Diary of an Aristocrat

Diary of an Aristocrat

After reading "The Secret Diary of William Byrd of Westover," I gained a sense of what life was like for men of the aristocratic classes. Their life consisted of leisure, and pleasure filled with over indulgence.

When the aristocrats woke up in the morning when they pleased, and had free time to use as they wished. William Byrd chose to read "two chapters in Hebrew and some Greek in Lucian." This quote shows how educated and literate the aristocratic classes were, and in their free time they enjoyed learning. Learning wasn't the only thing the aristocratic classes enjoyed doing. They also had free time to drink cider, take walks in gardens, and hang out with important people. William Byrd got to work and eat lunch with the Colonel Duke and the governor.

The aristocratic class also got to indulge in luxurious foods and drinks. Food and beverages weren't only needed to survive, but more to enjoy. They had wines, coffee, and cider to sip on at social gatherings. On the other hand, the slaves were starved for food and needed any bit to survive. In many of the diary entries he states, "we drank an abundance of cider, drank coffee, and French wine." The food they got to take pleasure in was fowl, bacon, fish, and boiled beef. These