Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian: A Plantation Tutor of the Old Dominion, 1773-1774.

"Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian" edited by Hunter Dickinson Farish, captures the day-to-day life and thoughts of a young tutor from Princeton amidst the gatherings, refinement, and difficulties of a Virginia plantation on the eve of the American Revolution. The story starts with the journey of Philip Vickers Fithian to "Nomini Hall," where he becomes immersed in the Carter family's world, a place bustling with activity yet deeply entwined with the system of slavery. As Fithian navigates his new environment, he shares his views on plantation customs, his relationships with the Carters, and his growing unease with the ethics of slavery, giving a detailed look into a changing society through the eyes of a thoughtful observer as he wrestles with his admiration for the lifestyle and the moral questions it raises.