THE PEPYS OF SOUTH DORSET. 33 



tells us that he had two periwigs " new come from London," one 

 with "a sad ca\vl" and the other "of a lighter cawl made by a 

 Frenchman." We can picture him as he went to dine with 

 his friend and neighbour, Mr. Henning, at Poxwell House, 

 picturesquely clad in the wig of the " lighter cawl," in a black 

 cut-away coat open at the breast to show the daintiest of ruffles 

 in the whitest of cambric (of which gentlemen in those days 

 were so fond), with knee-breeches, black silk stockings, and 

 shoes with silver buckles. The 'squire was a smoker and snuff- 

 taker, but wished to reform, for he writes on "Thursday, the 

 igth Octr., 1699, I began to leave off snuff and tobacco, having 

 taken none all this day." 



The journal abounds in variety, and throughout is reminiscent 

 of rural Dorset at a time when the flaring light of acetylene 

 lamps and the braying of a motor-horn announcing the approach 

 of the monster with a cloud of evil-smelling dust, were still 

 unknown. It conjures up the life and gossip of the country- 

 side, as the Pepys of South Dorset relates, almost daily, circum- 

 stances connected with the home life of himself and his 

 neighbours, the management of his estate, the births of colts, 

 calves, and lambs, the transfer of his stock from meadow to 

 heath, the lending of ferrets and his dealings in corn and hay, 

 One day we are with the diarist listening to a sermon in the 

 adjoining parish church of West Knighton, from a text taken 

 from the Epistle to the Colossians, on another, the Rector of 

 Moreton is negotiating a lottery transaction, and then, again, 

 we are following the hounds as they course on the borders 

 of Warmwell heath, or are hearing the penitent confession of a 

 poacher. 



Mr. Richards' son John was educated at Wimborne Grammar 

 School, Mr. Lloyd being then Headmaster. The diarist had an 

 intimate friend at Wimboine, a Mr. Philip Traherne, and usually 

 put up at his house on his visits to the town : " 3rd June, 

 1700, I took my son John with me to Wimberne where we 

 lodged at Mr. Traherne's yt night. The 5th ditto I left Jack 

 with Mr. Lloyd at school, to pay 12 p. arm. for his bord 



