The contents contain, among other material, notes and copies of poems relating to John Dryden and his age, verses in the hand of one or more of the Misses Maclean Clephane of Torloisk (folio 38), Wordsworth’s ‘Yarrow Revisited’ in Robert Southey’s autograph (folio 45), and some printed verses, etc., including Robert Surtees’ ‘Musings in Collingwood-Street’, 1817 (folio 104). There is a small collection of poems (folios 55, 60-80) in the hand of Williamina Belsches, one of which contains allusions to S--- and W----a (folio 63). Among the poems are several of Mrs John Hunter (folio 64). See John Gibson Lockhart, chapter vii, end, for an account of similar, but not the same, manuscripts.

In Sir Walter Scott’s autograph are, besides various notes, ‘A Satyre against Coffee’ (folio 86) and an epilogue to a play, beginning ‘When the lone pilgrim views afar’ (folio 87), and there is an epitaph, ‘To youth, to age alike this tablet pale’, not in his hand but endorsed ‘ W. S.’ (folio 59).