The 'officious little Pepys' could prove a useful scapegoat for the more illustrious members of the Navy Office and Sam is apprehensive of his own potential vulnerability,
Wasn't it the Duke of Wellington, apropos the Battle of Waterloo, who remarked that, although he couldn't say for sure that he had won the battle, he knew damn' well who would have lost it?
Sam knows that the navy is by no means ready to undertake a war at sea; he is well aware that he is making a name (and an income) for himself in the business of naval supply and organisation; he knows that he is making enemies whilst doing so. A large part of his fear must be that, as well as risking his capital if Sandwich is killed in battle, his own position and employment will be severely threatened if the adventure goes badly ..... the Old Guard will close ranks and he risks being hung out to dry.
All the afternoon, not being well, at my office....
Does this strike anyone else as an odd conjunction of ideas?
Perhaps we are to understand that, despite the day's being an official holiday marking the anniversary of the coronation, Pepys is not feeling well enough to go out and about again in the afternoon, though he can raise the energy to spend several uninterrupted hours in the office. Poor Elizabeth; no outings to the Halfway House, Lincoln's Inn Fields or Hyde Park today.
I suppose that 'not being well' could just possibly refer to the weather being unsuitable for an outing, but this seems an unlikely way of expressing the fact. One would expect to read 'fine' or 'fair' rather than 'well' in that case.
Sam can properly enjoy seeing and being seen when in a 'proper' coach, rather than just the hired hackney of a few days ago. I'm reminded of a sight from my childhood: young men taking one another's photographs as they lounged against some stranger's 'posh' car parked in the street.
L&M give the same transcription, but they add an editorial semi-colon after 'late'. This has the effect of making the last part of the sentence sound like a simple summary of the afternoon's doings.
We do know the details of one clause. On 3rd January Sam undertook not to visit a public theatre more than once a month and that he would not spend more than 50 shillings in total on theatre-going before the following New Year's Day unless he should 'become worth 1000l. sooner than then'.
Perhaps he is exercising the £1000 standard when it comes to the purchase of books, as well.
Sam feels that his appearance amongst the 'bon ton' in a mere, hired coach (especially one laden with Rabbit's friends and relations) rather than in his own carriage is distinctly non-U. However, he does take coach more and more often these days, whereas a couple of years ago he spent more time on foot or on the river. He's rising in the world but has reached that uncomfortable, middle-class stage where he can't keep up with the Joneses socially, though he can equal and exceed them professionally and intellectually.
The straightforward reading of this is that Sam prepares papers in anticipation of his father's staying in the house so that the two men may discuss affairs at Brampton etc. Papa has not stayed overnight today, but probably plans to do so in the near future.
As noted a couple of years ago, there was a shop (Nicholson's?) that sold fabric, haberdashery etc. in St. Paul's Churchyard well into the 20th century. I recall being taken there as a child to choose fabric for a dressing-gown in the 1950s.
The L&M edition firmly transcribes 'gown' in the singular in both instances here. "Petticoats" remains, predictably, in the plural form, but that's not a problem.
These are not the kind of ducking-ponds where one might discover a ducking-stool, but rather ponds where the sport of setting dogs to chase ducks was practised. L&M notes that there were ducking-ponds in both Islington and Clerkenwell.
I detect no sense of surprise here. The gown had simply been delivered from the dressmaker's with the requested lace applied. The position of 'laced' at the end of the sentence does not, in 17C terms, imply emphasis.
Remember that James Stuart (1715) and Charles Stuart (1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie) were known respectively as The Old Pretender and The Young Pretender, both claimants to the throne of England.
Comments
First Reading
About Saturday 30 April 1664
Mary • Link
That was exactly the point that I was making, RG.
The 'officious little Pepys' could prove a useful scapegoat for the more illustrious members of the Navy Office and Sam is apprehensive of his own potential vulnerability,
About Saturday 30 April 1664
Mary • Link
for my part I dread it.
Wasn't it the Duke of Wellington, apropos the Battle of Waterloo, who remarked that, although he couldn't say for sure that he had won the battle, he knew damn' well who would have lost it?
Sam knows that the navy is by no means ready to undertake a war at sea; he is well aware that he is making a name (and an income) for himself in the business of naval supply and organisation; he knows that he is making enemies whilst doing so. A large part of his fear must be that, as well as risking his capital if Sandwich is killed in battle, his own position and employment will be severely threatened if the adventure goes badly ..... the Old Guard will close ranks and he risks being hung out to dry.
About Tuesday 26 April 1664
Mary • Link
a pleasant walk observing the birds.
These will be the caged birds in the Birdcage Walk royal aviary.
About Tuesday 26 April 1664
Mary • Link
W. Joyce's debt.
This is presumably the money for which he was pursuing Lady P. in the first place.
About Saturday 23 April 1664
Mary • Link
All the afternoon, not being well, at my office....
Does this strike anyone else as an odd conjunction of ideas?
Perhaps we are to understand that, despite the day's being an official holiday marking the anniversary of the coronation, Pepys is not feeling well enough to go out and about again in the afternoon, though he can raise the energy to spend several uninterrupted hours in the office. Poor Elizabeth; no outings to the Halfway House, Lincoln's Inn Fields or Hyde Park today.
I suppose that 'not being well' could just possibly refer to the weather being unsuitable for an outing, but this seems an unlikely way of expressing the fact. One would expect to read 'fine' or 'fair' rather than 'well' in that case.
About Friday 22 April 1664
Mary • Link
"in their coach to Hide Park"
Sam can properly enjoy seeing and being seen when in a 'proper' coach, rather than just the hired hackney of a few days ago. I'm reminded of a sight from my childhood: young men taking one another's photographs as they lounged against some stranger's 'posh' car parked in the street.
About Thursday 21 April 1664
Mary • Link
"and so to the office ..... to my office...."
L&M give the same transcription, but they add an editorial semi-colon after 'late'. This has the effect of making the last part of the sentence sound like a simple summary of the afternoon's doings.
About Wednesday 20 April 1664
Mary • Link
Oaths for 1664,
We do know the details of one clause. On 3rd January Sam undertook not to visit a public theatre more than once a month and that he would not spend more than 50 shillings in total on theatre-going before the following New Year's Day unless he should 'become worth 1000l. sooner than then'.
Perhaps he is exercising the £1000 standard when it comes to the purchase of books, as well.
About Monday 18 April 1664
Mary • Link
"being in a hackney"
Sam feels that his appearance amongst the 'bon ton' in a mere, hired coach (especially one laden with Rabbit's friends and relations) rather than in his own carriage is distinctly non-U. However, he does take coach more and more often these days, whereas a couple of years ago he spent more time on foot or on the river. He's rising in the world but has reached that uncomfortable, middle-class stage where he can't keep up with the Joneses socially, though he can equal and exceed them professionally and intellectually.
About Friday 8 April 1664
Mary • Link
wiggs
L&M gloss these as cakes or buns made of fine flour.
About Tuesday 12 April 1664
Mary • Link
Tom the Tailor's shop-house.
Do we know whether the Pepys family actually owned the premises in Salisbury Court? And if so, whether it was owned as freehold or leasehold?
About Monday 11 April 1664
Mary • Link
"against my father comes to lie here..."
The straightforward reading of this is that Sam prepares papers in anticipation of his father's staying in the house so that the two men may discuss affairs at Brampton etc. Papa has not stayed overnight today, but probably plans to do so in the near future.
About Paternoster Row
Mary • Link
Mercers in the vicinity of St. Paul's.
As noted a couple of years ago, there was a shop (Nicholson's?) that sold fabric, haberdashery etc. in St. Paul's Churchyard well into the 20th century. I recall being taken there as a child to choose fabric for a dressing-gown in the 1950s.
About Sunday 10 April 1664
Mary • Link
Elizabeth's gowns.
The L&M edition firmly transcribes 'gown' in the singular in both instances here. "Petticoats" remains, predictably, in the plural form, but that's not a problem.
About Wednesday 6 April 1664
Mary • Link
"our debts die with us"?
Surely not. Claims continue to be made against the estate of the deceased, not least by government agencies.
About Monday 4 April 1664
Mary • Link
Lady P. "very high-spirited"
By contrast with its modern usage, this means arrogant, proud etc. Pepys doesn't approve of her attitude.
About Sunday 27 March 1664
Mary • Link
cook-mayde
Australian Susan's second thought looks the better; that 'cook'modifies'mayde, cf. cook-maid; chamber-maid, lady's-maid, parlour-maid etc.
About Sunday 27 March 1664
Mary • Link
ducking-ponds.
These are not the kind of ducking-ponds where one might discover a ducking-stool, but rather ponds where the sport of setting dogs to chase ducks was practised. L&M notes that there were ducking-ponds in both Islington and Clerkenwell.
About Saturday 26 March 1664
Mary • Link
'found her gown come home laced'
I detect no sense of surprise here. The gown had simply been delivered from the dressmaker's with the requested lace applied. The position of 'laced' at the end of the sentence does not, in 17C terms, imply emphasis.
About Friday 25 March 1664
Mary • Link
pretend.
Remember that James Stuart (1715) and Charles Stuart (1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie) were known respectively as The Old Pretender and The Young Pretender, both claimants to the throne of England.