On The Pronunciation Of Pepys

The Hon. Walter Pepys has coüeoted 17 varieties of the spelling of the name, and he lays some stress upon the French form Pepy as authority for the pronunciation favored by him. Peeps seems to follow the nsual practice, as Weems for Wemys, and, moreover, it is that adopted by the descendants of the diarist's sister Paulina, the family of Pepys Cookerell. Peeps is also the traditional pronunciation adopted at Cambridge. Here is, I think, strong evidence in favor of Peeps. At the same time I believe that in thia name, as in other words, the pronunciation of the vowel e bas changed since the seventeenth century, and that the name in Pepys' own day was actually pronounced Papes. This opiuion is grounded on the phonetic spelling Peaps and Peyps which have come down to us, and both these would represent Papes; ea - a, as in yea, break, great; ey - a, as in obey and they. In this matter, however, I have not the courage of my opinión, and I am uot, tberefore, prepared to adopt this pronunoiation.