Myrmecology

Up and by appointment with Mr. Lee, Wade, Evett, and workmen to the Tower, and with the Lieutenants leave set them to work in the garden, in the corner against the mayne-guard, a most unlikely place. It being cold, Mr. Lee and I did sit all the day till three o’clock by the fire in the Governor’s house; I reading a play of Fletcher’s, being “A Wife for a Month,” wherein no great wit or language. Having done we went to them at work, and having wrought below the bottom of the foundation of the wall, I bid them give over, and so all our hopes ended; and so went home, taking Mr. Leigh with me, and after drunk a cup of wine he went away, and I to my office, there reading in Sir W. Petty’s book, and so home and to bed, a little displeased with my wife, who, poor wretch, is troubled with her lonely life, which I know not how without great charge to help as yet, but I will study how to do it.

ants work in the garden
like a cold fire
no wit or language

work below
the bottom of the wall

a little life I study
how to do


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Friday 19 December 1662.

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