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Poetry.

 Subject
Subject Source: Local sources
Scope Note: Literary and oral genre rooted in the compressed and cogent imaginative awareness or associations of experiences, ideas, or emotional responses and arranged under an organized criterion of meaning, conscious and unconscious expression, symbolism, formal or informal pattern, sound, and rhythm. The genre encompasses narrative, dramatic, satiric, didactic, erotic, and personal forms. (AAT) All poetry, except ballads, was indexed under this heading in the published catalogues. (NLS) .

Found in 2772 Collections and/or Records:

Manuscript and typescript poems of William Soutar., Undated.

 File
Identifier: Acc.4592/5
Scope and Contents Includes the following poems in manuscript:The Brisk World Birls AboutThe Fleur is White on the TreeNae RestMerry and ProudThree Epigrams:I Epitaph upon A Potential Poet Who Learned the Meaning of Every Word in the English DictionaryII Epitaph on A Vegetarian who was crematedIII On An Ostrich At the Edinburgh Zoo Who Swallowed a Copy of the Old TestamentIncludes the following signed...
Dates: Undated.

Manuscript and typescripts of Don't ask me how the time goes by’ Alastair Reid's translation of José Emilio Pacheco's work, ‘No me preguntes cómo pasa el tiempo’., 1975-1976, undated.

 File
Identifier: MS.27456
Scope and Contents

The contents are as follows. (i) Photocopy of the typescript of sections I, 'In these circumstances, and II, 'Look at the way things are' (folio 1). Manuscript drafts of sections III, 'Postcards/Conversations/Epigrams' and IV, 'Animals know' are written on the versos of folio 20-34. (ii) Carbon typescript of sections I-IV heavily annotated by Jose Emilio Pacheco (folio 35); (iii) Carbon typescript of corrections to be made by the printer (folio 105).

Dates: 1975-1976, undated.

Manuscript and typescripts of the dramatic poem, 'Sweet Largie Bay' by Robert McLellan., 1955.

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS.26431-26432
Scope and Contents

The poem, which was commissioned by the BBC, was first broadcast in 1956. Both manuscript and typescripts are heavily reworked and contain numerous rewritten pages.

Dates: 1955.

Manuscript chiefly concerning alchemy., 17th century.

 File
Identifier: MS.5776
Scope and Contents The contents are as follows:(i) Two poems about alchemy, in different hands, entitled 'Amen his huntinge of the Green Lyon' (an account of an experiment with green vitriol), and 'The vision of Sir George Ripley, Chanon of Bridlington' (folios 1, 4);(ii) Directions for alchemical experiments to find the quintessence of wine, honey, sugar, blood, etc., taken from 'the first part of the vegetables of Mr Isaac of Holland, philosophe' and others of his works (presumably...
Dates: 17th century.

Manuscript collection of unpublished Italian satirical poems: ‘Raccolta delle migliori satire venute alla luce in occasione di diversi conclavi. Da quello di P.P. Alesandro VIII sino à quello di PP. Benedetto XIV’.

 File
Identifier: Adv.MS.19.2.15
Scope and Contents The satires are directed mainly against the corruption of the (Roman Catholic) Church. The popes mentioned in the collection are: Pope Alexander VIII (Pietro Ottoboni, 1689-1691), Innocent XIII (Michelangelo dei Conti, 1721-1724), and Benedict XIV (Prospero Lambertini, 1740-1758). The manuscript contains a table of contents at the end (folio 147), and the following satires:(i) ‘II Calascione à tre corde. In occasione della morte di Papa Alessandro VIII Ottoboni’....
Dates: 18th century-early 19th century.

Manuscript concerning the offices of a herald.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.31.7.22
Scope and Contents The contents of the manuscript are as follows:(i) Description of the offices of Constable, Admiral, Marshal, etc. (folio 1).(ii) ‘A nobile trety belangand the making of heraldis and ye properteis to yis office` (folio 3). It includes (folio 22) a set of rules for tournaments attributed to Philip of France.(iii) Statutes of the law of arms attributed to Louis III of France (folio 34 verso). This is followed by material on the coronation of emperors and...
Dates: 1st half of 16th century.

Manuscript containing a collection of ballads and other poems

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.19.1.4
Scope and Contents The contents of the manuscript are as follows:(i) ‘La Complainte de Nature a L`Alchymiste’ by Jean Perréal, followed (folio 18) by ‘La Response de l’Alchymiste’. Printed in ‘La Roman de la Rose’, iv, pages 123-202. It omits the prologue and a number of lines throughout, and the last 187 lines of the ‘Response’ are replaced by the last forty lines of the ‘Complainte’. For a discussion of the poem and its authorship, see A Vernet in ‘Bibliothèque d`Humanisme et Renaissance’, iii,...
Dates: 1st half of 16th century.

Manuscript containing a collection of Ossianic poems by the Reverend Alexander Pope (circa 1706-1782) of Reay.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.73.1.23
Scope and Contents A letter written by Alexander Pope in 1763 and published in the Ossian Report, Appendix, page 52, indicates that this collecting activity took place about 1739. Folios 1-7 are in Pope’s hand, and a note at folio 1 verso confirming his identity appears to be signed W P, perhaps his son William. Folios 8-11 are in hand of the Reverend Alexander Sage (1753-1824) of Kildonan, as are numerous corrections passim and a reference at folio 5 verso.The contents are as follows....
Dates: [Circa 1739.]

Manuscript containing classical Gaelic verse and tales, written by Eoghan Mac Gilleoin.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.72.1.36
Scope and Contents The scribe of the manuscript is Eoghan Mac Gilleoin (Hugh MacLean), in 1699 schoolmaster at Kilchenzie, Kintyre. The manuscript consisted originally of three parts. Part I was being written by 29th November 1690 (see folio 104 recto) and was still incomplete on 9th December (folio 110 verso). It was paginated by MacGilleoin at top centre of each page, save for the endpapers. Two watermarks are found, one sheet bearing the letters A D, the rest having a ‘grape’ design with the...
Dates: 1690-1691.

Manuscript containing Gaelic poetry of Iain MacDhùghaill (John MacDougall), Ardgour, headed 'Orain Gha'elach maille ri aireamh bheag do dhuain coluinn le Iain Mac Dhughaill ann an Ionarsannda Airdghobhar'.

 Item
Identifier: Acc.14246
Content Description A volume of poetry mostly of Iain Mac Dhùghaill (John MacDougall), 1821-1890, Ardgour. The poet, known as 'am bàrd ruadh', worked as a teacher but also spent time working as a policeman in Glasgow. Maclean's 'Typographia Scoto-Gadelica', pages 207-210, records several publications by Macdougall between 1857 and 1870 and mentions MacDougall's intention to publish further volumes of poetry. The songs contained in this manuscript appear to be unpublished. The volume was probably...
Dates: between 1837 and ca. 1850.

Manuscript containing Irish bardic verse.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.72.1.49
Scope and Contents The scribe of the manuscript is the same as that of Adv.MS.72.1.38, pages 29-30, 193; Adv.MS.72.1.42, folio 26; Adv.MS.72.1.43; Adv.MS.72.2.1; and Adv.MS.72.2.2, folio 46. The dating of Adv.MS.72.1.38 and Adv.MS.72.1.43 suggest a floruit for him of 1618-1647.The contents (text) are as follows.(i) Continuation from Adv.MS.72.2.2, folio 46 recto, of “Ionmhuin tech re ttugas cúl”, here beginning “Iosdadh níamhghl[an] Cairrgi an Chróigh” (‘Leabhar branach’, line 4370). 11...
Dates: 1618-1647.

Manuscript containing Irish grammar written by Aodh Ó Dálaigh (Hugo Daly) for Paris Anderson, a student of Trinity College, Dublin.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.73.5.1
Scope and Contents The manuscript is titled (folio 1 recto) ‘£3.0.0. Irish Grammar. 1734. Written by one Daly a Conaught Man for Paris Anderson, A.M.T.C.D. 1734’. The contents (text) are as follows.(i) ‘Aoibhin sin Eire ard’, 5 quatrains. (Folio 2 recto.)(ii) Version of Hugh MacCurtin’s ‘Irish Grammar’, chapters 1-7, beginning “Ablitir na tengan Gaoidhilge ann so sios ar ndiaidh go fóirleathan air gach modh, & gach foirim dar gnáth leis na Gaodhaluibh a scrobhadh. Agas...
Dates: 1734-1735.

Manuscript containing Irish tales and verse.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.72.1.38
Scope and Contents At page 190 a ‘Pot’ watermark (passim) indicates dating in first half of 17th century; the variety of it which occurs up to page 28 belongs notably to period 1608-1621. The chronology at page 171 points more precisely to 1618. Other watermarks appear at pages 49 and following (‘horn’) and 59 and following. Four principal scribes contributed to the work: A. Pages 5-28, 47-114, 117-142, 155-170, 175-192. Formal, slightly pointed. Charles O’Conor of Belanagare...
Dates: First half of 17th century.

Manuscript containing Irish tales and verse written by Seán Mac Cíar.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.72.2.5
Scope and Contents The manuscript was written (except page 68) by Seán Mac Cíar (John Short), a native of Clogher, County Tyrone, in 1738. Other hands appear in marginalia at pages 81 (‘Patt C[ ]’), 301 (including ‘Arthur Mates is this Book / and if it be Lost / or sole pray send home gain to Lucan’), 327, 330 (‘Arthur Magma [ ] is my Name and [ ] I write same So [ ]’), 332 and 334. The name of Michael MacDonald appears at pages 81, 308, 312 and 313, with the addition of ‘Kells’ at page 81 and of ‘his hand and...
Dates: 18th century.

Manuscript containing Irish verse, written by the scribe Séamus Ó Maolruanaigh.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.72.2.4
Scope and Contents The scribe (except page 44) of the manuscript is Séamus Ó Maolruanaigh. Marginalia in his hand, both Roman and Gaelic, are to be found on the flyleaf, on page 1 (Page 1, line 5 ‘James’; the lower three-eighths of the folio has been torn out, leaving ‘[ ] his hand and seal’ in margin), page 3, page 4 (‘Semus o ionnraic liom mar an geadna mar amhrn’), page 11, page 15 (‘[Se]mus ua Maolruadhneadh a labhar ⁊ a laimh / a n-aois an tidh’), page 17 (‘James M’ twice, with an intervening 6-line...
Dates: 18th century.

Manuscript containing poems in Latin, apparently autograph, by Mark Alexander Boyd and later poems and personal information on members of the family of Boyd of Penkill and Trochrig.

 File
Identifier: MS.20759
Scope and Contents The contents are as follows:(i) The 'Epistulae quindecim', of which the beginning of the first is missing and numbers 6 and 7 are placed after number 9. ‘Epistulae’ pages 11-74. There are frequent corrections, most of which are incorporated in the printed text. The date of completion, 14 Cal. January 1588, is given at the end. (Folio 1.)(ii) 'Philandri tiaufragium. Epistola'. (Folio 31.)(iii) 'Libellus de moribus ad Hermum fratrem'. (Folio 45.)...
Dates: 1585-1617.

Manuscript containing poems of William MacMurchy.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.72.2.15
Scope and Contents The manuscript contains a ‘coat of arms’ watermark. The scribe of the manuscript is William MacMurchy (see Adv.MS.72.2.12). MacMurchy also wrote versions of fourteen of the poems in this manuscript in what are now Adv.MS.73.2.2 (thence printed in ‘Reliquiae Celticae’, volume 2, pages 310-420) and the Inverneill MS (photostat, National Library of Scotland MS.14981). A number of the poems are plainly by the scribe himself.Ewen MacLachlan described it in his ‘Celtic Analysis’...
Dates: 18th century, before 1778.

Manuscript containing specimens of Homer’s Iliad in Gaelic verse by Ewen MacLachlan.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.73.2.19
Scope and Contents Ewen MacLachlan hoped to publish a volume of the work if these met with approval. Includes title-page, preface and contents list.The contents are as follows.(i) Specimens of Gaelic Iliad. (Page 1.)(ii) ‘Qui sublime meas orbe volubili’, 9 quatrains. Ossian’s Address to rising Sun. (Page 46.)(iii) ‘De sinis, flavo radiate crine!’ 4 quatrains. Ossian’s Address to Setting Sun. (Bottom of page 47.)(iv) ‘Jam noctis umbras somnifero dies’,...
Dates: [1812, or before.]

Manuscript containing syllabic verse in Gaelic, written by members of the MacMhuirich family.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.72.1.48
Scope and Contents This manuscript bears all the marks of a MacMhuirich provenance. The scribe who wrote the greater part of it is unknown, but his Gaelic hand is precise and well formed. Two poems (folios 9 verso, 10 verso) are in the hand of Niall MacMhuirich (circa 1639-1726), of whom the chief scribe was evidently a contemporary. A third hand, unknown, is responsible for the text at folio 32, which is further distinguished from foregoing folios by its common ‘pot’ watermark - the rest having what appears...
Dates: Between 1660 and 1678.

Manuscript containing the letter of Prester John, and other works.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.72.1.41
Scope and Contents Originally 2 separate manuscripts: (a) folios 1 and 16, (b) folios 2-15. Part (a), a bifolium, is by a single anonymous hand, origin and date unknown. John Mackenzie, secretary of the Highland Society of London described part (a) as “A small Octavo Vellum Manuscript in Prose, containing two Leaves, signed, London Janry. 5th. 1803 John Mackenzie”. (Highland Society of Scotland minutes.) Part (b) was written by several hands, one text to each. The main text, the Letter...
Dates: (?)15th century-17th century.

Manuscript containing the poems of Alasdair mac Mhaighstir Alasdair (Alexander MacDonald), written in Gaelic script.

 Item
Identifier: Adv.MS.72.2.13
Scope and Contents Of the two manuscripts mentioned in the custodial history note only the present one remains. A little further evidence for the ascription to Alasdair lies in the small portions of text in Roman hand (pages 118, 176; compendium &, passim), which may be compared with the facsimile of the poet’s hand published as frontispiece to the 1924 edition of his work. The manuscript was written during or after 1747 (cf. pages 143, 146, 149), and some of the poems, notably “An Àirce” (page 169),...
Dates: 1747.