have to send to our fleete with all speed. But, Lord! to see how my Lord
Bruncker undertakes the despatch of the fire-ships, when he is no more fit
for it than a porter; and all the while Sir W. Pen, who is the most fit,
is unwilling to displease him, and do not look after it; and so the King's
work is like to be well done. At noon dined at home, Lovett with us; but
he do not please me in his business, for he keeps things long in hand, and
his paper do not hold so good as I expected--the varnish wiping off in a
little time--a very sponge; and I doubt by his discourse he is an odde
kind of fellow, and, in plain terms, a very rogue. He gone, I to the
office (having seen and liked the upholsters' work in my roome--which they
have almost done), and there late, and in the evening find Mr. Batelier
and his sister there and then we talked and eat and were merry, and so
parted late, and to bed.

24th. Up, and dispatched several businesses at home in the morning, and
then comes Sympson to set up my other new presses

[These presses still exist, and, according to Pepys's wish, they are
placed in the second court of Magdalene College in a room which they
exactly fit, and the books are arranged in the presses just as they
were when presented to the college.--M. B.]

for my books, and so he and I fell in to the furnishing of my new closett,
and taking out the things out of my old, and I kept him with me all day,
and he dined with me, and so all the afternoon till it was quite darke
hanging things, that is my maps and pictures and draughts, and setting up
my books, and as much as we could do, to my most extraordinary
satisfaction; so that I think it will be as noble a closett as any man
hath, and light enough--though, indeed, it would be better to have had a
little more light. He gone, my wife and I to talk, and sup, and then to