Dr. Hicks made a dull sermon; and
so home, and there I find W. Batelier and Balty, and they dined with us,
and I spent all the afternoon with my wife and W. Batelier talking, and
then making them read, and particularly made an end of Mr. Boyle's Book
of Formes, which I am glad to have over, and then fell to read a French
discourse, which he hath brought over with him for me, to invite the
people of France to apply themselves to Navigation, which it do very
well, and is certainly their interest, and what will undo us in a few
years, if the King of France goes on to fit up his Navy, and encrease it
and his trade, as he hath begun. At night to supper, and after supper,
and W. Batelier gone, my wife begun another book I lately bought, called
"The State of England," which promises well, and is worth reading, and
so after a while to bed.

31st (Lord's day). Lay long talking with pleasure, and so up and I to
church, and there did hear the Doctor that is lately turned Divine,
I have forgot his name, I met him a while since at Sir D. Gawden's
at dinner, Dr. Waterhouse! He preaches in a devout manner of way, not
elegant nor very persuasive, but seems to mean well, and that he would
preach holily; and was mighty passionate against people that make a
scoff of religion. And, the truth is, I did observe Mrs. Hollworthy
smile often, and many others of the parish, who, I perceive, have known
him, and were in mighty expectation of hearing him preach, but could not
forbear smiling, and she particularly upon me, and I on her. So home to
dinner: and before dinner to my Office, to set down my journal for this
week, and then home to dinner; and after dinner to get my wife and boy,
one after another, to read to me: and so spent the afternoon and the
evening, and so after supper to bed. And thus endeth this month, with
many different days of sadness and mirth, from differences between me
and my wife, from her remembrance of my late unkindness to her with
Willet, she not being able to forget it, but now and then hath her
passionate remembrance of it as often as prompted to it by any occasion;
but this night we are at present very kind. And so ends this month.

FEBRUARY 1668-1669

February 1st. Up, and by water from the Tower to White Hall, the first
time that I have gone to that end of the town by water, for two or three
months, I think, since I kept a coach, which God send propitious to me;
but it is a very great convenience. I went t