Tuesday 11 November 1662
All the morning sitting at the office, and then to dinner with my wife, and so to the office again (where a good while Mr. Bland was with me, telling me very fine things in merchandize, which, but that the trouble of my office do so cruelly hinder me, I would take some pains in) till late at night. Towards the evening I, as I have done for three or four nights, studying something of Arithmetique, which do please me well to see myself come forward. So home, to supper, and to bed.
10 Annotations
First Reading
language hat • Link
"telling me very fine things in merchandize"
I assume this is the OED's first sense, now obsolete: "The action or business of buying and selling goods or commodities for profit; the business of a merchant; commerce, trading."
A. De Araujo • Link
"but that the trouble of my office do so cruelly hinder me"
What is he saying? so difficult to be a crook?
Paul Chapin • Link
“but that the trouble of my office do so cruelly hinder me”
No, I read this as saying he's too busy with his Navy work to go into trade.
Robert Gertz • Link
Curious, Elisabeth is just across the way, working or sitting, perhaps with Jane for company, maybe Will Hewer also if Sam lets him off at night. Does she look out occasionally, eyeing candles burning in that office, wishing that workaholic husband would shut the place up and come home to keep her company? Is she comforted, seeing his light burning steadily, and knowing he's hard at it for them both as she herself hauls away at her own endless chores? She never thinks of hopping over, mugs of warm cider, plate of cheese and bread in hand as excuse?...At least Sam never mentions it.
I'd like to believe that on some late nights she does. And on some others, though he may not wish to confide it to the Diary, he leaves just a bit earlier than he might.
CGS • Link
marvelous point? [as suggested, the supernatural]
A. Hamilton • Link
Arithmetique
I recommend following the link to Mike Vincent's comment and link to the life of John Collins, a few years older than Pepys, an accountant and mathematician of some skill, FRS etc. for a glimpse of a parallel life lived without powerful patrons.
Pedro • Link
On this day...
Allin is in the Lion and records...
The weather continued, that no packets came aboard, very foul. The wind shifting from SSW to the NW in the night carried away with a violent high tide divers yawls off of Deal beach and washed down divers houses at Dover and many people drowned. the water went over Deal beach and ran into the town."
(Journals of Sir Thomas Allin edited by Anderson)
Second Reading
Bill • Link
"telling me very fine things in merchandize"
MERCHANDIZE, Commodities or Goods to Trade with; Also Trade, Traffick
To MERCHANDIZE, to deal as a Merchant, to Traffick or Trade.
---An universal etymological English dictionary. N. Bailey, 1724.
Ivan • Link
L&M reads: "but that the trouble of my house doth so cruelly hinder me,"
So "house" which is concerning Sam greatly makes more sense than "office".
eileen d. • Link
[from above]
"I recommend following the link to Mike Vincent's comment and link to the life of John Collins, a few years older than Pepys, an accountant and mathematician of some skill, FRS etc. "
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/J…