it will be a few Days before I leave Virginia; for I intend, by the Permission of Heaven, being at Home by the beginning of November at farthest.

In the mean Time, since I ardently wish your constant and perpetual Felicity, from a deep-rooted Friends.h.i.+p, which I have discovered in a thousand Variations, suffer me to borrow a Form of Mr Addison, & put up one important Prayr in your Behalf ”Ye guardian Angels to whose Care heaven has intrusted its dear Laura, guide her still forward in the Paths of Virtue, defend her from the Insolence & wrongs of this undiscerning World; At length, when we must no more converse with such Purity on Earth, lead her gently hence, innocent & unreproveable to a better Place, where by an easy Transition from what She now is, She may s.h.i.+ne forth an Angel of Light.”

It would be bold & presumptuous, or I would with Earnestness & Sincerity extend the Wish a little farther, but transfer it to Fortune, & pray that She would make you mine. I ought, however, to be cautious here--In so nice a Case, Truth & Virtue are often thought impertinent.

I advise you, upon the whole, to consult & examine the Prospect you have of substantial Happiness, when you are about to change your State for Life. Inform yourself, so far as you are able, of the _Quality_ & _Measure_ of what you think your chief Happiness--Your Satisfaction & Comfort will consist in.

Place this against necessary Distress & Perplexity; You will thereby have a clearer & fuller View of both; Your Judgement will be less confused; & more likely to fix to Advantage;--You are to consider that a wrong Choice brings on a Train of Curses; but view it in the other Light, & it is almost a State of unmixed Pleasures--

I am, Madam yours PHILIP. V. FITHIAN.

[JOURNAL]

_Monday 29._

Miss _f.a.n.n.y_ in School to Day, but not entirely well of her Sores made by the _Ticks_--_Ben_ complains of a pain in his breast; he seems to have many symptoms of Weakness in his breast--I attempted to take a rough Draught of the Great House for myself--Evening after Coffee the C[o]lonel entertained us by playing on the Harmonica.

_Teusday 30._

Mr _Carter_ rides to Westmoreland Court. By him I send my Letters to Mr _Blain_, who is going to the Congress--_Ben_ seems to be no better; has a slight Fever, pain in his Breast, & Uneasiness, I fear he is bordering on a Consumption--His fond Mother discovers great Anxiety, & true affection. Once I too had a fond indulgent Mother; when I was sick, or otherwise distress'd, She was always impatient til my Health & Ease returned; & She used to urge me likewise by precept & example to strive for an habitual Preparation for Sickness and Death! But oh!

She has gone & left me, & Friends.h.i.+p seems to have been buried with her!--Formality & Pretence are common enough, but Sincerity & affection are exceeding rare--Mrs _Carter_ thinks it better for _Ben_ to sleep at the Great-House til he grows better, for the advantage of giving him medicine--I seem now when it is late in the Evening, lonely, & a little fearful, at least I think on what I made a Subject for a merry Hour, when I was at Home last, & a young Lady was complaining of being fearful at Night, & afraid to sleep in a Room alone--There are now (asleep I suppose) in this House, below Stairs Mr _Randolph_, & Mr _Burney_ the Cooper; two clever l.u.s.ty youngsters, & in the Room next to mine _Bob_ & _Harry_ sleep--I feel yet gloomy; _Ben_ is missing, & which is worse, he is sick--

_Wednesday 31._

Last Fryday, Sat.u.r.day, Sunday, Monday, Teusday, & this Day have been perfectly fair, but yesterday & to Day are very hot--_Ben_ quits reading & is quite unwell--Dined with us Mr _Wadman_: He is, I believe, a Man of a good understanding, but desperate in his religious Principles--