The only serious rival to Pepys is Boswell, but Boswell is a snail without a shell. He trails through life unhoused and exclamator...y, whereas Pepys is housed and sotto voce. Boswell is confessional before anything else, whereas, though he too tells all, Pepys is not; he records for the sensual pleasure of record. Boswell adores his damned soul to the point of tears and is in shameless, ramshackle pursuit of father-figures who will offer salvation. Unlike Pepys, he has above all a conceit of his own peculiar genius. Pepys has no notion of genius. Where Pepys is an eager careerist, struck by the wonder of it, Boswell has no career; he has only a carousel, and it is odd that the careerist has a more genuine sense of pleasure than the Calvinist libertine.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
The truth is, I do indulge myself a little the more in pleasure, knowing that this is the proper age of my life to do it; and, out... of my observation that most men that do thrive in the world do forget to take pleasure during the time that they are getting their estate, but reserve that till they have got one, and then it is too late for them to enjoy it.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
I find my wife hath something in her gizzard, that only waits an opportunity of being provoked to bring up; but I will not, for my... content-sake, give it.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Find myself £43 worse than I was the last month ... chiefly arisen from my layings-out in clothes for myself and wife; viz., fo...r her, about £12, and for myself, £55 or thereabouts.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
I went out to Charing Cross to see Major-General Harrison hanged, drawn and quartered--which was done there--he looking as cheerfu...l as any man could do in that condition.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
God forgive me, I do still see that my nature is not to be quite conquered, but will esteem pleasure above all things; though, yet... in the middle of it, it hath reluctancy after my business, which is neglected by my following my pleasure. However, music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business is.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Strange, to see what delight we married people have to see these poor fools decoyed into our condition, every man and wife gazing ...and smiling at them.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »