1709 - 12: The following were all written after the Folger MS was completed, and published by 1714; sometimes in style, sometimes in mood, sometimes both, they resemble other fables, social verse, and epistolary lyrics Finch wrote which are externally datable to specific dates or places between 1709 and 1713 (e.g., "A Tale of the Miser ..." and "To Mr Jervas," Nos 159 and 160 above, and "To Mr Pope In Answer to a coppy of verses ... " and "To a Fellow Scribbler," Nos 172 and 207 below).
161. A Female Friend advis'd a Swain
162. A Wretch long tortur'd with Disdain
163. In Church the Prayer-Book, and the Fan display'd
164. Nature, in Pity, has deny'd you Shape
165. The Muses frolicksom and gay
166. When Mars the Lemnian Darts survey'd
167. How ill the Motion with the Musick suits!
272. Immortal Venus, to whose Name
1710, early in the year (after October 29, 1709):
168. FAir youth! who wish the Wars may cease,
1712: Finch again from Madame Deshouliers to her friends and family; she is
living in London
169-70. 'Tis not my Lord that verse with me
171. Where is the trust in human things
1712, May 26 (just before):
172. Disarm'd with so genteel an air
1712, June 14 (after), before December, 1713 (when Steele's book
published):
173. Begin, our Nation's Pleasure and Reproach!
1712, August (before, sometime in the first half of this year):
174. In Station joyn'd, when prosperous days prevail'd
1712, August 4 (after) - 1715: Anne at Eastwell:
175. The long the long expected Hour is come
1710 - 13: Anne plans a book which she goes through with: the 1713 miscellanny is basically comprized of translations and imitations, impersonal poetry and a very few personal poems whose real meaning or full signficance has been obscured or cut away. The 1713 Miscellany contains many poems from "the French" (La Fontaine, Madame Deshouliers, Racine, La Calprenede, Regnier), from Tasso's Aminta, from Milton in the manner of Philips' The Splendid Shilling), from the Bible. Out of 83 poems, 39 of which are new and not to be found in any manuscript form, 35 are fables and another 9 either imitations, translations, or paraphrases of other works; her earlier songs, pastorals, and meditations are censured and/or otherwise presented impersonally, the epistles mostly attached to occasions. Anne used the concept of genre and the technique of translation and imitation as a sort of changing mask under which she can express herself freely. The impersonality of the poetry and Heneage's elevation to the peerage gave her the courage to go through with it. This is a book which obscures her finest gifts and their source.
176. As Merc'ry travell'd thro' a Wood,
177. WEary, at last of the Pindarick Way
178. A Female, to a Drunkard marry'd
179. WHere is that World, to which the Fancy flies
180. A Shepherd seeking with his Lass
181. Fortune well-pictur'd on a rolling Globe
182. A Brazen Pot, by scouring vext
183. IN Fanscomb Barn (who knows not Fanscomb Barn?)
184. WHY, to our Wonder, in this Place is seen
185. ON the Banks of the Severn a desperate Maid
186. WHY was that baleful Creature made
187. A Fond Athenian Mother brought
188. WHO does not wish, ever to judge aright
189. SOothing his Passions with a warb'ling Sound
190. TO view his stately Walks and Groves
191. FOR Socrates a House was built
192. NO Cautions of a Matron, Old and Sage
193. A Greedy Heir long waited to fulfill
194. URANIA, whom the Town admires
195. MEthinks this World is oddly made
196. A Citizen of mighty Pelf
197. A Thriving Merchant, who no Loss sustain'd
198. THE Queen of Birds, t'encrease the Regal Stock
199. A Peevish Fellow laid his Head
200. A Gentleman, most wretched in his Lot
201. To the still Covert of a Wood
202. Within a Meadow, on the way
203. NO better Dog e'er kept his Master's Door
204. IN dire Contest the Rats and Weazles met
205. IN Vulgar Minds what Errors do arise!
1710 - 1713: Mrs Finch in the country, perhaps Hatfield House, with
Countess of Salisbury:
206. In such a Night, when every louder Wind
1713 - 15:
207. Prithee Friend that Hedge behold
1713, later in the year (before February 2, 1714):
208. The audience seems to night so very kind
1714 - 20: It was during this period that Anne and Heneage decided to gather together those poems by Anne which she did not wish to publish but which he and she wished to save. I think these were copied out mostly before Anne's death as many of them may be dated before her very last illness (1718-19). Most of the later poems scatter'd in other manuscripts were written after the Wellesley manuscript was (temporarily?) abandoned.
In the Wellesley MS Jacobitism is not censured -- though it no longer comes across as strongly as it did in Anne Finch's earlier post-Stuart court years. Numbers of the poems are private, familial and enigmatic. Others are uncorrected or performed in the plain doggerel careless way. This plain unadorned poems may please the modern reader (some of them are very good), but the decorum and practice of the time show that they were (like the poetry of Lady Hertford and other educated women) intended for ephemeral consumption by friends. There is no introduction or preface; there is no attempt to group kinds of poetry. Indeed, the manuscript begins with page 49 (thus ruling out as a certainty that Anne and Heneage began in 1716 with "On Lady Cartret"); what were on pp 1-49 is anyone's guess (perhaps more of Anne's poetry but I doubt this). There is finally a wholesale variety of types (by no means is this an overwhelming devotional volume) -- all of which, I think, argues that Anne and Heneage were treating this last book as a private depository for Anne's poetry, not as a working source for a book to be published.
Anne and Heneage also placed in (perhaps as they got hold of them) earlier poems which had been left out of the MS F-H 283 and Folger because they were not at Eastwell: two from Wye College between 1702 and 1703, two written at Lewston to Longleat, 1704, one from Tunbridge Wells, 1706, another to Ann Tufton, 1707-9, perhaps at Hothfield or Thanet House, four from 1712, two sent to the Hatton family, one to Pope, one on the death of Heneage's old friend and companion at the court of James II. These appear interweaved with Anne's latest poems which all appear to have written after the 1713 Miscellany and its 1714 reprint and up to the time of Anne's death; they can be variously dated from 1714, 1715 (five poems are so dated), 1716, 1718, 1719, and 1720.
1717 is also the year which saw the printing of 9 of Anne Finch's poems by Pope, 8 of which exist only in Pope's printed texts. Unlike F-H 283 and the Folger MS, there are no obliterated texts perhaps because Anne and Heneage now agreed on what was and what was not acceptable, perhaps because they half-thought no stranger's eyes would see this book, though, since Heneage is still censuring headings, he at least half- hoped otherwise.
1714 - 15: Anne in London, back near St. James's Palace, Cleveland Row House taken:
209. What dogs can do & what they'd say
1714, summer: Anne still in London:
210. Tho Sir I do much value set
1714, August 1 (just after):
211. A tree the fairest in the wood
1714 - 1716: Anne in town:
212. She is not fair you criticks of the Town
213. Life at best
1715, October into November.
214. Their piety th'Egyptians show'd by Art
1714, December 24:
215. Alleluja Sollemn Strain
1715: Anne came near death:
216. To thee encreaser of my days
217. Snatch'd from the verge of the devouring grave
218. How is it that my lifted Eyes
219. Oh lett my Tears begin for whilst the staine
1715, March 25:
220. Why are my steps with held. What bids me stay
221. By strange Events to Sollitude betray'd
1715, April - June: Anne in London:
222. Of this small tribute of my wit
223. Venus who did her Bird impart
1715, mid-year, perhaps just after the time of Francis Thynne's marriage to Lord Hertford on July 4, 1715 and definitely before July 29th, 1715, the date of the death of Thomas Thynne, Lord Weymouth.
224. Ye Lads and ye Lasses that live at Long-Leat
1715, mid-year - 1718. Death of Lord Weymouth, Heneage's brother-in-law and their long support and friend. We find epitaphs. Poets in this age were proud to write these (Pope took great pride in his). Anne Finch's are Jacobite or Pro-Stuart in sentiment. These occur in the MS Wellesley in an uninterrupted row after the above two poems written between April and June 1715.
225. As great a character the Poet draws
226. Nor envy nor the tongue with faction backt
227. Turenne with sleeping Monarchs lies enterr'd
228. Titus of all Mankind the Love engros't
1715, October 18, London
229. For can our correspondence please
1715, November 11 - 1716 November 16:
230. Joy from a zealous pen Ardelia sends
1716, January 12, Leweston, Dorestshire, the home of the widowed Mrs
Grace Strode Thynne:
231. How plain dear Madam was the want of sight
1716: Anne in London:
232. Quoth the Swains who got in at the late Masquerade
1716: winter into spring:
233. Sir plausible as 'tis well known
234. The Sheep a people void of strife
1716, September 23: A Sunday Evening's Performance
235. I am thine O save me Lord
236. Indulg'd by every active thought
1716, Christmas, into January 1717:
237. HOW is it in this chilling time
1716 - 1717: Anne writes three fables, one of which is inscribed to Pope; these three (and five others, two to him, from different periods of her life) appear in Pope's anonymous Poems on Several Occasions an d his 1717 Mr Pope's Works.
238. A TOAD just crawling up to town
239. A MASTY of our English breed
240. A MAN whose house had taken fire
1717: sometime during this year:
241. Of sleepless nights, and days with cares o'ercast
1717, late winter into early spring:
242. Such was Stattira, when young Ammon woo'd
1717, spring:
243. THE Muse, of ev'ry heav'nly gift allow'd
1717, March (after): Anne to London:
244. Whereas 'tis spread about the Town
1718, April 23 (after):
245. On me then Sir as on a friend
1718, May 7th (after)
246. Dark was the shade where only cou'd be seen
1718, summer - Christmas Eve :
247. Hartford 'tis wrong if Poets may complain
1718, October 8, London:
248. 'Tis now my dearest friend become your turn
1718, December 24, Cleveland Row, London:
249. To Coleshill Seat of Noble Pen
250. To all you sparkling Whiggs at Court
1719, summer?: A letter dated August 5, 1719, from Heneage to Hilkiah Bedford from Malshanger Farm where he and Anne are staying with, among others, Bedford's daughter: Ann at Malshanger Farm, Hampshire:
251. From me who whileom sung the Town
1718 very late, into 1720: Anne travels about.
252. Over a cheerful cup 'tis thought
253. We did attempt to travell all Last night
254. Ah! fare thee weel dear Sutton Toon
1719, February 6:
255. To the Superior World to Solemn Peace
256. Thee woundrous Being excellently great
257. Blest is the Soul which loos'd from sordid Earth
258. My God Oh that my soul cou'd stay
1719, March (after):
259. Oh! friendship, how prevailing is thy force.
260. The Preacher thus, to Man, his speech adrest
261. Whilst H--ley with more near approaches blest
1719, the Monday after Easter:
262. Who is this from Edom moves?
263. 'Twas scarce the dawn nor yet the distant East
1719, late, into 1720: Anne in the country:
264. This dismal Morn when East Winds blow
1720, January 13, Cleveland Row, London:
265. Warmth in my heart and wonder in my thought
1720, after January, between Eastwell (which Anne writes a letter from on April 12, 1720) and Cleveland Row:
266. The South Sea affair is what I now Sing
267. Ombre and Basset laid aside
268. Cosmelia's charmes inspire my Lays
269. Call Delia Whore, Friends guard & Foes infest
270. A wealthy and a generous Lord
271. Pitty, the softest Attribute Above