HYDE PARK 
3 1 
Numberless entries in Pepys* Diary describe visits to 
Hyde Park. His drives there in fine and wet weather, 
the company he met, whether his wife looked well or was 
in a good or ill temper, and the latest gossip the outing 
afforded, are all noted. Many times he regrets not having 
a coach of his own, and does not conceal the feelings of 
wounded pride it occasioned. Once he naively explains 
that having taken his wife and a friend to the Park 
“ in a hackney,” and they not in smart clothes, he “ was 
ashamed to go into the tour [Ring], but went round the 
Park, and so, with pleasure, home.” His delight when 
he possessed a coach is unbounded. He made frequent 
visits to the coach-builder, and watched the final coat of 
varnish to “ make it more and more yellow,” and at last 
on May Day, 1669, he describes his first appearance in 
his own carriage : “ At noon home to dinner, and there 
find my wife extraordinary fine with her flowered tabby 
gown that she made two years ago, now laced exceeding 
pretty, and indeed was fine all over, and mighty earnest 
to go ; though the day was very lowering ; and she would 
have me put on my fine suit, which I did. And so anon, 
we went alone through the town with our new liveries 
of serge and the horses’ manes and tails tied with red 
ribbons, and the standards gilt with varnish, and all 
clean, and green reines, that people did mightily look 
upon us ; and the truth is I did not see any coach more 
pretty, though more gay than ours, all that day . . . the 
day being unpleasing though the Park full of Coaches, 
but dusty, and windy, and cold, and now and then a 
little dribbling of rain ; and what made it worse, there 
were so many hackney coaches as spoiled the sight of the 
gentlemen’s, and so we had little pleasure. But here 
was Mr. Batelier and his sister in a borrowed coach by 
