Annotations and comments

john has posted 352 annotations/comments since 14 March 2013.

Comments

Second Reading

About Tuesday 30 January 1665/66

john  •  Link

As a late response to San Diego Sarah, Prussion heraldry often had "Gott mit uns" and this was on Wehrmacht belt buckles.

About Tuesday 30 January 1665/66

john  •  Link

According to David Chrystal, "Spell it out" -- delightful book, by the way -- we can blame Flemish typesetters for changing Þ (thorn) to ye.

About Saturday 20 January 1665/66

john  •  Link

Phil C., methinks the point is: "and to be kept from my fellows in the office longer than was fit". He made his boss look bad in public and so his ears were boxed. Being made to look bad in public by a servant was not desirable.

About Friday 5 January 1665/66

john  •  Link

Though rat fleas are commonly thought to be the vector, recent research suggests that inter-personal contact was the main plague vector. (Chapt. 8 "Plagues in London in the 17th century" in Scott and Duncan, "Biology of Plagues: Evidence from Historical Populations", CUP 2001.)

About Sunday 31 December 1665

john  •  Link

If only I could summarise the year as well as our Pepys. Time to dust off the next volume of L&M, place it on my desk, and put back the current one. This time around, I read the L&M version first and then read the wonderful annotations.

And, indeed, best wishes to all for the new year.

About Friday 22 December 1665

john  •  Link

Continuing on the jade theme, (OED 2nd ed.):

jade, n.1 (dʒeɪd) Also Sc. 8 jad, 9 jaud.
[Of unknown origin; often assumed to be a doublet of yaud (Icel. jalda mare), but app. without reason.]
2. A term of reprobation applied to a woman. Also used playfully, like hussy or minx.
[1560 first entry of use ...] 1668 Pepys Diary 14 Jan., [Mrs] Pierce says she [Miss Davis] is a most homely jade as ever she saw.

About Thursday 21 December 1665

john  •  Link

On my first round through the diary, I was appalled at Pepys's behaviour. On this second round, I observe without judgement.

About Sunday 26 November 1665

john  •  Link

Comments on frosting: Nowadays, there are many options (as a quick google of "winter horseshoe options" will show). Of all these, I have only seen and used screw-in studs during very icy conditions.

About Thursday 9 November 1665

john  •  Link

Terry, methinks Pepys' dislike of cock-fighting, bear-baiting, rat-baiting, and similar cruelty is due to basic decency rather than Puritanical values. I have never understood how people find enjoyment in the suffering of animals.

About Tuesday 7 November 1665

john  •  Link

Pepys seems to have a soft spot for dogs. He recorded his happiness upon finding his lost dog and recorded the loss of Penington's dog.

About Sunday 3 September 1665

john  •  Link

Periwigg woes: I am reading the interesting tome by Scott and Duncan ("Biology of Plagues", CUP, 2005), who quote the first paragraph of this entry. The fear was unfounded but Pepys did not know that.

About Sunday 13 August 1665

john  •  Link

Our Sam has several relatives in mind who are best spared monetary temptation (as do I).

About Monday 10 July 1665

john  •  Link

"it being a pretty chariot, but most inconvenient as to the horses throwing dust and dirt into one’s eyes and upon one’s clothes."

How lovely. Did they leave their dirty clothes on or clean them?

About Friday 10 February 1664/65

john  •  Link

"and much pleased I am now with my study; it being, methinks, a beautifull sight."

His study gives pleasure in viewing as well as in reading. All one's books rebound in the same style is an interesting thought. The majority of my books are yellow (Springer's colour of choice), but I feel no inclination to have them rebound. I do sometimes envy Pepys having books of the same size, though.

About Monday 6 February 1664/65

john  •  Link

Louise, I grew up with Fahrenheit as well. When Canada switched to Celsius, it took less than a year to acclimatize (pun intended) and now think of water freezing at 32 as very odd.

About Monday 19 December 1664

john  •  Link

Whereas Pepys has applied physical "correction" to servants, this seems to be the first entry of such violence towards his wife.

About Friday 6 May 1664

john  •  Link

Those who specialise in framework are also known here as framing carpenters, who nowadays must be familiar with local building codes, as opposed to trim carpenters and cabinet makers (noted earlier). Interesting note about the moveable houses, Robert. That would have taken effort, needing to remove the plaster inside and daub outside.