"[...] Or during converse born of souls allied, As aught men understand. And though mayhap Their cheeks will thin or droop; and wane their eyes' Frank lustre; hair may lose its hue, or fall; And health may slacken low in force; and they[...]".

"My Beautiful Lady. Nelly Dale" by Thomas Woolner was initially a single poem that was then extended into a full narrative text and released at the end of the 19th century. Woolner, in fact, was a sculptor and poet. Thus, his words are beautifully crafted and portray imagery that is unlike that of many other writers at his time.

The Colbeck collection was formed over half a century ago by the Bournemouth bookseller Norman Colbeck. Focusing primarily on British essayists and poets of the nineteenth century from the Romantic Movement through the Edwardian era, the collection features nearly 500 authors and lists over 13,000 works. Entries are alphabetically arranged by author with copious notes on the condition and binding of each copy. Nine appendices provide listings of selected periodicals, series publications, anthologies, yearbooks, and topical works.