Add MS 78441

EVELYN PAPERS. Vol. CCLXXIV. Miscellany volume compiled by Mary Evelyn, with a title-page reading `Miscelania or a Book of several designes and thoughts of mine for the regulating my Life upon many occasions', two mottoes `Remember thy Creator in the Dayes of thy youth' and `Redeeme the Tyme', and a pentacle; 1683-1684. Autograph. Opposite the title-page, as a frontispiece, is a pencil drawing of an altar surmounted by a book and cross, the monogram `ME' and the date `July 1684'. This and the pentacle symbol are clearly modelled on the symbols Evelyn had first used for his friendship with Margaret Godolphin; it was in 1684 that Evelyn wrote his commemorative `Life of Mrs Godolphin’ (see Add. MS 78307 above, and Evelyn, Diary, III, p. 628 and plate). Headed on the first page, `Rules for spending my pretious time well' and containing religious meditations and resolutions concerning her conduct. With the preliminary note, `I begun this Book in London in the Winter / Several Papers contayned what I have Inserted here which were very troublesom & . . . therefore I resolv'd to put all in one Book that they might be out of Danger & more usefull and not that I thought them worth it or out of opinion that they deserv'd to be seene for Indeed I do not think it nor shall they / Fryday 31 August 1683'. See ff. 6v-7, for a reference to `my Fathers Directions in the Paper he gave me', now in Add. MS 78440. With a further note by her father, `My Daughter Maries Booke found in her Closset after her decease with two other Bookes & many loose papers upon devout subjects'. Ruled and paginated 1-57, followed by many blank leaves. For a discussion, see Gillian Wright, `Mary Evelyn and Devotional Practice’, in John Evelyn and his Milieu, eds. F. Harris and M. Hunter (2003), pp. 221-33. Formerly Evelyn MS 92.

ff. iii + 32. Octavo notebook with contemporary binding of red calf, gilt ruled and stamped; rebacked and repaired. 150 x 100mm.

Mary Evelyn, daughter of John Evelyn the diarist: Correspondence and papers: [1675]-1685.