The history of the Great Plague in London, in the year 1655. Containing observations and memorials of the most remarkable occurrences, both public and private, that happened during that dreadful period / By a citizen [i.e. D. Defoe] Who lived the whole time in London. To which is added a Journal of the plague at Marseilles in the year 1720 [by Pichatty de Croissante].

  • Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731.
Date:
1819
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of the Great Plague in London, in the year 1655. Containing observations and memorials of the most remarkable occurrences, both public and private, that happened during that dreadful period / By a citizen [i.e. D. Defoe] Who lived the whole time in London. To which is added a Journal of the plague at Marseilles in the year 1720 [by Pichatty de Croissante]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    possession of fear when it takes hold of the mind. However, it pleased God, by the continu- ing of the winter weather, so to restore the o health of the city, that by February follow- ing, we reckoned the distemper quite ceased, and then we were not so easily frighted again. There was still a question among the learned, and at first perplexed the people a little, and that was in what manner to purge the houses and goods where the Plague had been, and how to render them habitable again, which had been left empty during the time of the Plague; abundance of perfumes and preparations were prescribed by phy- sicians, some of one kind, and some of another, in which the people, who listened to them, put themselves to a great, and indeed, in my opinion, to an unnecessary expence; and the poorer people, who only set open their windows night and day, burnt brim- stone, pitch, and gunpowder, and such things in their rooms, did as well as the best; nay, the eager people, who, as I said above, came