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

Foote (née Herries), Nina, Herries (née Foote), Catherine

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Letter from Nina Herries and Lady Catherine Herries to Mary Hamilton, written over two days.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The first part is written by Nina Herries and relates to her stay in Paris. She apologises for not writing sooner. She reports that the passage to Dieppe from Brighton was pleasant and that it took 18 hours. The road to Paris was 'delightful'. The weather was 'excessively hot' but that 'everything was in high beauty'. They are staying opposite the Pont Royal in Paris which she describes as a 'noisy situation' very much like St James's Street with something always 'going forward'. There is a public garden close by and the Seine is opposite their house. Nina has been to see three or four plays and to the Opera, to see English Gardens 'particularly Bagatelle'. She reports that she has seen the Dauphin and notes that he is 'pretty, very polite'.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Nina hopes that Hamilton has not had influenza, which is very prevalent in Europe at the moment. The weather is very fine in Paris at the moment but she expects that it will be cold in England on her return, but that the pleasure of seeing her friends again will be worth putting up with the poor weather. Nina ends her letter noting that she dances often and spends her time very agreeably.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter resumes on 16 October 1788 and is written by Lady Herries. She writes with general family news and on her servant, who is ill.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Paris.</p>