Ashley MS 3111

'We Willed It Not', 'Nineteen-Fifteen' and 'On the Picture of a Private Soldier who had gained a Victoria Cross': three poems by John Drinkwater; [1914-1915?]. Autograph fair copies, written on one side only of four quarto leaves of white ruled laid paper. The third leaf (f. 3) is a different paper from the others, and has been torn from a pad. No watermark. The fair copies are respectively entitled as above in Drinkwater's hand, and each signed 'John Drinkwater 260 Mary Street, Balsall Heath, Birmingham.'. Ashley Library Catalogue, ix, p. 73. As follows:―

1. 'We Willed It Not'; [1914?]. The text found in the MS. is identical with that printed in Swords and Ploughshares, 1915, pp. 39-40. ff. 1, 2.

2. 'Nineteen-Fifteen'; [1915?]. f. 3.

3. 'On the Picture of a Private Soldier who had gained a Victoria Cross'; [1915?]. The text found in the MS. is identical with that first printed in Swords and Ploughshares, 1915, p. 48. f. 4.

Quarto; ff. i+4.

includes:

• ff. 1, 2 Poetry ENGLISH: John Drinkwater, playwright and theatre manager: Poem, 'We Willed It Not', by John Drinkwater: [1914?]: Autogr. fair copy.
• f. 3 Poetry ENGLISH: John Drinkwater, playwright and theatre manager: Poem, 'Nineteen-Fifteen', by John Drinkwater: [1915?]: Autogr. fair copy.
• f. 4 Poetry ENGLISH: John Drinkwater, playwright and theatre manager: Poem, 'On the Picture of a Private Soldier who had gained a Victoria Cross', by John Drinkwater: [1915?]: Autogr. fair copy.