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Note by Margaret Cropper, née Denman, to her son [Edward] Denman Cropper on inside front cover: 'Volume 2. Original Manuscripts. Letters from Thomas Babington Macaulay to his Brother in law Edward Cropper & to his second wife Margaret (sister of Lord Macaulay) who died at the age of 22 - leaving one son (Charlie) who died at about 13 years of age - These letters are of great interest & much value, & the collection is to be carefully preserved by Edward Denman Cropper, & to remain as now arranged & not divided or disturbed. - This dearest Denman is your Father's wish & I am sure you will hold it sacred. Yr loving Mother Margaret Cropper née Denman'. Note on flyleaf: 'I have not arranged them so well as I might, but they were much creased & torn, & I have taken the greatest pains to preserve them uninjured'.

Notes on inside back cover: 'For Edward Denman Cropper from his Father', and 'This book contains 6 letters from T.B.M. to his sister Margaret after he sailed for India. They are arranged with regard to safety & convenience but not arranged according to their dates - M.C.' Also a numbered list of the letters at the top of the page headed 'Beginning at this end', numbers 5-6, and at the bottom (upside down) headed 'Beginning at the other end of book', numbers 1-3. Date, a brief description, and extent are given for each.

Note by Margaret Cropper, née Denman, to her son [Edward] Denman Cropper on free endpaper: 'I have done my best my very dear dear Boy to preserve this very interesting collection of letters, wh[ich] your dearest Father had carefully kept for many years - they will both by right, & by your Father's wish belong to you, & you will I am sure remember his wish that you should not separate or destroy them. God bless you my dear Denman - you be as good & truly excellent a man as your dear Father, & may you be spared the heavy trials he has had! - May you while young profit from your great advantages, & in time make yourself worthy of the celebrated men with whom your father was connected ie his Brother in Law L[or]d Macaulay - & his Father in law, yr Grandfather Denman. Your loving Mother M. C.'

The inside front cover is headed [again in Margaret Cropper's hand?] 'Letters from Lord Macaulay. - For E. D. Cropper from his Father', followed by a page index numbered 1-30 but left blank. The inside back cover is headed 'For E. D. Cropper' and 'Contents beginning this end'; a page index numbered 1-31 follows, and this one has several entries, including early autograph hymns by T. B. Macaulay, odes, 'squibs' and so on. Several of the following pages are also labelled to indicate contents; however, none of these documents are now present, and many pages have obviously been removed.