Samuel Pepys Quotes

57 Sourced Quotes

Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody.

Samuel Pepys
As happy a man as any in the world, for the whole world seems to smile upon me.

Samuel Pepys
I went out to Charing Cross, to see Major-general Harrison hanged, drawn and quartered; which was done there, he looking as cheerful as any man could do in that condition.

Samuel Pepys
But to think of the clatter they make with his coach, and his own fine clothes, and yet how meanly they live within doors, and nastily, and borrowing everything of neighbors.

Samuel Pepys
Great fear of the sicknesses here in the City, it being said that two or three houses are already shut up. God preserve us all.

Samuel Pepys
But Lord! how everybody's looks, and discourse in the street, is of death, and nothing else; and few people going up and down, that the town is like a place distressed and forsaken.

Samuel Pepys
One, by his own confession to me, that can put on two several faces, and look his enemies in the face with as much love as his friends. But, good God! what an age is this, and what a world is this! that a man cannot live without playing the knave and dissimulation.

Samuel Pepys
To the Trinity House, where a very good dinner among the old soakers.

Samuel Pepys
While we were talking came by several poor creatures carried by, by constables, for being at a conventicle…I would to God they would either conform, or be more wise, and not be catched!

Samuel Pepys
Whose red nose makes me ashamed to be seen with him.

Samuel Pepys
Strange to say what delight we married people have to see these poor fools decoyed into our condition.

Samuel Pepys
To church; and with my mourning, very handsome, and new periwig, make a great show.

Samuel Pepys
Musique and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business is.

Samuel Pepys
But methought it lessened my esteem of a king, that he should not be able to command the rain.

Samuel Pepys
Most of their discourse was about hunting, in a dialect I understand very little.

Samuel Pepys
"By god", says he, "I think the Devil shits Dutchmen"

Samuel Pepys
Home, and, being washing-day, dined upon cold meat.

Samuel Pepys
And so to Mrs. Martin and there did what je voudrais avec her, both devante and backward, which is also muy bon plazer.

Samuel Pepys
I see it is impossible for the King to have things done as cheap as other men.

Samuel Pepys
Music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business is.

Samuel Pepys
But Lord! to see the absurd nature of Englishmen, that cannot forbear laughing and jeering at every thing that looks strange.

Samuel Pepys
I saw a dead corpse in a coffin lie in the close unburied—and a watch is constantly kept there, night and day, to keep the people in—the plague making us cruel as dogs one to another.

Samuel Pepys
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. It put me into an ill conception of myself and my smell, so that I was forced to buy some roll-tobacco to smell to and chaw, which took away the apprehension.

Samuel Pepys
This morning came home my fine camlet cloak, with gold buttons, and a silk suit, which cost me much money, and I pray God to make me able to pay for it.

Samuel Pepys
Gives me some kind of content to remember how painful it is sometimes to keep money, as well as to get it.

Samuel Pepys
The town grows very sickly, and people to be afeared of it — there dying this last week of the plague 112, from 43 the week before — whereof, one in Fanchurch-street and one in Broadstreete by the Treasurer's office.

Samuel Pepys
Now public business takes up so much of my time that I must get time a Sundays or a nights to look after my own matters.

Samuel Pepys
Find myself £43 worse than I was the last month... chiefly arisen from my layings-out in clothes for myself and wife; viz., for her, about £12, and for myself, £55 or thereabouts.

Samuel Pepys
Before I went to bed, I sat up till 2 a-clock in my chamber, reading of Mr. Hooke's Microscopical Observations, the most ingenious book that I ever read in my life.

Samuel Pepys
And it is a wonder what will be the fashion after the plagueisdoneastoperiwigs, fornobody will daretobuy any haire for fear of the infectionthat it had been cut off the heads of people dead of the plague.

Samuel Pepys