xvi INTRODUCTION 



II 



Evelyn's Childhood, Early Education, and Youth. 



The essential facts of Evelyn's life, as he himself would 

 have us know them, are set forth at full length in autobio- 

 graphical form, chronologically arranged in what is always 

 spoken of as his Diary, although evidently this was (much 

 of it, at any rate) merely a subsequent personal compilation 

 from an actual diary, kept in imitation of his father, from 

 the age of 1 1 years onwards and down even to within one 

 month of his death in 1706. 



The second son and the fourth child of Richard Evelyn 

 of Wotton in Surrey, and of his wife Eleanor, daughter of 

 John Stansfield ' of an ancient honorable family (though now 

 extinct) in Shropshire,' he was born at Wotton on 3ist. 

 October, 1620. His father, 'was of a sanguine complexion, 

 mixed with a dash of choler ; his haire inclining to light, 

 which tho' exceeding thick became hoary by the time he was 

 30 years of age ; it was somewhat curled towards the ex- 

 tremity ; his beard, which he wore a little picked, as the 

 mode was, of a brownish colour, and so continued to the 

 last, save that it was somewhat mingled with grey haires 

 about his cheekes : which, with his countenance, was cleare, 

 and fresh colour'd, his eyes quick and piercing, an ample fore- 

 head, manly aspect ; low of stature, but very strong. He 

 was for his life so exact and temperate, that I have heard he 

 had never been surprised by excesse, being ascetic and spar- 

 ing. His wisdom was greate, and judgment most acute ; 

 of solid discourse, affable, humble and in nothing affected ; 

 of a thriving, neat, silent and methodical genius ; discretely 

 severe, yet liberal on all just occasions to his children, stran- 

 gers, and servants ; a lover of hospitality ; of a singular 

 and Christian moderation in all his actions ; a Justice of the 

 Peace and of the Quorum ; he served his country as High 

 Sheriff for Surrey and Sussex together. He was a studious 

 decliner of honours and titles, being already in that esteem 

 with his country that they could have added little to him 

 besides their burden. He was a person of that rare conver- 



