ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF JOHN EVELYN, ESQ., F.R.S. AUTHOR OF THE "SYLVA," &c., &c. COMPRISING HIS DIARY, FROM THE YEAR 1641 TO 1705-6, AND A SELECTION OF HIS FAMILIAR LETTERS. THE WHOLE NOW PUBLISHED, FROM THE ORIGINAL MSS. IN ONE VOLUME COMPLETE. EDITED BY WILLIAM BRAY, ESQ., FELLOW AND TREASURER OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF LONDON. FROM THE LAST LONDON EDITION. NEW YORK: G. P. PUTNAM & SONS, 4th Ave. and 23d Street. 1870. ΤΟ JOHN EVELYN OF WOTTON IN SURREY, ESQ. SIR, THE last sheets of this Work, with a Dedication to the late LADY EVELYN, under whose permission it was to be given to the public, were in the hands of the Printer, when it pleased God to release her from a long and painful illness, which she had borne with the greatest fortitude and resignation to the Divine Will. These papers descended, with the estate, from the celebrated JOHN EVELYN, Esq. (a relative of your immediate ancestor), to his greatgreat-grandson, the late Sir Frederick Evelyn, Bart. This Gentleman dying without issue, intrusted the whole to his Lady, whose loss we have now to lament; of whose worth, and of the value of whose friendship, I have happily had long knowledge and experience. Alive to the honour of the family, of which she was thus made the representative, she maintained it in every point, and with the most active benevolence; and her care extended to every part of the property attached to the domain. Mr. Evelyn had formed in his own mind a plan of what he called an 'Elysium Britannicum,' in which the Library and Garden were intended to be the principal objects: could he return and visit this his beloved seat, he would find his idea realized, by the arrangement and addition which her Ladyship had made to his library, and by the disposition of the flower-garden and green-house, which she had embellished with the most beautiful and curious flowers and plants, both native and exotic. In completion and full justification of the confidence thus reposed in her, her Ladyship has returned the estate, with its valuable appendages, to the family, in your person. I have, therefore, now to offer these Volumes' to you, Sir, with a wish, that you and your posterity may long enjoy the possessions, and continue the line of a Family so much distinguished in many of its branches, for superior worth and eminence. Shere, 2 Jan. 1818. I am, Sir, Lowndes,' p. 767. and most humble servant, WILLIAM BRAY. 1 Bibliographic notice, from PREFACE. THE following pages are taken from the Journal of JOHN EVELYN, Esq., author (amongst many other works) of the celebrated Sylva, a Treatise on Forest Trees, and from which he has often been known by the name of The Sylva Evelyn. The Journal is written by him in a very small, close hand, in a quarto volume, containing 700 pages, which commences in 1641 and is continued to the end of 1697, and from thence is carried on in a smaller book till within about three weeks of his death, which happened 27 Feb. 1705-6, in the 86th year of his age. These books, with numberless other papers in his handwriting, are in the valuable Library at Wotton, which was chiefly collected by him. Lady Evelyn, the late possessor of that very respectable old Mansion, after much solicitation from many persons, consented to favour the Public with this communication. The last sheets were in the hands of the Printer, when the death of that Lady happened. The Editor who has been entrusted with the preparation of the work for the press, is fully diffident of his competence to make a proper selection, and is even aware that many things will be found in its pages which, in the opinion of some, and not injudicious, Critics, may appear too unimportant to meet the public eye: but it has been thought that some information, at least some amusement, would be furnished by the publication; it has been supposed that some curious particulars of persons and transactions would be found in the accompanying notes; and that, though these papers may not be of importance enough to appear in the pages of an Historian of the Kingdom, they may in some particulars set even such an one right; and, though the notices are short, they may, as to persons, give some hints to Biographers, or at least may gratify the curiosity of those who are inquisitive after the mode in which their ancestors conducted their business, or passed their time. Thus, when mention is made of great men going after dinner to attend a Council of State, or the business of their particular Offices, or the Bowling Green, or even the Church; of an Hour's Sermon being of a moderate length; of Ladies painting their faces being a novelty, or of their receiving visits of Gentlemen whilst dressing, after having just risen out of bed; of the female attendant of a lady of fashion travelling on a pillion behind one of the footmen, and the footmen riding with swords; such things may not be altogether incurious. For many Corrections, and many of the Notes, the Editor acknow ledges, with great pleasure and regard, that he is indebted to James Bindley, Esq. of Somerset House, a Gentleman who possessed an invaluable Collection of the most rare Books and Pamphlets, and whose liberality in communications was equal to the ability afforded by such a collection. He has also to acknowledge how much he is obliged for many historical notes and elucidations to a literary Gentleman very conversant with English History, whose name he would gladly give, were it not withheld by particular request, and whose research has doubtless given additional interest to many of the Letters. The Editor, finally, returns his best thanks to Mr. Upcott, of the London Institution, for the great and material assistance received from him in this Publication, besides his attention to the superintendence of the Press. MR. EVELYN lived in the busy and important times of King Charles I. Oliver Cromwell, King Charies II. King James II. and King William, and he early accustomed himself to note such things as occurred which he thought worthy of remembrance. He was known to, and had much personal intercourse with, the Kings Charles II. and James II.; and he was in habits of great intimacy with many of the Ministers of those two Monarchs, and with many of the eminent men of those days, as well amongst the Clergy as the Laity. Foreigners distinguished for learning or arts, who came to England, did not leave it without visiting him. In the first edition of the Biog. Brit. in folio, Dr. Campbell has a long article relating to this gentleman; and the following pages will produce farther particulars of this eminent man. They will shew that he did not travel merely to count steeples, as he expresses himself › in one of his letters: they will develope his private character as being of the most amiable kind. With a strong predilection for monarchy, with a personal attachment to Kings Charles II. and James II., formed when they resided at Paris, he was yet utterly averse to the arbitrary measures of those Monarchs. Strongly and steadily attached to the doctrine and practice of the Church of England, he felt the most liberal sentiments for those who differed from him in opinion. He lived in intimacy with men of all persuasions, nor did he think it necessary to break connexions with 1 Died. in the 81st year of his age, Sept. 11, 1818, just as the printing of this second edition of this work was begun. |