[ Printed volume. ] The Spirit of the Doctor; comprising Many Interesting Poems; selected from the original manuscript of the Late Mr. James Watson, Formerly Librarian of the Portico, in Manchester; and commonly called Doctor Watson.

The full title reads: 'The Spirit of the Doctor; comprising Many Interesting Poems; selected from the original manuscript of the Late Mr. James Watson, Formerly Librarian of the Portico, in Manchester; and commonly called Doctor Watson. [Four-line quotation in Latin from Terence.] To which is prefixed A Lithographic Portrait of the Doctor; with a short memoir of his life: And various Anecdotes relative to Him - After, and to which are subjoined The Humors of Trim, [Two-line quotation from Sterne].;151pp [xxxvi + 51 + 64]., 8vo. Lithographic portrait of author as frontispiece. In fair condition, on aged paper, in aged and heavily-worn original brown cloth binding, with remnants of paper label on spine. Ownership inscription, with name deleted, on front free endpaper: ' | Oldfield | Manchester | 1837'. 'A Brief Memoir of the Life of Mr. James Watson, commonly called Doctor Watson' is on pp.xi-xxii, by 'D. W. P. | Hulme, August 1, 1820'. It is followed (pp.xxiv-xxxvi) by 'The Spirit of the Doctor. | Anecdotes, and Bon Mots.' The rest of the volume is a miscellany of prose and verse. The first pp.1-51 continue 'The Spirit of the Doctor', comprising miscellaneous poems. The succeeding pp.1-64 carry 'The Humors of Trim', with separate title-page, stating that they are printed by Phenix. The volume has a decided Manchester theatrical flavour. The poems include 'Written In Walton Church-Yard, on the Grave-Stone of the late John Palmer, who died on the Stage, in Liverpool, while performing the Stranger, August 2, 1798'. 'Manchester-Exchange: Song by Mr. Barnes, at the Theatre-Royal, Manchester, in the course of an Evening's Entertainment, "by desire of the Subscribers to the Exchange," April 21, 1800.' Also 'Occasional Address, Delivered at the Theatre-Royal, Manchester, April 5, 1802, by Mrs. Ward, in the character of Peace'. Apparently inspired the use of the name "Dr Watson" by Conan Doyle