Add MS 78323

EVELYN PAPERS. Vol. CLVI. `Kalendarium' (Evelyn's title at the beginning of the text), covering the period 1620 to October 1697; [aft. 1660]-1697. Autograph. With the exception of the initial account of Evelyn's birth and family, the text is presented in day-to-day journal form, but de Beer (I, pp. 44-46, 70-74) concludes on the basis of changes in handwriting and layout that Evelyn began the present text (called `K') in the early 1660s (up to p. 237) as a transcript of his original diary notes, that this process was then discontinued for some years and not resumed until about 1680, and that it was only after about 1684 that the volume was used for roughly contemporaneous entries. The retrospective compilation of much of the text is supported by evidence of hindsight in the content; for example reference to individuals by later forms of their names or titles without any evidence that these are late interpolations into an earlier text.

Paginated by Evelyn 1-732, but with several pages missing; one between pp. 150-151, one before 215 and several between 718 and 719; it is thought that some of these may now be in the collection of Count G. W. Orlov (1777-1826), now in the State Historical Museum, Moscow (Beal, op. cit., p. 487). Many of the leaves between pp. 157 and 214 are out of order. A small pen drawing by Evelyn of the `altar of friendship' inscribed by him and Margaret Blagge in October 1672 is inserted between pp. 414 and 415, adjacent to the diary entry referring to it; a transcript of pp. 715-716, which are damaged, is also been inserted. When first described by William Upcott in the early 19th century the diary was without covers (see his account of 5 July 1845 in Add. MS 78583 below). The present half binding in red morocco and grey boards was added by Lady Evelyn at the urging of Upcott when the project for publishing it was first proposed (see Lady Evelyn's letter to William Bray, 3 May [1814?], Add. MS 78583); it is lettered on the spine `J. EVELYN'S DIARY M.S.' 240 x 175mm.