Todd Bernhardt

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Annotations and comments

Todd Bernhardt has posted 946 annotations/comments since 8 January 2003.

Comments

First Reading

About Friday 1 June 1660

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

Keeping up with the Joyces.

"She writes word how the Joyces grow very rich and very proud, but it is no matter, and that there was a talk that I should be knighted by the King, which they (the Joyces) laugh at; but I think myself happier in my wife and estate than they are in theirs."

So there. Pssffft! Good for you, Sam.

About Wednesday 30 May 1660

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Sounds like a kidney stone to me!

I think A. De Araujo is right ... I have several friends who suffer with such stones, and the symptoms that Sam describes match perfectly. Remember, after all, that the bladder stone removed from Sam ultimately started in one of his kidneys and migrated (painfully, I'm sure) to the bladder, where it grew more. I also remember reading that when Sam died, an examination of his kidneys revealed that they were rife with stones.

About Saturday 26 May 1660

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RIP, Sam.

Three hundred years ago, Sam sloughed off this mortal coil, leaving we who remain to Rest in Pepys.

Courtesy of fellow Pepyshead Keith Wright, who alerted me to an excellent article by Ferdinand Mount at the Times Literary Supplement ( http://www.the-tls.co.uk/this_wee… ), here's what Evelyn had to say on the day that Sam went away:
"This day dyed Mr. Sam. Pepys, a very worthy, Industrious and curious person, none in England exceeding him in the Knowledge of the Navy, in which he had passed thro all the most Considerable Offices, Clerk of the Acts, and Secretary to the Admiralty, all which he performed with greate Integrity: when K: James the 2d went out of England he layed down his Office and would serve no more: But withdrawing himself from all publique Afairs, lived at Clapham with his partner (formerly his Cleark) Mr. Hewer, in a very noble House and sweete place . . . . was universaly beloved, Hospitable, generous, Learned in many things, skill'd in Musick, a very greate Cherisher of Learned men of whom he had the Conversation.”

Thanks to the power of Sam’s pen — and the commitment of such people as Wheatley, Latham, Matthews and, yes, Gyford — the Conversation continues. Here’s to another 300 years!

About Wednesday 23 May 1660

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The key seems to be king *and* Parliament, not one vs. the other.

As Michael points out, Cromwell was in most ways a king -- he was a strong leader who was able to effectively govern and keep his enemies at bay. His son was not able to do the same, and the ship of state became rudderless. Yes, absolute power can corrupt (absolutely!), but as others have pointed out, having an "executive" leading the country also has its advantages.

It seems to me that what made the English monarchy unique was that its powers were limited by Parliament (this concept was, of course, later reflected in the U.S. constitution's balance of power between the executive, legislative and judicial).

I'm simplifying greatly here, and of course, the pendulum swung back and forth between 1215 and 1688 (and you could legitimately argue that the struggle for power went beyond there), but I think that's why at this point people wanted a king. Pure republicanism didn't seem to be working, so they wanted a strong hand at the helm again ... as long as there were limits (as James II learned, the hard way).

About Tuesday 15 May 1660

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re: "so far north"

Glyn, you're right, I was (incorrectly) talking about the Londonish latitude like it was the Arctic, but for this Northern Virginia boy, y'all *are* far north! :^)

About Tuesday 15 May 1660

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Has anyone else noticed Sam's prodigious ability to get by w/little sleep?

Looking at the entry for May 14, it looks as if they couldn't have gotten to bed much before midnight (they meet the prince at 10 p.m., then have supper after), and today Sam is up "past three o'clock" to go "up and down the town, to see it by daylight."

This isn't the first time I've noticed him functioning very-well-thank-you on three hours or so of sleep. Certainly something of this has to do with his age and level of excitement (I remember being able to do this in my late 20s, too), but I also wonder if, because they're so far north, the days are longer, and so people were simply out and about more? (Or maybe he was exhausted by the end of the day, and that's why he couldn't remember how to play cribbage, or even manage to stay upright in Montagu's chamber!)

I love Sam's pride about the fact that his Lord is beginning "to show me much more respect than ever he did yet" -- becoming friends with someone you admire, and realizing that they value your opinion and actually respect your abilities, *is* truly a buzz.

About Monday 14 May 1660

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Lots of hand-kissing going on!

Men coming over to kiss my Lord's hands, Montagu sending several groups to kiss the Queen of Bohemia's, as well as the Prince of Orange's. Does anyone know more about this custom?

Also, what makes a sallet and two or three bones of mutton for a group of 10 so very strange?

Phil, looks like you've been adjusting fonts and font sizes again ... I like it.

About Monday 7 May 1660

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Maybe they're not duplicative?

Perhaps the reason "cease and desist" are used together is because they can be interpreted as telling someone to "stop, and continue to stop" an action?

About Saturday 12 May 1660

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

Is Sam making a joke here?

re: "worthy my getting without book when I can get the book." Is he inflicting pun-ishment on his diary (and its gentle readers) by using the first instance of the word "book" as another word for "delay"?

Also, where did the bracketed notations in the entry above come from?

About Sunday 6 May 1660

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Must be my cavalier attitude. Vive le ROI! :^)

Still, as Keith and gerry point out, it sounds as if it's a transcription error ... ah well, at least he's holding steady. Wish I could say as much about *my* portfolio over the last few years...

About Sunday 6 May 1660

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Not a bad ROI in four months' time!

From "worth 40l. and more" ( http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… ) on 29 January to being worth £640 on 6 May … that’s a return on investment (in time, politicking, etc.) for Sam of, um … er, carry the 2 … a LOT.

Pepys’ powerful personality pays!

About Banned user

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

Phil, if you'd like to send me the complete header info from the post above, as well as from one of Hhomeboy's posts, I'd be happy to help figure out if Hhomeboy and afannomore (who, oddly, has never even posted, much less taken the time to defend Hhomeboy, before now) are one and the same person.

-Todd "Actually, I prefer a nice stout" Bernhardt

About Annotation length and errors

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Should we have a discussion group?

Sure, why not? If it's not too much work for you, and it helps takes some of the pressure off of the annotation section (both in terms of posting length and of emotions), then go for it.

Will it be valuable? I don't know. If if follows the BBS-thread paradigm, with lots of areas that I have to weave my way through, I probably won't visit it much. One of the reasons that I like the annotations is because their format is similar to the digest discussion-group paradigm that I find more usable -- i.e., annotations and replies are more or less chronological and immediate, and you can easily read them in sequence. I've also found that the digest format usually is accompanied by a higher degree of accountability and consensus than the BBS.

My 2d worth.

About Annotation length and errors

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

Bravo, Danski and Maureen! Hhumbug, Homeboy!

Danski is right on the money about the original (and, to me, attractive) concept of this site, and Maureen is standing on the same coin when she champions the cause of brevity (and points out that this dead horse is already well-beat).

Hhomeboy, why the hhell are you worried about "out migration"? This isn't an e-commerce site. Site stickiness has nothing to do with "entertaining features" (puhleeze ... I bet you like Flash intros, too) or the kinds of things that you spelled out in your list above. Users return because they care about the content, and because there's new content to which they can return. It's as simple as that (and that comes from "someone who knows a thing or two, blahblahblah").

This site serves up the goods, every day, and that's why we've built up a nice community of people who care about it and contribute to it. Perhaps if you considered yourself part of that community, instead of spewing out preachy statements that show a disregard for basic proofing, research and attribution (where, for example, you do you get the statistics to back up your claim above that unique user visits have declined?), and instead of insulting Phil and us at every opportunity (try calling me an "aging neo-Luddite" to my face, pal ... I suspect you wouldn't), then you'd be a happier with this little Gift of History, one so suited to the benefits provided by hypertext that I for one view it as the best opportunity provided to me for a long time to learn about this subject while also leaving me with enough time to meet the various challenges and responsibilities of the day.

Lest anyone has forgotten it, the reason Phil moved annotator's names to the tops of their posts was to provide the opportunity for people to skip the posts of blowhards like you. I've always viewed your posts as simple comic relief, containing the occasional nugget of useful info (you can obviously do it when you try), but now I view your approach to this site as downright detrimental to a community that I've come to care about. I don't know about anyone else, but my gloves are now officially off.

My opinion is this: Phil's doing a great job. We all need to be responsible for our own posts, and follow basic, common-sense guidelines when we post -- be concise (my apologies for this long post) and try to post something that contributes, rather than distracts, from the events of each day. I've got other strong opinions about this, which you can find at http://www.pepysdiary.com/about/a… if you're intested.

Again, I apologize for the length of this post.

About Thursday 3 May 1660

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

re: More than his usual quantity of alcohol

"...and then to writing of letters till twelve at night, and so up again at three in the morning" -- this doesn't seem to me to be the kind of thing you'd be able to do with a belly (and head) full of booze!

Speaking of catching a buzz, I don't know about the rest of you, but I find this to be one of the most exciting posts in a while ... the electricity in the air fairly hums and hisses (like the bullets over Sam's head!) as the events of the day and night progress, and as Sam finds out more about the behind-the-scenes maneuvering going on. If this be gushing, then gush on!

About Annotation length and errors

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re: Top Ten List

Hails of derisive laughter, Hhomeboy! You're obviously a fan of David Letterman and his Top-Ten lists ... excellent satire, my friend, really. For a while there, you had me believing you! But, as I read down the list, the absurdity of each suggestion built its brethren until the comedy of it all finally broke through, and I dissolved in tears of laughter.

Phil, if I were into that Popery stuff, I'd canonize ya. The site's fine ... we just need people to take responsibility for themselves and their writings, and all will be well.

Right, let's get some Sheilas.

About Monday 30 April 1660

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Thanks, Jenny!

Nice to know that we can count on you for ale research ... something tells me you and Sam would have gotten along just fine... ;^)

About Monday 30 April 1660

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

re: Holes vs. notes

Thanks, Paul ... buy why were Creed and Sheply "puzzled about finding out the meaning of the three [holes] which which my Lord hath cut over the Chrystall of his watch"? This sounds like a customization of Montagu's, perhaps for a covert/personal purpose...?

That asked, it does indeed sound like a fun day and night for Our Boy. Would that I were living a life that carefree!