To Day is the election of Burgesses in Richmond the neighbouring County--Come, Fithian, will you go? My old objection recurs; I am too busy--I met this morning in Wingates Arithmetic, with the following merry Problem--"To discover a Number which any one shall have in his mind, without requiring him to reveal any part of that or any Number whatsoever"--After any one has thought upon any number at Pleasure; bid him double it, & to that double bid him add any such even number as you please to assign: Then from the Sum of that Addition let him reject one half, & reserve the other half; Lastly, from this half bid him subtract the Number which he first thought upon; then you may boldly tell him what Number remains in his mind after that Subtraction is made, for it will be always half the Number which you assigned him to add--A Reason for the Rule is added. "Because, if to the double of any number (which number for Distinction sake I call the first) a second number be added, the half of the Sum must necessarily consist of the said first number, & half the Second: Therefore if from the said half sum the first Number be subtracted, the remainder must of necessity be half the second Number which was added--Mr Inspector dined with us again to day--We had after Dinner, _Lime Punch_ & _Madaira_: but he chose & had a Bowl of _Grogg_--You are a mean Puppy, a treacherous, ungenerous Scoundrel, says _Bob_, to Harry just as I entered the School after Dinner--you told Mr _Lowe_, you did more, you published in Mr Washingtons Family that Mr _Fithian_ horsed me for Staying out all night--That he call'd in John the Waiter to help him--& that you was sent to cut & bring in Whips--After School with Ben I rode out the Day is warm, & the Ground grows to be very dry--I was not a little Surprized to see Corn out in Tassel--But the Tobacco looks dismal, it is all poor, much of it is dead with the drouth; I think, however, that the Season is ten days or two Weeks earlier here than in New Jersey.-- Mr Stadly, left us to Day. I love that Man, he is gone to Colonel Taylors[189]-- [189] Colonel John Tayloe. _Fryday 15._