A commonplace book with an autograph poem signed by Eliza Acton c1821-22
ACTON, Eliza (Author of Modern Cookery, 1799-1859). A commonplace book for one of her boarding school pupils, Miss Elizabeth Martin.
*The book has been compiled most likely at the Acton family's girls' boarding school, with an autograph poem by Eliza Acton and entries by her siblings during 1821-1822*
8vo, c.80 pp., manuscript throughout in multiple contemporary hands, with 13 watercolour and pencil drawings of flowers and landscapes. Contemporary black calf, gilt lettered "MISS MARTIN" to upper cover, rubbed, spine worn and chipped; internally generally clean with light marking and occasional browning. Early ownership markings including a name stamp of I.C. Bishop to flyleaf. One page loose towards the rear. Very good.
A commonplace book belonging to a young person, Elizabeth Martin, comprising verse, prose entries, and drawings contributed by the Acton family and their circle at Woodbridge in the early 1820s. The volume includes a signed and dated poem by Eliza Acton from Oct 3rd 1821, beginning "To Elizabeth", with an accompanying poem. Further contributions are signed by Edward Acton (with a wash drawing dated Nov. 13th 1821), Catherine Acton (Jan. 1822), and Annette Acton, together with other contemporary hands.
At this date Eliza Acton, later celebrated for Modern Cookery (1845), was a young woman in her early twenties and, with her siblings, running a girls' boarding school at Woodbridge. This book is most uncommon, with very little known or recorded of Acton or her sisters and brothers at that time. Here they are writing and drawing in this young persons book and all sharing in Elizabeth Martin's book, that she kept updating up to the early 1930s.
An early Acton association, with a rare signed manuscript contribution by Eliza Acton prior to her first publication of poetry in 1826. There is very little found in manuscript form for Acton, with no letters or anything signed by her appearing in auction or currently in commerce.