"chit chat way", 1766

[Joel S. Berson]

The assembly [of Maryland] happens to be sitting at this time. ... I
went into the lower, sitting in an old courthouse ... I was surprised
on approaching it to hear as great a noise and hubbub as you will
usually observe at a publick meeting of the planters in Virginia. ...
The mob (for such was their appearance) sat covered on the justices'
and lawyers' benches, and were divided into little clubs amusing
themselves in the common chit chat way.

Letter, Thomas Jefferson to John Page.
Annapolis May. 25. 1766.
In: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 1: 1760-1776.
Ed. Julian O. Boyd et al.
Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.
1950.
page 19.

Interdates "chit-chat, n." sense 2.b. attrib.,  1714 -- 1819.

Joel

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