Clark MS 1987.001 | Manuscript Verse Miscellanies

Title	Pleasing variety for Miss Mary Arnold / Mrs. Stapleton.
Archive	Clark Library
Call Number	Clark MS 1987.001
Complete	Yes
Description	Mrs. Stapleton for Miss Mary Arnold, ca. 1780s–1790s. 212 poems. A gift for formal or informal educational use. A lot of riddles and poems about flowers; emphasis on items written by young ladies. Most items about or intended for women.
Format	Folio
Book Size	33cm x 20cm
Filled Page Count	184 pages
Item Count	242
Poem Count	212
Periods	1761-1790 1791-1820
First Line Index	No
Digitized	Yes
Region	Gloucestershire Tomarton, Gloucestershire
Additional Genres	Bills of fare, Prose, Receipts
Print Sources
Major Themes	Conduct, morality Courtship, marriage Friendship Humour, wordplay Love Nature Major themes prominent among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Minor Themes	Animals, pets Domestic life Illness Passions, Sentiments Visual arts Women Other themes of interest among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Links	calisphere.org
Bibliography
Citation	“Clark MS 1987.001.” Manuscript Verse Miscellanies, 1700–1820, edited by Betty A. Schellenberg, Simon Fraser University, https://mvm.dhil.lib.sfu.ca/manuscript/221. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Created	2019-09-04 1:13:44 PM
Updated	2023-07-20 3:57:17 PM

Contributor	Role
Mary Arnold	Recipient
Mrs. Stapleton	Primary compiler

First Line	Context
'Twas on a lofty vase's side	f. 1 Local title: On a Favourite Cat call'd Selima that fell into a China Cistern with Gold Fish in it & was drown'd. Attributed author: n/a Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
Asses milk, half a pint, take at seven, or before;	f. 6. Local title: Advise to a Young Lady. Attributed author: Ld C-r-f-d-. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
Brimful of anger, not of love	f. 39v. Local title: To a Lady with A Pair of Gloves. Attributed author: n/a Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
Stop, passenger! until my life you read	f.85v Local title: "An Inscription on the Tomb Stone of one Margaret Scott who Died at Dalheith twelve Miles from Hemcastle the 9th of February, 1738." Attributed author: n/a Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
Virtue and Fame, the other day	ff. 37v–38. Local title: Virtue and Fame Address’d to Ye Countess of Egremont. Attributed author: Lord Lyttleton. Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
When Pallas saw the piece her pupils wrought	ff. 8v–9r Local title: Verses on a Flower'd Carpet Worked by four young Ladies. Attributed author: n/a Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a

Feature	Note
Author attributions	Rare; mostly of the form of “by a lady” unless the poet is very well known, like Lyttelton – but even Gray’s cat poem is not attributed.
Binding	Pre-bound paperbook, but subsequently rebound for presentation. Writing is sometimes adapted to the outer edge of paper, or title is squeezed into the gutter. Bound in brown leather (possibly calf) with substantial water damage to front and back covers, as well as spine and some pages. Spine reads: "Poems and Riddles," suggesting this binding was created for the book.
Decorations - hand-drawn	Decorative borders around many pages (depending on line lengths).
Hands	Single, except for small slip of paper "A Riddle," in more informal hand.
Indications of use	Title and contents suggest educational use, whether formal (e.g. governess to pupil) or informal (relation or older friend to young member of family). Gutter between pp. 108 and 109 contains dried plant material.
Item formatting	Very ornate hand used for title page, item titles.
Ownership mark	Title: "Mrs. Stapleton. Pleasing Variety for Miss Mary Arnold."
Title page	On front cover pastedown: "Mrs. Stapleton. Pleasing Variety for Miss Mary Arnold." Back cover pastedown: "A Medley: Both Serious and Comic." - These create an enclosure for the book. Very ornate hand used for title page.