Hi all,

It was exciting to read so many fascinating sources!

I'll start with Chris, whose source I am presenting on:
I'll echo Tom's response in that I wonder if Ms. Gage had an expected audience for her diary? It is amazing to have a first-hand account of the attitudes of the day and I wonder if we can extrapolate that 1) this is what Mrs. Gage really thought, or 2) if this is what everyone else thought, so Mrs. Gage thought she ought to think it. Both would be valuable historical comments.
I have to think of William Byrd here, a 1700's era Virginia plantation owner whose diary was published after his death. Byrd's diary is questionable to say the least--he plays up his religiosity, but at the same time tells of ridiculous sexual escapades. It seems somewhat likely that Byrd hoped that his diary would be found, and that people would think of him in a certain way.
Are there inclinations that would point towards this assessment towards Mrs. Gage? Or absolutely not? Even if she was writing for an "audience" this source is still fascinating and can tell a lot about the time period.