In gen^l then I rise at five o'Clock in the
morning, read till seven--then take a walk in the
garden or fields, see that the Servants are at
their respective business, then breakfast. The
first hour after breakfast is spent in musick, the
next is constantly employed in recolecting
something I have learned, lest for want of
practise it should be quite lost, such as french
and shorthand. After that, I devote the rest of
the time till I dress for dinner, to our little
polly, and two black girls who I teach to read,
and if I have my papa's approbation (my mama's I
have got) I intend for school mistress's for the
rest of the Negroe children. Another scheme you
see, but to proceed, the first hour after dinner,
as the first after breakfast, at musick, the rest
of the afternoon in needle work till candle light,
and from that time to bed time read or write.
Mondays my musick Master is here. Tuesday my
friend M^{rs} Chardon (about 3 miles distant) and
I are constantly engaged to each other, she at our
house one Tuesday I at hers the next, and this is
one of y^e happiest days I spend at Wappoo.
Thursday the whole day except what the necessary
affairs of the family take up, is spent in
writing, either on the business of the plantations
or on letters to my friends. Every other Friday,
if no company, we go a vizeting, so that I go
abroad once a week and no oftener.
Now you may form some judgment of what time I can
have to work my lappets. I own I never go to them
with a quite easy conscience as I know my father
has an avertion to my employing my time in that
boreing work, but they are begun, and must be
finished, I hate to undertake anything and not go
thro' with it, but by way of relaxation from the
other, I have begun a piece of work of a quicker
sort, w^{ch} requires neither eyes nor genius, at
least not very good ones. Would you ever guess it
to be a shrimp nett? for so it is.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account