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, with page '5' written on the top of the sheet.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter is concerned with news of Herries's and Hamilton's friends, including Mrs Hunter, and on Hamilton's brother-in-law, the Chevalier Palombi.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Mrs Elizabeth Carter and Mrs Ord [bluestocking hostess] are both well although Mrs Ord's 'spirits have been much tried with the distress of poor Mr Burden which no doubt you know of & the sickness of her grand child'. Herries writes that Mr Burden's wife and child had died of a fever but that the older children had recovered. Herries has not seen Mrs Garrick but believes that she is not ill. She reports that Hannah More has 'not yet joined her' and that one of More's sisters had been in a poor state when Herries left Bath.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Herries writes that the Chev. Palombi 'was here last night' and they talked of Hamilton and Mr Dickenson. He 'seems to have been delighted & no wonder with his stay at your house'. Herries is pleased that Hamilton has once again her companion from last summer back with her.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter continues on the death of Mrs Elizabeth Vesey. She notes that Vesey had been lost to them for some time 'so it must be called a blessed release'. Vesey was a 'sweet interesting amiable & innocent spirit'. Herries continues on the death of a Duchess [possibly Hamilton's relation, Elizabeth Gunning, the Duchess of Argyll, who died in 1790].</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Herries ends her letter with news of the health of her family.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>[As the letter refers to the death of Mrs Elizabeth Vesey the letter should be dated 1791 and should be placed further on in this sub-series.]</p>