Pliny the Younger - "The Letters of Pliny the Younger"

John Kendrick Bangs - "The Pursuit of the House Boat"

Wilkie Collins - "Jezebel"

Sir Richard Francis Burton - "Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al Madinah and Meccah"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Diary of Samuel Pepys

S >> Samuel Pepys >> The Diary of Samuel Pepys




20th. This night I am told the first play is played in White
Hall noon-hall, which is now turned to a house of playing.

23rd. To White Hall chapel, and heard the famous young
Stillingfleete, [Edward Stillingfleet, a most learned Divine,
consecrated Bishop of Worcester, 1689, Ob. 1699.] whom I knew at
Cambridge, and he is now newly admitted one of the King's
chaplains. And was presented, they say, to my Lord Treasurer for
St. Andrew's Holborn, where he is now minister, with these words:
that they (the Bishops of Canterbury, London, and another)
believed he is the ablest young man to preach the Gospel of any
since the Apostles. He did make a most plain, honest, good,
grave sermon, in the most unconcerned and easy yet substantial
manner, that ever I heard in my life, upon the words of Samuel to
the people, "Fear the Lord in truth with all your heart, and
remember the great things that he hath done for you." It being
proper to this day, the day of the King's Coronation. Thence to
the Cocke-pitt, and there walked an hour with my Lord Duke of
Albemarle alone in his garden, where he expressed in great words
his opinion of me; that I was the right hand of the Navy here,
nobody but I taking any care of any thing therein; so that he
should not know what could be done without me. At which I was
(from him) not a little proud.

28th. Down the River to visit the victualling-ships, where I
find all out of order. And come home to dinner, and then to
write a letter to the; Duke of Albemarle about them, and carried
it myself to the Council-chamber; and when they rose, my Lord
Chancellor passing by stroked me on the head, and told me that
the Board had read my letter, and taken order for the punishing
of the watermen for not appearing on board the ships. And so did
the King afterwards, who do now know me so well, that he never
sees me but he speaks to me about our Navy business.

30th. Thus I end this month in great content as to my estate and
gettings: in much trouble as to the pains I have taken, and the
rubs I expect to meet with, about the business of Tangier. The
fleet, with about 106 ships upon the coast of Holland, in sight
of the Dutch, within the Texel. Great fears of the sicknesse
here in the City, it being said that two or three houses are
already shut up. God preserve us all!

MAY 1, 1665. I met my Lord Brouncker, Sir Robert Murrey, Dean
Wilkins, and Mr. Hooke, going by coach to Colonel Blunt's to
dinner. [Wricklesmarsh, in the parish of Charlton, which
belonged, in 1617, to Edward Blount, Esq., whose family alienated
it towards the end of the seventeenth century. The old mansion
was pulled down by Sir Gregory Page, Bart., who erected a
magnificent stone structure on the site; which, devolving to his
great nephew, Sir Gregory Page Turner, shared the same fate as
the former house, having been sold in lots in 1784.] So they
stopped and took me with them. Landed at the Tower-wharf, and
thence by water to Greenwich; and there coaches met us; and to
his house, a very stately sight for situation and brave
plantations; and among others, a vine-yard, the first that ever I
did see. No extraordinary dinner, nor any other entertainment
good; but afterwards to the tryal of some experiments about
making of coaches easy. And several we tried; but one did prove
mighty easy, (not here for me to describe, but the whole body of
the coach lies upon one long spring,) and we all, one after
another, rid in it; and it is very fine and likely to take.
Thence to Deptford, and in to Mr. Evelyn's, which is a most
beautiful place; [Says-Court, the well-known residence of John
Evelyn, Esq.] but it being dark and late, I staid not; but Dean
Wilkins and Mr. Hooke and I, walked to Redriffe; and noble
discourse all day long did please me.

3rd. My Lord Chief-Justice Hide did die suddenly this week, a
day or two ago, of an apoplexy.

5th. After dinner, to Mr. Evelyn's; he being abroad, we walked
in his garden, and a lovely noble ground he hath indeed. And
among other rarities, a hive of bees, so as being hived in glass,
you may see the bees making their honey and combs mighty
pleasantly.

10th. To the Cocke-pitt, where the Duke did give Sir W. Batten
and me an account of the late taking of eight ships, and of his
intent to come back to the Gunfleete with the fleet presently;
which creates us much work and haste therein, against the fleet
comes. And thence to the Guard in Southwarke, there to get some
soldiers, by the Duke's order, to go keep pressmen on board our
ships.

14th. To church, it being Whit-sunday; my wife very fine in a
new yellow bird's-eye hood, as the fashion is now. I took a
coach, and to Wemstead, the house where Sir H. Mildmay died, and
now Sir Robert Brookes lives, having bought it of the Duke of
York, it being forfeited to him. [Sir Robert Brookes, Lord of
the Manor of Wanstead, from 1662 to 1687. M.P. for Aldborough in
Suffolk. He afterwards retired to France, and died there in bad
circumstances. From a letter among the PEPYS MSS., Sir Robert
Brookes appears to have been drowned in the river at Lyons.] A
fine seat, but an old-fashioned house; and being not full of
people looks flatly.

17th. The Duchesse of York went down yesterday to meet the Duke.

18th. To the Duke of Albemarle, where we did examine Nixon and
Stanesby, about their late running from two Dutchmen; for which
they were committed to a vessel to carry them to the fleet to be
tried. A most fowle unhandsome thing as ever was heard, for
plain cowardice on Nixon's part.

23rd. Late comes Sir Arthur Ingram [Sir Arthur Ingram, Knight,
of Knottingley, Surveyor of the Customs at Hull.] to my office,
to tell me, that, by letters from Amsterdam of the 18th of this
month, the Dutch fleet, being about 100 men-of-war, besides fire-
ships, &c., did set out upon the 13th and 14th inst. Being
divided into seven squadrons, viz.--1. General Opdam. 2.
Cottenar of Rotterdam. [Died of his wounds after the sea-fight
in 1665.] 3. Trump. 4. Schram, of Horne. 5. Stillingworth, of
Freezland. 6. Everson. 7. One other, not named, of Zealand.

27th. To the Coffee-house, where all the news is of the Dutch be
gone out, and of the plague growing upon us in this town; and of
remedies against it: some saying one thing, and some another.

26th. In the evening by water to the Duke of Albemarle, whom I
found mightily off the hooks, that the ships are not gone out of
the River; which vexed me to see.

28th. I hear that Nixon is condemned to be shot to death, for
his cowardice, by a Council of War. To my Lady Sandwich's,
where, to my shame, I had not been a great while. Here, upon my
telling her a story of my Lord Rochester's [John second Earl of
Rochester, celebrated for his wit and profligacy. Ob. 1680.]
running away on Friday night last with Mrs. Mallett, [Elizabeth,
daughter of John Mallett, Esq., of Enmere, co. Somerset; married
soon afterwards to the Earl of Rochester.] the great beauty and
fortune of the North, who had supped at White Hall with Mrs.
Stewart, and was going home to her lodgings with her grand-
father, my Lord Haly, [Sir Francis Hawley of Buckland House, co.
Somerset, created a Baronet 1662, in 1646 an Irish Peer; by the
title of Baron Hawley of Donamore; in 1671 he was chosen M.P. for
St. Michael's, and in 1673 became a Gentleman of the Bed-chamber
to the Duke of York. Ob. 1684, aged 76.] by coach: and was at
Charing Cross seized on by both horse and foot-men, and forcibly
taken from him, and put into a coach with six horses, and two
women provided to receive her, and carried away. Upon immediate
pursuit, my Lord of Rochester (for whom the King had spoke to the
lady often, but with no success,) was taken at Uxbridge: but the
lady is not yet heard of, and the King mighty angry, and the Lord
sent to the Tower. Hereupon my Lady did confess to me, as a
great secret, her being concerned in this story. For if this
match breaks between my Lord Rochester and her, then, by the
consent of all her friends, my Lord Hinchingbroke stands fair,
and is invited for her. She is worth, and will be at her
mother's death, (who keeps but a little from her,) 2500l. per
annum. Pray God give a good success to it! But my poor Lady who
is afraid of the sickness, and resolved to be gone into the
country, is forced to stay in town a day or two, or three about
it, to see the event of it. Thence to see my Lady Pen, where my
wife and I were shown a fine rarity: of fishes kept in a glass
of water, that will live so for ever; and finely marked they are,
being foreign.

29th. We have every where taken some prizes. Our merchants had
good luck to come home safe; Colliers from the North, and some
Streights men, just now. And our Hambrough ships, of whom we
were so much afraid, are safe in Hambrough. Our fleete resolve
to sail out again from Harwich in a day or two.

31st. To the 'Change, where great the noise and trouble of
having our Hambrough ships lost; and that very much placed upon
Mr. Coventry's forgetting to give notice to them of the going
away of our fleet from the coast of Holland. But all without
reason, for he did; but the merchants not being ready, staid
longer than the time ordered for the convoy to stay, which was
ten days.

June 1, 1665. After dinner I put on new camelott suit; the best
that ever I wore in my life, the suit costing me above 24l. In
this I went with Creed to Goldsmiths' Hall, to the burial of Sir
Thomas Viner; [Sheriff of London 1648, Lord Mayor 1654.] which
Hall, and Haberdashers' also, was so full of people, that we were
fain for ease and coolness to go forth to Pater Noster Row, to
choose silk to make me a plain ordinary suit. That done, we
walked to Corne hill, and there at Mr. Cade's stood in the balcon
and saw all the funeral, which was with the blue-coat boys and
old men, all the Aldermen, and Lord Mayor, &c. and the number of
the company very great: the greatest I ever did see for a
taverne.

3rd. All this day by all people upon the River, and almost every
where else hereabout were heard the guns, our two fleets for
certain being engaged; which was confirmed by letters from
Harwich, but nothing particular: and all our hearts full of
concernment for the Duke, and I particularly for my Lord Sandwich
and Mr. Coventry after his Royall Highness.

6th. To my Lady Sandwich's; who, poor lady, expects every hour
to hear of my Lord; but in the best temper, neither confident nor
troubled with fear, that I ever did see in my life. She tells me
my Lord Rochester is now declaredly out of hopes of Mrs. Mallett,
and now she in to receive notice in a day or two how the King
stands inclined to the giving leave for my Lord Hinchingbroke to
look after her, and that being done, to bring it to an end
shortly.

7th. The hottest day that ever I felt in my life, This day, much
against my will, I did in Drury Lane see two or three houses
marked with a red cross upon the doors, and "Lord have mercy upon
us," writ there; which was a sad sight to me, being the first of
the kind that to my remembrance I ever saw.

8th. I to my Lord Treasurer's by appointment of Sir Thomas
Ingram's, to meet the Goldsmiths; where I met with the great news
at last newly come, brought by Bab. May [Baptist May, keeper of
the Privy Purse to Charles II.; there is an original portrait of
him by Lely, at Audley End.] from the Duke of York, that we have
totally routed the Dutch; that the Duke himself, the Prince, my
Lord Sandwich, and Mr. Coventry are all well: which did put me
into such joy, that I forgot almost all other thoughts. With
great Joy to the Cocke-pitt: where the Duke of Albemarle, like a
man out of himself, with content new-told me all: and by and by
comes a letter from Mr. Coventry's own hand to him, which he
never opened, (which was a strange thing,) but did give it me to
open and read, and consider what was fit for our office to do in
it, and leave the letter with Sir W. Clerke; which upon such a
time and occasion was a strange piece of indifference, hardly
possible. I copied out the letter, and did also take minutes out
of Sir W. Clerke's other letters; and the sum of the news is:-

Victory over the Dutch, June 3, 1665.

This day they engaged: the Dutch neglecting greatly the
opportunity of the wind they had of us; by which they lost the
benefit of their fire-ships. The Earl of Falmouth, Muskerry, and
Mr. Richard Boyle [Second son to the Earl of Burlington.] killed
on board the Duke's ship, the Royall Charles, with one shot:
their blood and brains flying in the Duke's face; and the head of
Mr. Boyle striking down the Duke, as some say. Earle of
Marlborough, Portland, Rear-Admirall Sansum (to Prince Rupert)
killed, and Capt. Kerby and Ableson. Sir John Lawson wounded on
the knee: hath had some bones taken out, and is likely to be
well again. Upon receiving the hurt, he sent to the Duke for
another to command the Royal Oake. The Duke sent Jordan out of
the St. George, who did brave things in her. Capt. Jer. Smith of
the Mary was second to the Duke, and stepped between him and
Captain Seaton of the Urania, (76 guns and 400 men) who had sworn
to board the Duke; killed him 200 men, and took the ship; himself
losing 99 men, and never an officer saved but himself and
lieutenant. His master indeed is saved, with his leg cut off.
Admirall Opdam blown up, Trump killed, and said by Holmes; all
the rest of their admiralls, as they say, but Everson, (whom they
dare not trust for his affection to the Prince of Orange,) are
killed; we having taken and sunk, as is believed, about 24 of
their best ships; killed and taken near 8 or 10,000 men, and
lost, we think, not above 700. A greater victory never known in
the world. They are all fled, some 43 got into the Texell, and
others elsewhere, and we in pursuit of the rest.

9th. To White Hall, and in my way met with Mr. Moore, who eases
me in one point wherein I was troubled; which was, that I heard
of nothing said or done by my Lord Sandwich: but he tells me
that Mr. Cowling, my Lord Chamberlain's secretary, did hear the
King say that my Lord Sandwich bad done nobly and worthily. The
King, it seems, is much troubled at the fall of my Lord Falmouth;
but I do not meet with any man else that so much as wishes him
alive again, the world conceiving him a man of too much pleasure
to do the King any good, or offer any good office to him. But I
hear of all hands he is confessed to have been a man of great
honour, that did show it in this his going with the Duke, the
most that ever any man did.

10th. In the evening home to supper; and there, to my great
trouble, hear that the plague is come into the City (though it
hath these three or four weeks since its beginning been wholly
out of the City); but where should it begin but in my good friend
and neighbour's, Dr. Burnett; [He was a physician.] in Fanchurch
Street: which in both points troubles me mightily.

11th. I saw poor Dr. Burnett's door shut; but he hath, I hear,
gained great good-will among his neighbours; for he discovered it
himself first, and caused himself to be shut up of his own
accord: which was very handsome.

13th. At noon with Sir G. Carteret to my Lord Mayor's to dinner,
where much company in a little room. His name, Sir John
Lawrence. There were at table three Sir Richard Brownes, viz.:
he of the Councill, a clerk, and the Alderman, and his son; and
there was a little grandson also Richard, who will hereafter be
Sir Richard Browne. My Lord Mayor very respectfull to me.

14th. I met with Mr. Cowling; who observed to me how he finds
every body silent in the praise of my Lord Sandwich, to set up
the Duke and the Prince; but that the Duke did both to the King
and my Lord Chancellor write abundantly of my Lord's courage and
service and I this day met with a letter of Captain Ferrers,
wherein he tells how my Lord was with his ship in all the heat of
the day, and did most worthily. To Westminster; and there saw my
Lord Marlborough brought to be buried, several Lords of the
Council carrying him, and, with the herald in some state. This
day the News-book (upon Mr. Moore's showing L'Estrange Captain
Ferrers letter) did do my Lord Sandwich great right as to the
late victory. The Duke of York not yet come to town. The town
grows very sickly, and people to be afraid of it; there dying
this last week of the plague 112, from 43 the week before,
whereof but one in Fanchurch-streete, and one in Broad-streete,
by the Treasurer's office.

16th. After dinner, and doing some business at the office, I to
White Hall, where the Court is full of the Duke and his courtiers
returned from sea. All fat and lusty, and ruddy by being in the
sun. I kissed his hands, and we waited all the afternoon. By
and by saw Mr. Coventry, which rejoiced my very heart. Anon he
and I, from all the rest of the company, walked into the Matted
Gallery; where after many expressions of love, we fell to talk of
business. Among other things, how my Lord Sandwich, both in his
councils and personal service, hath done most honourably and
serviceably. Sir J. Lawson is come to Greenwich; but his wound
in his knee yet very bad. Jonas Poole, in the Vantguard, did
basely, so as to be, or will be, turned out of his ship. Captain
Holmes expecting upon Sansum's death to be made Rear-admirall to
the Prince, (but Harman is put in) hath delivered up to the Duke
his commission, which the Duke took and tore. He it seems, had
bid the Prince, who first told him of Holmes's intention, that he
should dissuade him from it; for that he was resolved to take it
if he offered it. Yet Holmes would do it, like a rash, proud
coxcombe. But he is rich, and hath, it seems, sought an occasion
of leaving the service. Several of our Captains have done ill.
The great ships are the ships do the business, they quite,
deadening the enemy. They run away upon sight of the Prince. It
is strange to see how people do already slight Sir William
Barkeley, [Killed in the sea-fight the following year. Vide June
16, 1666.] my Lord FitzHarding's brother, who, three months
since, was the delight of the Court. Captain Smith of the Mary
the Duke talks mightily of; and some great thing will be done for
him. Strange to hear how the Dutch do relate, as the Duke says,
that they are the conquerors; and bonfires are made in Dunkirke
in their behalf; though a clearer victory can never be expected.
Mr. Coventry thinks they cannot have lost less than 6000 men, and
we not dead above 200, and wounded about 400; in all about 600.
Captain Grove, the Duke told us this day, hath done the basest
thing at Lowestoffe, in hearing of the guns, and could not (as
others) be got out, but staid there; for which he will be tried;
and is reckoned a prating coxcombe, and of no courage.

17th. It struck me very deep this afternoon going with a hackney
coach from Lord Treasurer's down Holborne, the coachman I found
to drive easily and easily, at last stood still, and come down
hardly able to stand, and told me that he was suddenly struck
very sick, and almost blind, he could not see; so I light and
went into another coach, with a sad heart for the poor man and
for myself also, lest he should have been struck with the plague.
Sir John Lawson, I hear, is worse than yesterday: the King went
to see him to-day most, kindly. It seems his wound is not very
bad; but he hath a fever, a thrush and a hick-up, all three
together, which are, it seems, very bad symptoms.

20th. Thankes-giving-day for victory over the Dutch. To the
Dolphin Taverne, where all we officers of the Navy met with the
Commissioners of the Ordnance by agreement, and dined: where
good musique at my direction. Our club come to 34s. a man, nine
of us. By water to Fox-hall, and there walked an hour alone,
observing the several humours of the citizens that were there
this holy-day, pulling off cherries, and God knows what. This
day I informed myself that there died four of five at Westminster
of the plague, in several houses upon Sunday last, in Bell-Alley,
over against the Palace-gate: yet people do think that the
number will be fewer in the town than it was the last week. The
Dutch are come out again with 20 sail under Banker; supposed gone
to the Northward to meet their East India fleet.

21st. I find our tallys will not be money in less than sixteen
months, which is a sad thing for the King to pay all that
interest for every penny he spends; and, which is strange, the
goldsmiths with whom I spoke, do declare that they will not be
moved to part with money upon the increase of their consideration
of ten per cent, which they have. I find all the town almost
going out of town, the coaches and waggons being all full of
people going into the country.

23rd. To a Committee for Tangier, where unknown to me comes my
Lord of Sandwich, who, it seems, come to town last night. After
the Committee was up, my Lord Sandwich did take me aside in the
robe-chamber, telling me how much the Duke and Mr. Coventry did,
both in the fleet and here, make of him, and that in some
opposition to the Prince; and as a more private message, he told
me that he hath been with them both when they have made sport of
the Prince and laughed at him: yet that all the discourse of the
town, and the printed relation, should not give him one word of
honour my Lord thinks very strange; he assuring me, that though
by accident the Prince was in the van in the beginning of the
fight for the first pass, yet all the rest of the day my Lord was
in the van, and continued so. That notwithstanding all this
noise of the Prince, he had hardly a shot in his side or a man
killed, whereas he above 30 in her hull, and not one mast whole
nor yard: but the most battered ship of the fleet, and lost most
men, saving Captain Smith of the Mary. That the most the Duke
did was almost out of gun-shot: but that, indeed, the Duke did
come up to my Lord's rescue after he had a great while fought
with four of them. How poorly Sir John Lawson performed,
notwithstanding all that was said of him; and how his ship turned
out of the way while Sir J. Lawson himself was upon the deck, to
the endangering of the whole fleet. From that discourse my Lord
did begin to tell me how much he was concerned to dispose of his
children, and would have my advice and help; and propounded to
match my Lady Jemimah to Sir G. Carteret's eldest son, [Philip
Carteret, afterwards knighted. He perished on board Lord
Sandwich's flag ship at the battle of Solebay.] which I approved
of, and did undertake the speaking with him about it as from
myself, which my Lord liked. Home by hackney-coach, which is
become a very dangerous passage now-a-days, the sickness
encreasing mightily.

24th. To Dr. Clerke's, and there I in the best manner I could,
broke my errand about a match between Sir G. Carteret's eldest
son and my Lord Sandwich's eldest daughter, which he (as I knew
he would) took with great content: and he did undertake to find
out Sir George this morning, and put the business in execution,
So I to White Hall, where I with Creed and Povy attended my Lord
Treasurer, and did prevail with him to let us have an assignment
for 15 or 20,000l. which, I hope, will do our business for
Tangier. To Sir G. Carteret, and in the best manner I could,
moved the business: he received it with great respect and
content, and thanks to me, and promised that he would do what he
possibly could for his son, to render him fit for my Lord's
daughter, and showed great kindness to me, and sense of my
kindness to him herein. Sir William Pen told me this day that
Mr. Coventry is to be sworn a Privy Counsellor, at which my soul
is glad.

25th. To White Hall, where, after I again visited G. Carteret,
and received his (and now his Lady's) full content in my
proposal, my Lord Sandwich did direct me to return to Sir G.
Carteret, and give him thanks for his kind acceptation of this
offer, and that he would the next day be willing to enter
discourse with him shout the business. My Lord, I perceive,
intends to give 5000l. with her, and expects about 8001. per
annum joynture. To Greenwich by water, thinking to have visited
Sir J. Lawson, where, when I come, I find that he died this
morning; and indeed the nation hath a great loss. Mr. Coventry,
among other talk, entered about the great question now in the
House about the Duke's going to sea again; about which the whole
House is divided. The plague encreases mightily, I this day
seeing a house, at a bitt-maker's over against St. Clement's
Church, in the open street shut up; which is a sad sight.

28th. I did take my leave of Sir William Coventry, who it seems
was knighted, and sworn a Privy-Counsellor two days since; who
with his old kindness treated me, and I believe I shall ever find
a noble friend. In my way to Westminster Hall, I observed
several plague houses in King's street and the Palace.

29th. To White Hall, where the Court full of waggons and people
ready to go out of town. This end of the town every day grows
very bad of the plague. The Mortality Bill is come to 267:
which is about ninety more than the last: and of these but four
in the City, which is a great blessing to us. Took leave again
of Mr. Coventry; though I hope the Duke is not gone to stay, and
so do others too. Home; calling at Somerset House, where all
were packing up too: the Queene Mother setting out for France
this day to drink Bourbon waters this year, she being in a
consumption; and intends not to come till winter come twelve-
months.