Michael D. Lane

Exiled Texan in Louisiana. Catholic historian of 16th c. England/Shropshire. Enjoys Coffee, Fountain Pens, & Camping. Husband & Father. Asst. Editor @JDVjournal

[Diary of Samuel Pepys @DiaryOfPepys]

Tuesday 4 August 1663

We were called up about four a-clock, and being ready went and took a Gravesend boat, and to London by nine a-clock.…
My brother John I find come to town to my house, as I sent for him, on Saturday last; so at noon home and dined with him, and after dinner and the barber been with me I walked out with him to my viall maker’s and other places and then left him, and I by water to Blackbury’s, and there talked with him about some masts (and by the way he tells me that Paul’s is now going to be repaired in good earnest), and so with him to his garden close by his house, where I eat some peaches and apricots; a very pretty place. So over the water to Westminster hall …
This day I received a letter from my wife, which troubles me mightily, wherein she tells me how Ashwell did give her the lie to her teeth, and that thereupon my wife giving her a box on the eare, the other struck her again, and a deal of stir which troubles me, and that my Lady has been told by my father or mother something of my wife’s carriage, which altogether vexes me, and I fear I shall find a trouble of my wife when she comes home to get down her head again, but if Ashwell goes I am resolved to have no more, but to live poorly and low again for a good while, and save money and keep my wife within bounds if I can, or else I shall bid Adieu to all content in the world. So to bed, my mind somewhat disturbed at this, but yet I shall take care, by prudence, to avoid the ill consequences which I fear, things not being gone too far yet, and this height that my wife is come to being occasioned from my own folly in giving her too much head heretofore for the year past.*

*Elizabeth reports a sharp domestic conflict with Mary Ashwell (a young woman hired earlier that year as a companion/governess-like figure for her). Ashwell “did give her the lie to her teeth” (openly accused Elizabeth of lying, to her face; a serious insult in the period). Elizabeth responded by giving her “a box on the eare” (a slap). Ashwell struck back, causing “a deal of stir”

Old St Paul's in 1656 by Wenceslaus Hollar, showing the rebuilt west façade

[Michael D. Lane @ExiledTexan86]

Will be teaching the Aeneid, the Iliad, & the Odyssey for the first time this year for 9th/10th history. Very much looking forward to it!

[Daniel Fitzpatrick @Fitzthewriter]

Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Culture show!

[Boze Herrington, Library Owl 😴🧙‍♀️ @SketchesbyBoze]

It’s remarkable that you can say Jurassic Park has “no big themes” when Jeff Goldblum looks directly into the camera and says, “Worship of technology with no limits or ethical restraints will be the ruin of humanity.”

[British Jesuit Archives @JesuitArchives]

Today is the Feast Day of St Ignatius, founder of the Society of Jesus.

This relic of St Ignatius is one of the highlights of our collections.

#StIgnatius #Relic #FeastDay

[Fr. David Paternostro, SJ @DavidPaternostr]

On July 31st, 1556, St. Ignatius was moved from his bedroom to his private chapel by his brother Jesuits so that he could die in the presence of Jesus in the Tabernacle

470 years ago today, St. Ignatius died in the presence of the Eucharist

[Michael D. Lane @ExiledTexan86]

If I wanted to buy a hard copy of Samuel Pepys's diary what version would yall recommend? Thriftbooks has versions galore.

@DiaryOfPepys care to weigh in?

[Diary of Samuel Pepys @DiaryOfPepys]

@ExiledTexan86 To start, The Illustrated Pepys: Extracts from the Diary or Everybody’s Pepys (abridged by O. F. Morshead and illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard of Winnie-the-Pooh fame). The standard scholarly hard copy is the multi-volume Latham & Matthews.

Enjoy!

[Michael D. Lane @ExiledTexan86]

@DiaryOfPepys Thanks! Ill take a look at them!

[Michael D. Lane @ExiledTexan86]

If I wanted to buy a hard copy of Samuel Pepys's diary what version would yall recommend? Thriftbooks has versions galore.

@DiaryOfPepys care to weigh in?

[Michael D. Lane @ExiledTexan86]

@Roman_Quev Lol I've done purges before. New job so I file stuff as soon as im done with the email/issue. Almost never delete though.

[Michael D. Lane @ExiledTexan86]

@Fitzthewriter Congrats!

[Walker Percy Gryce @percy_gryce]

Umberto Eco’s Personal Library Opens to the Public: More Than 32,000 Books, Exactly as He Left Them

https://t.co/2Ih3WwuhW4

[Daniel Fitzpatrick @Fitzthewriter]

@BayouTheauxmist If so, please get involved with @JDVjournal

Submit your writing, share an idea for an event, come join our book club, or even (crazy) contribute to our summer appeal.

https://t.co/FUvBOBZOVh

[Jennifer A. Frey @jennfrey]

I loved this show so much. It was brilliant, hilarious, humane.

[Daniel Fitzpatrick @Fitzthewriter]

Delighted to report that today I contracted with Word on Fire on my next novel, The White Stone.

[Diary of Samuel Pepys @DiaryOfPepys]

The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper (2023): Roland Allen

“Eyre’s contemporaries included a young Royalist student, John Evelyn, who in 1641 started to fill a 700-page notebook with his own observations and experiences, and a rising civil servant, Samuel Pepys, who in December 1659 bought the notebook which would become the first volume of his unsurpassed diary, a masterpiece that combined the self-examination of the ancient Greeks, the daily confession of medieval monks, the financial accounting of the Florentines, the public affairs of Marin Sanudo, the travel observations that Francis Bacon recommended, the trivial detail that Jonson had lampooned, and, like Eyre, the discord of an unhappy marriage.”

What a fantastic summary of Sam's Diary! I disagree with the “unhappy marriage” characterization, but it’s pretty fantastic overall. If you enjoy stationery, history, or just geeking out over how ideas get captured and preserved, this one’s an absolute winner. It is a delightful, illuminating read. The author shows how those simple bound blank pages, which go all the way back to medieval ledgers ended up powering everything from scientific breakthroughs to massive commercial empires. It’s packed with great stories, illustrations, and this wonderful sense that the notebook is basically an extension of your own brain.

Two of my favorite chapters:
Chapter 11, “King of the Herring,” is a deep dive into the 1570s Dutch herring trade. How did they get that great taste and keep the fish from rotting? The intestines were removed but the pyloric caeca was kept in place to soften the fish, then salt was added to preserve it. This secret was guarded until penalty of death. The author of this book was Coenen and his notebook, Visboek is rich in sketches and details of sea life. His sketches alone are worth checking out. You learn how these specially designed boats and the meticulous record-keeping on board turned a smelly, perishable fish into a booming international business.

Another standout is Chapter 18 (“Albatrosses”), which follows the 1699–1702 voyage of the East India Company frigate Rook. It's a great recap of the difficulties and horrors of sea life. One angle which was fantastic was the family drama between Captain George Simmonds and his son James. James started the journal and his entries are full of sketches and enthusiastically detailed. Yet, James left the ship in China, possibly seeking independence after clashing with his father. George died on the return leg near Ceylon. Yes, he shouldn’t have shot the Albatross!

Below: Artists oftentimes used “table books” for rough sketches, like this one from Rembrandt, of his beloved Saskia.

[Michael D. Lane @ExiledTexan86]

@Roman_Quev I've seen the stats. This dude isn't accurate for the cause but every year fewer teens get DL/Permit and get them later than we did

[Daniel Fitzpatrick @Fitzthewriter]

My sister-in-law’s sister has a brain tumor, y’all. She’ll have surgery on August 4. She and her husband are incredible people, both fellow UD alums, raising three beautiful children. See below to read more about them. Please help if you can!

[The Rest Is History @TheRestHistory]

Tom Holland meets a fan