Samuel Pepys Quotes

But it is pretty to see what money will do.

Hardly one lighter or boat in three that had the goods of a house in, but there was a pair of virginalls in it.

A most horrid malicious bloody flame… It made me weep to see it.

Music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business is.

Strange to say what delight we married people have to see these poor fools decoyed into our condition.

And it is a wonder what will be the fashion after the plague is done as to periwigs, for nobody will dare to buy any haire for fear of the infection-that it had been cut off the heads of people dead of the plague.

The people die so, that now it seems they are fain to carry the dead to be buried by daylight, the nights not sufficing to do it in. And my Lord Mayor commands people to be within at 9 at night, all (as they say) that the sick may have liberty to go abroad for ayre.

Up, all of us, and to Billiards.

This day, much against my will, I did in Drury Lane see two or three houses marked with a red cross upon the doors, and ‘Lord have mercy upon us’ writ there-which was a sad sight to me, being the first of that kind that to my remembrance I ever saw.

Up, and by coach to Sir Ph. Warwickes, the street being full of footballs, it being a great frost.

To the Tennis Court, and there saw the King play at tennis and others; but to see how the King’s play was extolled, without any cause at all, was a loathsome sight.

Most of their discourse was about hunting, in a dialect I understand very little.

After dinner to the Duke’s house, and there saw Twelfth Night acted well, though it be but a silly play.

My wife, who, poor wretch, is troubled with her lonely life.

Then over the park (where I first in my life, it being a great frost, did see people sliding with their skates, which is a very pretty art).

But Lord! to see the absurd nature of Englishmen, that cannot forbear laughing and jeering at everything that looks strange.

To the King’s Theatre, where we saw Midsummer Night’s Dream, which I had never seen before, nor shall ever again, for it is the most insipid, ridiculous play that ever I ever saw in my life.

I see it is impossible for the King to have things done as cheap as other men.

But methought it lessened my esteem of a king, that he should not be able to command the rain.

A good honest and painful sermon.