ng about the ultimate results of his undertaking, but
Pepys furnishes the necessary clue in his diary for September,
1668--'23d. At noon comes Mr Evelyn to me, about some business with the
office, and there in discourse tell me of his loss, to the value of
L500, which he hath met with in a late attempt of making of bricks upon
an adventure with others, by which he presumed to have got a great deal
of money; so that I see the most ingenious man may sometimes be
mistaken'. Kiviet a year or two later on had a fresh scheme for draining
marshy lands 'with the hopes of a rich harvest of hemp and cole seed',
but Evelyn took no share in this new adventure.

In July 1669 his University, Oxford, bestowed upon him the honorary
degree of Doctor of Civil Law, but he had still no permanent official
appointment, his Commissionerships now being completed. Early in May
1670 he went 'to London concerning the office of Latine Secretary to his
Majesty, a place of more honor than dignitie and profit, the revertion
of which he had promised me', though the promise was not fulfilled.

Early in 1669, it had been proposed to Evelyn by Lord Arlington that he
should write a history of the Dutch War, but he declined. Towards the
middle of the following year, however, pressure was brought on him to
undertake the work. 'After dinner Lord (Arlington) communicated to me
his Majesty's desire that I would engage to write the History of our
late War with the Hollanders, which I had hitherto declin'd; this I
found was ill-taken, and that I should disoblige his Majesty, who had
made choice of me to do him this service, and if I would undertake it, I
should have all the assistance the Secretary's office and others could
give me, with other encouragements, which I could not decently refuse'.
This work was never completed, so much as was written by way of
introduction being subsequently published in 1674 as _Navigation and
Commerce, their Original and Progress_.

Evelyn was, however, not to have much longer to wait for regular
official employment, as on 28 February, 1671, 'The Treasurer acquainted
me that his Majesty was graciously pleas'd to nominate me one of the
Council of Forraine Plantations, and give me a salary of L500 per ann.
to encourage me'. He was pleased with his appointment in connection with
our Colonies, 'a considerable honour, the others in the Council being
chiefly Noblemen, and Officers of State'. In the following year the
scope of this de