Pepys and Evelyn first came to know each other during the Second Dutch War (1664-7) when, while the Plague decimated the London they both loved, they were preoccupied with the business of sick and wounded seamen. Nearly 40 years later they were still corresponding, but now exchanging details of remedies for the afflictions of old age. Their friendship, and their relations with others, as recorded in their famous diaries and letters, provide an exceptional opportunity to experience life at the heart of Restoration England and the late-17th century. This volume contains every letter which could be located. The full text is transcribed and annotated, and editorial problems are discussed. Many details of the lives and friendship of Pepys and Evelyn emerge which go unmentioned, or are barely alluded to, in the diaries.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

"A newly edited selection from the most famous, colorful, and vivid diarist in the English language--in the most accessible, uncensored, and clearly annotated edition available. Though he rose to become the most powerful administrator in King Charles II's navy, when Samuel Pepys began writing his secret journal in 1660 he was just a young clerk living in London. Over the next nine years, he became eyewitness to some of the most significant events in seventeenth-century English history, among them, the Restoration, the Great Plague of London in 1665, and the Great Fire of London in 1666. Pepys's diary gives vivid descriptions of spectacular events, but much of the richness of the work lies in the details it provides about the minor dramas of daily life. While Pepys was keen to hear the king's views, he was also always ready to talk with a soldier, a housekeeper, or a child rag-picker. He records with searing frankness his tumultuous personal life, including his marriage, infidelities, ambitions, and power schemes. He recounts with relish all the latest scandals, and reflects his voracious delight in music, food, books, scientific discoveries, and fashion. The result is a lively, often astonishing diary and an unrivaled account of life in seventeenth-century London"-- Provided by publisher.
"A one-volume selection of entries from the famous 17th-century diary of Samuel Pepys, newly edited, annotated, and introduced by Kate Loveman, using texts from the edition of the complete diaries edited by Robert Latham and William Matthews"-- Provided by publisher.