Part 34 (1/2)

Yesterday the Inspector, whom I have named & described before, desired the Parson to wait on them in his family and christen his Child--Is the child sick? No Sir--Why then today? it is the Mothers Desire Sir--Why was it not brought to Church? The Mother is unwell, Sir--The Parson excused himself, & promised to come some Days hence, but the long winded officer, inured to Stubbornness, hung on, &, without moderation or Apology _demanded_ his presence!--And prevail'd.-- Something in our palace this Evening, very merry happened--Mrs _Carter_ made a dish of Tea. At Coffee, she sent me a dish--& the Colonel both ignorant--He smelt, sipt--look'd--At last with great gravity he asks what's this?--Do you ask Sir--Poh!--And out he throws it splash a sacrifice to Vulcan--

[Ill.u.s.tration: man with telescope]

_Teusday 27._

This morning the Colonel with his Theodolite observed the Centre of the Sun at his rising, & found it bore East 5 South--This he is doing to fix a true East & West Line for regulating the Needle at any time.

This Bearing he corrected by finding the Suns Declination, & fixed his Points--After the morning we let our fire go down--Both yesterday, & this evening I rode out to exercise myself & horse against our approaching Journey--Mr _Hodge_, a Merchant of _Leeds_ & Mr _Leech_ a Merchant of Dumfries came Home with the Colonel from Westmoreland-Court-- Both chatty, in special Mr Leech; both well-bred, sensible, & sociable--The loyal Toast was _Wisdom_ & _unity_ to the Conferrences now a.s.sembled--And when Women were to be toasted, I gave Miss _Jenny Was.h.i.+ngton_.--

_Wednesday 28._

The weather remarkably dry, since Sunday sennight, we have not had a drop of Rain, nor even a cloudy Sky, and till yesterday, & steady, cold, serene northerly Wind--To Day is the annual Commencement at Na.s.sau Hall--

[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO MR. LARKIN RANDALL]

[Nomini Hall. September 28 (?) 1774]

MR RANDALL.

You will please to acquaint Mr Rigmaiden[205] that I received and looked over his Note, and should have attempted to answer it but for the following reasons. I observe that the first author of the question very rudely calls Mr Rigmaiden a fool for not working it by Cross-Multiplication.

[205] In 1771 William Rigmaiden was the master of a free school in Richmond County that was supported by Landon Carter. _William and Mary College Quarterly_, Vol. XIII, series 1, p. 158.

And I observe too that Mr Rigmaiden throws back the word fool, (I suppose in revenge) upon the other, and if I should intermeddle in the case it is more than probable, that I should be called the third fool, by either the one or the other, at least I think the hazard of this too great to set against any Honour I could recieve by resolving it--But since Mr _Rigmaiden_ intimates in his note that he is at something of a loss to know whether himself or the other have the least claim to the character; I shall propose a question in arithmetick, which will fully decide any dispute of this nature, for I p.r.o.nounce the man who can work it off at once, to be no fool in figures.

A Man has 5000 which he puts to interest for 30 years 6 per Cent.

per Annum. I demand how much of this he must spend every day, to spend it all, princ.i.p.al and interest in the thirty years, and let the daily sums in the whole time be equal?

As to the question given, ”to Multiply 12 12s 12d by itself”, It must have been a punn, or from one not well skill'd in figures. If it was the former, it does not deserve to be answered at all, because that would be indulging wanton impertinence; and if it was the latter, I am not able to understand how such a person should venture to question Mr _Rigmaidens_ answer--Upon the whole, I am apt to think it is all a punn which, ”Brother Quill” (as he is pleased to style himself) has ventured to throw out, and on this account, until I am better satisfied that the sentiment is genuine, I decline wholly entering farther into the matter.

I am, Sir, Yours P V FITHIAN TO MR LARKIN RANDELL

Nomini Hall.

[JOURNAL]

_Thursday 29._

Warm to day, but dry & clear. Mr _Leech_ & Mr _Hodge_ spent last evening with us; the Conversation was on exchange--Loyal Toasts, _Agreement_, & _Firmness_ through the american Colonies--Ladies. mine was Miss Corbin--The Colonel informed us that early next week he shall set out for Williamsburg--Soon after I hope to set out for Cohansie!

[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO BENJAMIN CARTER]

Nomini Hall Septr: 29th. 1774.

”Aetas Parentum, pejor avis, tulit Nos nequiores; mox daturos Progeniem vitiosiorem.”