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Evelyn’s diary is one of the principal literary
sources for life and manners in 17th-century England. A cultivated
man of property, he was one of a vitally important and influential
group of men at the centre of society and learning, his life
spanning the period from the Civil War to the first part of the
reign of Anne.
Contents
 Introduction
A Note about
the Text
Evelyn
family tree
The Diary of
John Evelyn
Evelyn
family epitaphs
Chronology
Principal
Personalities
Glossary
Further
Reading
Index
Interesting facts
 Though
Evelyn died in 1706, his Diary, originally written to record
his life for the benefit of his descendants, was not published until
1818.
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Evelyn’s
grandfather, George, had made the family fortune by manufacturing
gunpowder during the reign of Elizabeth I.
A founding
member of the Royal Society, Evelyn’s friends included Robert Boyle
and Christopher Wren.
Excerpts
An
intriguing insight into the excesses of life in the Court of Charles
II, something of which Evelyn clearly does not approve:
1662, January 6: …This evening his Majestie opened the Revells of
that night, by throwing the Dice himselfe…& lost his 100 pounds: the
yeare before he won 150 pounds: The Ladys also plaied very deepe: I
came away when the Duke of Ormond had won about 1000 pounds & left
them still at passage, Cards &c: at the other Tables…observing the
wiccked folly vanity & monstrous excesse of Passion amongst some
loosers, & sorry I am that such a wretched Custome as play to that
excesse should be countenanc’d in a Court, which ought to be an
example of Virtue to the rest of the kingdome.
Page 126
Here Evelyn bears eloquent witness to the true horror of the
Great Fire:
1666, September 3: … all the skie were of a fiery aspect, like the
top of a burning Oven, & the light seene above 40 miles round about
for many nights: God grant mine eyes may never behold the like, who
now saw above ten thousand houses all in one flame, the noise &
crakling & thunder of the impetuous flames, the shreeking of Women &
children, the hurry of people, the fall of towers, houses & churches
was like an hideous storme, & the aire all about so hot & inflam’d
that at the last one was not able to approach it…
Page 154 |
