Thomas Manning was a keen amateur poet and had a lifelong interest in riddles. These are draft poems and riddles mainly created by Manning through his adult life. There are also instances of Manning adopting mirror writing.

Poem beginning "Doomed to search if human nature…" Manning muses on his need to travel but how he will miss a certain "dearest…" Handwritten, 1 piece, 1 side

"Ballad. Written at Macao" This poem is about Spain and hope for Britain and Spain to ever be united. Handwritten, 1 piece, 3 sides See TM/1/2/3 when he writes of composing this piece

Draft of poem beginning "Earth's great girls stablish mountain cloth, from place of rest they go". Poem in heroic couplets. Reverse side has Chinese characters. Handwritten, 1 piece, 2 sides

Draft of poem beginning "Go lovely Flower, that with thy sister flowers". Unrhymed verse. "To Mrs B., greeting from her [Servant]". Handwritten, 1 piece, 2 sides

Draft of poem "Address to the […der] Pereira asking for the vessel to safely transport a "Jewel of too rich a sort/to linger here unknown". On reverse is "Lines to Mrs B (Macao). Handwritten, 1 piece, 2 sides

Neat version of a poem "After the Stone was Laid" concerning the blessing of a foundation stone. Mentions Queen Victoria therefore post 1837. Handwritten, 1 piece, 2 sides

Drafts of poems "Old friend winter", Here comes mild May", and "I'm on tenters and hooks for the Packet of Books" in which he addresses Mr Payne to send his books to Dartford promptly. Also copies of these poems in mirror writing. Handwritten 4 pieces, 5 sides

Draft of a poem to Miss Hoare by "Ignote" (unknown). Handwritten, 1 piece, 1 side

"Ulysses and the Syren By S. Daniel born in 1579" Copy of poem/script of Ulysses and the Syren. Handwritten, 1 piece, 3 sides