Charles Morris, Three volumes of autograph manuscript poems, with three further related volumes, early 19th century

Charles Morris

A collection of autograph manuscript verse, comprising:

i) Lyra Urbanica, autograph manuscript collection of poems, the copytext of the collection published posthumously under this title, fair copies with occasional corrections, divided into two sections (described as "volumes") each with separate address "To the Publick" (volume two "To the Members of the old Beef Steak Society"), dedication (both "To the Hon.ble Mrs Lxxxxxx"), and address "To the Reader", a small number of poems cancelled in ink and marked "Not to be printed" (such as an obscene "Masquerade Song, as Prior of a Brotherhood of Grey Monks from Carlton Palace", and "On a New Pump placd in the Stable Yard [...] the water of which has so urinous a smell that it coudn't be us'd"), a small number of annotations in a second hand, printer's manuscript with casting off marks noting the beginning of each gathering (corresponding to the 1840 printed edition), paginated (535 and 122 pages), 657 pages, 4to (240 x 195mm), contemporary cloth with spine labelled "Lyra Urbanica | Capt. C. Morris", covers detached and stained, first gathering of 20 leaves loose, printer's ink smudges and fingerprints 

ii) "Lyrica Festiva or The Mirthful Effusions of Charles Morris Esqr. 1st Vol.", autograph manuscript volume of poems, with index of first lines, preface "To the Reader" explaining the circumstances in which he has asembled this collection, followed by c.84 poems, with place and date of composition of each poem (1780s-1810s), revisions and corrections throughout, 246 numbered pages, 4to (235 x 192mm), early 19th century, contemporary parchment boards lettered on upper cover ("MSS for Pub... | 1 Vol..."), light damp staining

iii) Untitled collection of verse, with preface (acknowledging that "Many of the little pieces in this Volume may appear as virulent invectives & furious Party rancour against a minister, now departed") signed and dated 28 April 1824, c.180 pages, revisions and corrections throughout, some leaves excised and other pasted down, 4to, 1824, contemporary parchment boards with label on the upper cover ("Ready for Publication if deem'd advisable"), one poem ("A parting word To my beloved Brethren of the old Beefsteak Society") on a separate bifolium loosely inserted, light staining

[with three further volumes compiled by later family members:]

iv) Manuscript poetic miscellany, including many poems written by Captain Arthur Morris of the 73rd Foot whilst on active service in India and elsewhere, c.50 pages, 8vo, early 19th century

v) Manuscript poetic miscellany, including many poems written by Captain Arthur Morris of the 73rd Foot whilst on active service in India and elsewhere in the early 19th century, c.120 pages, 8vo, compiled c.1890, straight-grained black morocco, loss at spine, some leaves excised

vi) Sequence of 17 numbered pastoral poems, headed Eidyllion (Idyll), 88 pages, 4to, early 19th century, calf gilt, some leaves excised and first leaf loose

"Boy, bring my glass! - It lights a gleam

O'er Life's too gloomy shade.

There, still, through Hope's illusive meam,

The world's in charms array'd..." (The Balm of Life)

"Having been much urg'd, by my Friends, & well-wishers, to publish, the little, worthless produce of my Pen, which task, I design'd to have left, to the judgement, & decision, of those, who might survive me; I have, at length, from very unexpected, tho' not unexampled disappointment, in worldly hopes assented, to their kind entreaty; & have selected, all the little popular, & approved convivial effusions, & festive recreations, which the good-humoured World, has been pleasd to admit, as a lively help, to the social glow, of the Table, & the friendy hilarity, of Life -" (Lyrica Festiva, 'To The Reader'). 

A LARGE COLLECTION OF AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT VERSES BY A SIGNIFICANT LYRIC POET OF THE LATE-EIGHTEENTH AND EARLY-NINETEENTH CENTURY. Charles Morris (1745-1838) was a prolific and much admired songwriter and performer whose work was a particular influence on Tom Moore. He was born in Ireland of a Welsh family with a strong military tradition. He served in America and was promoted to Captain in the Life Guards, where he gained a taste for fashionable metropolitan life, and by the 1780s he was an established figure in the London social scene. His songs ranged from the urbane to the obscene, on subjects ranging from drinking to political satire. A supporter of Fox and the Prince of Wales, he positioned himself as a defender of traditional whiggish virtues, bluff patriotism and personal liberty. He was longstanding laureate of the Sublime Society of Beefsteaks, a dining club that included men as various as Samuel Johnson and John Wilkes as members, and which took as its motto "Beef and Liberty". 

These three volumes were compiled by Morris towards the end of his life. The large manuscript collection 'Lyra Urbanica' was the copy text for the two-volume printed edition published in 1840 (although the split between the two volumes in the printed text was different from the unequal division of two "volumes" within the manuscript). Morris tried to cater for contemporary tastes in his selection: by this time, the politics of George III's reign were of historic interest only, and popular taste was less indulgent towards ribaldry. The manuscript gives the texts of the poems largely as they appear in print, but there are differences: the manuscript lacks many of the titles given in the printed text, in additon to the handful of poems that were cancelled in the manuscript there are others that are omitted from the printed text including duplicates or near duplicates and some party political songs.

'Lyrica Festiva' was a similar collection of anacreonic lyrics compiled by Morris towards the end of his life with a view to publication. It does not show any sign of having passed through the printing house but includes some of his most charming lyrics such as 'Ad Poculum' from 1793 (here untitled), which has won him a prizer for poetical composition from the Harmonic Society of Bath in 1800:

"Come, thou soul reviving Cup,

Try, they healing art;

stir, the Fancy's visions up,

And, warm my waster heart."

Morris put his political satires into his third unnamed collection, which he notes is ready for publication "if deem'd advisable", and warns in his preface of "virulent invectives, & furious, Party, rancour." It includes several Beefsteak Society songs, Foxite election songs, attacks on Pitt, and many poems referring to events during the Napoleonic wars:

"...We know tho' they swagger & puff in the House,

Like Rogues in defence of their daring;

The old British Lion now squeaks like a mouse

And his moans are most sad & despairing..." (Election Party Song)

These three manuscripts are accompanied by manuscript collections of verse by later family members, most notably Arthur Morris, an officer of the 73rd Foot, who married Charles Morris's daughter Georgina Frederica in 1807.

PROVENANCE

i-ii) "Arthur Morris. The works of his Great Grandfather."

iv) "The writings of dear Grandpapa" Brockham-cottage, S.M.