The Mary Hamilton Papers : Copy of letter from Mary Hamilton to Jean Baptiste Louis Georges Seroux d'Agincourt

Hamilton, Mary

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Unsigned copy of a letter from Mary Hamilton to [Jean Baptiste Louis Georges Seroux d'Agincourt]. She assures him that she received his letter from Albano and that she was delighted to hear from him and is very lucky to have such a friend. She tells him that she often speaks about him with her uncle, William Hamilton, through whom he has sent a letter to her, and that she will treasure the engravings he has sent to her. She also refers to letters from Lady Hamilton addressed to her uncle which he found shortly after her death that have improved Hamilton's opinion of her. She takes the opportunity to explain the change in her situation to D’Agincourt, explaining that she was not fully educated to a life living in Court and was therefore, she feels, at a slight disadvantage. Her father, who was very well travelled, did not encourage her to see the world and after his death, her mother needed constant attention due to her ill health. She explains that the role of Governing the Royal Children came about very quickly, with friends arranging things almost entirely unbeknownst to her. With her mother behind the arrangement, she accepted the position and found herself in a role of which she had no experience or preconceptions. Although she was treated very well by the Queen, she found the role exhausting and this, in turn affected her health. She missed her life of freedom and spending time with her loved ones and asked the Queen’s permission to retire from Court. She stayed on, out of duty to the family, for two more years and then eventually retired completely.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Clarges Street [London].</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Original reference No. 10.</p>