A Journal of the Plague Year Part 16

A Journal of the Plague Year Part 25

In which the narrator refrains from casting harsh judgment on the misdeeds and ingratitude observed amidst the calamity, acknowledging his own witness to such human frailties. He concludes his account of the dreadful year with a heartfelt, unpolished verse that solemnly commemorates the vast loss and his own survival.

A Journal of the Plague Year Part 24

In which the sombre terror of the plague’s relentless march is suddenly and wondrously arrested by a mysterious and divine abatement, causing multitudinous hearts to lift from despair to praise. The city’s streets, once shadowed by dread, become scenes of astonished joy and thankful voices, as the sick begin to recover and neighbours greet each other with a new and tender familiarity.

A Journal of the Plague Year Part 23

In which the prudent and cautious employ various methods to purify their homes, from burning fragrant incense to firing gunpowder, with some extreme measures leading to accidental destruction, whilst the wealthy are slower to return to the city amid the lingering pestilence. It is observed with sober reflection that the plague spares the fleet though it ravages the town, and amid widespread despair, the miraculous abatement of the pestilence is attributed to divine intervention, filling the hearts of many with a hopeful gratitude.

A Journal of the Plague Year Part 22

In which the absence of mountebanks from London during the plague gave rise to various conjectures, and the learned physicians maintained that the plague itself sufficed as a cleansing remedy, thus leaving little room for quack remedies; whilst persistent rumours and fears of relapse kept the city in unease until the winter weather restored health by February. The account further recounts the concern over purging infected houses, noting that simple measures often proved as effective as costly perfumes and sulphurous fumigations in making the city habitable once more.

A Journal of the Plague Year Part 21

In which the author diligently records the heavy toll the plague exacted upon various professions, notably the courage and sacrifice of civil officers amidst overwhelming mortality, while reflecting on the human response marred by both bravery and folly. He also contemplates the myriad remedial medicines of the time, sharing the considered view of a physician friend on their varied formulations and his own modest reliance upon them for protection.