Scholars which you may easily do, of your abilities in the several
branches, which you shall profess to teach; you are not to tell them,
totidem Verbis, "that you understand, perhaps as well as any man on
the Continent both the Latin & Greek Classicks;" "& have gone through
the usual Course in the noted College of New-Jersey, under Dr
Witherspoon, so universally known & admired, where you have studied
Criticism, Oratory, History, not to mention Mathematical &
philosophical Studies, & dipt a good way into the French-Language, &
that you have learn'd a smattering of Dancing, Cards &c. &c. &c." For
Dun-p or Hack---n or the most profound dunce in your College or School
would have too much sense to pass such impudence by, & not despise and
reproach it; but you may speedily & certainly make them think you a
"Clever Fellow" (which is a phrase in use here for a good Scholar) if
you never mention any thing before them, only what you seem to be
wholly master of--This will teach them never to dispute your
determination, & always to rely upon your Judgment; two things which
are most essential for your peace, & their advantage. That you may
avoid yourself of this with certainty I shall recommend for your
practice the following method, as useful at least, if not intirely
necessary. Read over carefully, the lessons in Latin & Greek, in your
leisure hours, that the story & Language be fresh in your memory, when
you are hearing the respective lessons; for your memory is
treacherous, & I am pretty certain it would confound you if you should
be accosted by a pert School-Boy, in the midst of a blunder, with
"Physician heal thyself"!--You ought likewise to do this with those
who are working Figures; probably you may think that because the
highest Cypherer is only in decimal arithmetic, it is not there fore
worth your critical attention to be looking previously into the
several Sums. But you are to consider that a sum in the Square-Root,
or even in the Single Rule of three direct, is to your Pupils of as
great importance, as the most abstruse problem in the Mathematicks to
an able artist; & you may lay this down for a Maxim, that they will
reckon upon your abilities, according as they find you acquainted &
expert in what they themselves are studying. If therefore you have
resolution (as I do not question your ability) to carry this plan
which I have laid down into execution; you will thereby convince them
of the propriety of their Subordination to you, & obedience to your
instructions, so that you may lead them, without any resistance, and
fix them to the Study of whatever Science you think proper, in which
they will rise according to their respective Capacities. I have said
that you ought to strive "from the beginning" in fixing this very
material article in the minds of your Scholars, Viz a Sense of your
authority; for one error of Judgment, or false determination will
diminish your Ability with them more than doing forty things with
truth would increase your authority--They act in this case as you
would do in the company of a number of Strangers--A whole evenings
conversation, if it was tolerable good Sense, would perhaps make
little or no impression on you; But if through hast[e] in speaking, or
inattention, any one should let fall a sentence either remarkably
foolish, or grossly wicked, it would be difficult if not impossible to
persuade you presently that the author was not either a
_thick-Scull_, or a _Villain_!--The education of children requires
constant unremitting attention. The meanest qualification you can
mention in a useful teacher is _diligence_ And without diligence no
possible abilities or qualifications can bring children on either with
speed or profit. There must be a Combination of qualifications which
must all operate strongly & uniformly. In short, give this said
Pedagogizing the softest name you will, it is still a "difficult
Task." You will meet with numberless difficulties, in your new
imployment, which you never dreamt had yet existence. All these you
must endeavour to resist & Subdue. This I have seen compared to a Man
swimming against a current of Water. But I am mistaken if you will
agree, after having six months practice, that the comparison be strong
as the truth: You will add to the figure, I am certain, & throw into
the Current sharp fragments of _Ice_, & _Blocks_, which would make
swimming not only difficult but dangerous! I am not urging these
things to discourage you; they are hints for your direction, which, if
you will attend to, tho' at first the practice seem rough &
unpleasant, shall yet make the remainder of your task pleasing, & the
whole of it useful, I will mention several of these Obstacles that you
may the more easily guard against them. You will, in the first place,
be often solicited, probably oftner than you would wish, to ride
abroad; this, however, if you do it moderately, & in seasonable time,
& go to proper company, I recommend as conducive to health to one in
your sedentary manner of living. But if you go much into company, you
will find it extremely difficulty to break away with any manner of
credit till very late at night or in most cases for several days, & if
you are wanting to your School, you do manifest injury to your
Imployer. In this case, I advise you to copy Mr _Carter_. Whenever he
invites you, ride. You may _stay_, and talk, & drink, & ride to as
great excess as he; & may with safety associate yourself with those
whom you find to be his intimates. In all other Cases, except when you
ride to Church, at least till you are very intimate in the Colony, you
had better ride to a certain Stump, or to some noted plantation, or
pretty landscape; you will have in this every advantage of exercise,
the additional advantage of undisturbed Meditation, & you will be
under no Jealous apprehension in point of behaviour, nor any restraint
as to the time of your return.
Another current difficulty will be petitions for holidays. You must
have good deal of steadiness if you are able to evade cleverly this
practice which has grown so habitual to your little charge from a
false method in their early education that they absolutely claim it as
a necessary right.
You must also as much as you can, avoid visible partiality. At least
you must never suffer your fondness for one Scholar to grow so
manifest, as that all your School shall see you look over a fault in
him or her which same fault, if commited by another, you severely
chastise. This will certainly produce in the others hatred & contempt.
A fourth difficulty, and the last I shall mention, consists in knowing
when, & in what measure to give the Boys Liberty to go from Home. The
two younger Boys are wholly under your inspection; so that not only
the progress they make in learning, but their moral Conduct (for both
of these are critically observed & examined) either justifies or
condemns your management to the World. If you keep them much at home,
& close to business, they themselves will call you unfeeling and
cruel; & refuse to be industrious; if you suffer them to go much
abroad they are certainly out of the way of improvement by Study,
probably, by discovering their gross Ignorance, they will expose to
ridicule both themselves & all their former instructors, & possibly
they may commit actual Crimes so as very much to injure themselves; &
scandalize their family; but in each of these you will have a large
share of blame, perhaps more than the parents, or even the Boys
themselves--It will be said that the parents gave them no licence
relying wholly on your judgment & prudence, this will in good measure
justify them to the world. And as to the Boys they are full of
youthful impetuosity & vigour, & these compel them, when they are free
of restraint, to commit actions which with proper management they had
surely avoided. I say, when you lay these things together, & view them
on every side you will find so many perplexities arising in your mind,
from a sense of ignorance of your duty, that you will proceed with
caution & moderation, & will be carefull to examine with some
precision into the circumstances of _time_, _company_, & _Business_
when you license them to go out entirely at the risk of your
Reputation--But the practice of three or four Weeks will give you a
more full notion of these & many other incidents than I am able now
either to recollect or express; I shall have gained my End if these
hints prevent you from setting off wrong, & doing inadvertantly at
first what your Scholars will assert to be precedents for your after
conduct. I go on, therefore, in the third place as I proposed,
3. To mention several Rules for your personal conduct. The happy
Education which you have had in point of religion, you ought to
consider as an important and distinguishing Blessing of Heaven. That
train of useful _Instruction_, _Advice_ & _Example_ to which you have
been accustomed from your infancy is a more perfect, & will be a safer
guide in your future walk, than any directions I am able to give you.
You have taken notice of a method for Assistance in Composition, which
Longinus recommends. Place, says he, in imagination, several eminent
ancient Authors before your Eyes, & suppose that they inspect your
Work, a Sense of inferiority would make you diligent, & your
composition accurate. Perhaps the same advice when transferr'd to
Morality, would be equally salutary. Unless it be objected that a
Belief of Gods presence at all times in every place is the strongest
possible restraint against committing Sin. This I constantly admit;
but when I consider how easily our minds are put in motion, & how
strongly they are sometimes agitated merely by the senses, & that the
senses are aff3ected most by things which fall under their immediate
notice, I am fully convinced that if some such plan as I have just
mentioned should be fallen upon, & practised, it would make a visible
and useful change in our behaviour--In this place I think it needful
to caution you against hasty & ill founded prejudices. When you enter
among a people, & find that their manner of living, their _Eating_,
_Drinking_, _Diversions_, _Exercise_ &c, are in many respects
different from any thing you have been accustomed to, you will be apt
to fix your opinion in an instant, & (as some divines deal with poor
Sinners) you will condemn all before you without any meaning or
distinction what seems in your Judgment disagreable at first view,
when you are smitten with the novelty. You will be making ten thousand
Comparisons. The face of the Country, The _Soil_, the _Buildings_, the
_Slaves_, the _Tobacco_, the method of spending _Sunday_ among
Christians; _Ditto_ among the Negroes; the three grand divisions of
time at the Church on Sundays, Viz. before Service giving & receiving
letters of business, reading Advertisements, consulting about the
price of Tobacco, Grain &c. & settling either the lineage, Age, or
qualities of favourite Horses 2. In the Church at Service, prayrs read
over in haste, a Sermon seldom under & never over twenty minutes, but
always made up of sound morality, or deep studied Metaphysicks. 3.
After Service is over three quarters of an hour spent in strolling
round the Church among the Crowd, in which time you will be invited by
several different Gentlemen home with them to dinner. The Balls, the
Fish-Feasts, the Dancing-Schools, the Christnings, the Cock fights,
the Horse-Races, the Chariots, the Ladies Masked, for it is a custom
among the Westmorland Ladies whenever they go from home, to muffle up
their heads, & Necks, leaving only a narrow passage for the Eyes, in
Cotton or silk handkerchiefs; I was in distress for them when I first
came into the Colony, for every Woman that I saw abroad, I looked upon
as ill either with the _Mumps_ or Tooth-Ach!--I say, you will be often
observing & comparing these things which I have enumerated, & many
more that now escape me, with the manner of spending Money time &
credit at Cohansie: You are young, &, (you will allow me the
Expression) in the morning of Life. But I hope you have plann'd off,
and entered upon the work which is necessary to be performed in the
course of your Day; if not, I think it my duty to acquaint you, that a
combination of the amusements which I have just now mentioned, being
always before your Eyes, & inviting your Compliance will have a strong
tendency to keep you doubtful & unsetled, in your notions of Morality
& Religion, or else will fix you in a false & dangerous habit of
_thinking_ & _acting_, which must terminate at length in Sorrow &
despair. You are therefore, if you count any thing upon the value of
my advice, to fix the plan in which you would spend your life; let
this be done with deliberation, Candour, & precission, looking to him
for direction, by fervent Prayr, who is the "Wonderful Counsellor;" &
when you have done this, let no importunity of whatever kind prevail
over you, & cause you to transgress your own Limitations. I have
already exceeded the usual bounds of an Epistle. But you will easily
pardon a little prolixity, when I assure you it flows from a heart
deeply impressed with a sense of the many difficulties which you must
encounter, & the dangers which will surround you when you come first
out from the peaceful recess of Contemplation, & enter, young and
unexperienced, into the tumultuous undiscerning World. I submit these
hints to your consideration, & have nothing more than sincere & ardent
wishes for your present & perpetual Felicity.
I am, Sir,
yours.
PHILIP. V FITHIAN.
TO MR JOHN PECK.
On going to Virginia in
Character of a Tutor.
[JOURNAL]
_Saturday 13._
_Prissy_ took the Ague last Night. She had an easy Fit--This Morning
is quite cold, & will, I fear hasten on or at least provoke the
present disorders--The good Mr _Stadley_ left us this Morning
Breakfasted with us a Gentleman from _Maryland_. At Dinner he was
join'd by another from the same Province they are both unknown--I rode
out with Miss _Prissy_ to the Cornfield for Exercise--We gathered &
brought home some good Roasting-Ears of Corn--Evening came in Colonel
_Henry Lee_[195] He is chosen to be one of the seven who represent
this Colony in the general Congress to be held next Month in
Philadelphia--He sets out next Sunday Sennight--
[195] Richard Henry Lee of "Chantilly."
_Sunday 14._
Colonel Lee stays Breakfast (to Speak in the phrase of Ladies)--The
morning fine--Sermon is to Day at Ucomico so that I am to stay in my
Room; _Ben_, however, & _Bob_, & _Harry_, & Mr _Randolph_ all
go--_Fanny_ is yet confin'd to her Chamber--
_Monday 15._
Began a Letter to Jack Peck, giving him advice in Respect to his
coming into this Colony--The People are better, only Miss _Fanny_ with
her Sores continues in her Chamber; I bought & sent her however this
evening a present a large _Musk Melon_--Dined with us Squire _Lee_, he
talks of going to Philadelphia to the Congress; He informs us that in
Maryland is a Tea-Ship, from the India Company--
_Teusday 16._
The Colonel is summoned to a Meeting of Vestry-Men, at the
Glebe--Nothing very extraordinary occurs, unless I mention that _Bob_
in the former part of this Day kept pretty quiet in his Seat, and
worked out three Sums in Reduction compound, without much
direction!--About five from the South East came on suddenly a Gust of
Rain & Wind, Evening the Colonel returned but a good deal vexed--One
of the Members were absent so that the Remainder could do no
Business--
[Illustration: graveyard scene]
_Wednesday 17._
This Day is the annual Examination at Nassau-Hall--I wish the
Candidates Success & Honour. Last year I had the Pleasure to be
present & hear the Examination--I saw _Laura_ too; & the Vixen abused
me! She shall repent of that insult; Indeed She must feel, tho' I
wound myself in the experiment, the Consequence of Slighting
good-humour & Civility--There likewise I saw _Belinda_ my late
agreeable Correspondent. She had left town this unlovely Month, for
the benefit of Princeton's pure salubrious Air--She laboured in a
Consumption There too I took my last fare-well!--For soon after her
return to Town the disorder fixed, & in a few Months destroy'd a
_wise_, _useful_, _religious_ Girl--Her death surely was untimely,
since she took with her all her virtues, which, with great pleasure &
Sincerity She used to diffuse among her giddy Equals!--I am at a Loss
to express my feeling for the Death of a young Lady, with whom I had
only a short, yet a benificial Intimacy--The Circumstance of my first
Acquaintance with her was wholly Accidental, yet I soon believed &
accounted it advantageous--I thought her capable of improving me with
Sentiment, & I speedily found that my expectation was true--We
commenced a Litterary Correspondence, of which I only say that She
always express'd herself with so much Truth, Ease & Humour as to make
me read her Letters with eagerness and satisfaction--If I would record
a Motto for her, it Should be--"Virtue without Melancholy."
Breakfasted & dined with us two Gentlemen from Maryland--They come
over for the benefit of Mr _Carter's_ Mill; as Mills are scarce near
the Potowmack in Maryland; but the reason I am a stranger to--Read
some in Dr Swift--Writing on to Mr Peck--The weather is close & this
evening I heard two Musquetoes, only one of which ventured to light
upon me--I dare say they are thicker at Cohansie!--Each Wednesday &
Saturday we dine on Fish all the Summer, always plenty of _Rock_,
_Perch_, & _Crabs_, & often Sheeps-Head and Trout!--
_Thursday 18._
Very ill most of last night with a violent Dysentery; I fear a
frequency of this disease will at-length fix & ruin me--It continues
to Day, & with no less rage, I cannot eat nor drink, am low Spirited
Think constantly of Home;--Sometimes repent my having come into this
Colony, & blame myself for having been persuaded to turn out of my
road to public Business--But when I reflect closely I justify the
Conduct, & resign myself _Body_ & _Soul_ & _Employment_ to God who has
the Hearts of all in his hand, & who I am persuaded, if he has any
thing for me to do in Life, will preserve, & in a measure fit me for
it, if not, I am in his Hand, let him do as seemes good in his
Eyes--At Dinner the Colonel invited me to ride with him to a Mill of
his which is repairing, about eight miles Distance; I accepted his
Invitation, gave the children a few Hours for Play, & went with the
Colonel _Ben_ was along--The Face of the earth seems covered with
mocking-Birds, but not one of them sing, they seem vastly busy but it
is in collecting Food--Not a bird, except now & then _Robbin-Redbreast_
is heard to sing in this Feverish Month--Nature seems cheerless and
gloomy! The Evening is hot, but the Ride was agreeable, it was useful
too; for I grow much better; The Jolting of the Horse seemed salutary,
my Pain subsided, I returned almost wholly relieved in the evening,
drank my Coffee, went soon to my Room, gave thanks to my divine
_restorer_ & laid me down to rest--
_Fryday 19._
I slept through the night in _quiet_ and ease, & rose perfectly
relieved Mr _Carter_ at Breakfast advised me to take with him Some
_Salt-Petre_, as a useful Dieuretick but I declin'd--Mr _Grubb_ came
in about twelve o-Clock from _Sabine-Hall_. Colonel _Carter_ gave an
Entertainment Yesterday to celebrate his Birth-Day; & had a numerous
& gay Company.--This young Gentleman (Mr _Grubb_) appears to be a
person of Capacity & Improvement; he was Educated in England, & has
been assistant to a Merchant on _James's River_ in this Colony for
some time past. This Summer he has been totally Idle--He proposes week
after week to set out for Williamsburg, & Sail thence home, but he
stays. He has much good nature, is an agreeable companion--I pity
him.--He seems fond of Miss _Betsy Lee_--But he is too fluctuating in
his mind to settle there, or with any Girl whatever Yet--
_Saturday 20._
_Ben_ Mr _Taylor_, Mr _Grubb_, & _Harry_ went to the Potowmack to a
Fish Feast--Come, Fithian, what do you mean by keeping hived up
sweating in your Room--Come out & air yourself--But I choose to stick
by the Stuff. The Colonel too, very kindly, offered me a Seat in his
Chariot to Nomini Court-House, but I declin'd Mr Lane & Mr Warden came
in towards evening--Both in high Spirits. But Mr _Lane_ was (as they
say) "Half Seas over"--they sat & chated noisily til nine--Evening
clear a full Moon, & very light--Our neighbourhood seems alive with
little Negro Boys playing in every part--
_Sunday 21._
Nomini Church--Parson Smith gave us after Prayrs, which he was obliged
to read himself, a useful Sermon; poor man he seemed to labour
hard--Dined with us Captain _Walker_, Mr _Lane_, Mrs _Lane_, Mr
_Wadman_, Mr _Warden_.
Soon after Dinner I left the company & retired to my chamber where I
seem commonly most happy--
[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO PALATIAH WEBSTER]
Nomini-Hall Virginia, augt 21st 1774.
SIR.
I have an oppertunity by some gentlemen, who go from this Colony to
the Congress, of writing you a line according to promise, since I saw
you, I have been in good health; The reigning spirit in Virginia is
liberty--And the universal topic politicks--I suppose it to be the
same with you God Almighty knows where these civil tumults will end;
probably not without War & Blood!--I have but little to say but to
present you my best regards, remember me to your sister--To Miss
Cunningham--The Miss Armitages--Miss Cooks--I hope to see you the last
of october, when I expect to be in Town--Probably you can make it
convenient for you to take a ramble into the country at that time. I
hope to be at leisure, and shall be proud to attend you--Mr Blain, who
favours me by carrying these is a Gentleman of my acquaintance in this
Colony, a Merchant of Note, I shall thank you if you will take some
notice of him,--And by him, as he is to return immediately I beg you
write--Tell me how matters go in Town--Tell me what you know of the
Country--Tell me much about the _Sex_ you love--Remember to ask Mr
Blain the hour he returns, and dont fail to send me a line
I am, Sir,
with great regard,
Yours.
PALATIAH WEBSTER.
PHILIP V. FITHIAN.
[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO NATHANIEL DONNALD, JR.]
Nomini Hall. Augt: 21st. 1774.
SIR.
I wrote you a line in great haste, just before I left home, and two
days before that I had the pleasure of your company with ladies in an
evening excursion--We have here no artificial gardens; Nor can we
select out a company of sociable equals whenever we are in a humour
for a walk--Here we either strain on Horseback from home to Church, or
from house to House if we go out at all--Or we walk alone into a dark
Meadow, or tall wood--But I love solitude, and these lonely recesses
suit exactly the feeling of my mind--I recieved lately a letter from
Cohansie, in which I am informed of the Death of Uncle _Seeley_--The
family and neighbourhood will have suffered a great loss!--I suppose
you join in the general language, and assert your liberties and
oppose oppression. I hope at least you are on the right side of the
question.
The City, I dare say, is in great tumult if not in consternation. I
wish it was convenient for me to be in town when the gentlemen from
the respective Colonies shall meet in general Congress--This is out of
my power, but I can wish for their union, and usefulness. Mr _Blain_,
the gentleman who forwards my letter, is a Merchant of Note, in this
Colony, you will oblige me if you take notice of him while he is in
Town.--You will not fail to write me a line, and give to Mr Blain the
moment you recieve mine, least he leave town and I be disappointed.
My compliments to all friends,
from Sir,
Yours
P. V. FITHIAN.
Mr Nathl: Donnald Junr:
[LETTER OF PHILIP V. FITHIAN TO MISS RUTH WEBSTER]
Nomini-Hall August 21st 1774.
MADAM.
I send you these inclosed in a line to your Brother.