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How little merit
Nov. 4th, 2018 01:51 pmSamuel Pepys, in his diary a few days past this date in 1665, notes:
How little merit do prevail in the world, but only favour; and that, for myself, chance without merit brought me in; and that diligence only keeps me so, and will, living as I do among so many lazy people that the diligent man becomes necessary, that they cannot do anything without him.
Honestly, from his own writing Pepys comes over as a little skeevy to me, especially when he's talking about women. It's hard to tell how much of this is the views of the day and how much this individual, who thinks nothing of writing slightly creepy descriptions of all the women he meets, as well as how much he cares for his wife AND his mistress, with little heed for his young wife's feelings of the matter, if she knew. But in things like this, I think he nailed it. Scary how little change - make that no change - in nearly 400 years.
( Pride Fair )My aim in going to Guildford was to check out Guildford Cycles with view to buying a new bike before it gets too bloody hot to walk around, but it would probably have helped to remind myself of the shop's opening hours, which don't include Sunday. Hiked back to the antique shops strip in Guildford for coffee and half a scone and checked out the Guildford Book Exchange.
( Rose de Freycinet and other Hidden Figures )
How little merit do prevail in the world, but only favour; and that, for myself, chance without merit brought me in; and that diligence only keeps me so, and will, living as I do among so many lazy people that the diligent man becomes necessary, that they cannot do anything without him.
Honestly, from his own writing Pepys comes over as a little skeevy to me, especially when he's talking about women. It's hard to tell how much of this is the views of the day and how much this individual, who thinks nothing of writing slightly creepy descriptions of all the women he meets, as well as how much he cares for his wife AND his mistress, with little heed for his young wife's feelings of the matter, if she knew. But in things like this, I think he nailed it. Scary how little change - make that no change - in nearly 400 years.
( Pride Fair )My aim in going to Guildford was to check out Guildford Cycles with view to buying a new bike before it gets too bloody hot to walk around, but it would probably have helped to remind myself of the shop's opening hours, which don't include Sunday. Hiked back to the antique shops strip in Guildford for coffee and half a scone and checked out the Guildford Book Exchange.
( Rose de Freycinet and other Hidden Figures )