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

Herries (née Foote), Catherine

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Letter from Lady Catherine Herries to Mary Hamilton, with a continuation addressed to John Dickenson. She writes of her pleasure at receiving a letter from Hamilton and of being grateful at her concern for her health. She light-heartedly tells Hamilton of the frequent kind visits to her from John Dickenson whilst he was in town but writes that she will have 'pleasure in scolding him' for informing Hamilton of her 'independence and exertions' noting that the only thing she did was to visit the Pepyses and sit with them for an hour.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Herries notes that she is now tolerably well and goes out only 'moderately' because of the bad weather. She writes with news of her relations, friends ans acquaintances including Sir William Hamilton and Elizabeth Montagu. She writes of her concerns for the health of Mrs Vesey, whom she had visited the previous night on her way to Mrs Montagu's. She found her 'so low & so indifferent' and that she does not even 'attempt' to organise parties with her 'old acquaintances'. She does not seem to be suffering from a 'particular illness' but seems low and 'feebled in general'.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The final part of the letter is written to John Dickenson. Herries is reading Gillies's History of Greece [John Gillies <i><i>History of Ancient Greece, Its Colonies and Conquests</i></i> (1786)]. She also refers to a book just published by Miss Bowdler of Bath (see HAM/1/17/81) of her late sister's poems.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at St James's Street, [London].</p>