Folger MS M.b.21 | Manuscript Verse Miscellanies

Title	Miscellany of prose and poetry of Mary Gay, 1801-1809.
Archive	Folger Shakespeare Library
Call Number	Folger MS M.b.21
Complete	Yes
Description	Mary Gay, 1801–1809. 324 items. Preference for humorous pieces; some riddles.
Format	Folio
Book Size	36.5cm x 25cm
Filled Page Count	466
Item Count	324
Poem Count	324
Periods	1791-1820
First Line Index	No
Digitized	No
Region	Norfolk
Additional Genres	Educational exercises, Prose
Print Sources	Flowers of Literature General Evening Post Monthly Review
Major Themes	Humour, wordplay Nature Satire - political Satire - social Travel Major themes prominent among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Minor Themes	Alcohol, other beverages, t... Conduct, morality Courtship, marriage Death, afterlife Family French poetry Friendship Greek poetry Imitation, parody Literature Music, song, opera Public affairs Women Other themes of interest among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Links	hamnet.folger.edu
Bibliography
Citation	“Folger MS M.b.21.” Manuscript Verse Miscellanies, 1700–1820, edited by Betty A. Schellenberg, Simon Fraser University, https://mvm.dhil.lib.sfu.ca/manuscript/255. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Created	2019-09-04 1:13:45 PM
Updated	2023-07-25 11:08:24 AM

First Line	Context
His Time was quick, his Touch was neat	p. 13 Local title: On a Musician and Dancing Master who decamped with cash subscribed for a Musical Publication. Attributed author: n/a Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
How sleep the Brave, who sink to Rest	p. 107 Local title: n/a Attributed author: Collins Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
I'm a strange composition as e'er was in nature	pp. 139–140. Local title: A Prize Riddle. Attributed author: n/a Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a

First Line

Context

p. 13

Local title: On a Musician and Dancing Master who decamped with cash subscribed for a Musical Publication.

Attributed author: n/a

Adaptation: n/a

Other variants: n/a

Other: n/a

p. 107

Local title: n/a

Attributed author: Collins

Adaptation: n/a

Other variants: n/a

Other: n/a

pp. 139–140.

Local title: A Prize Riddle.

Attributed author: n/a

Adaptation: n/a

Other variants: n/a

Other: n/a

Feature	Note
Author attributions	Occasional; often given on transcription page when absent from the index.
Binding	Vellum with gold decoration.
Hands	Single hand throughout; large and loose. Some items pasted in are in different hands.
Indications of use	Riddle given on page 373 with instructions to see the following page for answer. Inserted slips of paper containing scraps of poetry in French and Greek with translations. Other scraps of paper perhaps used as bookmarks.
Item formatting	Very free horizontal line at end of every item. Every new item begun on a new page.
Organization	The last leaf of text contains the inscription "Finis—M Gay—July 22d 1809."
Original poetry	Likely some, but could be from magazines.
Ownership mark	A fly-leaf contains the inscription "Mary Gay/ Rainthorpe Hall/ Norfolk/ AD 1801."
Page layout	Paginated. Triple-ruled margins (seem to be hand-drawn, since slight variations in line joins). Lots of white space.
Table of Contents	Yes, an index on the inside back cover.
Title page	Yes, and also a final page after entries.