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

Herries (née Foote), Catherine

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Letter from Lady Catherine Herries to Mary Hamilton, concerning a financial dispute relating to Hamilton and a Mrs Cole.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Herries has received Hamilton's packet that she had sent but notes the fact that Hamilton has not yet received the one she has sent to her which included Mrs Hunter's music. She also writes on Hamilton's friends including Anna Maria Clarke and Mrs Delany.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The main content of the letter is concerned with a financial dispute between Hamilton and a Mrs Cole. Referring to an enquiry Hamilton had written with regards finance, Herries informs her that she could not apply to her husband as asked over the 'desperate affair which has come upon you as he is as present in France' but she assures her that she has done what she can and went to Mr McCulloch for advice as soon as she had read Hamilton's letter. Herries notes that Mrs Cole 'your land correspondent has it seems been here [possibly referring to Sir Robert Herries bank] this very morning'. Mrs Cole said that she would write and that it seemed 'very hard on her who had advanced £65 on y[ou]r note'. Herries notes that Mr McCulloch did not see Mrs Cole himself but the Clerks did and noted that 'the woman said she thought it had to be treated as impostor by no notice being taken of her letter'. She notes that Mr McCulloch thinks it may be possible that this woman may be a 'dupe of others, though there is no answering for it'. He advices Hamilton to end this by sending her a few lines that you had no knowledge of the affair and to have an attorney visit Mrs Cole to explain the situation and to end her 'groundless expectations of recovering the money from you'.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter continues dated 6th December on the same subject.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at St James's Street, [London].</p>