The contents are as follows: (i) ‘Are proper names connotative?’ an essay, [circa 1898] of John Purves (folio 1); (ii) Typescript of an essay, ‘A note on Shakespeare's references to Africa’ written by Purves for the Shakespeare Tercentenary in 1916 and apparently unpublished, with notes on other literary references to Africa (folio 8) (iii) A catalogue, [circa 1916], of John Milton's works (folios 69); (iv) Extracts, [circa 1916], from the works of Horace (folio 76); (v) Extracts from a review, 1915, by Henry M Belden of ‘The poems of John Bonne’, edited by Herbert J C Grierson (folio 110); (vi) Essays of John Purves on printing and palaeography: ‘William Morris on printing’, ‘Stages in the development of the book hand’, 'The qualities of good letters’, 'A note on early printing‘ (folio 117); (vii) Catalogue, 1956, of an exhibition, ‘Authors as artists' (folio 155); (viii) Bibliography of publications by graduates of the English Honours School of Edinburgh University, 1895-1955, with a printed version (folio 141); (ix) Corrected typescript of ‘Selections from Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty’ edited by Purves (folio 165).