Lately, when I'm not being vomited upon or doing laundry, I'm transcribing my great-great grandmother's diary. It's pretty simple, listing the comings and goings of her household and — outside of the rare mention of current events — is probably only of interest to the descendents of her family and neighbors.
I'm a sucker for diaries and memoirs. Until very recently, they were the only way I could stomach reading military history. The very best are written by strong personalities who are thrown into an unusual situation with time on their hands. I'm always interested in suggestions for good diaries to add to the collection, and will repay in advance by recommending The Journal and Letters of Phillip Vickers Fithian, 1773-1774.
Fithian is a New Jersey-born graduate of Princeton whose journal covers the year he spends tutoring the children of a large planter in Northern Virginia and studying to be a Presbyterian minister. He's an intelligent observer, and his diary has little bit of everything you could wish for.
He voices professional concerns on Tuesday, March 15, 1774
Bob however; for the present is frustrated in his purpose of learning Grammer, & it seems to chagrin him as much, as tho' he actually believed in what Mrs Taylor told him last Sunday, that without he understands Latin, he will never be able to win a young Lady of Family & fashion for his Wife.
A theme in the weeks preceeding Christmas is Fithian's acute embarassment at his inability to dance, and prickliness when it appears someone might discover him:
I was strongly solicited by the young Gentlemen to go in and dance. I declined it, however, and went to my Room not without Wishes that it had been a part of my Education to learn what I think is an innocent and an ornamental, and most certainly, in this province is a necessary qualification for a person to appear even decent in Company!
Possibly the best thing about diaries is the juxtaposition of the world-shaking with the mundane: Roosevelt elected President. I finished a quilt. This is how life really happens to us, even though we rarely remember it that way. Fithian's entry for Thursday, December 23, 1773 is a great example of this:
Posted by Ben Brumfield at November 3, 2005 12:56 PMIt is a custom with our Bob whenever he can coax his Dog up stairs, to take him into his Bed, and make him a companion; I was much pleased this morning while he and Harry were reading in Course a Chapter in the Bible, that they read in the 27tj Chapter of Deuteronomy the Curses threatened there for Crimes; Bob seldom, perhapse never before, read the verse, at last read that "Cursed be he that lyeth with any manner of Beast, and all the People shall say Amen." I was exceedingly Pleased, yet astonished at the Boy on two accounts. -- 1st At the end of every verse, before he came to this, he would pronounce aloud "Amen." But on Reading this verse he not only omitted the "Amen," but seem'd visibly struck with confusion! -- 2d And so soon as the Verse was read, to excuse himself, he said at once, Brother Ben slept all last winter with his Dog, and learn'd me! -- Thus ready are Mankind always to evade Correction!
This Evening, after I had dismiss'd the Children, & was sitting in the School-Room cracking Nuts, none present but Mr Carters Clerk, a civil, inoffensive, agreeable young Man, who acts both in the character of a Clerk and Steward, when the Woman who makes my Bed, asked me for the key of my Room, and on seeing the young Man sitting with me, she told him that her Mistress had this afternoon given orders that their Allowance of Meat should be given out to them to-morrow. --She left us; I then asked the young man what their allowance is? He told me that excepting some favourites about the table, their weekly allowance is a peck of Corn, & a pound of Meat a Head! --And Mr Carter is allow'd by all, & from what I have already seen of others, I make no Doubt at all but he is, by far the most humane to his Slaves of any in these parts! Good God! are these Christians?
