The Mary Hamilton Papers : Letter from Lady Dartrey (later Lady Cremorne) to Mary Hamilton

Dawson (née Freame), Philadelphia Hannah, Baroness Cremorne

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Letter from Lady Dartrey to Mary Hamilton. She writes that after one of the 'hottest, & most dusty of journeys' that she has finally arrived at Clifton which she describes as a 'beautiful & delicious spot'. She has a house to herself which is shaded by trees on one side and fields on the other. The house has a porch, which she describes to Hamilton as 'an old fashioned seat at the Door' where she sits each evening and thinks of 'Richard' [probably her son]. She thinks of how she watched him declining each day and that now he has died notes that he is not 'out of reach of sin & sorrow which gives her some comfort. Her daughter, Julia was 'heated by the journey' but has since regained her spirits. Dartrey writes that Julia has had two blisters on her legs due to the 'violent heat' and that she did not complain of them until they got to Bath and the coach had stopped. Only then asking if she might get a bed so she could sleep. Dartrey continues on her own health and on her hopes that the air and the quiet of her surroundings will improve her cough. She is happy to have no friends with her so that she can have the 'perfect enjoyment of [...] [her] children'.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter ends on the subject of Court. She asks for news of Lady Finch and hopes the Queen is not suffering from the hot weather and that the princesses are all well.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Clifton.</p>