To me William Byrd was a fresh breath of air. His style of writing differed in many ways of the past puritan writers. When reading Byrd’s journal, I felt like I was brought into his life. Living his everyday ordinary life and gaining details on his personal world. I found it fascinating that this man wrote such a simple narrative, but still gave us insight into his personal life. What I also found intriguing and entertaining about Mr. Byrd is his daily morning routine. Byrd would rise every morning around seven or eight and say his prayers. Then Byrd would always eat boiled milk. I do not know the reason why he ate boiled milk every day, from what I understand Byrd and his wife were very wealthy. So I would assume that they could afford more tasty items for breakfast.
I found him more interesting then past Puritan writers because of his style. From what we have read in the past it has been pretty much a snore fest. Byrd’s style keeps me intrigued and entertained, unlike some past writers who just wrote about the lord and such. This passage made me chuckle a bit, something I barley do when I read. ‘’ About 11 o’clock my wife and I went to wait on the governor in the Presidents coach. We went there to take our leave but were forced to stay all day. The Governor had made a bargain with his servants that if they would forbear to drink upon the Queen’s Birthday, they might be drunk this day.’’ (382) I thought it was humorous how the people in the south differed from the people up north. The northern writers would have probably never written about drinking and partaking in such matter.
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