If he had lived nowadays, Samuel Pepys would have been considered an active blogger. But he lived actually in England in 17th century, so we might call him a diarist instead.
He was a Member of Parliament and Naval administrator, but he’s remembered mostly for his diary, which he had written accurately and regularly for nearly ten years.
His diary, which he had started writing on the first of January 1660, was published in 19th century and it represents one of the most important sources of information about the English Restoration period, since Pepys had been eyewitness of many great events as ,
just to mention the two more important, the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London.
Thanks to Pepys’ records, we also might know many details of daily life of the period and many curiosities.
Here I’d like quoting part of a page of his diary, which might sound banal, but in reality it’s connected with something which still has a relevant importance in the British way of life.
He was a Member of Parliament and Naval administrator, but he’s remembered mostly for his diary, which he had written accurately and regularly for nearly ten years.
His diary, which he had started writing on the first of January 1660, was published in 19th century and it represents one of the most important sources of information about the English Restoration period, since Pepys had been eyewitness of many great events as ,
just to mention the two more important, the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London.
Thanks to Pepys’ records, we also might know many details of daily life of the period and many curiosities.
Here I’d like quoting part of a page of his diary, which might sound banal, but in reality it’s connected with something which still has a relevant importance in the British way of life.
“Tuesday 25 September 1660
To the office, where Sir W. Batten, Colonel Slingsby, and I sat awhile, and Sir R. Ford coming to us about some business, we talked together of the interest of this kingdom to have a peace with Spain and a war with France and Holland; where Sir R. Ford talked like a man of great reason and experience. And afterwards I did send for a cup of tee (a China drink) of which I never had drank before, and went away….”
So Samuel Pepys in a day of September 1660 tasted for the first of time in his life a drink which would have become a traditions for his fellow citizens and not only for them.
Tea (which he calls in his diary “tee”).
What is intriguing is that it’s the first time which there is a mention of tea in a text in English language.
Pepys didn’t let us know if he had liked it.
To the office, where Sir W. Batten, Colonel Slingsby, and I sat awhile, and Sir R. Ford coming to us about some business, we talked together of the interest of this kingdom to have a peace with Spain and a war with France and Holland; where Sir R. Ford talked like a man of great reason and experience. And afterwards I did send for a cup of tee (a China drink) of which I never had drank before, and went away….”
So Samuel Pepys in a day of September 1660 tasted for the first of time in his life a drink which would have become a traditions for his fellow citizens and not only for them.
Tea (which he calls in his diary “tee”).
What is intriguing is that it’s the first time which there is a mention of tea in a text in English language.
Pepys didn’t let us know if he had liked it.
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