Author: SOPHIA MIDDLETON
Title: Original M.S. Poetry. Nugae Canorae. [Poetic trifles?]
Description: South Petherton: Manuscript, 1824. Small 4to. 235 x 185 mm. Full straight grained morocco, all edges gilt, gilt and blind stamped, front inner pastedown with leather label "Sophia Middleton. 1824." pp. 2 [blank]. 3 - 117, [2], [1, blank]. Probably a fair copy book, with all the poems in the same hand, presumably that of Sophia Middleton, and variously dated. The first and last poems addressed to Mrs Middleton, perhaps the author's mother, the first dated February, 1824, the last "To Mrs Middleton Written after our conversation on the morning of this day... Monday night June 1st. 1824 (South Petherton)." The contents are various, "Part the first, Sacred Pieces" pages 5 - 38 with 18 poems on religious themes dated between 1821 and 1824> "Second Part - Humanity and occasional pieces" including "Humanity, to the irrational animate Creation written at the request of Miss H. (for the young)" "Her sweet briar reckless she'd consign Myriads of Aphids to their doom" bears a footnote "This was introduced merely out of spite to a certain lady, who told me that while this little poem was in progress that she had been destroying Aphids the whole morning & whose cruelty I vowed should find a place in it." Other poems include "Lines to the Moon," "On the death of Princess Charlotte" [dated 1817], "To P.H.G. with m.s. hymns." "For a lady's album" "T _____ on their mother's death (an unfortunate family)" and "George and the Coronation (with the accompaniment of George & the Chimney-sweeper) a Parody." The last "occasioned by the momentary alarm of the Queen's approach, which was given at the late Coronation of our present most gracious Sovereign." We have been unable to positively identify the author, presumed to be Sophia Middleton, the P.H.G referred to above and elsewhere as P.H. Gurney, may well be a member of the prominent Quaker family from Norfolk.

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