Untitled Diary Entry on Smallpox Inoculation

1792                                                - 56 -

       May 14       Sir John Wentworth sworn into Office and at night the Town was
                    brightly illuminated to celebrate and there was more drunkenness than usual
                    in the streets which is a poor welcome to my way of thinking. Attended a
                    ball in the evening & He and his Lady made a handsome pair on a raised dais
                    with negro slaves fanning them with large fans of red, white and blue ostrich
                    feathers and the silver cloth around the base.
      July --          Have had a housewarming at my new Town House and the very best of
                    Society were there. If business keeps as it has been will be able to
                    purchase a family chariot as Margaret wishes with the coat of Arms. She had
                    a new gown for the occasion and we were very proud of our place. Had
                    imported a fancy chandelier for the dining room patterned after the one in
                   Government House but smaller. When we walk on the Promenade on Pleasant Street
                    people look around at us now and many stop to pass the time of day.
                        Greatly honoured by being invited to the Prince’s Box in the Halifax
                   Theatre for a performance of The Merchant of Venice and were presented to 
                   Madame St.Lawrence who is not so beautiful but very lively, and gracious. 
     Aug. 17        A large fire on Granville Street started in a soap-maker’s place and
                    did considerable damage before it was extinguished. Two old persons were
                    burnt to death in it.
     Sept. --       The small-pox which had broken out among some negroes has begun to
                    spread through the Town and a Dr. Jenner has a novel cure for it which
                    consists in scratching the arm of a person and daubing in some of the pox.
                    The patient is supposed to suffer a very mild case and be permanently cured
                    but most of the people are suspicious and will have nothing to do with it. 
                         On the Sevres China which I have been getting from time to time the
                    trade-mark has been two crossed L’s but it is now changed to R.F. which is
                    for the Republic of France.