Scrapbook, 1696-1808

Scrapbook kept by Anne Scafe, containing clippings from London newspapers and magazines, with some clippings from regional and Scottish publications as well as manuscripts and letters from the Spencer and Devonshire family members, including a letter from Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire; from Lady Sarah Lyttelton announcing her marriage; a manuscript poem written by "Caroline Lamb's page" with a watercolor portrait, dated 1807 at Holywell House; a letter recounting the visit of the Grand Duke Nicholas to Chatsworth in December 1816; an account of the death of Lady Charlotte Finch. Many of the clippings center around the announcements of births, marriages, deaths, and the settlement of the estates of these two families and their circle as well as announcements of their social engagements, political activities, scandals, etc. The clippings include references to Horace Walpole; the theatrical world; new inventions; style; foreign travel; domestic and foreign politics, especially the revolution in France and reports on the French royal family and later the Bonaparte family. Also included are autographs of prominent British nobility, including the King, and foreign dignitaries and royalty

In addition to the clippings, the scrapbook includes a variety of ephermal items given to Scafe by members of the extended family such as as well as ephemeral items from their travels, political, and social activities; calling cards and letters of introduction given to Sir William Ponsonby by members of the Russian aristocracy in 1805 and similar items from his trip to Spain in 1809; autographs of foreign royalty; invitations to the funeral of William Pitt a memorial to Lord Nelson, and the trial of Lord Viscount Melville (1805).

Scafe also includes clippings and ephemera of a more general nature: humorous anecdotes, reports on curious events, jokes, odd behaviors; epitaphs, poems, epigrams; advertisements for employment as well advertisements by tradespeople; announcements and broadsides of events such as lottery drawings; several promissary notes; and etchings

Scafe includes two lengthy test: one from The Morning Post's account of the writing of "Modern characters by Shakespear" (published later the same year); and, a transcription of "The butterfy's ball and The grasshopper's feast".

An engraving entitled "Sunday's amusement" is mounted on a leaf tipped in opposite the front paste-down, a note in pencil indicating that it was formerly pasted over the material on the lining of the front cover (but moved by bookbinder G. Bissell in 1966). Depicted in this satirical print is a family (man, woman, and boy) riding to the left in a carriage in the countryside, a mile marker seen in the lower right; verses are etched on either side of title, beginning "The wealthy cit grown rich by trade ...". Pasted on the following leaf, which is tipped in before the front free endpaper, are trimmed portions of various plates, including plate III (page 805) from Gentleman's magazine, v. 59 (September 1789), which depicts coins and other antiquarian items. Several additional prints are pasted on the verso of the front free endpaper, including four plates (plates 1, 3, 6, and 16) from "The talking bird: or, Dame Trudge and her parrot" which show an old woman's pet parrot being mischievous in various situations; the first plate has the title "The talking bird" at top and the imprint "Publish'd August 20, 1806, by J. Harris, corner of St. Pauls Church Yard, London" at bottom