conjugate the verbs regular, and most of the irregular; got by heart almost the entire vocabulary of Latin and French primitives and words, could make congruous syntax, turn English into Latin and vice versa, construe and prove what he read, began himself to write legibly, and had a strong passion for Greek.  The number of verses he could recite was prodigious, and he had a wonderful disposition to mathematics.  As to his piety, astonishing were his applications of Scripture upon occasion, and his sense of God.  He was all life, all prettiness, far from morose, sullen or childish in anything he said or did.  Such a child I never saw; for such a child I bless God, in whose bosom he is!

November 22.  Saw the superb funeral of the Protector.  He was carried from Somerset House in a velvet bed of state, drawn by six horses housed with the same, the pall held up by his new lords; Oliver lying in effigy in royal robes, and with a crown, sceptre and globe, like a king; pendants carried by officers, imperial banners by the heralds; a rich caparisoned horse, embroidered all over with gold, a knight of honour armed cap-a-pie, guards, soldiers, and innumerable mourners.  In this equipage they proceeded to Westminster; but it was the joyfullest funeral I ever saw, for there were none that cried but dogs, which the soldiers hooted away with a barbarous noise, drinking and taking tobacco in the streets as they went.

May 29, 1660.  This day his Majesty Charles II. came to London after a sad and long exile and calamitous suffering both of the king and church, being seventeen years.  This also was his birthday, and with a triumph of above 20,000 horse and foot, brandishing their swords and shouting with inexpressible joy; the ways strewed with flowers, the bells ringing, the streets hung with tapestry, fountains running with wine; the mayor, aldermen, and all the companies in their liveries, chains of gold, and banners; lords and nobles clad in cloth of silver, gold, and velvet; the windows and balconies all set with ladies; trumpets, music, and myriads of people flocking, even so far as from Rochester, so as they were seven hours in passing the city.  I stood in the Strand and beheld it, and blessed God.

January 6, 1661.  This night was suppressed a bloody insurrection of some fifth-monarchy enthusiasts.

I was now chosen a Fellow of the Philosophical Society, now meeting at Gresham College, where was an assembly of divers learned gentlemen; this being the first meeting since the king’s return; but it had been begun some years before at Oxford, and was continued with interruption here in London during the Rebellion.

January 16.  I went to the Philosophic Club, where was examined the Torricellian experiment.  I presented my Circle of Mechanical Trades, and had recommended to me the publishing of what I had written upon chalcography.