A miscellany of poems

Manuscript, in a single hand, of a collection of approximately 105 poems divided into "Miscellaneous Pieces," "Songs," "Cantatas," "Odes," Satirical Pieces," "Mock-Pieces relating to the Stage," and "Imitations." The first "Imitation" is a sonnet concerning an abortion scandal surrounding Mademoiselle de Guerchi in 1660, and is addressed in her voice to her aborted "embrio;" other poem titles include "An Ode, Inscrib'd to his grace the Duke of Buckingham, on his Embarking for France," "The paper Bonnets worn by Ladys," "On seeing lewd Women refus'd Admittance," "Fungus," "The poor & Rich Rogue," "Prologue to a Puppet-Show," and "The Shipwrack'd Sailors." The collection is prefaced by a dedication to Viscount Nessuno in the voice of an "orphan Muse" who writes, "should she beg your Lordship...to favour her with a corner of the Green-house in delightful Groves of Utopia; there to correct at Leisure, the numberless Reams she has scribbled within these twelve years: And should she afterwards implore your Lordship to assist the publication of her labours, by raising a handsom subscription among your friends for that purpose...she is certain your Lordship would not deny her one of them." Many additional poems, in a smaller hand and with numerous corrections, appear in the margins.