The Mary Hamilton Papers : Letter from Frederick Hamilton to Charles Hamilton

Hamilton, Frederick

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Letter from Frederick Hamilton to his brother Charles Hamilton. He writes of his visit to Italy and of his health, which is improving. He writes that there does not seem much inducement to continue his stay abroad, 'for to say the truth, things appear to me quite differently from what they did eight years ago, & I am now most thoroughly convinced that an English woman cannot bear being transplanted into France or Italy unless she is determin[e]d to accommodate herself to their respective customs'. He will return to London and hopes to be there in the middle of June, and notes that his wife is happy that they will be returning.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter continues with his plans for the future and his 'strong objections' to taking up residence in Ireland. He would prefer to stay in England, somewhere where he is not known, 'where I shall not be perpetually reminded of former disagreeable situations or stumbled upon by Friends'. Norwich sounds to him a possible place to live, as he has heard that there is good society there throughout the year. He asks for his brother's opinion of the place and for a letter of recommendation from him for some person there who will aid his finding lodgings.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Frederick Hamilton ends his letter with news of his family. His wife is suffering from scarlet fever, which he notes is a dangerous illness in Italy, and his son has recovered from smallpox. Dated at Florence [Italy].</p>