Julie Y

Annotations and comments

Julie Y has posted three annotations/comments since 17 January 2023.

The most recent first…

Comments

Third Reading

About Thursday 18 April 1661

Julie Y  •  Link

Would any of the learned annotators care to please weigh in about this fascinating passage: "After dinner, we all went to the Church stile...and I was as merry as I could counterfeit myself to be."
Does Pepys mean that he is merely feigning merriment under the dark cloud of the Lady's conduct, "...in imitation of that which is genuine," as per the OED? That is how I read the passage.
If my reading is correct, in addition to being an arresting phrase, "[c]ounterfeit myself to be" conveys a heartwarming thought--that the usually healthy Pepysian appetites for food, drink, and jolly society could be so affected by the Lady's ignoble actions. (On the other hand, perhaps I am reading too much into this, and Pepys was reacting to the tedium of the purported church-ale/tea that annotators referenced in 2004...?)
How I love this community endeavor. Continuing thanks to Phil and all.

About Tuesday 24 January 1659/60

Julie Y  •  Link

Can anyone please shed light on what was going on with Pall (Paulina), Pepys' sister here? It seems odd that, to begin with, she is reportedly stealing from her brother's wife and maid and then, that she becomes a servant in Pepys' household a year later. (Apologies for the potential spoiler but this information appears in the annotation about Paulina). It is unusual to me as well that Pepys does not state his own feelings about this seemingly significant occurrence but references only his father's reaction.