The Mother of Washington and Her TimesPryor, Sara Agnes Rice
History
The Mother of Washington and Her Times
Pryor, Sara Agnes Rice
Virginia -- Social life and customs; Washington, Mary Ball, 1708-1789
Next, Miss Betsy Lee: "She is a well-set maid of a proper Height,
neither high nor low. Her Aspect when she is sitting is masculine
and Dauntless: she sits very erect; places her feet with great
propriety, her Hands she lays carelessly in her lap and never moves
them but when she has occasion to adjust some article of her dress,
or to perform some exercise of her Fan. Her Eyes are exactly such as
_Homer_ attributes to the Goddess _Minerva_ and her arms resemble
those which the same Poet allows to _Juno_. Her Hair which was
a dark Brown was craped up very high and in it she had a Ribbon
interwoven with an artificial Flower. At each of her ears dangled
a brilliant jewel. She was pinched up rather too near in a long
pair of new-fashioned Stays, which I think are a nuisance both to
us and themselves--For the late importation of Stays, said to be
now most fashionable in London, are produced upwards so high that
we can have scarce any view at all of the Ladies' Snowy Bosoms; and
on the contrary they are extended downwards so low that Walking
must, I think, cause a disagreeable friction of some parts of the
Body. I imputed the Flush which was visible in her Face to her being
swathed up _Body and Soul and Limbs_ together. She wore a light
chintz gown with a blue stamp elegantly made which set well upon
her. She wore a blue Silk Quilt. Her dress was rich and fashionable
and her behaviour was such as I should expect to find in a Lady
whose education had been constructed with some care and skill."
So much for Miss Lee. Now for the country beauty, Miss Aphia
Fauntleroy (afterwards married to Captain John Champe Carter of the
Revolution).
"Is the best dancer of the whole absolutely!--And the finest Girl!
Her head powdered as white as snow and craped in the newest taste.
She is the copy of the Goddess of Modesty--very handsome. She seemed
to be loved by all her Acquaintances and Admired by every Stranger."
"Miss Priscilla Carter is 16--small of her age, has a mild winning
Presence, a sweet obliging Temper, _never swears_ which is here
a distinguished virtue, dances finely, plays well on key'd
Instruments, is never without what seems to have been a common Gift
of Heaven to the _fair Sex_, the Copia Verborum, or readiness of
Expression." (This sweet-tempered fifteen-year-older, a pupil of the
Presbyterian tutor, was a young lady of spirit.) "Miss Prissy is
much offended! She retains her anger and seems peculiarly resentful,
refusing to walk over to the school. Indeed she is much affronted.
Monday afternoon by chance I tapp'd her on the Head and wholly
in Jest." Five days later the Diary records, "At last Prissy is
reconciled," having punished him sufficiently.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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