[190] The Beales were a prominent family in Richmond and Westmoreland counties. Several members of this family had intermarried with the Carters. Robert Carter's uncle, Landon Carter of "Sabine Hall," had taken Elizabeth Beale as his third wife in 1746. Landon's son, Robert Wormeley Carter, married Winifred Beale, and Robert Wormeley's sister, Judith, married Reuben Beale. _Sunday 17._ The Air this morning serene & cool--I do not go to Church. At last I have finished my Presbyterial pieces roughly they are to be reviewed & corrected; In the mean Time tho', (as Workman say) I must blow a little, for to be sure I am fatigued--Mr _Fithian_, says Mr _Carter_ at Dinner with a serious Air, you see we cannot with conveniency attend _Ucomico_ Church. If I should propose having prayrs read in the great Room on that vacant Day would you encourage & assist me?--I answered him that I was heartily agreed--You then, Sir, says he, may read the _prayrs_--& I will read the _Lessons_. The Afternoon extremely hot I could not leave my Room til the Sun had hid his flaming Place behind the Earth--Then I walked through the Garden--The whole Family seem to be now out Black, White, Male, Female, all enjoying the cool evening-- _Monday 18._ Pray Sir let all our Windows be put up, says Bob the Moment he came down from his chamber, & let the Doors be set open or we shall faint with Heat--Such a night I never spent before--The Heat says he, and these cursed Chinches made me intirely restless--I scribbled over a Letter to Mr _John Peck_, & one to Miss ... pray Mr Fithian says Nancy draw me a picture such as you drew for Fanny last Week--At two, just before we sit Down to Dinner a Cloud appear'd in the West--Mrs Carter excused herself from Dinner; while we were dining the Cloud came over, very moderate tho' with plenty of Rain--It is now, says Mrs Carter at Coffee, cool enough, a fine fair evening, a Northerly breeze & lovely evening--Mrs Oakly came into my Room this evening--It was to take her leave; she is to leave us early tomorrow morning--Good night, said I to the little Woman, I wish you a safe passage over the Rappahannock, & a pleasant journey home--I drew off as well as I could a rough plan of Nominy-Hall for Nancy. _Teusday 19._ Nurse left us early this morning postilion Nat. carried her in a chair to the Ferry--The Day is fine cool enough--After School in the evening I rode out to a Corn-field, about a Mile & a half off, where I usually go for exercise, the Corn is beginning pretty generally to tassel, & I saw one hill in Silk, and in Blossom--To day I put _Harry_ into decimal Arithmetic-- _Wednesday 20._