The Diary by Samuel Pepys (children's ebooks online TXT) π
Description
Pepysβ Diary is an incredibly frank decade-long snapshot of the life of an up and coming naval administrator in mid-17th century London. In it he describes everything from battles against the Dutch and the intrigues of court, down to the plays he saw, his marital infidelities, and the quality of the meat provided for his supper. His observations have proved invaluable in establishing an accurate record of the daily life of the people of London of that period.
Pepys eventually stopped writing his diary due to progressively worse eyesight, a condition he feared. He did consider employing an amanuensis to transcribe future entries for him, but worried that the content he wanted written would be too personal. Luckily for Pepys, his eyesight difficulties never progressed to blindness and he was able to go on to become both a Member of Parliament and the President of the Royal Society.
After Pepysβ death he left his large library of books and manuscripts first to his nephew, which was then passed on to Magdalene College, Cambridge, where it survives to this day. The diary, originally written in a shorthand, was included in this trove and was eventually deciphered in the early 19th century, and published by Lord Baybrooke in 1825. This early release censored large amounts of the text, and it was only in the 1970s that an uncensored version was published. Presented here is the 1893 edition, which restores the majority of the originally censored content but omits βa few passages which cannot possibly be printed.β The rich collection of endnotes serve to further illustrate the lives of the people Pepys meets and the state of Englandβs internal politics and international relations at the time.
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- Author: Samuel Pepys
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Micrographia: Or Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses, London, 1665, a very remarkable work with elaborate plates, some of which have been used for lecture illustrations almost to our own day. On November 23rd, 1664, the President of the Royal Society was βdesired to sign a licence for printing of Mr. Hookeβs microscopical book.β At this time the book was mostly printed, but it was delayed, much to Hookeβs disgust, by the examination of several Fellows of the Society. In spite of this examination the council were anxious that the author should make it clear that he alone was responsible for any theory put forward, and they gave him notice to that effect. Hooke made this clear in his dedication (see Birchβs History, vol. i, pp. 490β ββ 491) β©
Sir Philip Warwick lived in the Outer Spring Garden, and the site of his house is marked by Warwick Street, Cockspur Street. Warwick House was the residence of the Princess Charlotte of Wales at the beginning of the present century. β©
Aubrey, Earl of Oxford, was Warden and Chief Justice in Eyre of the Royal Forests, Parks, Chaces, and Warrens, South of Trent, from 1660 to 1673. He was then living in the Piazza, Covent Garden. β©
The Comical Revenge, or Love in a Tub, a comedy by Sir George Etherege; licensed for printing, July 8th, 1664, but not published till 1669. It was acted by the Dukeβs Company, and the Bettertons and Harris were in it. β©
Joseph Beaumont, D.D., Prebendary of Ely, 1651, but not installed until 1660; Master of Jesus College, Cambridge, 1662β ββ 63, and of Peterhouse, 1663β ββ 1699, Regius Professor of Divinity, Cambridge, 1674. He died November 23rd, 1699. β©
The Charter-book of the Royal Society, which contains the signatures of the Fellows of the Society from the foundation, is a volume of the greatest interest. At the meeting on January 11th, 1664β ββ 65, βThe Charter-book of the Society was produced, wherein his Majesty, on the 9th of January, had written himself Charles R., Founder, and his Highness the Duke of York, James, Fellow; the Duke of Albemarle also having entered his name at the same time. The President was desired to kiss his Majestyβs hand for this honourβ (Birchβs History, vol. ii, p. 4). β©
For taking New York from the Dutch, see note 2286. β©
John Belasyse, second son of Thomas, first Viscount Fauconberg, created Baron Belasyse of Worlaby, January 27th, 1644, Lord Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire, and Governor of Hull. He was appointed Governor of Tangier, and Captain of the Band of Gentlemen Pensioners. He was a Roman Catholic, and therefore was deprived of all his appointments in 1672 by the provisions of the Test Act, but in 1684 James II made him First Commissioner of the Treasury. He died 1689. β©
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and a Privy Councillor. Died 1671. ββ B. β©
These consultations must have been extra-official, as they are not mentioned in Birchβs History of the Royal Society. The spelling of the name Brouncker appears to have offered great difficulty to Pepys, for he sometimes writes it Brunker and sometimes Brunkard. β©
See entry on January 14th, where the names of the ships are given as PhΕnix and Nonsuch. The PhΕnix was a fourth-rate, of thirty-eight guns, built at Woolwich in 1647 by Peter Pett, Jun. β©
A tragedy by Shirley, licensed May 4th, 1631, and published 1635. Genest does not mention the acting of this play till 1692. β©
See entry on January 11th. β©
Ben Jonsonβs comedy, Volpone, or the Fox, published 1605. β©
Rushworthβs Historical Collections of Private Passages in State, etc., first appeared in 1659. Rushworth was born 1607, and died 1690 The reference is to the dukeβs expedition to the Isle of RhΓ©. β©
Among the State Papers is a letter from Captain Thomas Allin to Sir Richard Fanshaw, dated from βThe Plymouth, Cadiz Bay,β December 25th, 1664, in which he writes: βOn the 19th attacked with his seven ships left, a Dutch fleet of fourteen, three of which were men-of-war; sunk two vessels and took two others, one a rich prize from Smyrna; the others retired much battered. Has also taken a Dutch prize laden with iron and planks, coming from Lisbon (Calendar, Domestic, 1664β ββ 65, p. 122). β©
The old form of the name Cadiz. β©
Lord Ashley lived for several years at Exeter House (on the north side of the Strand), on
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