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, concerned mainly with news of family and friends, the debate on the Regency Bill and Herries's purchasing a cloak and patterns on Hamilton's behalf.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Herries notes that Hamilton will be aware of the 'majority the ministers' had on Tuesday by the reports in the newspapers and 'tonight is again to be a trial [...] on [...] [this] important debate' [the debate on the Regency]. She reports that the general opinion is that the Regency will be offered to the Prince of Wales 'but some people think so clogged with conditions that its acceptance may be doubtful'. [Some of the text relating to this subject has been crossed out and is unreadable.] Some people are saying that the Ministry wish the proposal to be refused.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Turning to more personal matters, Herries asks Hamilton how she should send her the cloak and patterns. The cloak cost £2.19 and the patterns were six shillings. She notes that she also has some songs to send her.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter ends with news from Clarges Street [where Hamilton formerly lived with the Miss Clarkes and where Mrs Vesey lives]. Herries writes that she saw 'poor Miss Handcock' the other night and continues on the poor state of Mrs Vesey and of her concerns for Miss Handcock, who is gravely ill. She reports that Mrs Vesey has recovered from her fall but that she has not left her house for two months now.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at St James's Street, [London].</p>