The notebook contains various jottings and quotations, fragments of a verse drama on Richard Coeur de Lion (folios 31 verso, 46) (see also MS. 4916), an early draft of parts of a translation of Goethe's 'Faust' (folios 36-44, 60-98, 100-124, 128-135) (see also MS. 4923), and thirty-one poems.

Of the poems, 'Blind old Milton', only part of which is in existence here, was published in “Blackwood's Magazine”, December 1841 (folio 27). The following were published in “Tait's Magazine”, 'The feast of Nero, from the French of Victor Hugo', December 1834 (folio 57), two 'Sonnets on the modern Greeks', June 1835 (folios 5, 8 verso), and 'The old camp. Written in a Roman fortification in Bavaria', September 1841 (folio 55).

The following poems are apparently unpublished: 'Tis the system of the devil' (folio 3); 'Believe in everything that will not leave thee' (folio 5 verso); 'O thou poor heart so lonely and alone' (folio 6); 'Eros and Anteros, ye twin creations' (folio 6 verso); 'Who ever yet was happy when he loved?' (folio 8); 'There was a king who died for freedom' (folio 9); 'Men say there is a poison in sweet verse' (folio 9 verso); 'Plato, when first I heard thy golden name' (folio 10); 'Fain would I write of love' (folio 11); 'Warrior, love as to a brother' (folio 12); 'A May song' (folio 12 verso); 'I could not mourn when honoured Coleridge died' (folio 13 verso); 'In the deep of the earth' (folio 14); 'Spring blossoms' (folio 16); 'We are but links of one eternal chain' (folio 17); 'Faith and hope and charity' (folio 17 verso); 'O wake thee, wake thee lady' (folio 19); 'Like unto a lordly forest' (folio 20); 'There was a garden' (folio 21); 'I do remember me - twas long ago' (folio 23); 'The battle of Sempach' (folio 34); 'Thou shalt meet me at Philippi' (folio 35); 'Once there stood a lordly city' (folio 45); ‘The pyramids of Egypt’ (folio 52); ‘Armies twain there are in life’ (folio 54); ‘In Verona town there were gallants three’ (folio 99).