The Mary Hamilton Papers : Letters from Charlotte Finch (née Fermor) and Harriet Finch to Mary Hamilton

Finch (née Fermor), Charlotte, Lady, Finch, Harriet

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>The sheet contains two letters, one from Charlotte Finch and the second from her daughter, Harriet [Henrietta Finch (1751-1818)], both addressed to Mary Hamilton.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Charlotte Finch apologises for the short length of her letter but she is trying to catch the post. Finch values Hamilton’s kindness and friendship. She is pleased with the Prince of Wales's remembrance of them all and with his writing it in his own hand in Hamilton’s letter. She believes ‘had not the distance between the Lines allow[e]d of dividing the Paper, Harriet & I s[houl]d have been at variance for the rest of our Lives about the possession of it’. She sends her own and her son’s duty to the Prince via Hamilton and asks to let him know how happy he had made them. She notes that Harriet will speak for herself at the back of the letter. Finch informs Hamilton that she had the good fortune to meet Mr and Mrs Graham in Madrid.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>In the second letter, Harriet Finch also asks Hamilton to tell the Prince of Wales how honoured she was by his remembrance. She writes of missing England but praises the country and people of Portugal. Her comments on the many friends awaiting her in England include an amused reference to the Egertons.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Bordeaux.</p>