[John Pascoe of Veryan, Cornish poet.] Two autograph volumes of transcriptions of original poems, made on the eve of his death for Mrs Ball of the City Hotel, Truro, with extensive biographical notes for her, and a letter of presentation.

The two volumes contain transcriptions of a total of 65 original autograph poems, most of them unpublished, with extensive explanatory and biographical notes (sometimes running to several pages) composed especially for the recipient of the volumes, Mrs Ball of the City Hotel, Truro. In two uniform 4to notebooks with waxed black cloth bindings. The first volume is in fair condition, on aged and worn paper, in worn binding with loss of spine. The second volume has damp affecting the first 60pp., causing slight loss to text, and damage to the binding. ONE: On front free endpaper: 'Vol I. | Humorous Melodies: - | Selected from "Roses among Thorns": - | Being Lyric Poems Composed by John Pascoe - Late of Veryan: and formerly of Richmond College - Surrey: 1843 - | Truro Union Hospital - 1880-1886 - during spare moments of Time: And Continued in Truro from that Date to the Present: - 1889 - | Vols XV like the Present Copy - to July | For the use of a genial Lady - Truro - | With kindest regards. | J. P.' 162pp., 4to. Ticket of Lake & Lake, printers & stationers, Princes St, Truro, on front pastedown. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, in worn binding with loss to spine. TWO: On front free endpaper: 'Miscellaneous Extracts: - from "Roses among Thorns": - being Lyrics - By John Pascoe [...] Vols. XVIII: same kind as the present Volum' | Humorous & Entertaining - selected - and Copied for Mrs Ball: of the City Hotel: Truro - | Life is a golden chain: - its hours | Are Links of Love: to bind us to our Home; | Sweet Home: - in Heaven! - J.P. | Pleasant and Pensive Memories: crowd these Lines: -' 156pp., 4to. As stated above, the volumes were transcribed for Mrs Ball of the City Hotel, Truro, and the first is accompanied by a loose Autograph Letter Signed (4pp., 12mo) from Pascoe to her, dated from Castle Rise on 26 August 1889. The letter, which includes an index of the 31 poems in the first volume, is written with great poignancy: 'This is my dear wifes 62nd. Birthday - and had she been alive, the Bakers, from London - & Co - we should have a perfect Pic Nic on Pendower Beach - And "Wesie" would romp with me as usual, if [sic] she was a lovely gem of a Maiden - But she too - is in widowhood - Married only a few years - no family - She was attached to me - and was Cousin of Anna - Lieut Baker married Miss Seccombe Middlecoat - one of the Prettiest & finest young young women I ever saw - and her children are beautiful. I have completed your Book - as well as circumstances would allow - [...] Here are some racy and spirited Lyrics - and perhaps when the hand which penned them is motionless & still - & cold; you may in leisure moments read these - with some interest & pleasure - A mistake or error - you may find here & there; but you can see what is the meaning - and sense - & correct - I am seriously unwell - sensibly failing. Another bleak winter will probably finish my career. I shall be 70 - if I live to see January 16th next. My friends have drivelled away now - Only God seems to deal with me here.' The second volume was completed ten days before Pascoe's death, and the last poem in it is titled 'Christmas: - A wee Sonnet for the children: 1889'. It is dated: 'Castle Rise - Truro - | Dec 13th. 1889. | John Pascoe'. The page preceding the poem carries a letter to Mrs Ball, dated from Castle Rise, 13 December 1889, indicating Pascoe's troubled state of mind on the eve of his demise. It reads: 'Dear Mrs Ball, | I have completed another Volume: but I am conscious of many imperfections. I am been so ill & worried - and scorned - and called over - undeservedly - by those who are lusty, and hale, and strong - and who have little sympathy or feeling: and those entirely Ignorant of my real Position - and affairs - that I have not been able to give a fairer Copy - amidst all these distractions. | My mind has been unbalanced: - my frame affected with strong pain - My foot has gathered: and for weeks I have had no Exercise in open air: - Could not press on my Boot. Cold, dark days - and sleepless nights, have prostrated me - Yet amidst all God spares me - why - I am puzzled to know; when companions, in younger life - have been smitten down - and taken away - But for the support of a Conscience which does not upbraid and torture me - perhaps Reason would have fled! I am bad enough now at times - when loaded with censure, and blame: - but I try to be calm - look up - and Trust - You will see - that if I live till January 16th. I shall be 70 - Well - defective as I am - I cling to the Cross - and Hope in Infinite Mercy! Please accept - with my sincere regards - & correct where you find errors - or omissions. | I am yours sincerely, | John Pascoe'. As the biographical account given at the end of this description indicates, Pascoe never published a volume of verse, his published work appearing in magazines. He writes capably in the late-Romantic style of the period. It is the notes accompanying many of the poems which are of the greatest interest: these are informative, and often gossippy and entertaining. For example, the first volume contains a three-page poem entitled '"Remember Me!! - To J. M. G: - Waterloo - 1844'. The poem is accompanied by three pages of notes, beginning: 'I regard this - as my first Piece in Poetic Composition - I did write an Elegy on an Old Mare - on which we used to proceed to our Sunday Preaching appointments, for years - at the rate of 3 miles an hour: and who died at the ripe age of 26 or 27: - But old Peter Thomas, her owner, felt so bitterly: and sharply reproved me: that I destroyed the Lines. I was again ill - after my return from Richmond College: - Surrey - late in 1843. Miss George loved me tenderly - but her father died at 44 - in January 1844 - leaving a widow with 11 Children - of whom Miss George was third: but the eldest daughter'. Pascoe explains how Miss George was induced to accept an offer of marriage while he was at missionary college. Knowing nothing of the wedding, he calls on the Georges one day: 'Miss George answered the door - She had on her rich Brocade Dress - in which she repaired to the Altar - and looked quite a Queen of Beauty! - She Clasped my hand - drew me inside - and insisted on my remaining to Tea - Introduced her young husband who blushed a wee bit - [...] Of course, the Guests were no strangers: and Mrs George received me in Tears - for I was a great favorite of hers - Tea over, I must go - Miss George accompanied me to the Gate - pledged her everlasting Love - [...] and I went on my way somewhat bewildered and confused [...]'. The following poem ('To Anna: - Tis Truth!') is accompanied by a similar four-page note explaining the circumstances of another thwarted love-affair. A poem entitled 'A Cornish Lady's singular method of choosing a Partner' is accompanied by a list of ten ladies in Pascoe's 'Circle', beginning: 'Mary A. Roberts - £200 per Ann. | Mary Martyn - £7000 Fortune - but not well - | Anne Harris - Gone to Australia | E. A. Kessell - Married'. The note accompanying the final poem in the first volume ('Penseroso! A Sonnet of Facts: Personal Experience'), covers six pages, and discusses Pascoe's life with his 'own dear Wife [...] Miss Anna Middlecoat', from before the marriage to her death in 1872. The account ends by giving a financial account of his 'last year of Business in full - 1871', proving that he was 'no dullard - nor Sloth'. In the note to a poem on 'The Union of 1800', Pascoe gives his views on 'the Position of Ireland'. Another poem, titled 'The River Trip: - Truro to Falmouth - Per "Resolute" - SS. | July 26th. 1883', has three pages of notes attached, containing topographical observations. The following poem is titled 'Veryan: Cornwall: Its charms, and balmy memories: - A Pensive Sonnet in Exile: 1887', and is not a sonnet but a poem of eight pages, accompanied by five pages of notes on Pascoe's home town. The following biographical information is taken from W. H. Kearley Wright's 'West-Country Poets: Their Lives and Works' (London: Elliot Stock, 1896): 'Mr. John Pascoe was born at Veryan, a lovely little village situated about eleven miles from Truro on January 16, 1820. He was educated at the parish school, subsequently entering Richmond College, Surrey, in 1843: after which date and for many years his life was devoted to ministerial duties, [...] His vocation in life as a minister naturally made a deep impression on his productions, and hence we find nearly all subjects of Biblical importance - from Genesis to Revelation - treated in his verse. Many of these are sermons, poetically set, and have appeared, some of them, in various journals, including the leading Cornish papers, viz., the West Briton, and Royal Cornwall Gazette. Through these mediums Mr. Pascoe had a large circle of readers locally, to whom the offspring of his muse was ever welcome. Mr. Pascoe died suddenly at Castle Rise, Truro, on December 23, 1889.'