Contains numerous poems in English and Latin, some of them apparently by Benjamin Coles, dated 17 January 1740/41 to 24 July 1740/41; there are also prose pieces on death, atheism, tobacco, witches and other topics; a canting glossary; and "A short account of the life and rambles of B.C. [i.e. Benjamin Coles]"
Commonplace book of verse and prose, compiled by Benjamin Coles
This material is held atUniversity of Leeds Special Collections
- Reference
- GB 206 Brotherton Collection MS Lt 53
- Dates of Creation
- 1741
- Name of Creator
- Language of Material
- English Latin
- Physical Description
- 1 vol. (73 ff.) Bound in limp green sheepskin. Autograph. Front endpapers bear Biblical and Latin epigraphs and presentation notes of Benjamin Coles, the compiler and author, to his brother John, Epiphany 1741; recto of the front free endpaper has a table of contents. Rear endpapers have notes on composition, 1 October 1741, by Coles, and ownership marks of the Foster family, Derbyshire, 1780s.
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Benjamin Coles was of Great Forster's, Egham, Surrey. An autobiographical account of his life is included in the manuscript.
Access Information
Access is unrestricted
Acquisition Information
Bought at Sotheby's sale, 22 July 1978, lot 75
Note
In English and Latin
Other Finding Aids
The poems are indexed in the BCMSV database http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/spcoll/bcmsv/intro.html