The Mary Hamilton Papers : Incomplete letter from Lady Catherine Herries (née Foote) to Mary Hamilton

Herries (née Foote), Catherine

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Incomplete letter from Lady Catherine Herries to Mary Hamilton. She begins by noting that she has just been reading Lord [Francis] Bacon's 'delightful essay on Friendship' and what he writes 'comes indeed home to each man's heart & bosom & one is charmed to find one's own feelings & thoughts satisfied'. She writes on distance and friendship and that she wishes 'Mr D coal mine did not require his presence so much [...] and that despite] of your love & to the family you have entered into it is at these times you must feel the Change of scene & distance from the many friends who love & delight in you'. Herries reports that London as Hamilton may 'suppose is quietness itself just now. I like it'. If Herries is unable to see some friends she is still able to write to them. She writes that she is busy with her house at the moment and is furnishing the drawing room. She thinks Hamilton will approve of it - 'it is neat & simple without finery - in short I wish it to be what you & I like in all things - elegant simplicity'. The letter continues with general news including news of Herries's friend, Mrs Hunter who is sending Herries a copy of verses to pass on to Hamilton. Herries continues that Mrs Vesey gave her friends a scare the previous as she had a 'violent complaint in her stomach & bowels'. She reports that she is much better today. Herries writes of Mr Glover's (see <a target='_blank' class='externalLink uom-purple' href='https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/manchesteruniversity/data/gb133-ham/ham/1/13'>HAM/1/13</a>) illness and how this will affect Hamilton. At his 'time of life' there is not much hope of his recovering.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter ends with Herries noting that she has left a party of gentlemen to the care of her husband so that she can 'chat' with Hamilton. The final page of the letter is missing.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at St James's Street, [London].</p>