Commonplace book, circa 1780-1806.

1 v. (172 p.) ; 20 cm.

English

Purchased from A. R. Heath on the James Marshall and Marie-Louise Osborn Collection Fund, 2008.

Manuscript, in a single hand, of a collection of over a hundred pieces of practical and scientific information, domestic and medical recipes, epigrams, epitaphs, and sentimental and satirical poems, taken from such publications as the Gentleman's Magazine, Kentish Gazette, London Magazine, Annual Register, and Universal Spectator. The verses in the manuscript include Ode on the death of Dr. Boyce; A Comparison between a beautiful lady & truth extracted from Rev. William Mason's poem on truth; Winter, a pastoral; a parody of the Lord's Prayer; and a verse epitaph to William Cowper written by William Hayley. Dos-a-dos, the volume includes numerous original poems written to friends and family members, including "On the receipt of a snuff-box left me by my Mother Sarah Spence who was born Jany 27 1753, married May 15 1776, & died Jany 29 1788"; a poem on his father's birthday; and another to his sister Mrs. Hardy on the birthday of her son, Robert Spence Hardy. Elsewhere, the volume explains how to charge a cannon and how to keep lamp oil from smoking; provides an extract from Darwin's Notes on the Botanic Garden; and mentions Benjamin Franklin's experiments with the properties of lightning. The volume also contains recipes to make such things as ink, "pleasant rich wine," boot blacking, sealing wax, and insect repellent; narratives of the origins of nuns, harlots, armorial bearings, Jesuits, and monks; and a chart tallying the number of books, chapters, verses, words, and letters contained in the Old and New Testaments.

February 21, 2008

W. Spence, Commonplace Book. James Marshall and Marie-Louise Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.

W. Spence, Commonplace Book. James Marshall and Marie-Louise Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.

Commonplace books.