Laid in: scrap of paper with faded ink writing, possibly Walpole's.

Marbled endpapers.

Binding: full calf; gilt decoration. In gilt on spine: Walpoliana mss and drawings.

In English.

Manuscript, in Walpole's and others' hands, of a collection of several dozen scraps of notes, verse fragments, sketches, and drawings, collected from Walpole's papers. The notes are primarily epigrammatic or anecdotal, on such topics as printing books; British monarchs; Waldegrave's time as ambassador at Paris; Lady Mary Coke's affectations; and Sir W. Draper's gambling. The collection also includes several riddles and verses. Some of the notes have been transcribed, on the same page, by Wilmarth Sheldon Lewis.

The manuscript also contains 29 drawings, including pencil sketches of Strawberry Hill some done by Walpole and others possibly by John Chute; a pen-and-wash drawing of a scene from The Castle of Otranto accompanied by a note of thanks from Mrs Susanna (Highmore) Duncombe; a pen drawing of the actor William Kemp copied from the frontispiece of a book; numerous busts; a detailed pastoral landscape scene in pencil, possibly by Agnes Berry; pencil sketches of a pig, cow, and dog; pen sketches by Sir John Fenn; and a woodcut title page to a book of John Skelton's works, dated 1523.

Anecdotes > Great Britain > Early works to 1800.

English poetry > 18th century.

Nobility > Great Britain > Social life and customs > 18th century.

Great Britain > Kings and rulers > Humor.

Pen and wash drawings.

Drawings - British.

Woodcuts (prints)