This
is the diary of Francis Paine, a 19th century Vermont schoolteacher and
farmer. As a reader of his diary entries, one will gain insight into the
private thoughts and social practices of an unmarried man in the 1840’s.
One can explore his inward struggle of balancing necessary labor with
leisure enjoyment and suppressing his natural desires in order to abide
by society’s conformist practices. His attitude towards women exemplifies
that of men of his era in that he first describes a woman in terms of
her physical beauty and talents rather than her character and ideas. While
not forthright in his entries about his desire for a wife, his close attachment
to female relatives and clear envy of other newlyweds demonstrate his
yearning for female companionship. Though grateful for the life he has,
the often solitary profession of farming leaves Paine’s social tendencies
craving excitement. Enter the diary of Francis Paine and read for yourself
selected entries of his personal life.