Bodleian MS Eng. poet. e. 39 | Manuscript Verse Miscellanies

Title	Untitled
Archive	Bodleian Library
Call Number	Bodleian MS Eng. poet. e. 39
Complete	Yes
Description	Anonymous, ca. 1783. 102 poems. Moralizing book with some lighter poems; many items sourced from "L—'s Miscellany," and many items from the 1760s.
Format	Octavo
Book Size	18.4cm x 11.9cm
Filled Page Count	226 pages
Item Count	102
Poem Count	102
Periods	1761-1790
First Line Index	Yes
Digitized	No
Region	[Unknown]
Additional Genres
Print Sources	General Advertiser Gentleman's Magazine London Magazine Miscellaneous Poems, by sev... Public Advertiser Public Ledger
Major Themes	Conduct, morality Death, afterlife Devotional writing, religio... Nature Public affairs Major themes prominent among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Minor Themes	Friendship Literature Love Passions, Sentiments Satire - religious Other themes of interest among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Links	firstlines.folger.edu
Bibliography
Citation	“Bodleian MS Eng. poet. e. 39.” Manuscript Verse Miscellanies, 1700–1820, edited by Betty A. Schellenberg, Simon Fraser University, https://mvm.dhil.lib.sfu.ca/manuscript/144. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Created	2019-09-04 1:13:44 PM
Updated	2023-07-20 2:10:36 PM

Contributor	Role
[Anonymous]	Primary compiler
George Lyttelton	Major author
James Merrick	Major author
Matthew Prior	Major author
Edmund Waller	Major author

First Line	Context	Print Source
'Twas on a lofty vase's side	p. 213 Local title: Ode On the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes. Attributed author: n/a Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
Deign, gracious God, to hear my feeble lays	p. 113 Local title: The author... was buried under a scaffold... Tower Hill... at the execution of Simon, Lord Frazer Lovat. Attributed author: R.W. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
Hark! my gay friend, that solemn toll	p. 134. Local title: The Unknown World. Verses occasion'd by hearing a Pass-Bell. Attributed author: Rev. Mr. St—n. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
Made to engage all hearts and charm all eyes	p. 195. Local title: On Mrs. Lyttleton. Attributed author: Her Husband. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: First line: Born to engage all Hearts, & charm all Eyes... Other: n/a	London Magazine
Thou who dost all my worldly Thoughts employ	p. 71. Local title: A Letter from a Lady to her Husband when given over by her Physicians. – Collect. Poems. Attributed author: A Lady. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: First line: "Oh You, who all my worldly Thoughts employ..." Other: Attributed source: Collect. Poems.	Miscellaneous Poems, by several hands
View not this Spire by Measure giv'n	p. 27 Local title: Engraven on a Column in the Church of Halstead, in Essex, The Spire of which, burnt down by Lightning, was rebuilt at the Expence of Mr. Samuel Fiske, 1717. Attributed author: The same ["Mr. Prior"]. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
When e'er the cruel hand of death	pp. 220–222. Local title: An Ode lately written by an Under Graduate of Lincoln College, Oxford, Upon the Breaking of a China Quart-Mug belonging to the Buttery of that Society. Attributed author: Under Graduate of Lincoln College, Oxford. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: Attributed date: 1776.	Public Advertiser
Ye weeping muses, graces, virtues tell	p. 192. Local title: To the Memory of Capt. Grenville. Attributed author: G.M. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a

Feature	Note
Author attributions	Regular; author and/or source generally indicated in abbreviated form after poem title.
Binding	Pre-bound. Addition of page at front for index suggests using saved space in a pre-bound book. Subsequently rebound. Endboards of original book seem to be pasted down onto binding. Seemingly green vellum (seems smoother than calf) with clasp on the back.
Hands	Single.
Item formatting	Double horizontal rules between items.
Page layout	Paginated.
Table of Contents	Yes, at the beginning, pp. i, 1–4. Index spills onto inside front cover, so it was seemingly added after, and the compiler hadn't left enough space.