The contents are as follows.

(i) Manuscript of two poems by Robert Brown Cunnynghame entitled “Tales o' the daft days. The mistress's tale or The hunt the gowk” and “Tale third. The boarding school Miss's tale or Bailie Blair's courtship”. These are apparently unpublished continuations of the three parts of “Tales o' the daft days” published in “Blackwood's Magazine”, November and December 1822, and March 1823. (Folio 1.)

(ii) Manuscript, 1823, of an apparently unpublished article, 'Speech which might have been spoken at some late country meetings'. (Folio 17.)

(iii) Manuscript of an apparently unpublished article, 'Prison labour: the tread mill' reviewing Sir John Coxe Hippisley's ‘Prison labour’ (London, 1823), the manuscript includes printed pages from the book. (Folio 23.)

(iv) Manuscripts of five apparently unpublished poems in various hands, possibly including John Gibson Lockhart's, grouped together as 'Humourous verses on Lord Robertson, Sir Walter Scott's "Peter o' the Paunch"'. They are entitled: 'Prophet Peter, or, the Encyclopaedia of wit', circa 1834, with a shorter version of 1837; 'A law question', circa 1827; 'Sonnet', 1836; 'An excellent new song', circa 1829; 'Believe me, friend', 1836. There is also a printed poem on the same subject beginning 'As the worn show-horse', 1836. (Folio 37.)

(v) Manuscript of a poem, 'The monkey-martyr: a fable', published in “Blackwood's Magazine”, June 1827, signed 'T.H.', i.e., Thomas Hood. (Folio 51.)

(vi) Manuscript, possibly in the hand of George Croly, of an article, 'The causes of the late change in ministry' published in “Blackwood's Magazine”, April 1828. (Folio 55.)

(vii) Manuscript of an apparently unpublished article, 'My foot [sic] is on the shore and a health to thee Tom Moore', this appears to be a continuation of an article, 'Residences of our living poets – No. 1. Bremhill Parsonage', by John Wilson, published in “Blackwood's Magazine”, August 1828. (Folio 69.)

(viii) Manuscript of an apparently unpublished article reviewing Sir Robert Christison, ‘A treatise on poisons in relation to medical jurisprudence, physiology, and the practice of physic (Edinburgh, 1829). (Folio 76.)

(ix) Manuscript of an apparently unpublished poem, 'Buy my book: A new argument for the Papists'. The poem refers to “Basil Hall's travels in North America in the years 1827 and 1828” (Edinburgh, 1829). (Folio 83.)

(x) Letter and manuscript, 1832, of an apparently unpublished poem, “Captain North's log”, by Sir Samuel Ferguson. (Folio 84.)

(xi) Manuscripts, circa 1832-1833, in various hands, possibly including James Hogg's and John Gibson Lockhart's, of seven political poems. The titles are: “The mechanic's jubilee song”; 'The moudiewart'; 'Come fellow townsmen high and low'; 'O Adam Black and Peter Brown'; 'The whigs of auld reekie'; “Abercromby's answer or the Exchequer garland”; 'Imitations of Horace by distinguished living characters'. “Abercromby's answer” was published in the form of a political broadsheet, and also in ‘Reform songs and squibs’ (Edinburgh, undated), the others are apparently unpublished. (Folio 86.)

(xii) Manuscript, circa 1832-1833, of an election address to the townsmen and electors of Edinburgh, signed 'A conservative'. (Folio 98.)

(xiii) Manuscript of an apparently unpublished article reviewing the “Blackwood's Magazine” for April 1833. (Folio 102.)

(xiv) Manuscript, 1834, of a political poem, “Up and waur them a', Johnnie”, published as a political broadsheet, and also in ‘Reform songs and squibs’ (Edinburgh, undated). (Folio 104.)

(xv) Manuscript, circa 1838, of an apparently unpublished, untitled, unfinished short story or novel. This is in the form of an autobiography of family life. (Folio 106.)

(xvi) Manuscript, probably written between 1837 and 1840, of an apparently unpublished political poem, “Noah's ark”. (Folio 147.)