own actions, he had the far more powerful
influence of his father-in-law who had, like Charles himself, been
exiled for nineteen years. Mrs. Evelyn was promised the appointment of
lady of the jewels to the future Queen, which she never received; and
Evelyn might have had the honour of knighthood of the Bath, but declined
it. He was present at the Coronation in Westminster Abbey on St.
George's Day, 1661, and had prepared and printed a _Panegyric_ poem on
the occasion, a screed of bombastic doggerel in fulsome praise of the
King. He was a frequent visitor at the Court, and loved to sun himself
in the royal presence. One of the finest examples of this feature of
Evelyn's character is his _Fumifugium_, published in 1661, which will be
more particularly referred to later on, a work which marks the real
commencement of his literary career.

In 1661, also, Evelyn wrote a pamphlet entitled _Tyrannus or the Mode_,
an invective against 'our so much affecting the French' in dress, and he
was pleased with the idea that afterwards, in 1666, a change in costume
then adopted by the King and court was due to this cause. He, too,
donned and went to office in 'the vest and surcoat and tunic as 'twas
call'd, after his Majesty had brought the whole Court to it. It was a
comely and manly habit, too good to hold, it being impossible for us in
good earnest to leave ye Monsieurs vanities long.'

At length employment, at first unpaid, in the public service fell to
Evelyn in May, 1662, when along with 'divers gentlemen of quality,' he
was appointed one of the Commissioners 'for reforming the buildings,
wayes, streetes, and incumbrances, and regulating the hackney coaches in
the Citty of London.' About this same time he was also on the Commission
appointed 'about Charitable uses, and particularly to enquire how the
Citty had dispos'd of the revenues of Gressham College,' and in the
original grant of the Charter of the Royal Society he was nominated by
the King to be on its Council. Among the other Commissions upon which he
shortly sat were those on Sewers, and on the regulation of the Mint at
the Tower; but it was not till 27 Oct. 1664 that he received a paid
appointment as one of the four Commissioners for the care of the sick
and wounded prisoners to be made in the war declared against Holland.
For this the remuneration was 'a Salary L1,200 a year amongst us,
besides extraordinaries for our care and attention in time of station,
each of us b