pected success. On the 5th March, 1667-68, he
made the great speech of his life, and spoke for three hours, with the
effect that he so far removed the prejudice against the officers of the
Navy Board, that no further proceedings were taken in parliament on the
subject. He was highly praised for his speech, and he was naturally much
elated at his brilliant success.

About the year 1664 we first hear of a defect in Pepys's eyesight. He
consulted the celebrated Cocker, and began to wear green spectacles, but
gradually this defect became more pronounced, and on the 31st of May,
1669, he wrote the last words in his Diary:

"And thus ends all that I doubt I shall ever be able to do with my
own eyes in the keeping of my journal, I being not able to do it any
longer, having done now as long as to undo my eyes almost every time
that I take a pen in my hand."

He feared blindness and was forced to desist, to his lasting regret and
our great loss.

At this time he obtained leave of absence from the duties of his office,
and he set out on a tour through France and Holland accompanied by his
wife. In his travels he was true to the occupation of his life, and made
collections respecting the French and Dutch navies. Some months after
his return he spoke of his journey as having been "full of health and
content," but no sooner had he and his wife returned to London than the
latter became seriously ill with a fever. The disease took a fatal turn,
and on the 10th of November, 1669, Elizabeth Pepys died at the early
age of twenty-nine years, to the great grief of her husband. She died
at their house in Crutched Friars, and was buried at St. Olave's Church,
Hart Street, where Pepys erected a monument to her memory.

Pepys's successful speech at the bar of the House of Commons made
him anxious to become a member, and the Duke of York and Sir William
Coventry heartily supported him in his resolution. An opening occurred
in due course, at Aldborough, in Suffolk, owing to the death of Sir
Robert Brooke in 1669, but, in consequence of the death of his wife,
Pepys was unable to take part in the election. His cause was warmly
espoused by the Duke of York and by Lord Henry Howard (afterwards Earl
of Norwich and sixth Duke of Norfolk), but the efforts of his supporters
failed, and the contest ended in favour of John Bruce, who represented
the popular party. In November, 1673, Pepys was more successful, and
was elected for C