We thought of Fire this morning, but put it off--Ben's mare is not yet heard of, though he has had a Boy almost constantly searching about for her--It is curious to see the Girls imitating what they see in the great House; sometimes tying a String to a Chair & then run buzzing back to imitate the Girls spinning; then getting Rags & washing them without water--Very often they are knitting with Straws, small round stockings, Garters &c--Sometimes they get sticks & splinter one end of them f[o]r _Brushes_, or as they call them here _Clamps_, & spitting on part of the floor, they scrubb away with great vigor--& often at a small game with Peach-stones which they call _checks_--Evening after School I rode to the much Frequented Cornfield, Mr Taylor was from Home the evening cloudy, cool, but fine, The Planters now begin to cut their Tobacco. _Wednesday 14._ Mr _Carter_ received word to day that he has had brought very lately for his Mill 7000 Bushels of Wheat at 4s 6d pr Bushel.--I am at a Loss to know where he will dispose of such vast Quantities!--The Colonel who is often pidling in some curious experiment, is to day making some Printers Ink--He tells me the Materials are Lint-seed-Oil, Wheat-Bread, Onions, & Turpentine, a rank compound truely--then for Black, Lamp-Black, red, Vermillion--_Ben_, found his mare lost in last Saturday's Visit, poor Brute! She was confin'd in the Pasture where he left her, in which being very large She had been concealed.--Mr _Smith_, who was wounded last Spring by a Shot of his Brother is lately dead, & it is said by the Wounds which he received from his Brother!-- _Thursday 15._ _Ben_ is much better: he has return'd to his Bed in my Room, but complains often of the pain in his Breast.--I put him to begin & read some select odes in Horace--He works arithmetic but is only in Reduction--He dispises Greek, & therefore makes little or no progress in that Language--He is reading in course the Eneid Lib 3--He has an unconquerable Love for Horses; he often tells me that he should have been a skilfull, & useful Groom; that he should be more fond & careful of a favourite Horse than of a _Wife_, or than his _victuals_, or than any thing whatever! I never saw a Person, in any Diversion, Recreation or amusement, who seemed so full of Pleasure & enjoyment as he is when on Horse back, or even in the company of a Horse! He seems to possess as warm a regard for them as Dr _Swift_ had for the Houyhnhnms--But I cannot discover that Ben has so cordial an enmity to Mankind as _Swift_ had for the Yahoos.--_Bobs_ passion for the same Animal is no less strong, but it is furious, & cruel, he rides excessive hard, & would ride always--_Harry's_ Genius seems towards Cocks, & low Betts, much in company with the waiting Boys, &, against my strongest Remonstrances, & frequent severe corrections, he will curse, at times, horribly, & swear fearfully! he always, however, omits it when I am Present.-- _Fryday 16._