Pepys the book collector

As Pepys' income increased, one of his favorite ways to spend it was on books. He quickly faced the same problems that book collectors still deal with: wanting to read a book but not be judged for it, and having more books than places to keep them. According to Wikipedia, a book press was "an early form of bookcase, used in medieval cloisters, to which books were attached using a chain."

To the New Exchange to drink some creame, but missed it and so parted, and I home, calling by the way for my new bookes, viz., Sir H. Spillman’s “Whole Glossary,” “Scapula’s Lexicon,” and Shakespeare’s plays, which I have got money out of my stationer’s bills to pay for. July 7, 1664

So to Paul’s Churchyarde about my books, and to the binder’s and directed the doing of my Chaucer, though were not full neate enough for me, but pretty well it is; and thence to the claspe-maker’s to have it clasped and bossed. July 8, 1664

Up and by and by to my bookseller’s, and there did give thorough direction for the new binding of a great many of my old books, to make my whole study of the same binding, within very few. January 18, 1665

Thence to my new bookseller’s, Martin’s. The truth is, I have bought a great many books lately to a great value; but I think to buy no more till Christmas next, and those that I have will so fill my two presses that I must be forced to give away some to make room for them, it being my design to have no more at any time for my proper library than to fill them. January 10, 1668

Wife took physick this day, I all day at home, and all the morning setting my books in order in my presses, for the following year, their number being much increased since the last, so as I am fain to lay by several books to make room for better, being resolved to keep no more than just my presses will contain. February 2, 1668

Away to the Strand to my bookseller’s and there staid an hour, and bought the idle, rogueish book, “L’escholle des filles;” which I have bought in plain binding, avoiding the buying of it better bound, because I resolved, as soon as I have read it, to burn it, that it may not stand in the list of books, nor among them, to disgrace them if it should be found. February 8, 1668

Up and to my chamber, where all the morning making a catalogue of my books, which did find me work, but with great pleasure, my chamber and books being now set in very good order, and my chamber washed and cleaned, which it had not been in some months before, my business and trouble having been so much. February 16, 1668

Thence away by coach to my bookseller’s, and to several places to pay my debts, and to Ducke Lane, and there bought Montaigne’s Essays, in English, and so away home to dinner, and after dinner with W. Pen to White Hall ... March 18, 1668

Up betimes, and by water to White Hall, to the Duke of York. Thence to Ducke Lane, and there did overlook a great many of Monsieur Fouquet’s library, that a bookseller hath bought, and I did buy one Spanish [work], “Los Illustres Varones.” April 24, 1668