The Colonel shewed me after Dinner a new invention, which is to be sure his own, for tuning his _Harpischord_ & _Forte-Piano_: it is a number of _Whistles_, of various Sizes so as to sound all the Notes in one Octave. At twelve o-Clock Mr _Carter_ ordered his Boy to bring two Horses, and himself & Miss _Prissy_ rode out for an airing as the Day is vastly fine--Assoon as the Bell rang & I had dismissed the Children I took a walk in the Garden; When I had gone round two or three Platts Mrs Carter entered and walked towards me, I then immediately turn'd and met Her; I bowed--Remarked on the pleasantness of the Day--And began to ask her some questions upon a Row of small slips--To all which she made polite and full answers; As we walked along she would move the Ground at the Root of some plant; or prop up with small sticks the bended _scions_--We took two whole turns through all the several Walks, & had such conversation as the _Place_ and _Objects_ naturally excited--And after Mrs Carter had given some orders to the Gardiners (for there are two Negroes Gardiners by Trade, who are constantly when the Weather will any how permit working in it) we walked out into the _Area_ viewed some Plumb-Trees, when we saw Mr Carter and Miss Prissy returning--We then repaired to the Slope before the front-Door where they dismounted--and we all went into the Dining Room. I shall in a proper time describe the great-House, & the several smaller ones in its neighbourhood; the _Area_, _Poplar-Walk_, _Garden_, & _Pasture_: In the mean time I shall only say, they discover a delicate and Just Tast, and are the effect of great _Invention_ & _Industry,_ & _Expence_. At Dinner we were conversing on the seasons of the Year, & giving our different opinions of which of the Seasons we each thought most agreeable: Mrs Carter chose the Months of October, November & December, her reasons were, that we are always most sensible of pleasure when it succeeds Axiety & Pain; therefore because these months immediately follow those in which there is usually Thunder & Lightning & intense Heat, She thinks them most pleasant: The Colonel agreed with her as to the Months but gave a different Reason; He supposes that in these Months the Air is more uniform and settled than at any other so long time in the year. I preferr'd May, June, and July, because our Bodies at that Season are generally sprightly, vigorous and healthy, and the world around us is beautiful & growing to necessary perfection. Miss Prissy & Miss Nancy were on my side. Mrs Carter told the Colonel that he must not think her setled (for they have been for a long time from this place in the City _Williamsburg_, and only left it about a year and a half ago) till he made her a park and stock'd it; while these and many other things were saying, I was surprized at a Remark which Miss _Prissy_ made, "Why Mama says she, you plan and talk of these things as tho' you should never die"! _Saturday January 1. 1774._