Harris Broadsides

Broadsides are single-sheet publications, often issued as ephemera or announcements. The Harris Broadsides Collection is a comprehensive collection of American poetry published in broadside format from colonial times to the present. The collection offers materials covering a broad spectrum of American life, and includes poetry of every description: 18th and 19th century ballads, verse describing newsworthy events, poetic effusions of sentimentality and patriotism, comic verse, and much more. When completed, this digital project will include over 20,000 titles.
This collection is part of Brown University Library, hosted by Brown University.

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Items in this collection

The female sailor

The female sailor

Brown University

Poem. Preceded by a biographical introduction about the travels of Anne Jane Thornton, disguised as a man, between England and North America. Woodcut of a female sailor, with sailing ship and anchor. At end of text: Printed and sold at No. 42, North Main street (opposite the Museum.) Providence. Where are kept for sale 100 other kinds. Printed area: 24.7 x 19.6 cm. Printed in two columns, separated first by the ill., then by a double line.

The fellowship drinking song

written for the club by Eugene Field. "Collected in (reprinted from?) 'Songs,' 1896, where it appears as 'A Drinking Song'"--BAL. Below author statement: Air: The bogie man. Printed in blue on single leaf of stiff card. First line: Come, brothers, share the fellowship.

The fellow that looks like me

Within border of type ornament sections. Text of comic song in six eight-line stanzas with four-line chorus beginning: Oh! wouldn't I like to catch him. At end of text below curvilinear line inside lower border: Wanamaker & Brown, Oak Hall clothing, Corner Sixth & Market Sts., Philada. Pa. At end of text below lower border: A.W. Auner's Printing Office, Phila. Pa. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

The FB eye blues

The FB eye blues

Brown University

Richard Wright. French fold; printed on blue paper on double page. Cover title. Poem in nine six-line stanzas.

The favorite song of sweet Betsey Baker

Poetry. Printed in two columns divided by line of type ornaments within border of type ornaments. Date from appearance of item. Poem in ten stanzas.

The fatherland

The fatherland

Brown University

written by Mrs. Balmanno, and sung at the Anniversary Festival of the St. Nicholas Society of Nassau Island. 1853. Air: Wilhelmus de Nassau.

The fatherland

The fatherland

Brown University

written by Mrs. Balmanno, and sung at the Anniversary Festival of the St. Nicholas Society of Nassau Island. 1853. Air: Wilhelmus de Nassau.

The father of rabbits!

The father of rabbits!

Brown University

Satirical poem about unnamed hypocrite and swindler. Satirical poem about unnamed hypocrite and swindler. Printed in three columns divided by single lines. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

The fate of the pirate Alabama

Song tells of the sinking of the Confederate ship Alabama by the Kearsarge. Song tells of the sinking of the Confederate ship Alabama by the Kearsarge. Printed in red and blue in two columns on page [1]; pages [2]-[4] lined for use as writing paper. At center of title cut of paddle-wheel steam vessel. To be sung to the tune: The heights of Alma. Text of song in 12 four-line stanzas.

The farther shore

The farther shore

Brown University

"Sample sheets printed by The Rampant Lions Press Cambridge in May [19]71 of poems from the original mss of The dolphin ... [intended] to have published by Rainbow Press"--Information sheet from the Rainbow Press accompanying the Brown University copy. At least one of the poems was actually issued in The dolphin by Faber & Faber, London, not the Rainbow Press, in 1973; cf. Harriet's donkey in that work (p. 46) Pages 2 and 3 numbered as such; p. [1] and [4] blank. First line: Ice in the air, enough to make me hold.

The farmer's song

The farmer's song

Brown University

Rev. S.W. Widney. Printed in two columns divided by line of type ornaments within border of type ornament sections. At head of text: Song. Text of song in five thirteen-line stanzas. At end of text: Auburn, Ia., March 28, 1855.

The farmer's son, or, The tragical end of pretty Sally the chambermaid

Printed in two columns divided by curvilinear line. At head of title two wood-engravings of plow and harrow with agricultural implements and sheaf of wheat, and domed building. Poem in 16 four-line stanzas; chambermaid in poem named Polly not Sally. Printed area measures: 18.6 x 11.9 cm. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

The farmer's daughter: or, The barley maid

Poetry printed in two columns, divided by line of advertising between line of type ornaments: Songs and ballads sold at wholesale at No. 42 North Main-Street, Providence - Opposite the museum. Thomas L. Philbrick, in "British authorship of ballads in the Isaiah Thomas collection," Studies in bibliography, papers of the Bibliographical Society of the University of Virginia, v. 9, 1957, p. 255-258, attributes the ballad to Thomas d'Urfrey. Internal evidence, e.g. type face and design, suggests possible range of dates.

The farmer and the laborer to Queen Victoria

Cover within ornamental border. Contains advertising. At head of title: United Labor League of America ... Poem dedicated to the Right Hon. William Ewart Gladstone ..

The farmer and the laborer to Queen Victoria

Cover within ornamental border. Contains advertising. At head of title: United Labor League of America ... Poem dedicated to the Right Hon. William Ewart Gladstone ..

The farmer and his son's return from a vi camp: together with The Rose tree

Printed in two columns divided by single line. Woodcut of soldier with drawn sword on left of title. According to S.F. Damon: Yankee Doodle, p. 6, this is the earliest known printing of Edward Bang's version of Yankee Doodle. Dating is dependent on first possible publication of "Rose tree" Possibly printed by Ezekiel Russell; woodcut used by him.

The farewell

The farewell

Brown University

At end of text: Written for the Farewell Service of Rev. Dr. Carroll, in the South Reformed Church, New Haven, May 2d, 1869, and sung on the occasion.

The farewell

The farewell

Brown University

At end of text: Written for the Farewell Service of Rev. Dr. Carroll, in the South Reformed Church, New Haven, May 2d, 1869, and sung on the occasion.

The famine in Samaria: 2 Kings 7:1-17

Printed in colors on recto, black on verso. Illustrations, on recto, include flowers and crowds. Sunday school lesson. Text of hymn on recto; on verso, lesson and quiz. In upper right corner on recto: Oct. 11. 2. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.