This, being the first time I’d ever attempted to search for marginalia, let alone marginalia from the Victorian era, proved to be a pretty difficult task. I must have looked through nearly twenty books before finally finding something noteworthy, and even still, I could barely read the handwriting. After searching through the stacks for what felt like hours, I finally stumbled upon a book titled Best Plays of the Old Dramatists: William Wycherley. A collection of William Wycherley’s plays, edited by W.C. Ward, this book was published in London in 1900 by T. Fisher Unwin. This particular copy’s call number is PR3772.W3.

Given the nature of the book and what I was able to decipher of the scribblings in the margins, it seems like this book was most likely used for scholastic purposes, though it isn’t a definite. Notes have been made throughout the book regarding themes and overall interpretation, though the language used by the reader is somewhat colloquial in nature, which tells me that either a) they were really enjoying this book, b) they were so bored reading and studying they had to compensate by having a little fun writing their notes, or c) this wasn’t for a class at all and this person just really liked trying to interpret library books in the margins (this is, of course, a long shot, but hey, who am I to judge?).

Also, I unfortunately had to rely on my shoddy flip phone camera, so the pics are a little fuzzy. Forgive me for that. It’s tough being stuck in the stone ages.

 

 

The first bit of marginalia I found, which made me initially think the reader was reading the book for a class, is a bracket encasing a set of lines, with a note beside it reading, “Jealousy theme.” As aforementioned, thematic sidenotes like this were made throughout the book, highlighting little interpretive bits and pieces of Wycherley’s writing.

 

 

Another such note was made at another point in the book, this time noting, “Purpose of these ladies,” referring to some of the characters. Once again, this points to scholastic use by the reader, identifying another crucial piece of info, most likely so he or she could study it later on.

 

 

 

Another note, this time of a more colloquial nature (as far as I could tell), seems to talk about the characters. Unfortunately, I couldn’t read most of it, but I noticed the reader created a bit of a sentimental/funny nickname for one of the characters in Wycherley’s The Country Wife, Sparkish, who the reader proudly dubbed “Sparky!” I wish I could’ve deciphered the rest of the handwriting, because I have no idea what the reader was even making a note of, but at least it showed their attitude toward the characters somewhat. Other colloquial/less formal notes were made throughout the book as well.

http://www.booktraces.org/book-submission-the-best-plays-of-the-old-dramatists-william-wycherley/