Manuscript Location

University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Kislak Center for Special Collections - Manuscripts

Place of Origin

England ➔ Bristol

Date of Composition

1762-1777

Description

This parchment-covered volume of 147 numbered pages was compiled by an unknown Anglican clergyman who lived in Bristol, England. An alphabetical index at the beginning of the volume has been created with letters paired on thirteen cut-out tabs.

The material is wide-ranging, comprising quotations from well-known authors; excerpts of sermons, letters, prayers, and religious instruction; and suggested conversations for clergymen when visiting the sick or the poor. There are also many items concerning agriculture, including excerpts from Museum Rusticum (1766) regarding the best way to farm beans and wheat, methods for plowing, and how to prevent caterpillars and flies from eating crops. The book also contains medical, veterinary, and culinary recipes. The culinary recipes include recipes for a cheap meal for a family, as well as recipes for syllabub, rolls (attributed to Miss Chudleigh), shrub, and beer.