"to the Coffee-house, where excellent discourse with Sir W. Petty, who proposed it as a thing that is truly questionable, whether there really be any difference between waking and dreaming"
Are there such coffee-houses anymore? There were rare places like this in the 1960's. And -- ecce -- the discussion-leader is a leading intellectual. one of "the King's "virtuosos," Sir William Petty, co-founder of the Royal Society.
"whether there really be any difference between waking and dreaming"
The discussion goes back to Plato, but had been given new impetus by Descartes' *Meditations*, which essayed to secure indubitable certainty for knowledge by systematically doubting common beliefs about the world, ourselves and God. He began the First Meditation by doubting whether we can know we are not dreaming: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries…
One can find fault with a method of handling funds by, say, asking questions about it, or making clear what could result without being explicitly personal about it -- and I suppose this is what Pepys usually does. Then the Povey's invoke the seven deadly words by way of justification - "We have always done it this way." --, claiming the status quo as personal property, and the voices rise in clamor.
Right you are, cape henry. Pepys seems to know that and to need to vindicate himself publically -- to put things on the record -- pretty frequently. We may cringe when he has been offensive, but being so with his, ah, colleagues may have been what had to be done -- getting their attention by smacking them upside their collective head with a blunt disagreement.
A reformer of practices and institutions is perforce a disturber of the peace.
"my father's new tenant, Langford, a tailor, to whom I have promised my custom"
Has John Pepys, Sr., quitclaim title to "his house"? Unclear. L&M (Vol. X, Companion) tell us that Tom had added space on the ground floor; but tenants -- e.g members of the Navy Board -- seem to do such things rather ad hoc and negotiated on the fly when compared to how it is nowadays, what with building-permits in locales with zoning ordinances, etc.
Nice that Samuel will trade at the old shop -- keeping an eye out on the family place.
Cf. 4 February 1663/64, "So homeward, and called at my little milliner's, where I chatted with her, her husband out of the way, and a mad merry slut she is." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
We shall have to be attentive when Pepys buys lids.
"our Bill for our office was read the second time to-day, with great applause, and is committed."
Cf. Michael Robinson's annote for Saturday last, 26 March 1664 http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… re: A Bill for the better enabling the principal Officers and Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy Royal, for the Performance of their Duties in the Service thereof, etc....
*Portrait of Lady Elizabeth Carteret* by Charles Lee Myers (Author), T. G. Cutler (Adapter) is rendered in a digital version (PDF).
Book Description The original of this portrait was painted from life by Sir Peter Lely, the court painter for Charles I and II. A fine copy was made in the 1800s, and was presented to the City of Elizabeth (named in honor of Lady Elizabeth Carteret) in 1925 by the Society of Colonial Wars. Discussion of the Carteret family and its early involvement in the colonization of New Jersey. (NJHS 1926) http://www.amazon.com/Portrait-El…
Curé of Saint-Barthélemy, Paris, court preacher who had preached the sermon at the funeral of Louis XIII. He published an attack on Molière's play, *Tartuffe*. *Le roy glorieux au monde*, par Pierre Roulès, curé de Saint-Barthélemy; pamphlet contre Molière et Turenne, réimprimé d'après l'exemplaire unique existant aujourd'hui; et précédé d'une notice de M. Paul Lacroix. Published : Genève, J. Gay et fils, 1867.
Comments
First Reading
About Saturday 2 April 1664
Terry F • Link
"Organising and planning ahead was still in its infancy"
?? The lads did read Thucydides and Caesar....
About Saturday 2 April 1664
Terry F • Link
"If things are going the way you wish them, without let or hindrance, and the consummation of your desires draws near, you are dreaming."
The pro-war-party thinking of the glory to come.
About Saturday 2 April 1664
Terry F • Link
Does anyone else wonder what Mr. Pepys thinks of the war talk?
About Saturday 2 April 1664
Terry F • Link
"to the Coffee-house, where excellent discourse with Sir W. Petty, who proposed it as a thing that is truly questionable, whether there really be any difference between waking and dreaming"
Are there such coffee-houses anymore? There were rare places like this in the 1960's. And -- ecce -- the discussion-leader is a leading intellectual. one of "the King's "virtuosos," Sir William Petty, co-founder of the Royal Society.
About Saturday 2 April 1664
Terry F • Link
"whether there really be any difference between waking and dreaming"
The discussion goes back to Plato, but had been given new impetus by Descartes' *Meditations*, which essayed to secure indubitable certainty for knowledge by systematically doubting common beliefs about the world, ourselves and God. He began the First Meditation by doubting whether we can know we are not dreaming: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries…
Re Descartes, see also http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
About Friday 1 April 1664
Terry F • Link
Pepys's eyesight
tel, this is his second complaint. I have so far failed to track down the first, which I believe was last year.
About Friday 1 April 1664
Terry F • Link
Keen read, Australian Susan: L&M have no full stop after "song."
About Thursday 31 March 1664
Terry F • Link
"many high words"
One can find fault with a method of handling funds by, say, asking questions about it, or making clear what could result without being explicitly personal about it -- and I suppose this is what Pepys usually does. Then the Povey's invoke the seven deadly words by way of justification - "We have always done it this way." --, claiming the status quo as personal property, and the voices rise in clamor.
About Thursday 31 March 1664
Terry F • Link
"I'll bet he made people furious, though."
Right you are, cape henry. Pepys seems to know that and to need to vindicate himself publically -- to put things on the record -- pretty frequently. We may cringe when he has been offensive, but being so with his, ah, colleagues may have been what had to be done -- getting their attention by smacking them upside their collective head with a blunt disagreement.
A reformer of practices and institutions is perforce a disturber of the peace.
About Thursday 31 March 1664
Terry F • Link
"my father's new tenant, Langford, a tailor, to whom I have promised my custom"
Has John Pepys, Sr., quitclaim title to "his house"? Unclear. L&M (Vol. X, Companion) tell us that Tom had added space on the ground floor; but tenants -- e.g members of the Navy Board -- seem to do such things rather ad hoc and negotiated on the fly when compared to how it is nowadays, what with building-permits in locales with zoning ordinances, etc.
Nice that Samuel will trade at the old shop -- keeping an eye out on the family place.
About Clocks and watches
Terry F • Link
"Clockworks - from Sundials to Atomic Clocks"
http://www.britannica.com/clockwo…
About Wednesday 30 March 1664
Terry F • Link
How many merchants in Parliament?
Pedro, Pepys's figures are challenged by L&M who count in Commons 20-24 and another 7 who had been....
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
About Clocks and watches
Terry F • Link
"The Evolution of Time Measurement through the Ages"
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) site. http://physics.nist.gov/GenInt/Ti…
About Inventory of the tailor shop
Terry F • Link
Jeannine, thank you so very much. Poor (!!) Tom. How sadd and meager.
As you said earlier, "interesting." Surely revealing.
Perversely, I thought about all the critters living in all the bedding.
I was struck by his father's wall-maps and history book.
---
What is "a bruch"?
About Wednesday 30 March 1664
Terry F • Link
"my little she milliner"
Cf. 4 February 1663/64, "So homeward, and called at my little milliner's, where I chatted with her, her husband out of the way, and a mad merry slut she is."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
We shall have to be attentive when Pepys buys lids.
About Birchin Lane
Terry F • Link
Birchin (later and now Birchen) Lane runs thru between Cornhill and Lombard St., east of Exchange Alley and west of Grace Church Street.
http://www.motco.com/Map/81002/Se…
About Tuesday 29 March 1664
Terry F • Link
"our Bill for our office was read the second time to-day, with great applause, and is committed."
Cf. Michael Robinson's annote for Saturday last, 26 March 1664 http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… re: A Bill for the better enabling the principal Officers and Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy Royal, for the Performance of their Duties in the Service thereof, etc....
About Tuesday 29 March 1664
Terry F • Link
*Portrait of Lady Elizabeth Carteret* by Charles Lee Myers (Author), T. G. Cutler (Adapter) is rendered in a digital version (PDF).
Book Description
The original of this portrait was painted from life by Sir Peter Lely, the court painter for Charles I and II. A fine copy was made in the 1800s, and was presented to the City of Elizabeth (named in honor of Lady Elizabeth Carteret) in 1925 by the Society of Colonial Wars. Discussion of the Carteret family and its early involvement in the colonization of New Jersey. (NJHS 1926) http://www.amazon.com/Portrait-El…
but the portrait is not freely available online.
About Monday 28 March 1664
Terry F • Link
"I walked through the house with [Creed] for an hour in St. James's fields"
Clearer would have been: 'I walked with [Creed] for an hour through the house in St. James's fields,' i.e., as L&M note, St. James Palace.
About Pierre Roulles
Terry F • Link
Pierre Roulles or Roulés ( - 1666)
Curé of Saint-Barthélemy, Paris, court preacher who had preached the sermon at the funeral of Louis XIII. He published an attack on Molière's play, *Tartuffe*. *Le roy glorieux au monde*, par Pierre Roulès, curé de Saint-Barthélemy; pamphlet contre Molière et Turenne, réimprimé d'après l'exemplaire unique existant aujourd'hui; et précédé d'une notice de M. Paul Lacroix. Published : Genève, J. Gay et fils, 1867.