Folger MS M.a.181 | Manuscript Verse Miscellanies

Title	Untitled
Archive	Folger Shakespeare Library
Call Number	Folger MS M.a.181
Complete	Yes
Description	Anonymous, 1818–1823. Solutions given for riddles and anagrams, suggesting the book's use for social reading and games. 355 items, 200 poems. Swings from sentimental/tragic to lightly comic, but no really cynical poetry – mostly sentimental or clichéd humour.
Format	[quarto]
Book Size	25cm x 20cm
Filled Page Count	219
Item Count	355
Poem Count	200
Periods	1791-1820
First Line Index	No
Digitized	No
Region	Edinburgh, Scotland Scotland Stirling, Scotland
Additional Genres	Prose
Print Sources	Kelso Mail
Major Themes	Courtship, marriage Death, afterlife Devotional writing, religio... Humour, wordplay Passions, Sentiments Major themes prominent among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Minor Themes	Love Nature Public affairs Solitude, loneliness, retir... Other themes of interest among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Links	hamnet.folger.edu
Bibliography
Citation	“Folger MS M.a.181.” Manuscript Verse Miscellanies, 1700–1820, edited by Betty A. Schellenberg, Simon Fraser University, https://mvm.dhil.lib.sfu.ca/manuscript/336. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Created	2019-11-04 9:50:37 AM
Updated	2023-07-25 11:03:40 AM

Contributor	Role
[Anonymous]	Primary compiler Possibly also a Major author.
W.L. Bowles	Major author
George Gordon Byron	Major author
Ashley Cowper	Major author
Anne Home Hunter	Major author
Letitia Landon	Major author
Thomas Moore	Major author
William Shakespeare	Major author
James Thomson	Major author

First Line	Context
Could but our tempers move like this machine	p. 58 Local title: Lines Written by a Gentleman to put nto a Watch-case Attributed author: n/a Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: Dated March 2d. 1820.
The rose had been wash'd, just wash'd in a shower	p. 61. Local title: The Rose. Attributed author: n/a Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a
Two or three Dears, and two or three Sweets	p. 62 Local title: Receipt for Courtship. Attributed author: n/a Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a

First Line

Context

p. 58

Local title: Lines Written by a Gentleman to put nto a Watch-case

Attributed author: n/a

Adaptation: n/a

Other variants: n/a

Other: Dated March 2d. 1820.

p. 61.

Local title: The Rose.

Attributed author: n/a

Adaptation: n/a

Other variants: n/a

Other: n/a

p. 62

Local title: Receipt for Courtship.

Attributed author: n/a

Adaptation: n/a

Other variants: n/a

Other: n/a

Feature	Note
Author attributions	Occasional; generally well known authors, references to periodical sources.
Binding	Original red morocco, gilt. Clasps. Marbled endpapers.
Decorations - hand-drawn	Decorative border around dedicatory poem. Many calligraphic titles.
Hands	Single (fine and uniform); another occasional similarly tiny hand that is more upright.
Indications of use	“Solutions, Of the Riddles, Charades, Anagrams etc." at the back of the book. These riddle, charades, etc. are numbered throughout for easy reference at the back. This suggests the book was used for sociable reading and games.
Item formatting	Series of fine points forming horizontal line after each item. Riddles, charades, anagrams numbered throughout the book.
Organization	Dedicatory poem.
Original poetry	Yes, many unpublished, unattributed, and possibly original compositions by friends or by the compiler herself.
Table of Contents	No but pp. 213-4 lists “Solutions, Of the Riddles, Charades, Anagrams etc."