Samuel Pepys’ diary

Assorted tech-savvy wags have created blogs for major literary figures ( G.K. Chesterton , for example), so it was inevitable that someone would create a blog for perhaps the most prolific diarist in English literary history. Samuel Pepys (pronounced Peeps) was a successful seventeenth-century British civil servant who chronicled nearly every day of his life for almost nine straight years, from 1660 to 1669, including his business interest in ships and the British navy, his run-ins with the nobility, his merry meals with friends and family, his nightly prayers, and his “towsing” (ruffling up, disheveling) of women other than his wife (the latter two activities often on the same day). “Pepys” inaugurated his blog on January 1, 2003, by reprinting his entry from January 1, 1660; as of today, he is up to August 23, 1663. A small group of regular readers provides useful annotations.

To give you a taste, here is Pepys’ diary from Wednesday, August 5, 1663, blogged on Saturday, August 5, 2006:

All the morning at the office, whither Deane of Woolwich came to me and discoursed of the body of ships, which I am now going about to understand, and then I took him to the coffee-house, where he was very earnest against Mr. Grant’s report in favour of Sir W. Petty’s vessel, even to some passion on both sides almost. So to the Exchange, and thence home to dinner with my brother, and in the afternoon to Westminster hall, and there found Mrs. Lane, and by agreement we met at the Parliament stairs (in my way down to the boat who should meet us but my lady Jemimah, who saw me lead her but said nothing to me of her, though I ought to speak to her to see whether she would take notice of it or no) and off to Stangate and so to the King’s Head at Lambeth marsh, and had variety of meats and drinks, but I did so towse her and handled her, but could get nothing more from her though I was very near it; but as wanton and bucksome as she is she dares not adventure upon the business, in which I very much commend and like her. Staid pretty late, and so over with her by water, and being in a great sweat with my towsing of her durst not go home by water, but took coach, and at home my brother and I fell upon Des Cartes, and I perceive he has studied him well, and I cannot find but he has minded his book, and do love it. This evening came a letter about business from Mr. Coventry, and with it a silver pen he promised me to carry inke in, which is very necessary. So to prayers and to bed.