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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.

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 on facing page by Margaret Cropper [née Denman, second wife of Edward Cropper]: 'Letter written by T. B. Macaulay to his sister Margaret concerning the engagement of his sister Hannah - to Charles (afterwards Sir Charles) Trevelyan. This letter was written before the news of Margaret's death had reached her brother and sister in India'.

Note at top of letter: 'Copied for C. Trevylan [sic: in fact the copy seems to have been made for G. O. Trevelyan] Jan[uar]y 1874'.

MS note in hand of G. M. Trevelyan at the top of the letter: 'Copy of letter of T. B. M.'s Announcing Hannah's engagement to Charles E. Trevelyan and describing him to his other favourite sister Margaret Cropper. Quoted largely but not fully in the Life and Letters [of Lord Macaulay, by G. O. Trevelyan]. The parts there omitted are here erased in pencil by G. O. T...' An asterisk in red pencil by the last sentence matches with a note to the side, also in red and in an unknown hand: 'Not in fact so. Many discrepancies between these erasures and quoted version'. G. M. Trevelyan also notes above the date, 'Margaret was dead ere it reached her'.

On the back of the final pages there is a note by Edward and Margaret Cropper (née Denman, his third wife): 'The whole of this letter is placed unreservedly in your power to do as like with about publishing all or parts. We should like if agreeable to you to have all concerning Margaret published, as this letter happens to put before one exactly his feelings to his two favourite sisters - & is both curious and touching. E. & M. C.' G. M. Trevelyan adds: 'The Croppers' note to G. O. T. in sending him a copy of this letter for his biography. A generous note'.