The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-09-02

kxusct. fren fepys' DIARY.
As we propose making yet more extracts from
this Diary, "the best book Of its kind in the
English language" il will not be amiss TO tell
our readers that Samuel Pepys was Secretary 10
the Admiralty in the Reigns of Charles ii. and
James H.-thst his Diary comprises the period
from 1853 to 1869, and is fun of minute, char
scteristic details Of men and manners, which
History rejects as below her dignity. but which
are indispensable 10 the life and reality Of her
delineations;-thath he was an easy tempered
kind hearted man, combining extraordinary dill.
ifence and regularity in his official duties and
domestic ecoaOmy, with an Unsuitable love Of
gossip, amusement, and all manner Of miscella-
neOus information with a devoted and almost
ludicrous admiration Of his wife, and wonder.
full devotion to the fair sex in general, and pref
~ actresses and singers in particular; and shove
all, great practical sagacity and cunning in State
affairs, with an almost incredible amount of ere
dulity, PueriIity and folly. We give our ex-
tracts as smusingly descriptive Of q social sys-
tenn which has existed, but, fortunately, can
never exist again.
His dinners "out" and sat home" and
his numerous merry -makings are not with
out their Characteristic touches and occasion
al headaches next day.
SO January 1659-60. At my Office,
where We paid money TO the soldiers till
o'clock; and took my wife TO my cosen,
Thomas PePys, and found them Just sat
down TO dinner, which was very good; only
the venisOn was palpable mutton, which
was not handsome.
''21 January 1660-1. Home, and at
dinner was very angry at my peoples eat
ing very fine padding (made me by Slater,
the cooke, last Thursday without my wife's
leave.
- Feb. l660-l. Home, where all
things were IN hurry for dinner-a strange
cooke being come in the room of Slater,
who would not come. Three dinners with
in fortnight.
40 March 166l. Dined at home upon
poor Lenten dinner Of colworts and ba-
con.
''26 March lG6l-2. had pretty din
ner for them; viz: brace of stewed carps,
SIX roasted chickens and lowle of salmon
hot for the first course; a tanzy, and two
meats tongues and cheese the second. We
had msn-cooxe to dress dinner to-day and
sent for Jane TO help US.
90 Feb. 1860. Shrove Tuesday. Tol
Mrs. Turner'S, where several friends, all |
strangers to me but Mrs. Armiger, dined.-l
Very merry. and the best fritters that ever |
eat in my life. After that, looked out at
window: saw the finging at cocks.
's27 March 1901. To the Dolphin to
dinner Of Mr.. Hsrris's, where Sir Williams
both and my Lady Bstten and her two
daughters, and oSer company. where great
deal Of mirth, and there staid till eleven
O'Clock at night and in our mirth | sang
and sometimes hddled Qhere being noise
Of folders there), and at last we fell to dan.
cling, the first time that ever did ia my life,
which | did wonder 10 see myself do. At
last we made Mingo, Sir W. Batten's black,
and Jack. Sir w. Pens, dance, and il was
strange how the first did dance, with great
deal Of seeming skill. II
SO April 1861. Up among my work.
men, my head akeing all day from last
nights debsnch. At noon dined with Sir ,
w. Batten and Pen, who would have me
drink two great drsughts of sack to-day to |
cure me Of my last nights disease, which 1
thought strange, but | think that find it
true.
sd June 1861. Sir w. Pen and went I
out with Sir r. Slingsby to bowles in his s
alley, and there had good sport. took my q
hsgeoiette and played upon the leads in the e
garden, where Sir w. Pen came out in his b
shit into bis leads, and there we staid talk a
ng and singing and drinking great draughls {
'f claret. and eating portage and bread and o
butter I'LL twelve at night it being moon ]
'hine; and 50 to-bed very nearly fuddled. n
18th. My head hath aked all night, and d
III this morning with my last nights de- "
,euch. go n
"29 Sept. 1861. (Lond's Day.. What s.
It dinner and supper drink, know not "
low, Of my own accord, 50 much to me "
hat was even almost foxed, and my head G
Iked all night 50 home and TO bed without "
prayers, which never did yet, since come g
o the house Of Sunday night | being "
low 50 out OF osder that | burst not read W
'rsyers, for fear Of being perceived by my ii
ervsuts IN what case was. 81
81 October 1861. / found my wife vex- c,
d at her people for grumbling to cate HI
suffolk cheese, which | also am vexed at. OF
80 Nov. 1861. At night my wife and W
'sd good supper by ourselves, Of pullet ri
ashed, which pleased me much to see my Fl
ondition come to allow ourselves dish h,
Ike that. b,
% Feb. 1651-2. dined with Sir w. al
'stien. with many friends more, il being his hs
and among other froliques. it al
'eing their third year, they had three pyes, 81
whereof the middlemost was made Of an Of
wall form in an oval hole within the other oil
wos which made much mirth. and was cal Al
ed she middle piece; and above all the rest, ia
Vs had great striving to steal spoonful out ri
( IT. and remember Mrs. Mills, the min. or
DER wife, did steal. one Tor me, and did so
i've it NE; and TO end all, Mrs. Shippman Ii
i'd III the pie full Of white wine lit holding "
ieass pint and a half,) and did drink i re
d for health TO Sir. William and my kr
ady-if being the greatest drsug1t that ever wi
did see woman drink in my life.' i'm