Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian: A Plantation Tutor of the Old Dominion, 1773-1774.

Sir

I am sorry you impute neglect of writing in me to so wrong a cause, as an old trivial offense, I confess that I am to blame, and am willing to stand reproved by you, for having been so long silent. If I should offer any thing in excuse it would be great hurry arising from the duty of my station, on which account I have wrote only two or three letters since you left us. The school in town, which I had in view, as I make no doubt you know, is now occupied by Mr Lynn. And the terms of the school at Blandensburg are I think too low, to divert me from the course of my business. I would not however forego a good offer in a school abroad, for some short time. What you write concerning the offer of a Gentleman in Virginia, is, I think of considerable consequence, provided the conditions of teaching are not over burdensome; I should speedily agree to go and apply for the place, were I made satisfied as to this.

I shall however, beg the assistance of your friendship, to enquire in what county the school is; what number and degrees of scholars there are; and if you think the place suitable, and if the Docter shall think proper to appoint me to it, I am not unwilling to remove and accept it. Please to mention this to the Docter; and if he has not engaged a teacher, and is pleased to accept me, I hope you will acquaint me as speedily as may be, with what you can learn as to the time of beginning, the custom of the school, &c. You mentioned four in your last, who have applied to Presbytery, and are on tryal, I can tell you another, Mr Heith; he applied to the Philadelphia Presbytery; but came to town, I understood so late, that before he made application the Presbytery was dissolved, some of the Members however, being still in town, at his request, gave him sundry pieces of exercise, which it is expected the Presbytery will acknowledge, so that he is the fifth out of our class who is designing soon to appear in public!

I am Sir yours, &c.

    Philip. V. Fithian

[JOURNAL]

Fryday july 30.

Rose pretty early. Breakfasted with Mrs Buck. Wrote a Note, after Breakfast to Holinshead. Soon after which, I set out for Home, & by the favour of a young man who lodges at Mr Bucks I rode to the Ferry, & was home by eleven.

Received several Letters by the Stage to Day; One especially from Mr Hunter, in which I am pressed to accept the proposal by the Gentleman in Virginia. The Offer is very proffitable; Colonel Carter has four Sons. To a private Tutor for which he proposes to give sixty-five Pounds pr Year; find him all Accomodations; Allow him a Room for his own Study; And the Use of an eligant Library of Books; A Horse to ride; & a Servant to Wait. I am inclined to go, but dont meet with much Encouragement from those who have the Direction of my Studies.

We had Company in the Afternoon; & expected Miss Grimes, & Miss Ewing, til Evening, but they never came.

Saturday july 31.

Rose early. After Breakfast rode to Deerfield, & consulted with Mr Green[Footnote_31_31 - The Reverend Enoch Green.] but he gives only his usual Indifference; Dined at Mr Nathan Leeks, the Day excessive hot; Drank Tea at Mrs Pecks.[Footnote_32_32 - Mrs. Peck was the mother of Fithian's friend, John Peck of Deerfield. The two boys had studied together under the Reverend Enoch Green, and had later been classmates at Princeton. John Peck succeeded Fithian as tutor of the Carter children at Nomini Hall in 1774, and later married Anne Tasker or "Nancy" Carter, and settled in Richmond County, Virginia.] & returned in the Evening to Greenwich.

Sunday. August 1:

Rose pretty early. Attended the Funeral of Mr Hugh Stethern. who died yesterday morning. Many are now ill of what is called the Fall Fever.

Mr Hunter[Footnote_33_33 - The Reverend Andrew Hunter.] preached both Parts of the Day.

Monday August 2.

Concluded, this Day, with the Concurrence of Mr Hunter, to set of for Princeton, & know of Dr Witherspoon something more particular concerning the Proposal for my going to Virginia. Busy all the Afternoon in preparing to go. – Evening very hot. Went on foot to the Stage. – Drank a Bowl of Punch with Mr Richard Howel, & to bed by ten.

Monday August 9

Waited on Dr Witherspoon, about nine o Clock, to hear his Proposal for my going to Virginia– He read me a Letter which he receivd from Col: Carter, & proposed the following Terms – To teach his Children, five Daughters, & three Sons, who are from five to seventeen years Old – The young Ladies are to be taught the English Language. And the Boys are to study the English Language carefully; & to be instructed in the Latin, & Greek – And he proposes to give thirty five Pounds Sterling, which is about Sixty Pounds currency; Provide all Accommodations; Allow him the undisturbed Use of a Room; And the Use of his own Library; find Provender for a Horse; & a Servant to Wait —

– By the Advice of the Dr & his Recommendation of the Gentleman, & the Place, I accepted the Offer, & agreed to go in the Fall into Virginia—

I took this morning, from Dr Wiggins, a Balsam that has removed the Pain wholly from my Breast; he called it the Balsam of Cappewee. Probably I spell it Wrong.

Teusday August 17.

Rose at seven – Very much fatigued with yesterdays Ride – Found the Students well; & the Seniors in particular In high Spirits on their Expectation of speedy Liberty – I begin to grow sick of my Virginia Voyage; But sick or sorry I must away – I waited on the Dr, But he has yet received no Intelligence.

After Evening-Prayrs, by particular Requests, I attended in the respectful Whigg-Society[Footnote_34_34 - The American Whig Society and the Cliosophic Society were rival literary organizations at the College of New Jersey at Princeton.]– The Members are Orderly – Their Exercises are well chosen – And generally well-conducted; & as to speaking, & Composition well-performed —

They conferrd Degrees formally on Six who are to be graduated in the College the ensuing Commencement. The Moderator for the Time being confers the Degree; The Formula is short & eligant, & pronounced in latin – They give also Diploma's, in Latin likewise, which are plain & full.

Expence of this Day.
For the Hire of our Carriage 10s.
For a Bowl of Punch 1s/6d
For a Glass of Bitters 4d Sum 11s 10d.

[Letter of Philip V. Fithian To Elizabeth Beatty]

    Prince-ton. August 17th: 1773.

To Laura.

If I could only tell you the Incidents of Yesterday, you would laugh as loud & as cordially as ever – Smith did all the Oddities of Miss Cateness.

I was, & for my Life, could not avoid, being dumpish & melancholy, in the midst of Humour & Pleasantry – Smith[Footnote_35_35 - William R. Smith, who was one of Fithian's classmates, was afterwards ordained as a Presbyterian minister. Cf. Williams, ed., Fithian, p. 34, fn. 2.] was in great Distress on Account of his approaching Examination; He is in the Senior-Class, & that Class is to be examined for their Degree tomorrow, so that he too was sour all Day. – Directly opposite to both was your Brother; he was noisy, & troublesome; We dined at Mr Irwin's. Your Brother kindly rode with us to the Ferry, where we parted; he for Mr McConkey's; We for Princeton. I am to day happy as Amusements & good-Company, in this lovely Habitation of the Muses, can render me.

There is yet, among my Acquaintances, a young Lady; & She is also, I firmly believe, one of your most agreeable Intimates, whose Friendship I think so valuable, & whose Manner every Way, is so peculiarly engaging, that if you should soon see her, whom you have sometimes heard me call Laura, give my Duty, my Love to her, & acquaint her with what I have often told you of her, that She is, in my undisguised Oppinion, "A Pattern for Female Excellence."

Tell her also, that a singular, & very important Occurrence, which has lately presented itself to me, seems to make it necessary, if it be any how agreeable to her, She should in some Way, chosen by Herself, signify to you that I may thereby know, whether She favours or dislikes what I have told her.

I assure you, Madam, so strong is the Esteem I have for that dear Girl, which certainly I shall ever retain, that neither, Place, nor Time, nor any Alteration in my Condition of Life, will blot it out.

This, however, I intrust only to you, & put so great Confidence in the many Expressions of your Friendship for me, that I hope you will use your Influence to persuade her that what I write is Truth.

I expect to leave Deerfield[Footnote_36_36 - Fithian was studying theology in Deerfield under the supervision of the Reverend Enoch Green, at the same time he was being taught Hebrew by Andrew Hunter, Sr., in nearby Greenwich.] & go Home next Week; But I am not determined yet upon going to Virginia. Dr Witherspoon desires & advises me to go – My Directors here seem backward, & rather unwilling. – I myself Am yet in doubt – But, on the Whole, it is probable I shall go down in October. But whether I do the one or the other I am always

Yours,

    Philip. V Fithian.

[JOURNAL]

Monday August 30.

Rose by half after six – Wrote a Letter to Dr Witherspoon concerning my going to Virginia – I hear that many of my Friends in this Place are unwilling I should go – I am indeed in a Dilimma – But I have agreed – Well, I must away – And I hope in the Kindness of him who was my Fathers God, & has been the Guide of my Youth, that he will save me from being corrupted, or carried away with the Vices which prevail in that Country – Wrote a Letter to And: Hunter – In the Evening, rode with my Letters, to the Stage – Saw there by Chance, the famous Miss Betsy Elmore: famous for Wit, Extensive Knowledge, but especially for Volubility of Tongue—

[Letter of Philip V. Fithian To Dr. Witherspoon]

    Greenwich august 30th 1773.

Revd Sir.

I am sorry that I may inform you of the dissattisfaction which my friends in general since my return home seem to discover, with my intention of going this fall to Virginia. However willing I am myself to accept the proposal and go, it will not be easy to break through the entreaties of those who are my neares[t] relations, and who have all along, with the warmest friendship interested themselves to procure my welfare. I do not intend by any means, abruptly to decline the fulfilling my agreement, but only desire to know, if there are not some to be found among the late Seniors who would willingly discharge me by accepting the offer themselves. If not I have only further to beg, that you would be pleased, Revd Sir, to favour me with the proposal of the gentleman; and so soon as there is a return from him, I shall be glad to know the time when I must leave home;

I am Revd Sir, with great respect your humble Servt

    Philip V. Fithian

P. S. Letters come safe sent by the princeton stage, and directed to me at Greenwich.

[Philip V. Fithian To Elizabeth Beatty]