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Shane's Castle (County Antrim, Ireland)
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Commonplace book,

  • NLW MS 21786E.
  • File
  • 1818-[c. 1828] /

Commonplace book, 1818-[c. 1828], mainly in English with portions in French, Latin, German, Italian and Dutch. The volume contains facetious 'Resolutions for the Preservation of regularity at Shanes Castle during the meeting for the Performance of Cymbeline' by Frederick, Lord North, 1786 (pp. 1-2) (cf. NLW MS 11167B); miscellaneous poems including an apparently unpublished poem by Byron, 'On a Lock of Hair', commencing 'Swear not at all, but if thou must' (p. 13), another two of his poems (pp. 13, 24), poems by R. B. Sheridan (pp. 5, 7, 14) and a number of rhymes by 'Mr. Cowper' [?William Cowper] (pp. 3-4); a famous sermon on malt attributed to Dr John Dod (pp. 8-9); and humorous letters, epigrams, epitaphs, anagrams and charades including two composed by Charles James Fox (pp. 25, 28) and four composed by Professor [Richard] Porson (pp. 28-9, 31, 69). The answers to the anagrams and charades are in Greek orthography written in reverse.

Frederick North and others.

Poetry,

A volume of eighteenth century poetry, and some prose, transcribed by Thomasina Smith, afterwards Thomasina Leach, wife of Abraham Leach [the younger] of Corston. Among the poets represented are R. B. Sheridan, John Dryden, Thomas Gray, and Oliver Goldsmith, and the titles include 'On Sir Joshua Reynolds', 'Address ... spoken by Mrs. Siddons ....', 'Written at Stratford upon Avon at the tomb of Shakespeare', 'On seeing the Prince of Wales at the Ranelagh fete, 1789', etc. The prose items include 'Resolutions form'd to promote regularity at Shanes Castle during the meeting for the play of Cymbeline'.

Thomasina Smith (aft. Leach).