Rent Diary of Samuel Pepys: Selected Passages (Dover Books on Literature & Drama)

Synopsis

Pepys's accounts of life in Restoration London offer a fascinating view of the society and culture of that period. He witnessed some of the most significant events of his time, including the return of Charles II in 1660, the Great Plague in 1665, the Fire of London in 1666, and the burning of the English fleet by the Dutch in 1667. Although all these events are described in the diary, much of what Pepys recorded were accounts of his flirtations, visits to the theatre, and dining pleasures. It is in these entires that we get a vivid picture of middle class life in Restoration London. Pepys's frank opinions and gratitude to God for his material gains are often amusing to the modern reader, but despite his hedonism and materialism, he was a capable administrator in the Royal Navy, and he helped to sow the seeds for the rise of British sea power in the 18th century.

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