[ F. T. Prince, poet and critic. ] Small miscellaneous autograph notebook, including an entry on his 'conversion', and an early draft of a 'would-be Byronic' poem. With signed note by Prince calling it 'typical of notebooks I carried about for years'

According to his obituary in the Guardian, 2003, after a long period of neglect, Prince was rediscovered b the New York School, and by the end of his life had 'come to be regarded by writers as diverse as Geoffrey Hill and the American innovator John Ashbery as one of the most significant poets of the 20th century'. 40pp. of closely-written text in a small (13.5 x 9 cm) 'Lion Brand' notebook. Stapled, in card covers. In fair condition, aged and worn. A signed note, dated 1998, on the second page, gives Prince's assessment of the contents: 'There are bursts of phrases sentences from Malory, some would-be Byronic – Don Juan lines, rhymes. At the end I am noting phrases etc on my mother – references to her reading of Butler's Analogy of Religion, quotation of Romany Poem in Borrow's Gypsies of Spain (My mother has troubles, I have troubles. I feel my mother's troubles – I don't feel mine – Some comments on my conversion etc. | The whole typical of notebooks I carried about for years. | F. T. P.' The volume contains miscellaneous entries, clearly written over a period of time, in black, blue and red ink. An interesting biographical entry on the last four pages begins: 'Various types of ruffian 1983 Jan 6' and including the following: 'my conversion. I have always been afraid of everything except loneliness, my own mind, suffering, enduring: afraid of other people, of giving myself, of 'mixing', of being like the others, of not being “different”. Afraid of my own weakness, my own incapacity. Never did anything unless <?> or inspired or pushed, pushed it is true by need, like any body else.' The final entry also includes the reference to Prince's mother. The 'would-be Byronic' draft notes towards a poem are written over six pages, and cast an interesting light on Prince's working methods. They includes one reference to the year 1974. Unpublished, the notes begin: 'I'm a literary man / Amhurst was next . . .', and includes the lines 'but the world now grew rough torment / more meant / dormant? 'entrapment of ensnarement'', and 'Emily / showing genuinely [ Du has diamanter ] volcanic / how am I to say no? / & may, who know / as you or the others may know / obey no . . . stubble, double, bubble etc obey no / unworthy impuls and by no / Unworthy [albino?] scurvy, nervy, curvy'. Also present are three pages of notes on a 'Lecture: Pater's turn towards (or return to) some kind of Christianity shows how hard it is in England for any philosophy of art or vision not to melt into, merge with, or leap at a religious conclusion.' (Beside the title Prince has written, around 1998: 'Cannot remember what lecture this was'.). There is also a page on Henri Michaux, and references to Robin Skelton, Verlaine, Byron, quotations from the Caroline poet Patrick Cary. Possibly from the papers of the bookseller Roy Davids: a pencil note in another hand on the inside cover reads '250 nett to Roy D.'