UChicago Library Codex Ms. 581 | Manuscript Verse Miscellanies

Title	Untitled
Archive	University of Chicago Special Collections and Research Center
Call Number	UChicago Library Codex Ms. 581
Complete	Yes
Description	Anonymous, ca. 1769–1790. 152 poems. Bound-with The New Bath Guide (1766). Celebrity-centred manuscript verse miscellany, with a particular focus on Samuel Johnson, Hester Thrale Piozzi, David Garrick, Peter Pindar, and Horace Walpole.
Format	Octavo
Book Size	20.2cm x 12.5cm
Filled Page Count	417 pages
Item Count	153
Poem Count	151
Periods	1761-1790
First Line Index	No
Digitized	No
Region	Bath, Somerset Somerset
Additional Genres	Prose - dialogue
Print Sources	Annual Register Critical Review Gazetteer and New Daily Adv... Gentleman's Magazine Mercure de France Monthly Review Morning Chronicle Public Advertiser St. James's Chronicle
Major Themes	Celebrities Death, afterlife Literature Local interest Public affairs Theatre, drama Major themes prominent among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Minor Themes	French poetry Imitation, parody Latin poetry Other themes of interest among the manuscript contents in alphabetical order.
Links
Bibliography
Citation	“UChicago Library Codex Ms. 581.” Manuscript Verse Miscellanies, 1700–1820, edited by Betty A. Schellenberg, Simon Fraser University, https://mvm.dhil.lib.sfu.ca/manuscript/404. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Created	2022-09-18 10:41:08 AM
Updated	2023-08-16 12:42:55 PM

First Line	Context	Print Source
Here lies poor Johnson: reader have a care,	f. 414 - p. 417 Local title: Epitaph on Dr Johnson by I Jennings Esqr 20.5.86 Attributed author: Soame Jenyns Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: n/a	Unknown
Thee, Mary, with this Ring I wed	pp. 304–306 Local title: To Mrs — with a Ring. 1778. Attributed author: n/a Adaptation: n/a Other variants: n/a Other: possibly accompanied by a source attribution; "1-1-80. Russ—altakid" (or something like that) is written at the bottom of the last page.	Unknown

First Line

Context

Print Source

f. 414 - p. 417

Local title: Epitaph on Dr Johnson by I Jennings Esqr 20.5.86

Attributed author: Soame Jenyns

Adaptation: n/a

Other variants: n/a

Other: n/a

Unknown

pp. 304–306

Local title: To Mrs — with a Ring. 1778.

Attributed author: n/a

Adaptation: n/a

Other variants: n/a

Other: possibly accompanied by a source attribution; "1-1-80. Russ—altakid" (or something like that) is written at the bottom of the last page.

Unknown

Feature	Note
Author attributions	Frequent; includes frequent source attributions and occasionally notes the format of the source text (4to, 12mo, etc.).
Binding	Post-bound after compilation with The New Bath Guide (1766) ; navy cloth over boards.
Hands	Single.
Indications of use	Bound-with text suggests connection to Bath, reading about Bath. Occasional footnotes, endnotes, and commentary.
Item formatting	Page division, source attribution, or simple line between items. Titles bear no demarcating features.
Organization	The rectos and versos proceed separately up to p. 128; there’s some crossover notes at the bottoms of these pages; the verso pages were seemingly filled in later. Generally proceeds chronologically with loose sections dedicated to a particular celebrity subject. Possible reference to other manuscript(s), e.g. on p. 13: “The Forest Hunt with an Answer by Zephalinda 10-10-66. vid Manuscript" (this poem does not appear in this book, perhaps the compiler is redirecting the reader to a different manuscript).
Original poetry	Possibly but most of the contents seem to be copied from periodicals.
Page layout	Paginated by the compiler.
Table of Contents	Yes; an Index at the end of the book.