Commonplace book of Frances Sarah Burcher

Volume comprises manuscript poetry and verses, many of which are attributed to well-known poets of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Includes works by Charlotte Smith (1749-1806), Samuel Rogers (1763-1855), Mary Robinson (c 1757-1800), Oliver Goldsmith (1730-1774), William Cowper (1731-1800), Richard Bloomfield, Amelia Opie (1769-1853), Edward Jerningham (1727-c 1812), Robert Southey (1774-1843), Rev James Hurdis (1763-1801), William Thomas Moncrieff (1794-1857), William Bowles (1762-1850), Matthew Gregory Lewis (1775-1818), Caroline Princess of Wales (1768-1821) and William Roscoe (1753-1831). The commonplace book, which includes a range of romantic, comic and descriptive verses, also includes some poems which appear to be unpublished or unattributed.

Some items are of particular interest including works concerning slavery by William Cowper; an example of the xenophobic attitude of the day contained within a long poem entitled 'A Law Tale' which concerns a travelling German Jew; and a poem written in a 'Zummerzet' [Somerset] dialect

It has not been possible to discover any further information about the compiler of this volume, Frances Sarah Burcher. The volume contains no additional evidence which might help us to discover information such as her hometown or date of birth

Open. Access to all registered researchers.

Purchased April 1998

Please see full catalogue for more information.

Description prepared by Mark Eccleston, September 2012, in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; and National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Director of Special Collections (email: special-collections@contacts.bham.ac.uk). Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material