Coffee Quote by Bill Bryson
““Pepys recorded in his diary a rather more prosaic milestone in his life. On September 25, 1660, he tried a new hot beverage for the first time, recording in his diary: “And afterwards I did send for a cup of tee (a China drink), of which I never had drank before.” Whether he liked it or not Pepys didn’t say, which is a shame, as it is the first mention we have in English of anyone’s drinking a cup of tea.””
About This Quote
Source Book: A Short History of Nearly Everything, 2003
The quote notes the first recorded English reference to drinking tea, highlighting a mundane yet historic moment in daily life.
In simple terms: First English mention of tea drinking.
Key Takeaway
Recognize small historical details.
Themes
history
culture
food & drink
daily life
innovation
Mood
curious
reflective
Type
historical
anecdotal
When to use this quote
- historical research
- culinary history
- language evolution
- cultural exchange
Key Concepts
British history
tea culture
personal diaries
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this tell us about everyday life in the 17th century?
- How do small personal records shape our understanding of history?
A Different Perspective
The anecdote lacks insight into Pepys’s personal reaction to tea.
![“Neither drink [coffee or tea] was known in Frankish lands, but seated in the coffeehouses, I drank of each at various times, twirling my moustache and listening with attention to that headier draught, the wine of the intellect, that sweet and bitter juice distilled from the vine of thought and the…” quote by Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4a3/louis-l-amour-876_alcohol_neither-drink-coffee-or-tea-was-known-in_1643254.jpg)
