Folger MS M.a.180 | Manuscript Verse Miscellanies

Title	Untitled
Archive	Folger Shakespeare Library
Call Number	Folger MS M.a.180
Complete	Yes
Description	Elizabeth Gilchrist, ca. 1800–1815. One main hand plus one organising hand, maybe that of a daughter. 89 items, 74 poems. Mixed book with themes of women, death, friendship, love, etc.
Format	Quarto
Book Size	20.5cm x 16cm
Filled Page Count	209
Item Count	89
Poem Count	74
Periods	1791-1820
First Line Index	No
Digitized	No
Region	[Unknown]
Additional Genres	Educational exercises, Prose
Print Sources	Gentleman's Magazine
Major Themes	Conduct, morality Courtship, marriage Death, afterlife Family Love Women Major themes prominent among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Minor Themes	Animals, pets Celebrities Devotional writing, religio... French poetry Friendship Humour, wordplay Satire - social Other themes of interest among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Links	hamnet.folger.edu
Bibliography
Citation	“Folger MS M.a.180.” Manuscript Verse Miscellanies, 1700–1820, edited by Betty A. Schellenberg, Simon Fraser University, https://mvm.dhil.lib.sfu.ca/manuscript/249. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Created	2019-09-04 1:13:45 PM
Updated	2023-07-25 11:03:07 AM

Contributor	Role
Elizabeth Gilchrist	Primary compiler Major author

First Line	Context
Dear Peggy, since the single state	pp. 26–28. Local title: Advice from a young Lady to her female acquaintance lately married. Attributed author: n/a Other variants: First line: Hear, Peggy, since the single state. . . Other: n/a
Oft I've implor'd the gods in vain	pp. 121–123 Local title: Greville's Ode to Indiff. Attributed author: Greville Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: Note at the bottom "Vide p. 153," which is "Answer to Mrs. Grevilles Ode on Indifference by Lady Carlisle."
On you dear Jim, the ready muse	pp. 31–32. Local title: Letter from a Young Lady at School, to her Brother, at Coll: Attributed author: Rev: M:G:R. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: Shows signs of correction.
Take, holy earth, all that my soul holds dear	p. 185. Local title: Epitaph. Written by Mr Mason, On the monument of his Wife in Bristol Cathedral. Attributed author: Mr Mason. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
Why mourns my friend! why weeps his downcast eye?	pp. 84–88. Local title: Describing the Sorros of a friend on the Melancholy event of a licentious amour. Elegy 26th. Attributed author: Shenstone. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
Without preamble, to my friend	p. 153 Local title: Answer to Mrs. Grevilles Ode on Indifference. Attributed author: Lady Carlisle. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: Preceded by "Ode to Indiff" (pp. 121–123).
Wou'd you think it, my Duck! (for the fault I must own)	p. 105. Local title: Suppos'd to be wrote by Miss Jenny Hamilton (going to be married to Mr: More the Poet) to Miss Duck, daughter of Stephen Duck, and friend to Miss Hamilton. Attributed author: Miss Jenny Hamilton. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a

Feature	Note
Author attributions	Occasional or rare.
Binding	Pre-bound paperbook. Thirty-one blank leaves at the end of the book, and marbled edges. Original sprinkled calf, gilt; paper has marbled edges.
Hands	Single primary (Gilchrist), another organizational hand (responsible for the prose extracts and the writing exercises), as well as additional hands.
Indications of use	Book taken over by an “organizing hand” who pays tribute to Elizabeth Gilchrist, fills in material on verso pages that were originally blank, provides explanatory notes to first poem, etc. Likely expected an audience and sought to preserve Gilchrist's work.
Item formatting	Not a very decorative book per se; but attempt to indicate where poems continue when using verso pages. When 2-4 lines of poem remaining at bottom of page, often written sideways in margins.
Original poetry	Yes, likely a lot. None of the unattributed poems show up in the First Line Index.
Ownership mark	At the end of p. 1 is written "Miss Elizabeth Gilchrist's Collection."