year 1817, is the first of the class of books to which special
reference is here made. This was followed by the publication, in
1825, of the Diary and Correspondence of Samuel Pepys, a work of
a more entertaining character than that of Evelyn. There is,
moreover, another distinction between the two: the Diary of
Pepys was written "at the end of each succeeding day;" whereas
the Diary of Evelyn is more the result of leisure and after-
thought, and partakes more of the character of history.

Pepys's account of the Great Fire of London in 1666 is full as
minute as that of Evelyn, but it is mingled with a greater number
of personal and official circumstances, of popular interest: the
scene of dismay and confusion which it exhibits is almost beyond
parallel. "It is observed and is true in the late Fire of
London," says Pepys, "that the fire burned just as many parish
churches as there were hours from the beginning to the end of the
fire; and next, that there were just as many churches left
standing in the rest of the city that was not burned, being, I
think, thirteen in all of each; which is pretty to observe."
Again, Pepys was at this time clerk of the Acts of the Navy; his
house and office were in Seething-lane, Crutched Friars; he was
called up at three in the morning, Sept. 2, by his maid Jane, and
so rose and slipped on his nightgown, and went to her window; but
thought the fire far enough off, and so went to bed again, and to
sleep. Next morning, Jane told him that she heard above 300
houses had been burnt down by the fire they saw, and that it was
then burning down all Fish-street, by London Bridge. "So," Pepys
writes, "I made myself ready presently, and walked to the Tower,
and there got upon one of the high places, and saw the houses at
that end of the bridge all on fire, and an infinite great fire at